Jeff Tully
BURBANK -- Last season, Burroughs High track and field coaches thought
they might not ever see another middle-distance runner the caliber of
Brian Anderson, who graduated and is running at MIT.
But this season, the Indian coaches might just have to put Tony Ahr at
the head of the all-time-best list after his performance in the CIF State
Track and Field Championships.
Ahr, who was joined at the meet by teammate Carolyn Brown, qualified
for Saturday's 1,600-meter finals by breaking a school record the night
before.
Running in Friday's preliminaries at Sacramento City College's Hughes
Stadium, Ahr had the fourth-fastest time, as set a new Burroughs mark by
finishing in 4 minutes 14.80 seconds.
"Some of us coaches thought that with what Brian Anderson did here at
Burroughs, he would have to be the best middle-distance runner in school
history," Burroughs Coach Steve Hubbell said. "But now that Tony has set
the record, we are thinking that maybe now Tony is probably the best
middle-distance runner of all time."
That is a pretty good compliment taking into consideration how well
Anderson ran in 2000. Anderson not only set the 1,600 record of 4:15.21
at last year's state meet, but he is also the Indian record-holder in the
800 with a 1:54.19.
Ahr's 4:14.80 is the sixth-fastest 1,600 time by a high school athlete
in California this year and the fastest time in L.A. County.
"What Tony did setting the record is spectacular," Burroughs
cross-country Coach John Peebles said. "He was really focused on what he
was trying to accomplish and he went out there and did it."
In Saturday's finals, Ahr ran a competitive race, finishing seventh in
4:17.04.
Ahr's progression this season has been remarkable. Coming into the
season, his best time in the 1,600 was a 4:31. And to improve 17 seconds
-- more than four seconds a lap -- in the event is nothing short of
amazing.
The accomplishment caps a fine senior year for Ahr, who captured
Foothill League titles in the 800 and 1,600 and was also an all-league
honoree in boys' cross-country.
The 1,600 finals race belonged to Big Bear High's Ryan Hall, who won
the event with a 4:02.62 to set a new meet record.
"In the finals, Hall was running his own race and it seemed like
everyone else was in another race," Hubbell said. "He wanted to run a
sub-four[minute] mile and he came around the first lap in 60 [seconds]."
For Brown, just a sophomore, she had an off-day in Friday's 800
prelims, finishing eighth in her heat in 2:22.44. She didn't qualify for
the finals.
Although she didn't make it to Saturday's competition, reaching the
state meet as a sophomore is a fine accomplishment for Brown, who won the
CIF Southern Section Division II 800 title last season.
Along with being the first Burroughs female to make it to the state
meet, Brown's best time in the 800 is the 20th fastest in California this
year.
"She was disappointed she didn't make it to the finals," Hubbell said.
"But she has nothing to be ashamed of. She had a great season."
Brown also had a busy sophomore season, as she was the league
runner-up in the 800 and earned all-league honors in girls' cross-country
and girls' soccer.
