Grant Gordon
It was Andrew Steben's track and field journey that took him farther
than any other area athlete.
For that and a laundry list of other accomplishments, the St.
Francis High pole vaulter was voted the All-Area Male Track and Field
Athlete of the Year.
Despite vaulting to heights exceeding 14 feet, Steben and the pole
vault were under the radar for most of the year.
But this year, by the time the track and field season was coming
to a close, all eyes were on Steben as he was the last athlete
standing.
For much of the year, Steben was called on to do his share of the
waiting.
When the Mission League finals were upon him, inclement weather
forced the cancellation of the pole vault event. So, it was put off
until a day later, when Steben took home the Mission League title
with a jump of 14 feet.
After that, he was one of nine area athletes to emerge from the
CIF prelims onward to the CIF finals. Once again, Steben was the last
one there, the last one waiting.
While every one else had practically left Cerritos College in
Norwalk, Steben and his pole-vaulting brethren were still going
strong.
Steben's effort of 14 feet was strong enough for a third-place
finish and another advancement to the Masters Meet -- one of just two
area athletes to do so.
A week later at the Masters, Steben needed a 14-11 to keep his
season going another week. Problem was, Steben had never vaulted that
high.
And while everybody else's track and field season had ended
already, Steben waited until the state finals before calling it a
year.
He got his personal best, an automatic qualifying mark for
Sacramento and the state meet and track spotlight all to himself as
the only area athlete left.
St. Francis High junior pole vaulter Andrew Steben went farther
than any other local track and field athlete this season
AREA'S TOP PERFORMERS
*--*
100 Meters
Eric Stephens, St. Francis 10.98
200 Meters
Eric Stephens, St. Francis 22.28
400 Meters
Eric Stephens, St. Francis 50.72
800 Meters
Rusty Whisman, Crescenta Valley 1:57.08
1,600 Meters
Rusty Whisman, Crescenta Valley 4:17.13
3,200 Meters
Rusty Whisman, Crescenta Valley 9:14.81
110 High Hurdles Ian Chessum, Crescenta Valley 16.8
300 Intermediate Hurdles
Matt Duncan, Crescenta Valley 42.62
Long Jump
Nick Peterson, Crescenta Valley 22-7
Triple Jump
A.J. Bosco, Burbank and Nick Peterson, CV 42-2
High Jump
Matt Tappin, Flintridge Prep 6-2
Pole Vault
Andrew Steben, St. Francis 14-11
Shot Put
Eben Britton, Burroughs 57-8
Discus
Eben Britton, Burroughs 166-0
*--*
*--*
Coach of the Year
Mark Evans, Crescenta Valley
*--*
