Two for the show: Sterling's Megli looks to improve in 800; Dixon's Brunell buoyed by final throw

Alex T. Paschel/SVN Sterling's Sam Megli takes off during the 800 run. The senior qualified seventh for today's finals with a run of 1 minute, 54.99 seconds.

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CHARLESTON - For most of his heat in the 800, Sam Megli looked as though he'd continue his recent dominance. After getting passed in the final 50 meters Friday, he realizes he's got some work to do.

"I got tired towards the end," the Sterling senior said, "but I had to get out fast so I wouldn't get boxed in."

Megli and Dixon thrower Andrew Burnell were the lone area Class AA athletes to advance to the finals following the first day of the boys track and field meet.

Competing in the first heat of the 800, Megli covered the first lap in 54 seconds before finishing in 1 minute, 54.99 seconds. He was passed down the stretch by Salem's Justin Helpingstine (1:53.69) and Huntley's Todd Farbiak (1:54.51).

"I've just got to bring the second lap down," said Megli, whose time is seventh among 12 qualifiers.

Burnell is the lone weightman left from a contingent of five from Dixon and Sterling. His 163-foot, 1-inch discus throw paled in comparison to the 170-11 he threw at the Rock Island Sectional, but it was good enough to tie for eighth place.

"I guess since it was on my last throw, to go from being out of it to around seventh or eighth, I can't be too unhappy about performing under pressure," Burnell said. "Still, I would have liked to have thrown a lot better, but sometimes the weather won't let you."

The first two flights of the discus had a favorable wind to throw into, but after an hour-plus lightning delay, Burnell and others in his flight threw in windless conditions.

"Luckily for Andy it quit raining, they dried the ring out for his last throw and it gave him a chance to get his feet set properly and he got a pretty good throw," Dixon weights coach Rich Lawton said. "When it all came down to the last throw, it speaks highly of the young man that he rose to the occasion."

Burnell and the other finalists will get three more throws today. The man to catch is Lake Park sophomore Dan Block, who went 183-4. Friday's distances carry over to today and will stand if they are not bettered.

Sterling's 1,600 relay of Cory Renner, David Gonzalez, Megli and Joe Schneiderbauer had been undefeated this season, but hadn't seen the kind of competition it did on Friday. The Golden Warriors finished in 3:33.25, last in their heat and well off their sectional time of 3:26.53.

The last finals qualifying time was 3:21.69, posted by Thornwood.

Schneiderbauer coasted the last 50 meters of the race, in an attempt to save some energy for the triple jump. That event was delayed and eventually moved into Lantz Fieldhouse due to wet conditions.

"I knew we could do it, but I just don't know what happened today," said Schneiderbauer, who was 33rd in the triple jump (42-1 1/4). "I think it was the rain delay. You don't really want to put it on anything else. We had been warming up, then having to cool down and warm up again over and over."