Mulkey, Parry, Sumpter win at Jaguar Invitational

Fallbrook High School runners Amanda Mulkey, Kristin Parry, and Marquis Sumpter won events at track and field’s Jaguar Invitational held April 12 at Valley Center High School.

Sumpter was the winner in the boys 400-meter race, Mulkey took first place in the girls 800-meter run, and Parry was victorious in the girls 3,200-meter run.

The Warriors also had five second-place showings, four third-place results, and two fourth-place marks in the meet which included 45 schools. Troy Hamlin, who is Fallbrook’s girls head track and field coach, also coached the boys at the Jaguar Invitational while boys coach Rich Parris took a handful of athletes to the Arcadia Invitational that day.

“The kids had a great time,” Hamlin said. “It was a fun day and a day that they’ll remember on to the future.”

The top four finishers in each individual event and the top three relay teams in each race received medals. Mulkey and Sumpter were also on one medaling relay team, and both also finished in the top five in a field event.

Mulkey, a freshman, had a time of 2:21.8 to win the 800-meter run. “The Sweetwater girl took her out at a pretty good pace,” Hamlin said. “It was a very close race and a very good race for Amanda because she was pressed from the beginning and she responded.”

The race between Mulkey and Sweetwater sophomore Maila Lucht was close for the entire two laps. “It came down to a lean at the finish,” Hamlin said. “Amanda leaned, won, and fell down.”

Lucht was the anchor for Sweetwater when the Red Devils won the girls 4x400 relay race with a time of 4:12.26. Fallbrook’s girls 4x400 relay team of Cassie Mulkey, Amanda Mulkey, Carrie Jercinovich, and Olivia Tidd finished second at 4:20.54. “It was a good run for them on a fairly warm night,” Hamlin said.

Amanda Mulkey also participated in the high jump, finishing one spot out of a medal with a fifth-place height of 4’6”. “That’s a nice mark for a freshman girl who’s new to the event,” Hamlin said.

Although Amanda Mulkey missed a third medal by a single position, her sister joined Sumpter as the only Warriors to receive three medals. Senior Cassie Mulkey participated in the slower heat race in the 100-meter dash and finished second in that heat with a time of 13.36 seconds while placing ninth overall. “She’s running down and doing a great job in the 100 meters,” Hamlin said.

Because running events involve competition against the other athletes rather than against the clock, medals were given for each heat. Amanda Mulkey had won the 800-meter fast heat.

Cassie Mulkey’s time of 27.56 seconds in the fast 200-meter heat gave her third in that race and fourth overall for that event.

Sumpter, a junior, won the 400-meter fast heat in 51.35 seconds, edging the 51.49-second time of Sweetwater junior Marcus Pierce. “He got out and got an early lead,” Hamlin said.

The race was Sumpter’s first ever in the open 400-meter event. “All in all it was an exceptional performance for Marquis,” Hamlin said.

Sumpter also made his debut in the triple jump during the Jaguar Invitational. His distance of 40 feet, 1 ¾ inches placed fourth in his session and fifth overall. “That is an absolutely phenomenal mark for somebody who’s been doing it for a day,” Hamlin said.

The sixth-place distance in that event was produced by Fallbrook senior Nick Hayes, whose jumps totaled 39 feet, 4 1/2 inches. “We’ve got a good group of triple jumpers emerging,” Hamlin said.

The boys 4x100 relay team of Hayes, Dwayne Mitchell, T.J. Sumpter, and Marquis Sumpter placed third with a time of 43.91 seconds.

Parry, a freshman, won the 3,200-meter race in 11:43.13. “It was a good solid performance for her,” Hamlin said. “Overall she ran a nice race from start to finish.”

Hamlin noted that Parry’s time was hampered not only by the weather but also by a lack of close competition. “She just took off from the beginning by herself and it ended up being a glorified time trial,” Hamlin said.

The second-place finisher in that race was Escondido junior Stacy Portillo, who had a time of 11:52.43. “Just a nice win for her,” Hamlin said of Parry. “She’s really emerged as one of the more elite 3,200-meter runners in the county.”

Senior Jade Lawrence was second in her girls 100-meter hurdles heat and fifth overall with a time of 17.58 seconds. “It was a good run for her,” Hamlin said.

Senior Sam Liner placed second in the boys 1,600-meter run with a time of 4:45.02. “Sam is more of a longer distance runner,” Hamlin said. “He’s doing really well in the mile this year.”

Junior Tommy Skinner cleared 13’0” to finish second in the boys pole vault. “Just a nice job for him,” Hamlin said.

Tidd, a junior, earned a third-place medal after completing the 300-meter hurdles in 51.19 seconds. Sophomore Kyle Little cleared 8’6” in the girls pole vault to take third place.

Senior Kylene Button took fourth place in the girls long jump with a distance of 15’9”.