Sailor in prime position

CLOVIS — Newport Harbor High junior Cecil Whiteside qualified second in the boys’ discus throw preliminaries at the CIF State track and field championships Friday at Buchanan High.

Whiteside, who was sixth at the state meet in this event last season, posted a top mark of 181 feet, 6 inches, six feet shy of top qualifier Matt Darr of Frontier High.

Whiteside, who won last week’s CIF Southern Section Masters Meet with a throw of 182-5, has a personal best of 187-5.

“He threw very well,� Sailors’ throwing coach Tony Ciarelli said. “He opened up with a throw of 175 feet that was nice and relaxed and qualified him. Usually, if we qualify [the top nine advanced to today’s 4:30 p.m. final], we go one throw and out. But it’s only three throws, so he used the other two to get a better fell for the ring.�

Ciarelli said Whiteside’s experience at the state meet last season helped him relax Friday.

“Last year was a lot more nerve-racking for all of us,� Ciarelli said. “His experience is helping him this year and he is pretty confident.�

Whiteside bettered his previous best mark by about four feet in last year’s state final.