SCHILLING SIZZLING AT BEST TIME OF YEAR

BAKERSFIELD - Kyle Schilling is starting to peak.

And it couldn't be at a better time for the sophomore thrower.

Schilling had his breakout performance of the season last week at the Western States Conference prelims with a second place finish in the shot put.

He may have bested that performance on Friday when he took home first place in the hammer throw and second place in the discus, in the Western States Conference finals at Bakersfield College.

In an even that was dominated by AVC throwers, Schilling outdistanced teammate Ryan Alvarez in the hammer. Schilling threw 156-04, while Alvarez was second in the event with a toss of 154-00. John Jablonski nearly finished third, completing the hat trick, but he finished fourth (144-05).

"He's (Schilling) red hot right now. We'll see what happens this week," AVC head coach Mark Covert said. "(This week) So. Cal prelims is the hardest meet of the year. All you can do is hope the kids that are supposed to move on, move on. It's a tough meet for the kids and the coaches."

The advantage Marauder athletes have is that the next two meets (Southern California prelims and Southern California finals) are hosted by AVC. The top six finishers move on to the prelims and according to Covert, "the sixth place finisher has the same advantage as the first."

Alec Franco finished fourth in the 3000 steeplechase, while Bradley Wiggs was sixth the the 10000 crossing the tape at 32:20.68.

A bit of a surprise and some what of a shock was Joshua Cummings, who finished sixth in the 400 meter run and narrowly moved on to next week. Cumming clocked a 49.35 edging out seventh place finisher Santa Monica College's Gabriel Berkovick (49.53).

Cummings has the fastest time in the conference this season after he clocked 47.91. The good news for Cummings is he will return to the same track that he ran that personal best, his home track. Micah Robinson finished eighth in the event following his 49.91.

Cummings and Robinson will join Jordan Rayfield and Isaac Williams in the 4X400 meter relay next after after the foursome finished fifth with a time of 3:20.19.