ALL-COUNTY BOYS TRACK AND FIELD 2024
ATHLETE OF THE YEAR
Evan Noonan, Dana Hills. Junior
Evan Noonan was Orange County’s best in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters a year ago as a sophomore.
How could he get even better in his junior year at Dana Hills?
“I worked most on mental improvement,” Noonan said “I worked on my mental toughness and reworking my subconscious mind. … Getting rid of the doubt concept.”
No doubt, Noonan did that. He was even better in the 1,600 and 3,200 this season.
Noonan’s winning time of 4 minutes, 4.02 seconds in the Division 2 1,600 at the CIF Southern Section finals was the second-best time in California this season and his personal best and the fifth-best in Orange County history.
His winning time of 8:43.12 in the 3,200, another personal-best time, at the CIF State meet was the third-best time in the state this season and the third best in Orange County history.
He was the only Orange County athlete to win an individual event at the CIF State meet.
There were so many first-place finishes for Noonan from the start of the season to the state meet.
He won the 1,600 at the Stanford Invitational in March and at the Mt. SAC Relays in April. He was the South Coast League champion at that distance in April.
Noontan finished first in the 3,200 at the South Coast League championships before winning the 3,200 at the CIF-SS finals and at the state meet.
To get more of a mental edge Noonan recently began seeing a sports psychologist.
“It’s been going well so far,” he said. “When I hit that fifth lap in the 2 mile, instead of getting bored or getting tired I focus on the laps instead of just trying to get it over with.”
Noonan finished third in the 3,200 at the 2023 state meet. That didn’t cut it for him. So he was determined to have a great 3,200 this time, and his first-place finish was the highlight of his season.
“The state meet was the best because of the whole redemption aspect,” he said. “I had a lot of friends there so that was cool.”
Noonan, who was the Orange County boys cross country athlete of the year in the fall, will be running in the 1,600 in the Brooks PR Invitational Wednesday, June 12, in Seattle. Then he will compete in the 3,200 in the Nike Outdoors Invitational two days later in Eugene, Ore.
What’s his favorite, the 1,600 or the 3,200?
“That depends on whatever I’m succeeding the most at, at the time,” he said.
There was a lot of success, at both, for Noonan this season.
COACH OF THE YEAR
Dan Johnson, San Clemente
Dan Johnson of San Clemente is the Orange County boys track and field coach of the year.
Johnson, who completed his 28th season as San Clemente boys track coach, guided the Tritons to the highest finish by an Orange County boys teams at the CIF State Track and Field Championships. They finished 14th with 11.25 points.
San Clemente finished fifth in team points in Division 1 in the CIF Southern Section finals and was second in the Orange County Championships.
Johnson said he has a great network of assistant coaches that includes Tim Butler, Doug Greek, Dave Luciani, Brian Rother, Phil Schwab and Brad Skovbo.
ALL-COUNTY FIRST TEAM
(Selections made based on top marks and level of performance in the CIF Southern Section Finals and CIF State meet.)
100: Devin Bragg, Los Alamitos, Jr.
200: Devin Bragg, Los Alamitos, Jr.
400: Rider Cooper, Portola, Sr.
800: Taj Clark, San Clemente, Sr.
1,600: Evan Noonan, Dana Hills, Jr.
3,200: Evan Noonan, Dana Hills, Jr.
110 hurdles: Dario Garrett, Trabuco Hills, Sr.
300 hurdles: Kamran Jahroni, Portola, Sr.
4×100 relay: Portola
4×400 relay: Northwood
4×800 relay: San Clemente
High jump: Brandon Gorski, Mater Dei, Jr.
Long jump: Brandon Gorski, Mater Dei, Jr.
Triple jump: Blythe Dahl, Villa Park, Sr.
Pole vault: Dexter Brice, San Clemente, Sr.
Shot put: Zach Lewis, Pacifica, Sr.
Discus: Zach Lewis, Pacifica, Sr.
ALL-COUNTY SECOND TEAM
100: Quaid Carr, Servite, Jr.
200: Dheer Patel, Northwood, Sr.
400: Dheer Patel, Northwood, Sr.
800: Jack Horrocks, Foothill, Sr.
1,600: Ibzan Felix, Beckman, Sr.
3,200: Ibzan Felix, Beckman, Sr.
110 hurdles: Shea Summers, Edison, Jr.
300 hurdles: Colin Currier, Crean Lutheran, Sr.
4×100 relay: Servite
4×400 relay: Los Alamitos
4×800 relay: Santa Margarita
High jump: Scotty Belnap, Mater Dei, Sr.; Ben Cox, Villa Park, Sr.; Michael Danna, El Dorado, Sr.
Long jump: Jason Liu, Portola, Sr.
Triple jump: DJ Lee, Mission Viejo, Jr.
Pole vault: Brady Furr, Santa Margarita, Jr.; Ryan Leuenberger, Capistrano Valley
Shot put: Jayden Legaspi, Canyon, Jr.
Discus: Jake Brooks, Brea Olinda, Jr.
