Southern Section Track and Field Meet : Young Sprinters Make Hawthorne Co-Favorite

When the season started, there seemed little chance that Hawthorne High School could win its fifth straight Southern Section track and field championship.

Gone from last year’s team were All-Americans Henry Thomas and Sean Kelley, state 200-meter champion Michael Marsh and Michael Graham, the state runner-up in the 300 hurdles.

But the development of “possibly the finest group of young sprinters in the nation,” according to Track & Field News’ high school editor Jack Shepard, has made Coach Kye Courtney’s Cougars no worse than a co-favorite with Pasadena Muir to win the boys’ 4-A team title today at Cerritos College.

The Southern Section Divisional meet, which will decide the 4-A, 3-A, 2-A and 1-A team championships, begins at 11 a.m. with the field events. The running events start at noon.

Also, the top nine individuals, regardless of division, will advance to the Southern Section Masters meet May 31.

Muir was a solid choice to win the 4-A title until last Friday’s preliminaries, when hurdler Tyrone Jeffries failed to qualify in both hurdle races due to an injury and the Mustangs’ 400-meter relay team, which leads the state with a time of 40.93, was disqualified for passing the baton out of the zone.

The Mustangs are still capable of scoring plenty of points through junior sprinters Corey Ealy and Ricky Ervins, 800 runners Rick Shaw and Marcus Robertson, and triple jumper Terrence Williams. But Hawthorne is also a title threat with the emergence of sophomore sprinters Leroy Thomas and Travis Hanna, freshman Curtis Conway, hurdler Robert Morris and triple jumper Trini Woods.

Hawthorne’s three underclassmen are on both the 400 and 1,600 relays, which led the 4-A division with times of 41.82 and 3:15.1, respectively.

With Ealy, Ervins, Hanna and Conway all entered in the 200, the meet could be decided on that one race.

If Muir and Hawthorne neutralize each other, look for Simi Valley to take the title.

While the boys’ 4-A championship is very much in question, there appears to be little, except a couple of dropped batons in the relays, that could prevent Hawthorne’s girls from winning the team title.

Hawthorne’s Tami Stiles, when she wants to run, is one of the country’s best sprinters. She is joined by Aidenna Thomas, Deaundra Wheeler and Deanna Amy on 400 and 1,600 relay teams that lead the state with times of 46.21 and 3:48.90, respectively. In the event of a disaster, look for Thousand Oaks to grab the title.

Here’s a look at the three remaining divisions:

3-A DIVISION: BOYS--Duarte and Saugus are the co-favorites. Duarte is led by sprinters Martin Cannady and Cedric Coleman, while Saugus will rely on distance twins Kirk and Daren Stonerock and hurdler Rodney Bradshaw. The runner-up in 1985, Duarte is also entered in both relays. The two schools also clash in the 800, where Duarte junior Maurice Horton (1:55.3) is matched against Saugus’ Mike McLean (1:56.0). West Covina has an outside chance but must depend on iron-man performances from Leland Adams (100, 200, 400 and 1,600 relay) and Glenn Stewart (200, 400, 300 hurdles and 1,600 relay). GIRLS--Pomona junior Janeene Vickers has the best times in the 400 (53.28), 100 low hurdles (13.56) and 300 low hurdles (42.82) and anchors a 400 relay team that had the fastest time in the preliminaries (49.26). Defending champion Pomona seems to have the best chance to score at least 40 points, although Newport Harbor and Diamond Bar could come close. Junior Madette Smith of Quartz Hill, the nation’s leading long jumper at 20-6, should get a strong challenge from Diamond Bar’s Rosalyn Mitchell, who finished second at last year’s state meet.

2-A DIVISION: BOYS: Loyola and Inglewood Morningside should fight it out for the title. Morningside’s Otis Dixion appears to be the class of the sprinters and will be on both 400 and 1,600 relay teams that have run 41.8 and 3:19.8. Loyola’s points should be spread out more evenly with Mike McCracken in the 1,600 (4:13.63), Eddie McElroy in the hurdles (14.84 in the 110 and 37.99 in the 300), Joe Brink in the 800 (1:57.0), Mark Tilson in the high jump (6-10) and a 1,600-relay team. The triple jump figures to be outstanding with junior Herman McCullough of Edgewood (49-10 wind-aided), Dario Robinson of Covina (48-11 3/4) and Dana Florence of Leuzinger (48-7 wind-aided). GIRLS--Morningside, with sprinter Samantha Bryant and strong 400 and 1,600 relay teams, is probably too powerful for San Bernardino Cajon, which is led by hurdler Amy Ice. Alemany and Arroyo Grande also are expected to contend.

1-A DIVISION: BOYS--Defending champion Pasadena Marshall Fundamental will rely on sprinter David Whitmore, hurdler Serge DeLuse, triple jumper Corey Dantzler and both 400 and 1,600 relay teams. Elsinore, Lompoc Cabrillo and Banning should all provide strong challenges to Marshall Fundamental. GIRLS--Cabrillo appears to have a slight edge over Marshall Fundamental, Atascadero, Yucaipa and Santa Ynez.