HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHTS : TRACK : Reseda Tops Taft With a Team Effort

It’s rare for a any coach to be happy when his team loses, but Taft’s Tom Stevenson couldn’t find fault with his Toreadors after Reseda won a West Valley League dual meet, 65-62, at Taft on Friday.

“I’m really proud of our kids,” Stevenson said. “They beat us but we set a lot of personal bests.”

So did Reseda. The Regents were led by Ronald Wilkinson, Jeff Ricks and Darrell Armstrong. With the score tied at 59-59, Wilkinson won the triple jump with a personal best effort of 45-3 to clinch the meet for Reseda (4-0, 2-0 in league). Wilkinson also placed second in the long jump with a 21-7 3/4 effort.

Ricks won the 120-yard high hurdles (16.0) and the 330-yard intermediate hurdles (42.2). Armstrong won the long jump with a personal best of 22-6 after placing second in the 440 to Quincy Watts of Taft. Watts timed 49.5 and Armstrong ran a 49.6.

Watts also won the 100 meters in 10.8 and anchored Taft’s victorious 440-yard (42.3) and mile relay (3:26.8) teams.

Other top performances came from David Wilson of Reseda in the 220 (22.4) and Mike Weaver of Taft in the high jump (6-4).

In the girls meet, Danielle Griffin led Taft to its fourth consecutive victory, 86-23. Griffin won the long jump (16-5 3/4) and 220 (28.0).

Jay Bettinger set a school record in the pole vault (13-6), and teammate Bryan Addison won the 330-yard intermediate hurdles (42.3), the 120-yard high hurdles (15.3) and the triple jump (42-7) as Chatsworth (2-3, 1-1 in league) beat El Camino Real (1-1 in league), 84-43, in a West Valley League meet.

Willie Marshall led undefeated Kennedy to a 79-48 victory over Granada Hills in a Mid-Valley League meet. Marshall won the 100 meters in 11.0 and the 220 yards in 22.8. He also teamed up with Jerome Hill, Damon Garrett and Darryl Drake to win the 440-yard relay in 44.3. Dion Lambert won the long jump with a 21-5 1/2 for Kennedy (4-0, 2-0 in league), the defending league champion. Terrell Smith of Granada Hills (1-1) won the 120-yard high hurdles (16.1), the 330-yard intermediate hurdles (41.7) and the triple jump (42-7). . . . Sheri Lawson won the mile (5:26.3) and the two-mile (12:35.0) as Kennedy defeated Granada Hills, 62-46, in the girls meet. Olga Padron won the 440 (64.9) and the 880 (2:33.6) and Denise Anderson won the 100 meters (13.1) and the 220 yards (27.5) as Kennedy (3-1, 2-0 in league) won its 47th consecutive league dual meet.

David Sals of San Fernando won sprints at 100 meters (11.1) and 220 yards (23.0) but Van Nuys defeated the Tigers, 71-54, in a Mid-Valley League dual meet. Frank Bray pole vaulted 13-8 for Van Nuys (1-1). San Fernando is 1-1 in league. . . . Nikywa Prevost led San Fernando (1-1) to a 54-45 victory in the girls meet. Prevost won the 100 meters (13.1), the 220 yards (27.7) and anchored both winning relay teams. Erin McConahay won three events for Van Nuys (0-2).

Steve Espo won the 100 meters (11.1) and the 220 yards (22.8) as Poly defeated North Hollywood, 91-31, in an East Valley League meet. Mike Ross of Poly won the 120-yard high hurdles in 15.9 and the 330-yard intermediate hurdles in 43.0. Poly, the defending East Valley League champion, is 4-0 and 2-0 in league. . . . Barbara Singletary won the 100 meters (12.9) and the 220 yards (27.8) as North Hollywood (1-0) defeated Poly, 67-42, in the girls meet. Malinda Barton won the 110- (16.8) and 330-yard (53.1) low hurdles for Poly (0-2).