The Preps / Scott Howard-Cooper : New Track Puts Arcadia in the Fast Lane

An idea that was building for 10 or 15 years became a reality at Arcadia High School recently when the crushed-brick track was replaced with a nine-lane polyurethane surface. Paid for by a variety of sources--including school boosters, the city recreation department and community donations--the project cost $259,000.

“And we got a good deal,” said Doug Speck, the former Arcadia track and cross-country coach.

It is a big investment but it should be a good one. The first returns on the all-weather surface are expected Saturday with the 20th annual Arcadia Invitational, long regarded as the best regular-season prep track meet on the West Coast.

“I look at it going in that this will be our best meet ever,” said Speck, the meet director. “You have the best kids and you always like to have the best conditions. Now, we are where everything is very efficient and stylish with the athletes, and we have the facility to add to the excitement.

“There may be a 5% improvement factor. It may take off a tenth in the hundred, a couple of tenths in the 200, a half-second in the 400, one second in the half-mile and a couple of seconds in the longer distances.”

Considering the field Speck and Bob Jackson, the executive meet director, have put together, the improved track may be only a start to making it an exciting meet.

There is Janeene Vickers, the senior sensation from Pomona, going for Valerie Brisco’s meet record of 23.77 in the 200 and Denean Howard’s 52.90 in the 400.

Quincy Watts of Woodland Hills Taft, Corey Ealy of Pasadena Muir, Martin Cannady of Duarte and Tony Miller of San Francisco Riordan all are within 1/10ths of a second at 100 meters. And that foursome plus sophomore Mike Bates from Tucson and Orlando McKay of Mesa, Ariz., are within 3/10ths of a second in the 200.

The California leader in every boys and girls event is entered as well as the new national high school record-holder in the discus, Kamy Kashmiri of Reno. Two weeks ago, Kashmiri threw 214-11 to better the old mark of 213-6 set by Clint Johnson of Overland Park, Kan. in 1980.

It figures to be a great time with great times.

And a track to match.

Honor roll: LeRon Ellis of Santa Ana Mater Dei has been named to the Parade magazine All-American basketball team, with Sean Higgins and junior Chris Mills of Fairfax on the second team, Brian Williams of Santa Monica St. Monica and Mark Georgeson of Huntington Beach Marina on the third team and David Whitmore of Playa del Rey St. Bernard on the fourth team. Marcus Liberty of Chicago is Player of the Year.

Terri Mann of Point Loma is the only Californian to make the girls’ first team. Molly Wampler of Cerritos Gahr and Trise Jackson of Lynwood are on the second team.

Ellis and Mann have been chosen as the state Players of the Year by Cal-Hi Sports. The publication also picked Gary McKnight of Mater Dei as Coach of the Year.

Ellis will play in the McDonald’s Derby Festival all-star game April 18 in Louisville. Also, it turns out that the Kentucky-bound center turned down an invitation to take part in the McDonald’s all-star game this Sunday in Philadelphia to play before the fans in his new home state. Players are allowed only two all-star appearances, and Ellis took part in the Dapper Dan game last Friday in Pittsburgh.

According to McKnight, Ellis was then removed from the McDonald’s All-American team altogether.

Five Californians made the Bonne Bell All-American cross-country team, the most of any state: Melissa Sutton of Newbury Park, Brigid Freyne of Riverside Poly, Tracey Williams of El Monte Mountain View, Katy McCandless of Palo Alto and Kira Jorgensen of Vista. In addition, Rayna Cervantes of Montebello and Nicole Houle of Hesperia were named honorable mention.

The California Interscholastic Federation and Reebok shoes are working on a sponsorship deal in which funding would be passed directly to each section and, in turn, to schools.

“That’s the bottom line,” Commissioner Tom Byrnes said. “Any corporate support to enable schools to save money, that means money for other programs.”

Byrnes refused to say how much the deal would be worth to the CIF or how soon it will be completed. An official announcement is expected in three or four weeks.