Hurdler Keeps Promise in City Quarterfinals

Shelton Boykin of San Fernando High is quite a prophet, at least when his hurdling is the subject. After winning the 110-meter high hurdles (14.2 seconds) and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles (39.0) at the Mid-Valley League track championships last Thursday, Boykin predicted faster times.

“I’ll definitely run faster when I get some competition,” a confident Boykin had said. “When I run against the Dorsey guys you’ll see how fast I’m capable of running.”

On Friday, Boykin ran against one of the Dorsey hurdlers and turned in two personal bests in the City Section quarterfinals at Birmingham High.

Darryl Lockett, the City Section’s leading intermediate hurdler, and Boykin split their head-to-head meetings Friday.

In the highs, Boykin started quickly and Lockett never had a chance as the 6-4, 220-pound Tiger clocked 14.22, the fastest City time this year. Lockett placed second in 14.59.

Boykin also started fast in the intermediates but Lockett, who had run a 37.8, caught him at the final barrier and won, 38.74 to 38.76.

Both of Boykin’s times were Valley-area season bests.

As many of his teammates were congratulating him, Boykin said, “I’m capable of running faster. You haven’t seen the best yet.”

Ian Alsen of Granada Hills and Sven Haug of Birmingham both could make the same claim.

Alsen, the runner-up in last November’s City cross-country championships, had the meet’s fastest time in the 3,200 meters ((9:28.01) and Haug ran the fastest 1,600 (4:23.14).

Alsen led for for the first 1,600 meters (4:40.0) of the 3,200, then allowed Jeff Korn of Birmingham and sophomore teammate Craig Lawson to set the pace until 250 meters remained. Then, appearing to run almost effortlessly, Alsen accelerated smoothly into the lead and won going away. Korn (9:31.15) and Lawson (9:40.54) placed second and fourth, respectively. Sabino Miranda of Birmingham was third (9:34.11).

Lawson’s older sister, Sheri, a junior at Kennedy, turned in the top time in the girls 3,200 meters, running a season-best 11:32.31.

Other top performances by Valley-area girls came from Karrie King of Granada Hills and Nikawa Prevost of San Fernando.

King won the first heat of the 800 with a personal-best 2:21.60, the fastest time of the meet.

Prevost won her heat in the 100 (12.67), placed second in the 200 (26.35) and ran the anchor leg on San Fernando’s 400 relay (49.53), which won the second heat.

The City semifinals will be held next Friday at Birmingham.