Watts and Co. Roll On in Semifinals : Taft’s Other Sprinters Emerge in City Qualifying Meet

Ever since Quincy Watts led Taft High to the 1986 state track title, the rest of the sprinters at the school have toiled in virtual anonymity because of his brilliance.

They were hard to ignore, however, at Friday night’s City Section semifinals at Birmingham High.

Watts won the 100 (10.36) and the 200 (20.99) as expected, but it was the personal bests of senior Sean Roberts and junior David Feinstein that provided the surprises.

Roberts placed second to Watts in the 100 (10.81) and was third in the first heat of the 400 (48.87). Feinstein also qualified for the 200-meter finals with a 22.56.

The top four finishers in each heat and the top eight finishers in the field events qualified for next week’s final.

Watts’ 10.36 in the 100 tied his personal best and set a City record. He set the previous best of 10.56 at last year’s City semifinals.

The City Section recognizes as records marks set in the quarterfinals, semifinals or finals.

The Taft 400-meter relay team of Feinstein, Roberts, David Flores and Watts also set a City record of 40.88, the fastest high school time in the state this season. Taft had run its previous best of 41.11 at last week’s quarterfinals.

The same Taft quartet won the second heat of the 1,600-meter relay with a 3:20.5 clocking.

As good as Taft’s 400 relay clocking was, it could have been faster. The final exchange between Flores and Watts wasn’t smooth as Flores nearly ran up Watts’ back.

Taft Coach Tom Stevenson didn’t seem to mind.

“Our handoffs weren’t the best but I tell the kids to just pass the stick,” he said. “There’s no need to take chances and drop the baton, not with Quincy running the anchor.”

Roberts said the 400 relay set the tone for the rest of the meet.

“We were fired up before the meet but the 400 relay just fired us up more,” he said. “After today I think we’ve got a great shot at winning next week.”

Taft, which is expected to battle Dorsey for the City title, also qualified athletes in the triple jump and pole vault. Daryle Smith had the top mark in the triple jump (44-4) and Greg Sheets cleared 12-6 in the pole vault.

West Valley League dual-meet champion Reseda could be the sleeper at next week’s finals. The Regents qualified 10 individuals and both relay teams.

Jeff Ricks led Reseda by winning his heat of the 300 intermediate hurdles (39.0), placing fourth in the first heat of the high hurdles (15.07) and qualifying fifth in the triple jump (42-4).

Shelton Boykin of San Fernando continued his roll, winning his heats in the 110 high hurdles (14.56) and 300 intermediate hurdles (37.89).

Boykin’s time in the intermediates is the fastest time in the City Section this season and the best in the Valley area.