TRACK : Teen-Age Rivals Mills, Mertes Elevate Their High Jump Performances

Crissy Mills of Tarzana and Lori Mertes of Northridge dominated national age-group competition in the high jump last summer. Mills was undefeated in age-group meets and Mertes’ only losses came at the hands of Mills.

This year, Mills, 15, and Mertes, 14, have moved up to the intermediate division (for athletes born in 1971 and 1972), but the results remain the same.

On Sunday, they each cleared 5 feet, 8 inches to place 1-2 in the regional Junior Olympics at Bob Mathias Stadium in Tulare. Mills, representing the West Valley Eagles, was declared the winner because of fewer total attempts.

Both jumpers failed in three tries at 5-10, which would have tied the national age-group record.

Mertes, competing for the Valley Striders, narrowly missed on her first attempt and Mills was closest on her third attempt.

The 1-2 finish qualified Mills and Mertes for the Junior Olympic national championships July 25-27 in Provo, Utah.

Mertes’ 5-8 effort tied her personal best. Mills, the Southern Section 1-A champion in May as a Campbell Hall freshman, has a personal best of 5-9.

Meanwhile, the West Valley Eagles dominated the sprints in the Young Man’s division (for athletes born in 1969 and 1970).

Led by Quincy Watts of Taft High, the Eagles swept the first six places in both the 100 and 200 meters.

Watts, who will be a senior at Taft in the fall, won the 100 in 10.6 and the 200 in 20.9. Teammate Tony Miller, who just completed his junior year at Riordan High in San Francisco, was second in both events with times of 10.8 and 21.1.

Watts, Mills and the rest of the West Valley contingent travel to Springfield, Ore., this weekend for the Track City Classic International Junior meet.

Gill Honored: Lisa Gill of Alemany High was honored as the L.A. Games’ Outstanding Participant.

Gill won the long jump (16-10 3/4) and also played on the runner-up Alemany soccer team, which lost to Simi Valley, 2-1, in the championship.