Monarchs, Cougar Boys, Girls Chase Track Titles

The CIF track and field divisional finals Saturday morning at Cerritos College mark a day of reckoning for 1,400 athletes.

Hawthorne High will find out if it can overcome the absence of its boys 400-meter relay team and still win the 4-A title. The Cougars’ girls team will see if it can win another championship.

Morningside, defending 2-A champion, seems to have the upper hand again, but Coach Ron Tatum isn’t making a space for another trophy yet. Tatum said too much can go wrong in a one-shot meet.

The competition qualifies individuals for the CIF Masters Meet the following week.

Palos Verdes is represented in the 3-A girls distance events with Andrea Black, Ashley Black, Tracy Goodrich and Tracy Leitner in the 1,600 and 3,200, while Dave Scudamore and Damian Capozzola will duel John McKivett of Rolling Hills in the boys distance events. Palos Verdes’ Chris Manfredi qualified in the boys 800.

Other notable South Bay performers are Inglewood’s Marcus Purifoy in the 4-A 300 intermediate hurdles and Torrance’s DeeAnne Call (100 and 300 low hurdles) and Jennifer Tully in the long jump and triple jump.

West Torrance’s Chantal Pousson qualified in the 3-A 400 and 800 while teammate Carolyn Hueth is in the shot put along with Stephanie Chi of South Torrance.

In 3-A, qualifiers include John Sabio of Rolling Hills in the 200 and 400 meters, Bishop Montgomery’s Brian Haynes (300 intermediate hurdles), Palos Verdes’ Greg Branch (triple jump) and Torrance’s Keith Chumley (pole vault).

The competition starts at 11 a.m. with field events. Running events begin at noon. The finale is the 4-A boys 1,600-meter relay at 6:30 p.m.

“It looks like a three-team fight among us, Cerritos and Long Beach Poly,” Hawthorne Coach Kye Courtney said. “I’ve got Cerritos doped with 50 points, Hawthorne with 43 and Poly with 36.”

Courtney looks for a win in the boys 1,600 relay as well as big efforts from Curtis Conway and Leroy Thomas in the 100, Conway in the 200 and Travis Hannah and Chris Alexander in the 400. He said Anthony Smith should improve in the long jump.

The Hawthorne coach estimates the girls team can earn 68 points and outdistance Muir, which he has penciled in with 43.

Deedee Wheeler and Deana Amy can get the Cougars off to a fast start in the 100 and 200. Keisha Marvin (400) and Christina Ross and Rhonda Kennerson in the 800 round out the running corps.

Courtney predicts the 400 relay team of Wheeler, Amy, Marvin and Keisha Adams will “win by 10 meters” and also expects big things from Illiana Mazingo, who is entered in the 100-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump and triple jump. Teammate Sharon Edmunds qualified in the 300 hurdles.

“Coach (Archie) Amy has done a fine job just keeping that team together and getting them to believe in themselves,” Courtney said.

Morningside looks strong in the sprints with Eric Frazier leading the way in the 100 and 200. The Monarchs also qualified Ronald Gipson, Alex Williams and Joe Boule in the triple jump.

Morningside has Mike Phillips in the 200, Jay Ramsey and Ray Wakefield in the 110-high hurdles and a 400-meter relay team.

St. Bernard’s Garrett Hillard (100) and El Segundo’s Che Carsner (high jump) are in 2-A.

St. Bernard is represented on the girls side by Kerrie Pegues in the 100 and 200 and Paula Williams in the 100, plus the 400 and 1,600 relay teams.

Morningside’s Althea Moses earned a spot in the 800 and triple jump, Lisa Leslie qualified in the long jump and high jump and Dana Thompson will run the 300 hurdles.

The Monarchs will run in the 400 and 1,600 relays. Leuzinger earned a spot in the 400.

Tatum likes his team’s chances, but he’s not taking anything for granted.

“I think Saturday is a lot more wide open than a lot of people think,” he said. “You never can tell how things will go.”

The divisional finals is a qualifying meet for the inter-divisional Masters Meet on May 27 at Cerritos College.

The top nine finishers in each event in the Masters advance to the state championships at Cerritos on June 4.