Morningside, Hawthorne High Track Coaches Prep for Masters as Key to State Championship

They coach two of the most successful track and field programs in Southern California, each has recently added a CIF Southern Section championship plaque to the trophy cases, both espouse similar philosophies and each has the same goal.

They want to send a lot of athletes to the state championship June 4 at Cerritos College. But in order to do so, their athletes must qualify at the Masters Meet, which will be run Friday at 6:30 p.m. at Cerritos.

Ron Tatum of Morningside High, the 1988 CIF 2-A champion, and Kye Courtney, who last Saturday guided Hawthorne High to its 10th CIF title, see eye-to-eye on the Masters.

“Our goal is to qualify as many people as we can for the state championships,” said Tatum, whose team racked up its third straight CIF 2-A title last week at Cerritos. “We’re up against some extremely tough competition, but that doesn’t upset our plans, which is to qualify for state.”

Said Courtney: “The goal is to qualify. Our kids are really running for next week.”

Althea Moses will represent Morningside in the 800 meters with her time of 2:16.62 and became the first girl in Southern Section history to break the 40-foot barrier in the triple jump when she leaped 40-1 1/2 last weekend. She broke her old record of 39-9.

“She’s just done a tremendous job since she started so late,” Tatum said. “She played on that basketball team that went to the state championship so she got a late start. She started slowly but I kept telling people just to hold on, she’ll come around.”

The Monarchs’ Ray Wakefield (14.78) qualified for the Masters in the 110-high hurdles, Ron Gibson (47-2 1/2) advanced in the triple jump and Ferric Webster will run in the 400 by virtue of his time of 48.11.

Morningside’s 400 (42.66) and 1,600 relay teams (3:17.90) also qualified for Masters competition.

“We’re trying to get something going here at Morningside,” Tatum said. “And I feel our chances are very good at this point.”

Last week the Hawthorne boys captured their sixth CIF title in Courtney’s reign while the girls brought home their fourth. In doing so, they surpassed Muir High, which earned eight championships in 25 years. Hawthorne has won 10 titles since 1982.

But Courtney and girls Coach Archie Amy have their sights set on much loftier goals.

“We’re looking to qualify for state and win the state championship,” Courtney said.

Hawthorne qualified for the Masters in 15 events.

Courtney said the boys should have a lock on four events: the 1,600 relay and the 100, 200 and 400.

Last week the boys 1,600 relay ran a blistering 3:13.63, far ahead of Muir, which checked in with a second-place 3:16.70.

Curtis Conway was first in the 100 and 200 in 10.61 and 21.24. Travis Hannah, still not running full speed due to injury, outran all competitors in the 400 in 47.64.

Serra’s Steven Danzy qualified in the 100 in 10.82.

Hannah had been suffering from a hamstring pull suffered at the Penn Relays last month but has been rehabilitating with pool work and weight training. Courtney said he’s making progress but still not running at full strength. “I guarantee he’ll be ready.”

The Cougars girls ran away with the 4-A title last week, racking up 77 points, with second-place Rio Mesa checking in with 40.

Illana Mazingo (44.82 and 14.59) and Sharon Edmonds (44.05 and 14.01) qualified in the 300 low hurdles and 100 low hurdles for Hawthorne while DeeDee Wheeler advanced in the 200 and 100, with times of 24.48 and 11.66.

Keisha Marvin advanced in the 400 in 55.93 and Rhonda Kennerson’s 2:16.60 in the 800 was good enough to qualify.

Mazingo also qualified in the high jump (5-4) while Miraleste’s Marilyn Cragin advanced with a jump of 5-8.

Hawthorne’s 1,600 relay team covered the course in 3:50.64 while the Palos Verdes team received an invitation to the Masters as an alternate.

Dave Scudamore of Palos Verdes advanced to the Masters in the 3,200 with a time of 9:08.52 while Rolling Hills sophomore John Sabio qualified in the 400 in 48.22.

Sabio said he ran with ease, knowing that as a 10th-grader he had everything to gain and nothing to lose.

“I didn’t feel any pressure,” he said. “Except during the year the competition was not that strong so I’d go out medium, pick up my stride and kick in the end. I can’t do that against these guys; I just have to go hard and catch the pack.

“But I figured if I could do this well as a sophomore, I can sure do better as a senior.”

Jennifer Tully of Torrance advanced to the Masters in the long jump with a leap of 17-9 1/2.

West Torrance’s Carolyn Hueth qualified in the shot put with a toss of 41 feet while teammate Chantal Pousson advanced in the 800 in 2:15.78.

“I knew with the 41 that I would qualify,” Hueth said. “But that’s behind me now and I can’t think about what I threw the last time. I’ve just got to do it over again.”