Chatsworth Bit Player Scores Big

Quincy Watts of Taft High and Bryan Bridgewater of Washington were the two most heralded athletes at the City Section track championships at Birmingham High on Thursday, but no one scored more points than Chatsworth’s Ron Martin.

The Chancellor senior accounted for 28 points with victories in the long jump and triple jump, a third-place finish in the 200 meters and a fifth in the 100.

“This is a dream come true,” Martin said after winning the triple jump with an effort of 46 feet, 8 inches. “I couldn’t have imagined myself doing this well.”

Powered by Martin, who won the long jump at 23-1, Bryan Addison and Jay Bettinger, Chatsworth placed second in the team standings with a 64 points, 13 behind Washington, which won its first City title since 1982. Two-time defending champion Taft placed third with 40 points.

Bridgewater defeated Watts in the boys’ 200, the most anticipated event of the meet.

After running strong through the turn, Bridgewater entered the straightaway with a 2-meter lead over the defending state sprint champion, then maintained it to the finish line to win in 20.89. Watts was timed in 21.14

Earlier, Watts won the 400 in 47.38, and, in a preview of coming attractions, was unable to make much of a dent on Bridgewater’s lead on the anchor leg of the 400 relay. Washington won the event in 41.05, ahead of second-place Taft, which finished in 41.25.

But the day belonged to the Chancellors of Chatsworth, who produced one clutch effort after another.

Addison won the 110-meter high hurdles in 14.50 seconds, the 300-meter intermediates in a personal best of 37.80 and placed sixth in the triple jump. Bettinger won the pole vault with a personal best of 15-8.

“We knew we had a small team coming in,” Addison said. “But we also knew we were capable of scoring a lot of points with the people we had.”

Locke won its fifth consecutive title in the girls’ meet with 93 points. Dorsey (64) and El Camino Real (37) followed in second and third.

Melanie Clarke of El Camino Real won the high jump (5-2) and finished third in the 400 (56.63) and long jump (17-7).

Eddie Bowling of Canoga Park won the boys’ high jump with a personal best of 6-9.

Other Valley winners included Sabino Miranda of Birmingham in the 3,200 meters (9:23.9) and Chaka Milby of Cleveland in the shotput (55-1).

Bryan Bridgewater stuns Taft’s Quincy Watts in City 200 final. See story, Page 9.