Hawthorne, Oakland Clash Could Be Preview of Battle for State Track Title

The state track championships are two months away, but a preview of the boys meet could unfold Saturday at the 22nd annual Arcadia Invitational.

Two-time defending state champion Hawthorne and last year’s third-place finisher, Oakland, will bring their powerful teams to the all-weather Arcadia High track where athletes representing 300 schools from 15 states will compete. The meet starts at 5:30 p.m.

At this point, Hawthorne Coach Kye Courtney doesn’t see how anybody can prevent the Cougars from winning their sixth state crown in the last seven years, barring injuries.

“We’re a little stronger than last year because we have more depth,” Courtney said. “Last year we had quality points with (Curtis) Conway and Travis Hannah, but this year we have more sprinters.”

That group is headed by Conway, the senior who led Hawthorne to the state title last spring by placing second in the 100 meters, third in the 200 and running on the winning 1,600 relay. Saturday he will run the 200 and anchor both of the Cougars’ outstanding relay teams.

Hawthorne has posted impressive relay marks in recent weeks. The 400 team, which includes juniors Chris Alexander and Anthony Smith and sophomore Erik Allen, raced to the second-best time (40.66) in California prep history two weeks ago at Occidental College. Last Saturday, the 1,600 team of Alexander, Conway, junior Ismael Delpino and senior Kevin Gatlin ran 3:16.6 at Mt. San Antonio College, the best time in the state this season.

The improved depth gives Courtney more flexibility. For example, he is considering moving Conway from the 100 to the 400 because of the Cougars’ abundance of 100 runners. Moreover, Hawthorne’s top hurdler, senior Keith Pouncey, will become eligible in two weeks.

“I think we’re capable of scoring 45, 50 points in the state meet,” said Courtney, whose team won the title last year with 34. “If we ran it today, we would crush everybody.”

Oakland is expected to pose the biggest challenge to the Cougar dynasty. Aside from having the best Northern California times in the 400 (41.99) and 1,600 (3:15.5) relays, Oakland boasts standout sprinter Jeff Laynes.

The Conway-Laynes match-up in the 200 and on the anchor legs of the relays could provide the meet with three memorable races. Six national records have been set at Arcadia in the last 11 years.

“We know Oakland is going to go all out in the relays,” Courtney said. “But we’re in pretty good shape. They’re going to be in for a surprise.”

The Scholastic Aptitude Test still stands between Conway and a football scholarship to USC. The All-CIF quarterback has two more chances to take the test. If he scores 700 or better, he’s bound for Troy. If not, he’ll most likely end up at a community college or sit out next season.

Conway has taken the test three times and has steadily improved his scores, Courtney said. Unfortunately, Courtney said, the last two testing dates could present distractions for Conway.

The next time the SAT is given is May 6, the day after the senior prom. The final testing date is June 6, on the morning of the state track meet.

“I’ve told him he should skip the prom and study for the test,” Courtney said, “But I’m sure he’s going to go.”

While academics have been a stumbling block for Conway, they presented no problem for another South Bay football standout--Banning offensive lineman Bob Whitfield.

The 6-7, 275-pound Whitfield scored more than 1,000 on the SAT and signed with Stanford. He said new Stanford Coach Dennis Green was the main reason he chose the Cardinal over Michigan and Notre Dame.

“It was what he didn’t say that impressed me,” Whitfield told Super Prep magazine. “He didn’t have any set speech for me. He just said he wanted to answer my questions, so actually I did all the talking. I was really drilling him.

“I knew I could get a great education at Stanford, I just didn’t know if the program would be a winner. But the coach talked about the good talent on the team and I remembered how they lost so many close games last season. With a new pro-style offense, Stanford could easily have a winning record.”

Looking ahead to college, Whitfield has decided not to play in the Shrine All-Star game July 29 at the Rose Bowl. Four players have been added to the South roster, including St. Bernard wide receiver Jason Lucky.

Rolling Hills has played four games against three of Southern California’s top professional baseball prospects this season, and each time the Titans have upstaged their more celebrated adversary.

On March 5 they posted a 20-9 win over Culver City, led by outfielder Todd Steverson. Last week they swept Beverly Hills in two Bay League games and held outfielder Michael Moore to one hit in nine at-bats. And Tuesday they handed Leuzinger and ace pitcher Tyrone Scott a 2-1 league defeat.

It’s gotten to the point where Rolling Hills Coach Garry Poe welcomes the sight of scouts.

“We know they’re not here to watch us,” he said. “We have nothing to be nervous about. We’re usually relaxed.”

Seven of the Palos Verdes Peninsula’s top female high school athletes will be honored Saturday at the Rolling Hills softball field.

The first Athletic Achievement Awards will be presented to athletes from each of the Peninsula’s three public high schools. Those being honored are basketball players Heather and Heidi Burge and distance runner Ashley Black of Palos Verdes, gymnast Holly Teal and tennis player Rene Capri of Rolling Hills and tennis player Kim Po and water skier Brandy Nagle of Miraleste.

The program will begin at 11:30 a.m.

PREP NOTES--Pete Hargraves of Bishop Montgomery was named the top boys athlete and Lushay Brown of San Pedro earned the girls award Saturday at the Rolling Hills Invitational track meet. Hargraves won the 100 meters in 11.28 and ran on the winning 400 (44.89) and 800 (1:35.74) relay teams to lead Bishop Montgomery to the team title. Brown was third in the 100 and ran on the winning 400 (52.92) and 800 (1:54.07) relays to help San Pedro take second in the girls meet behind Torrance. . . . Several of the South Bay’s top seniors will participate in the sixth annual Southern California All-Star Prep Basketball Classic, matching girls and boys teams from the L.A. City Section against those from the CIF Southern Section, at 6:30 Friday night at Cal State Dominguez Hills. Among the boys expected to play are John Hardy of Rolling Hills, Eddie Scott of Morningside, Vincent Washington of Carson and Sam Crawford and Renaud Gordon of Westchester. Representing the area in the girls game will be Heather and Heidi Burge of Palos Verdes, JoJo Witherspoon of Morningside, Sonia Alafua of Carson and Candice Burnett of Banning. Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for students with ID and $2 for children under 12. . . . The Burge sisters head five South Bay players selected to the All-Southern Section Division II girls basketball team. The 6-4 twins were named to the first team along with junior center Laura Collins of North Torrance. Guard Rosa Olloque of West Torrance and center Vanessa Vogelsang of Redondo were second-team picks. Junior forward Erika Williams of St. Mary’s Academy in Inglewood was named to the All-Division IV second team and Chadwick’s Kala Parker, a sophomore guard, was a Division V second-team pick. . . . Sophomores Deborah Kory of Rolling Hills and Claudine Martinez of Carson competed in the National Junior Olympics swimming meet last week at Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach. . . . El Segundo is ranked second and St. Bernard is fourth in this week’s Southern Section 2-A Division baseball poll.

South Bay’s Baseball Top 10 Selected by Times Sportswriters Through Tuesday’s Games Rank, School, League: Record 1 St. Bernard (Camino Real): 8-3 2 El Segundo (Camino Real): 8-3 3 Rolling Hills (Bay): 7-5 4 Mary Star (Santa Fe): 7-5 5 Banning (Pacific): 8-5 6 Bishop Mont. (Angelus): 9-4-1 7 Leuzinger (Bay): 8-5-1 8 Redondo (Ocean): 6-5 9 Palos Verdes (Bay): 7-4 10 Hawthorne (Bay): 6-5