Top Marks Lacking in CSUN Track Invitational

Perhaps it was the aftereffects of a week of 100-degree-plus temperatures.

Or maybe competing on a Sunday instead of a Saturday had an adverse effect on the team’s performance.

Whatever the reason, the Cal State Northridge men’s track and field team wasn’t particularly impressive on the second and final day of the Northridge Invitational at CSUN on Sunday afternoon.

While there were some good marks at the meet--Patrick Drake of Riverside City College set a stadium record of 45.89 seconds to win the 400, and teammate James Andrews won the 100 with a wind-aided 10.21 effort--CSUN failed to qualify anyone new for the NCAA Division II championships in Hampton, Va., May 24-27.

Ninth in last year’s Division II meet at San Angelo, Tex., the Matadors had qualified three individuals and one relay team for the national championships entering the meet.

True, Walt Stewart and Paul Albers met Division II qualifying standards in the high jump and hammer throw, respectively, but they had qualified for the national championships in those events earlier this season.

Stewart, a junior from Notre Dame High, tied his personal best by clearing 7 feet, 1/2-inch to place fourth in the high jump and Albers placed second in the hammer with a throw of 184-8.

Teammate Jerry Gilmore won the long jump at 24-1 3/4, but that mark was short of the 24-5 1/2 he jumped at UCLA last month.

Lisa Gill, a freshman from Alemany High, came from behind to win the women’s heptathlon with 4,499 points. Deanne Moyle of Nevada Las Vegas placed second with 4,497.

The men’s 800 was one of the most exciting races of the meet as only seven-tenths of a second separated the first six runners.

Chuck Vincent, running unattached, won in 1:51.84 and Lloyd Guss of the Nike Coast Track Club placed sixth in 1:52.54.

Bill Dunker of Northridge--who timed 54.4 for the first 400--led for the first 700 meters, but faded to fifth (1:52.44) in the homestretch as Vincent, and Running Experience Track Club teammates Angel Roman (1:52.00) and Vaughan Kastor (1:52.07) placed first, second and third.

Kastor, a graduate of Chaminade High, set the CSUN school record of 1:49.21 in the 800 last year.

Will James, the CSUN record-holder in the 1,500 (3:43.42), was at the meet, but only as a spectator. The Division II All-American will miss his senior season with a stress fracture in his left leg.

James, who placed fifth in the 1,500 at the 1987 Division II championships in Cape Giradeau, Mo., said that he planned to take two to three months off before running again.

“I just want this thing to heal completely,” James said. “I don’t want it to be a long drawn-out injury.”