Runaways Stun Dameworth at Mt. SAC Meet

As a former age-group standout with six years of racing experience, Bryan Dameworth of Agoura High is not easily surprised by his opponents’ tactics.

But the Charger junior was startled not once, but twice in the invitational 3,000-meter race of the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in Walnut on Friday.

Thousand Oaks senior Mike Williamson surprised Dameworth initially by running the opening 400 meters in a blistering 61 seconds, and David Welsh of Carmichael Jesuit shocked Dameworth roughly 2,000 meters later by running the last lap in 59 seconds to win the race in a nation-leading time of 8 minutes, 23.11 seconds.

Dameworth, who finished third in a personal best of 8:29.02, had defeated Welsh handily in winning the 3,200 meters at the Arcadia Invitational two weeks ago, but he couldn’t keep up with Welsh or Jorge Ibarri of Mexico (8:25.97) on the last lap Friday.

“I just felt flat,” said Dameworth, who didn’t catch the fast-starting Williamson until the fifth lap. “I felt like I could have held that pace for a 5,000, but I couldn’t go any faster. I tried to go with them on the last lap, but when they took off, it was over.

“I don’t know how he did that. At Arcadia he was way behind me, and what was that, two weeks ago? I don’t know how a guy could improve that much in that short a time.”

Williamson led at 1,600 meters in 4:29, but it looked as though he might fade badly after he was caught with three laps left. The Lancer senior hung on to place fourth, though, running a personal best of 8:29.45.

Other lifetime bests were recorded by Camarillo’s Abe Valdez, who finished ninth in 8:38.4, and Granada Hills’ Craig Lawson, 10th in 8:39.2.

Dameworth and Williamson also ran relay legs for their respective teams later in the evening, Dameworth running the second leg on Agoura’s 1,600 relay that placed fifth (3:27.0) in the fifth heat, and Williamson clocking 4:17 on the anchor leg of the Lancers’ 4 x 1,600 relay that finished sixth (18:05.40).

In the girls’ 3,000, Agoura sophomore Deena Drossin ran a personal best of 9:59.22 to place fourth.

Drossin was among the leaders for the first five laps but couldn’t keep pace with Gisela Vallejo of Mexico (9:48.64), Jamie Park of Santa Barbara (9:49.61) or Zarco Cruz of Colorado Sargent High (9:56.47) in the last 2 1/2 laps.

The high school portion of the four-day meet concludes today with several outstanding match-ups scheduled.

Angela Burnham of Rio Mesa, the defending state champion in the 100 and 200, is scheduled to resume her rivalry with Pasadena Muir’s Inger Miller in the 100, but Muir assistant Mike Knowles said that Miller may not run today because of fatigue.

Whether Miller runs, Burnham’s main focus will be on the 400, an event she seldom runs in open competition.

“She’s ready to run under 55 seconds,” Spartan co-Coach Brian FitzGerald said last week. “There’s no reason why she can’t do that.

Burnham is also expected to run on the Spartans’ 400 and 1,600 relays.

Dameworth and Williamson also will be busy. Dameworth will run a leg on the Chargers’ 4 x 800 relay and then in the invitational 1,500, in which Williamson also is entered.

Russell White of Crespi, eighth in the 200 in last year’s state championships, is entered in the 100, 200, long jump and triple jump.