THE HIGH SCHOOLS : Track Prelims : Williamson Sets Pace in Marmonte

Mike Williamson of Thousand Oaks High had the leading qualifying times in the 800 and 1,600 meters to highlight the Marmonte League boys’ track and field prelims Tuesday at Camarillo High.

Williamson, runner-up in last year’s state Division I cross-country championships, ran a personal best of 1 minute, 58.8 seconds to win the first heat of the 800 and took the second heat of the 1,600 in 4:29.2.

Williamson originally was expected to run in the 1,600 and 3,200 in the league finals at Camarillo on Friday evening but he might run in the 800 as well, according to Thousand Oaks assistant Jim Dunlap.

“We haven’t decided for sure, but he’ll probably run in all three events,” Dunlap said. “We’re looking to win the team title, and Mike could get us some big points in the 800 as well as the 1,600 and 3,200.”

The top three finishers in each event in the league finals qualify for the Southern Section 4-A Division prelims the following week, but Dunlap said that Williamson will drop the 800 if he qualifies in that event.

Hurdler Charles Brown of Channel Islands and sprinter David Brownlee of Westlake also had leading qualifying marks in two events.

Brown, the defending league champion in the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles, ran 14.4 seconds in the highs and 39.8 in the intermediates to win his heats.

Brownlee ran 11.0 in the 100 and 22.1 in the 200 to win the first heats in those events. Jack Bellamy of Thousand Oaks and Phillip Antoine of Newbury Park also ran 11.0 to win the second and third heats of the 100.

In other prelims:

Channel League--Patrick Van Scoy of host Rio Mesa set a school record of 55 feet, 1 1/2 inches in the shotput.

Van Scoy, a sophomore, improved his personal best by 13 inches and also led qualifying in the discus (157-5). Teammates Eric Thomas and Lester Smith also had leading qualifying marks. Thomas leaped 6-6 in the high jump and Lester Smith bounded 45-2 in the triple jump.

Other Spartan qualifiers included Scott Guerrero in the 400 (51.3) and 800 (2:01.4), Jeff Garner in the high jump (6-2) and Jeff Betancourt (46-9 1/2) in the shotput.

Del Rey League--Russell White of Crespi and Tony Borquez of Alemany had the fastest qualifying marks in the 100 and 400 meters at Cal State Northridge.

White won the second heat of the 100 in 10.8 and Borquez won the first heat of the 400 in 48.7.

Alemany freshman Brian Brison ran 10.9 in the 100 and Jim Nau of Crespi ran 39.8 to win the first heat of the 300 intermediate hurdles.