Birmingham’s Burt Wins 2 of 3 Sprint Titles

Rodney Burt of Birmingham High won the 200 and 400 meters at the Valley Pac-8 Conference track and field finals Thursday. But it was the race he lost--the 100 meters--that made the biggest impression on him.

“It’s just been a bad day,” Burt said. “I wasn’t worried about running any particular times today, but I really wanted to win all three sprints.”

Jerome Casey of Sylmar ended Burt’s hopes for a triple early in the meet when he surged away in the last 50 meters of the 100 to win in 11.0 seconds.

Burt, fifth in the 400 in last year’s City Section championships, placed second in the same time, although the official results initially placed him no better than sixth.

“My legs just felt tight,” said Burt, who followed his defeat in the 100 with easy victories in the 400 (48.6) and 200 (22.6). “It didn’t surprise me when I lost the 100 because my legs just didn’t feel strong.”

Casey, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards in consecutive seasons as Sylmar’s tailback, was competing in only his third meet of the season. Until recently, he had been concentrating on spring football practice.

“Football has been my main focus until the last couple of weeks,” he said. “I’m still not in top shape for track.”

Figuring that he won’t be in peak condition for at least a couple of weeks, Casey just hopes he is still running when the City finals take place May 25.

“I’m going to have to run a lot faster in the next few weeks if I want to get there,” Casey said.

Feltina Means of Van Nuys won four events to highlight the girls’ meet.

Third in the high jump in last year’s City meet, the junior won the 100 low hurdles in 16.9, the 300 low hurdles in 47.5, the high jump at 4 feet, 10 inches and the long jump at 16-11.

The long jump mark was a personal best for Means and the 300-hurdle time tied her personal best.

Brian Gastelum of Birmingham, William Childs of Reseda and Sonya Finch of Grant were double winners.

Gastelum, a junior, won the 1,600 (4 minutes, 28.7 seconds) and the 3,200 (10:04.6), and Childs took the 110 high hurdles (15.2) and the 300 intermediate hurdles (41.2).

Finch placed first in the 100 (12.6) and 400 (1:00.1), and finished second in the 200 (27.2).