Southern Section Divisional Track and Field Championships : Hawthorne, Muir Favored to Win in 4-A

The Southern Section’s top high school track and field athletes will gather today for the annual divisional meet at Cerritos College, beginning at 11 a.m.

Competitors qualified in intra-divisional preliminaries held last weekend. The top nine athletes in each event will advance to the Masters meet next weekend at Cerritos College.

Sprinter Curtis Conway of Hawthorne leads the way in the boys’ 4-A Division competition, having qualified in the 100- and 200-meter races, and anchoring the Cougars’ 400-and 1,600-meter relay teams. Hawthorne is favored to win the team title.

Russell White of Encino Crespi is a favorite in four events in the 2-A Division. White qualified at 100 and 200 meters, as well as the long and triple jumps last week.

William Henry of Arroyo Grande, one of the top hurdlers in the nation, will compete in both hurdles races in the 3-A Division. Henry qualified in the 110-meter highs with a wind-aided time of 14.30, and the 300-meter lows with a mark of 38.89.

Other favorites in the boys’ competition include: Junior Coley Candaele of Carpinteria, who will compete in the 1-A Division 800 meters, having set a divisional record of 1:53.78 last week; Robert Clark of Walnut, who set a 2-A Division discus record last week with a throw of 171-9.

Leading the way in the girls’ 4-A division is Pasadena Muir, featuring junior Inger Miller. Miller will run in the 100 and 200 and will anchor both the 400 and 1,600 relays. The Mustangs are expected to win the 4-A team title.

Senior Angela Burnham of Oxnard Rio Mesa has the fastest recorded times in the nation at 100 and 400 meters, and the second-best time at 200 meters. She is favored to win the 3-A Division 100 and 200, and will anchor the Spartans’ sprint relay teams. Burnham is the defending state champion at both 100 and 200 meters.

Other standout girls include senior Karen Hecox of West Covina South Hills, who has dominated her competition in distance races all season; sophomore Juliana Yendork of Walnut, who has national best marks in both the long and triple jumps, and Allison Franke of Anaheim Canyon, who set a 3-A Division record in the discus last week with a throw of 160-6.