Aguirre Twice Outruns Pack

Obed Aguirre did not have to run as fast as he did Wednesday afternoon at the Northwest Valley Conference track and field finals, but San Fernando High Coach Ken Kohon wanted it that way.

“That’s the best workout,” he said. “The races themselves are the best conditioners.”

Aguirre’s workout in preparation for the City Section championships would have highlighted most runners’ seasons. The San Fernando senior timed 4 minutes 19.3 seconds and 9:29.3 in winning the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs at Birmingham High.

Kohon originally had also planned to enter Aguirre in the 800 against Kennedy’s Warren Reich, the eventual winner in 2:00.2, but the Tiger coach balked.

“I was going to have him triple but that 800 is such a demanding race, and all the 800 would do is just zap his legs,” Kohon said.

Aguirre, the City cross-country champion last fall, led from wire to wire in both of his races. He won the 1,600 by more than 100 meters over Taft’s Kipp Ortenburger, who finished second in 4:37.8. In the 3,200, Aguirre pushed an early pace and defeated sophomore Mike Krentzin (10:21.1) of Taft by almost a minute.

Ontiwaun Carter of Kennedy won the 100 (10.9) and 200 (22.4).

Other double winners included Chatsworth’s Kyle Beck, San Fernando’s Felicia Howard and Marquita Terry of Kennedy.

Beck (15.1) easily outdistanced El Camino Real sophomore Jaffers Bailey (15.7) in the 110 high hurdles but had to outlean Canoga Park’s Frank Harris in the 300 intermediate hurdles to win in 39.8. Harris finished in 39.9.

Howard triumphed in the 100 (12.4) and 200 (25.6) and Terry took the long jump and triple jump in 17 feet 2 1/2 inches and 33-0, respectively.

Chatsworth senior Lori Mertes had a season-best 5-3 in the high jump to claim her third consecutive conference title but the effort is not close to her personal-best 5-10 1/2 set in last year’s meet.

Taft’s Cornell Hill won the long jump at 23-9 and teammate Irving Carter bounded 45-9 to take the triple jump.