SOUTHERN SECTION 3-A TRACK CHAMPIONSHIPS : Line Violation Ruins Day for Esperanza Relay Team

Jerry Kamecki, Damon Richardson, Garrick Emery and Roshawn Sims had just combined for what appeared to be the fastest 1,600-meter relay performance of the day during the Southern Section 3-A preliminaries Saturday at Camarillo High School.

But the elation of the Esperanza High School sprinters soon turned to despair when they were told they had been disqualified because of a line violation.

The judges ruled that Richardson, the relay team’s No. 2 runner, cut in too soon before the appropriate stagger line, negating their time of 3 minutes 19.9 seconds.

The time would have bettered the foursome’s previous best by more than four seconds, and would have ranked first in the county this year. In addition, the team that was awarded first place in Esperanza’s heat, Ontario, will be the top-seeded team, instead of defending 3-A champion Esperanza, in Friday’s sectional championships at Cerritos College. Ontario finished nearly 25 yards behind the Aztecs Saturday.

Although Esperanza Coach Al Britt protested the decision, arguing that Richardson was misled by a white stagger line that came 10 yards before the official green line, meet officials upheld the disqualification.

“He cut in at the white line, not at the green line,” said meet referee Blair Fictum. “It’s unfortunate, but the kid cut in too soon.”

The same thing happened to Newport Harbor in the following heat. The 1,600-meter relay team was disqualified when the second runner was judged to have cut in too soon, but no protest was made.

Even though the Aztecs, who qualified seven individuals as well as its 400 relay team, did not fare well in the relay, they did have several good performances, most notably in the shot put in which Mark Parlin (60 feet 2 3/4), Mark Kinney (58-3 1/4) and Mike Burns (52-11 1/2) finished first, second and fifth, respectively.

Double qualifiers included Los Alamitos’ Erik Mitchell, who ran the fastest time of the day in the 200 meters (a wind-aided 21.53) and in the 100 (10.70w); Newport Harbor’s Brent Busch (110 hurdles, 300 hurdles); Esperanza’ Sims (200, 400) and Parlin (shot put, discus); Los Alamitos’ Steve Sargeant (high jump, long jump); Santa Ana’s Frank Quinonez (1,600, 3,200), and Foothill’s Roman Slobodynski and University’s Af Haghhighi (shot put and discus).

In the girls’ competition, Melissa McDonald of Mater Dei proved the most versatile as she qualified for the finals in the 400, long jump, high jump and 1,600 relay. McDonald, a junior, had been unable to compete for most of the season because of a quadriceps injury.

Double qualifiers included Loara’s Jackie Rosas and Newport Harbor freshman Kala Ross (high jump, long jump); University’s Tanja Brix and Katella’s Martha Pinto (1,600, 3,200); Los Alamitos’ Tracy Fatone and Mater Dei’s Kelly Flathers (800, 1,600); Esperanza’s Nikki Jackson and Newport Harbor’s Susie Jacobson (100 hurdles, 300 hurdles); Santa Ana Valley’s Joanna Alo (shot put, discus) and Brenda Robinson (100 hurdles, long jump), and Canyon’s Sheila Green and Mater Dei’s Catherine Soto (long jump, triple jump).