COMMUNITY COLLEGE NOTES / IRENE GARCIA : El Camino Runner Is on the Right Track

Sharette Garcia has proven to be one of the most versatile runners ever at El Camino College.

After breaking several school track records, the sophomore from Belize started running cross-country last fall in order to improve her track performances. She got the idea after placing second in the 1,500 meters at the state meet as a freshman.

The winner of that race suggested that Garcia compete in long distances to get in better shape.

Garcia took her competitor’s advice, although she didn’t join the Warriors’ cross-country team until the end of the 1989 season. But despite the lack of distance training, she finished in the top 20 at the state meet, the Southern California Championships and the South Coast Conference meet.

This year she has finished in the top two in every race. On Oct. 27, Garcia led the Warriors to the SCC title with a first-place finish in a field of 45. She ran the 3.1-mile course at La Mirada Park in 17:37. Shortly after that she was named the SCC co-athlete of the year along with teammate Diana Tracy and Mt. San Antonio’s Karen Talamantes.

“She has improved steadily throughout the season,” El Camino cross-country Coach Dean Lofgren said. “She’s a definite lead pack runner. I can’t say enough about her talent.”

The petite athlete from Manual Arts High is expected to lead the Warriors at the Southern California Championships today at 2 p.m. at Irvine Regional Park. The field will include the top 14 teams from Southern California. The top five teams in today’s event will qualify for the state meet Nov. 17 at Mt. SAC.

Garcia is going for her sixth state championship. In her two-year community college track career, she has won two 800-meter state titles, a 1,500-meter title and has been on two state champion mile relay teams.

El Camino strong safety Donovan Gallatin, who suffered a concussion in a game against Fullerton Oct. 13, has come back strong.

The freshman from El Segundo High returned to action in the second quarter of the Oct. 27 game against Pasadena after sitting out the Oct. 20 game against Cerritos.

“When something like that happens, you always wonder when the kid comes back and takes his next shot what it will be like,” El Camino defensive coordinator Walt Justice said. “But he came back with the same intensity.”

The 6-foot-1, 195-pound Gallatin has earned Mission Conference honors two weeks in a row. In El Camino’s 39-29 victory over Pasadena, Gallatin had 13 tackles (10 unassisted) and a fumble recovery. In last week’s 40-21 victory over Mt. SAC, he had 10 tackles (six unassisted), two pass deflections and an interception that he returned for a touchdown.

“He’s unique because he has exceptional strength and speed,” Justice said. “We haven’t had a kid around here with that kind of size and speed.”

Since John Featherstone took over El Camino’s football program six years ago, the Warriors have been known for their passing offense. At the start of this season, however, Featherstone knew there would be more running since the inexperienced and untested Rod Harvey would be the quarterback.

In comes Anthony Daigle, a redshirt freshman from Arizona State who came to El Camino with his friend Bryan Reeves, a Carson High graduate. Reeves was a redshirt wide receiver at Arizona State last year who was unhappy with the program. Tailback Daigle was a walk-on from St. Patrick High in Northern California.

It turns out that the 6-foot-1, 195-pound Daigle was what the El Camino offense needed. He is second to Rancho Santiago’s Estrus Crayton in Mission Conference rushing (117.7 yards a game) and is tied with Crayton with 16 touchdowns.

“He’s had a tremendous year for us and he’s been a great part of our team,” Featherstone said. “Anthony has great feet and a great feel. All he needs is a crease and he can get through the hole. He’s a magician and he’s been fun to watch.”

Last week Daigle became the first player to rush for more than 1,000 yards in Featherstone’s tenure at El Camino. He was named Mission Conference player of the week for gaining 135 yards on 25 carries and scoring three touchdowns (one on a pass reception) in the Warriors’ 40-21 victory over Mt. SAC.

“Plus he’s an excellent receiver,” Featherstone said. What more can a coach ask for?

Louis Perez has made quite a comeback in the past two weeks.

El Camino’s reliable kicker struggled with field goals through most of the season, but lately he has been on a roll. The sophomore from Carson High has hit all of his field goal and extra point attempts in the past two games. In last week’s victory over Mt. SAC, he made field goals of 41 and 33 yards. Two weeks ago against Pasadena, he kicked a 42-yard field goal.

That improved his season extra-point total to 36 of 38 and his field-goal total to eight of 11. Featherstone said there’s one simple reason for the improvement: “He quit playing soccer. Now his foot isn’t as tired.”

Perez was also a part-time player for El Camino’s soccer team last season and most of this season.