Carrigan Serves Notice of Prowess, Leaving Arcadia Sprinters in Dust

Sprinter Ricky Carrigan of Compton High was looking for a challenge at the Arcadia Invitational track and field meet last Saturday.

Since finishing fifth in the 100-meter dash at the State meet last year, Carrigan has been out to prove that he is the best sprinter in California this spring. He won the 100 and 200 at Arcadia and says he thinks he is heading in the right direction.

Carrigan also runs the 400 meters. With a season-best of 48.13 seconds, he is among the state’s leaders in the event, but he has excelled in the shorter races.

“I don’t think that there is anyone in the state who can beat me in the sprints,” said Carrigan, voted Arcadia’s male athlete of the meet. “I thought that I would have some competition at Arcadia. But, I guess not.”

Carrigan dominated the sprint field. He started by running an impressive second leg on Compton’s 400-meter relay team, which finished behind Hawthorne in 41.70 seconds.

In winning the 100 in 10.63, he ran away from Tim Martin of San Clemente, who is regarded as the top sprinter in Orange County. Carrigan followed with a victory in the 200 meters, in which he blew past a strong field to win in 21.09.

Carrigan was hoping for a showdown with Napolean Kaufman of Lompoc, the defending State 100- and 200-meter champion. However, Kaufman was a no-show at Arcadia.

More Arcadia: Marion Jones of Oxnard Rio Mesa had an even more impressive showing than Carrigan. She had victories in the girls’ 100 and 200 meters.

Jones, a 15-year-old sophomore, was the meet’s star performer in setting a national high school federation record in the 200 meters (22.87 seconds) and a meet record in the 100 (11.38).

Her winning times were faster than the winning efforts in the women’s college meet between UCLA, USC, Houston and Texas Christian. Jeannine Vickers of UCLA had winning times of 11.60 in the 100 and 23.20 in the 200.

“I’m surprised with my times so far, but then again, I am not that much surprised because I am much stronger this season,” Jones said. “I was looking to peak for the State meet later in the season, but the way I am running now, I don’t know.”

Jones made a shambles of her long-awaited showdown with Zundra Feagin of Cocoa, Fla., the national indoor record holder in the 55, 60 and 200 meters. In seven meetings against Feagin, Jones has won six, with her only loss in the 55 meters last month in the national indoor prep championships.

Louie Quintana of Arroyo Grande, the 1990 Kinney national cross-country champion, moved down to the 800 meters in the Arcadia Invitational and found himself in an unusual situation after the first lap.

Quintana, who had never competed in a major meet in the 800 meters, was in last place with 400 meters to go before making a furious kick. He moved into the lead with 200 meters remaining before being overtaken by Bryan Woodward of Long Beach Poly with five meters left.

For years, the City Section has been criticized for many of its administrative decisions regarding playoff formats and player eligibility. Over the last few weeks, however, things have changed.

A move to an expanded 4-A Division for football next season was long overdue.

The City also made a good move in keeping its winter sports schedule intact despite the Board of Education’s decision to go to year-round schools.

Last week, the City took another step in the right direction in establishing a new transfer rule.

The rule affects students who enroll at schools outside their attendance area by way of the City’s Magnet and Permits With Transportations programs.

Previously, students who transferred from their residence high schools by way of the Magnet or PWT programs were granted immediate athletic eligibility at their new school, regardless of previous participation in other sports. Under the new rule, students who transfer under one of those programs would be ineligible for varsity competition for one calendar year in any sport the student played at his previous high school.

After 20 years as boys’ basketball coach at Long Beach Millikan High, Bill Odell signed a one-year contract to become the mens’ basketball coach at Azusa Pacific University last week.

Odell, 48, had a 350-176 record at Millikan, including six league titles and one Southern Section championship.

“Of course, it won’t be easy to leave here,” Odell said. “When you’ve been at a place 20 years, you grow kind of fond of it. But I felt it was good timing for a change.”

Odell will finish the school year at Millikan, even though he officially started his new job last Thursday. Millikan assistant Kevin Mickelson has been named to replace Odell.

Gardena guard/forward Robin Kirksey signed a letter of intent with Loyola Marymount, and Mira Costa forward Chris Davis signed with San Diego State. Anaheim Loara guard Tes Whitlock signed with Arizona State.

The spring signing period began last Wednesday and continues for the next month.

Former North Hollywood Campbell Hall boys’ basketball coach Joe Jackson is continuing to fight his recent firing.

Jackson said his attorney will push for reinstatement because most of the student body and faculty do not agree with the dismissal. A group of 30 students protested Jackson’s release before school last Thursday.

The school’s administration has refused to discuss the issue.

The Basketball Rules Committee of the National Federation of State High School Assns., adopted a rule last week that will award a player three free throws for being fouled in the act of making a three-point attempt. If the foul is intentional, player will receive three free throws and the team in possession will get the ball at the spot closest to where the foul occurred. The rules take effect next season.

St. Francis High football Coach Bill Garrison has resigned after two season because unspecified promises made to him by the school’s previous administration were not met, he said.

St. Francis was 7-4 last season, losing to Glenn in the first round of the Southern Section Division VII playoffs.