PREP TRACK: CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS : Conwright Leads Dorsey to 1st Title

Sprinter Kanika Conwright realized that she was taking a risk when she transferred from Southern Section track power Hawthorne High to Dorsey before the school year.

She knew that there would be pressure for her to produce for Dorsey, whose goal was to win its first City team track and field championship.

Conwright met the challenge, sweeping the 100 and 200 meters and running a leg on Dorsey’s winning 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams to lead the Dons’ to the girls’ team title Thursday night at Birmingham High in Van Nuys.

Dorsey, which won six events, finished with 74 points. Gardena finished second with 37 points and University was third with 36.

“I’m somewhat looked upon as a leader, but everyone on the team has a role,” said the USC-bound Conwright, who won the 100 in 11.9 and the 200 in 24.75. “But usually, a track team depends a lot on its sprinters to get the job done. So, I’m glad I was able to contribute. “

Rene Walker of Dorsey won the 400 meters in 56.07 and finished third in the 200 in 25.23, and teammate Montoya Johnson won the long jump with a leap of 17 feet 11 inches and finished second in the triple jump with a mark of 35-5 1/2.

“(Walker) put on an awesome performance in the quarter, which really inspired us and (Johnson) dominated the jumps,” Conwright said. “It was just a total team effort from top to bottom.”

Ch-a Mosley of Marshall was the only other girls’ double winner, winning the 100- and 300-meter low hurdles in 15.05 and 46.19.

Robin Snowbeck of University defended her title in the 1,600 meters in 5:14.72 and finished second in the 800 at 2:16.24. Deetra Deer of Crenshaw won the 800 in 2:12.16 and finished second in the 400 in 57.38.

Birmingham ran away with the boys’ title with 70 points, with Locke second at 46 and Gardena third with 43.

For Birmingham Coach Scott King, the victory was rewarding after the Braves finished second to Locke last season.

“This is something that we’ve been working toward for a long time, since last year,” King said. “The kids weren’t ready to win it last year, but this year they were.”

Other than Alvaro Mejia, who won the 1,600 meters in 4:22.60 and finished third in the 3,200 in 9:45.55, and James Lincoln, who won the high jump with a personal best leap of 6-8, Birmingham did not dominate.

However, the Braves had enough role performers to pick up the slack. Tony Serpas and Patrick Abdelkerim finished second and fourth in the 100 meters. Mike Moquel was fourth in the 400 and Colin Marian was fourth in the 1,600.

Prep Notes

Other boys’ winners included Locke’s Charles Gates in the 100 and Amado Coleman in the 400; Gardena’s Anthony Jones in the 200 and Morris Giddens in the 3,200; Nyron Bernard of Venice in the 800, and Chris Hunt of Westchester in the 300-meter intermediate hurdles. . . . The top four in each event qualify for the State meet June 5-6 at Cerritos College.