HIGH SCHOOL TRACK : Loss of Gates Dims Locke’s Title Hopes

In March, Locke track Coach Timm MacDonald had hopes of winning a City boys’ title with a six-member team.

That outlook was changed after two athletes transferred over the past six weeks, including Charles Gates, the City 100-meter champion. Now MacDonald is scrambling to put together relay teams for Friday’s Southeastern Conference preliminaries at Cal State Los Angeles.

Gates, a senior, was suspended from Locke after becoming involved in an argument with campus security on April 20. He was granted an opportunity transfer by Locke Principal Edward Robbs and enrolled at Gardena last week.

“I got mad and said a few words I shouldn’t have,” Gates said. “I figured I’d be better off somewhere else.”

Gates, who won the 100 at the Alemany Relays in March, won the 100 in 10.87 and placed fourth in the 200 in 22.12 in last year’s City championship meet. He worked out with the track team at Gardena on Tuesday and attended his first day of classes Wednesday.

“I can’t condone what he did, but he deserved an opportunity to defend his City title whether it’s at Locke or somewhere else,” MacDonald said.

Gates and Clark, along with Darrell LeBlanc and Roy Edwards, were members of Locke’s 400-meter relay team, which was expected to perform well in the City championship. LeBlanc is also a potential City finalist in the 110 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles, and Edwards is a potential finalist in the sprints.

In preparation for the conference preliminaries, MacDonald has been forced to assemble a makeshift 400-meter relay team, which includes shotputter Greg Jones, who qualified for the state meet in the event as a junior.

Conference preliminaries for City teams will be Thursday and Friday with finals scheduled May 13. A look at the top individuals and teams:

Southeastern Conference: In Gates’ absence, Kory Jones of Fremont is favored to win the 100- and 200-meter races. Jones won the invitational 200 at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays last month in 21.79--the fastest mark in the City.

Jorge Perea of Huntington Park and Jaime Moreno of Roosevelt will compete in the 1,600 and 3,200. Perea and Romero finished first and second in the City cross-country championship in November. They be challenged by Oscar Urizar of Huntington Park and Juan Camacho of Bell.

Brenda Stewart of Locke, the City runner-up at 800 meters, has the City’s top marks in the 400 and 800 at 58.08 and 2:18.34.

Northern Conference: Belmont, more well-known for its distance runners, captured first place in the conference for the 15th consecutive year with the help of sprinter Ben Martinez and pole vaulters Stanley Carranza and Brian Acevedo.

Martinez was the City runner-up at 400 meters last season. Carranza and Acevedo posted the top marks in the City at the Mt. SAC Relays, clearing 14 feet and 13-6, respectively.

Belmont’s Patty Trejo, the defending City 3,200-meter champion, will be a leading contender in the 1,600 at the conference championships.

Southern Pacific Conference: Dorsey is the leading candidate to knock off defending City champion Birmingham.

The Dons, powered by Scott Miles and Anthony Williams, turned in the City’s fastest mark of 3:18.84 in the 1,600-meter relay at the Arcadia Invitational. Ramone Clark was the City runner-up at 800 meters last season.

Crenshaw’s Deetra Deer was seventh in the 800 at the state meet as a junior. Sophomore Keisha Griffis of Washington (46.99) is the only runner in the City to break 48 seconds in the 300 hurdles. She has also run 15.78 in the 100 hurdles.

Individuals to Watch

A look at the top athletes, with school and events. SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE BOYS * Kory Jones (Fremont): 100, 200, 400 * Brian Clark (Fremont): 100, 200, LJ * Chris Thomas (South Gate): 200 * Juan Camacho (Bell): 1,600 * Jorge Perea (Huntington Park): 1,600, 3,200 * Oscar Urizar (Huntington Park): 3,200 * Jaime Romero (Roosevelt): 3,200 * Greg Jones (Locke): Shotput GIRLS * Cynthia Midkiff (Fremont): 200 * Brenda Stewart (Locke): 400, 800 * Shonte Tippie (Jefferson): Long Jump NORTHERN CONFERENCE BOYS * Ben Martinez (Belmont): 400 * Stanley Carranza (Belmont): Pole Vault * Brian Acevedo (Belmont): Pole Vault GIRLS * Patty Trejo (Belmont): 1,600, 3,200 * Yolanda Gomez (Belmont): 1,600 * Auria Roberto (Belmont): 1,600 SOUTHERN PACIFIC CONFERENCE BOYS * Richard Anderson (Crenshaw): 100 * Jim McElroy (Washington): 100, 200 * Scott Miles (Dorsey): 400 * Anthony Williams (Dorsey): 400 * Ramone Clark (Dorsey): 800 * Charlton Jordan (Washington): 110 HH, 300 IH * Jabulani Smith-Freeman (Dorsey): Long Jump GIRLS * Deetra Deer (Crenshaw): 800 * Keisha Griffis (Washington): 100 HH, 300 hurdles * Roneshia Norwood (Crenshaw): 100 HH, 300 hurdles