PREP TRACK / CITY CHAMPIONSHIPS : DeSaussure Wins 100, 200, 400

Andre DeSaussure of Woodland Hills Taft established himself as one of the state’s top sprinters Thursday by winning three events at the City Section championships.

Before 4,000 at Van Nuys Birmingham High, DeSaussure, a junior transfer from Simi Valley Royal, won the 100, 200 and 400 meters. He also anchored the team’s 400-meter relay, which placed fourth.

The top three finishers in each event qualified for the State meet, June 4-5 at Cerritos College.

DeSaussure started the day with a photo-finish victory in the 100 in 10.58 seconds. Edgardo Serpas of Birmingham finished second in 10.61.

But DeSaussure seemed to warm up as the meet went on, running away from the field in the 200 and 400 with winning times of 20.93 and 47.75, respectively.

The 100 and 200 times were wind-aided.

DeSaussure did not have much help from the rest of his team, however, as Dorsey ran away with the team title.

The Dons, who last won the City championship in 1989, placed in 11 of 15 events to finish with 81 points. Birmingham was second with 55 points and Taft tied Fremont for third with 34.

In the girls’ team race, University placed first with 50 points, followed by Gardena with 36 and Washington with 32.

Birmingham was expected to stay close in the boys’ race, but the Dons jumped ahead early.

Dorsey started the day with a victory in the 400 relay in 42.25 seconds.

It followed that with 18 points in the 800 as Ramon Clark won the event in 1:55.20 and teammate Anthony Wheeler finished second in 1:56.68.

The Dons’ only other victory was in the 1,600 relay. But senior sprinter Leo Settle added a second-place finish in the 200 and was third in the 100.

Senior Jeff Nadeau of Sepulveda Monroe was a double winner with victories in the high jump (7-0) and triple jump (45-7 3/4).

The University girls won the 400 and 1,600 relays and were 1-2 in the 400. Dorneisha Lewis won the 400 in 57.73 and Shelli Hardemion was second in 58.44