Morningside Gearing Up for Run at Titles

Even though the Morningside High boys’ and girls’ track teams were victorious in the Southern Section Division III meet last week, Monarch Coach Ron Tatum is not ready to celebrate or relax.

Not with the Masters and State meets on the horizon.

“We feel comfortable with what we’ve accomplished and who we’ve qualified, but we know it was just another challenge on the road to success for us,” Tatum said.

The Masters meet is at 6:30 tonight at Cerritos College in Norwalk and the State meet is next week at the same site.

Although the Monarch boys’ team is a long shot to win the State title, the girls would be in a good position to contend with a strong showing at the Masters.

Nine Monarch girls qualified for the Masters, although sprinter Tai-Ne Gibson will need to improve in the 100- and 200-meter dashes to advance to State in either event.

Gibson won the Division III 100 in 12.14 seconds and the 200 in 24.64, but her times were only eighth fastest. A runner must finish in the top five at the Masters to advance to State.

“Tai-Ne is the kind of runner who can come through and do some outstanding things, and we’ll need another effort like that from her at the Masters,” Tatum said.

The Monarchs did produce swift times in several events.

They had the top three times in the 400, including a 54.88 clocking by LaShawn Stringer that set a Division III record. Jeronda White and Felesha Williams also qualified.

Freshman Nicole Thomas had the second-fastest time (44.32) in winning the 300 hurdles, and the Monarchs also had the second-fastest time in winning the 1,600 relay in a Division III-record 3 minutes 47.64 seconds. The Monarchs also qualified in the 400 relay in 47.22.

Senior Edward Turner, who won three individual events and anchored the winning 1,600 relay team in the Division III finals, will lead the Monarch boys. Turner, who has signed a letter of intent to attend the University of Washington in the fall, was second in the 100 with a time of 10.61. He qualified in the 200 in 21.20.

The 1,600 relay finished in 3:18.23 to qualify and Turner also advanced in the long jump with a leap of 23-feet-5. Turner’s younger brother, Mike, also qualified in the triple jump with a mark of 47-11 3/4.

Hawthorne boys’ qualifiers are Marquise Jones in the 110 and 300 hurdles and Damien Oliver in the 400. Cougar Meshana Mays qualified in the girls’ 100 and 300 hurdles.

Inglewood has qualifiers in three boys’ events: Leandrew Childs in the long jump and Brandon Crockett in the 100 and 200. Childs has a state-best leap of 24-8 3/4.

Other area qualifiers include Kim Blankinship of Torrance in the high jump; Dan Minami of Peninsula in the 3,200; Kamara Mayberry of St. Bernard in the 800; Nikki Lawson of Mira Costa in the triple jump; Marcus Ferrara of South Torrance in the 800 and Joe Criner of St. Bernard in the 100 and 200.