Fischer Has High Hopes in Junior Nationals

Jeremy Fischer of Camarillo High, who placed second in last week’s state high school championships in the boys’ high jump, will attempt to improve on his personal best of 7 feet 2 inches at the USA Track & Field Junior (age 14-19) championships at Spokane Falls (Wash.) College today and Sunday.

Fischer, who completed his junior year, has cleared 7 feet or better in seven meets this season but has yet to reach his preseason goal of 7-3.

He cleared 7-1 in the state meet at Cerritos College, but that left him an inch short of Monroe’s Jeff Nadeau, who will not compete this weekend.

“I think it’s time for (Jeff) to take a break,” Monroe co-Coach Dean Balzarett said. “He’s been competing pretty much nonstop since September between football, basketball and track. It’s time for him to get some rest and then get ready for Arizona.”

Nadeau will attend the Tucson school on a football scholarship.

Isaiah Mustafa of Moorpark College and Gabriela Rodriguez of Oxnard High also are expected to compete in the junior meet.

Mustafa, the runner-up in the men’s decathlon in last month’s state junior college championships, will attempt to improve on his personal best of 6,329 points.

Rodriguez will run her first 10,000-meter race on the track after placing third in the 3,200 in the state meet.

The top two finishers in each event will qualify for the U.S. team that will compete in the Pan American Junior Games in Winnipeg on July 15-17.