Setting the Pace : Track preview: Sophomore Michael Granville is all business as he gets set to build on his record-setting freshman year at Bell Gardens High.

Last year was a whirlwind for ninth-grade runner Michael Granville of Bell Gardens High. He came away with two freshman national records, an age-15 national record and a state freshman record.

And from the looks of his 1994 debut, at the Sunkist Invitational at the Sports Arena, Granville will be picking up the pace this year.

At the Feb. 19 meet, Granville shattered the national sophomore indoor record for 500 yards, clocking 57.7 seconds, besting the 10-year-old record of Gus Envela of Salem, Ore., by 0.7 seconds, and beat the 1976 record of Carson’s Henry Williams by 0.1. Granville’s time is the fifth fastest on the all-time U.S. high school list.

“The laps started going by faster and faster,” Granville said. “I accelerated on the last lap and I got the record.”

It was a feeling the 6-foot, 165-pound Granville knows well.

Last year, he set national freshman records at 800 meters and the indoor 500 yards, timing 1 minute 51.03 seconds and 1:00.01, respectively. And he lowered the freshman 400 record by 1.14 seconds to 47.24 and holds the distinction of being the state’s only ninth-grader to break 48 seconds.

The only freshman boy to advance to the 1993 state finals, Granville culminated his season with a third-place finish in the 400.

Cal-Hi Sports named Granville the magazine’s State Freshman of the Year last year.

“I accomplished all I wanted to and more my freshman year,” he said. “I think I did pretty good for a 15-year-old guy.”

Granville, now 16, is not ready to predict what is in store for his sophomore year: “People are entitled to their opinions, but I don’t like to stress my mind thinking about records. Each time I race, my goal is to win, and if I continue to progress positively, the records will come.”

He will set his sights on the 800 and a shot at the national sophomore indoor record of 1:54.28 in next month’s National Scholastic indoor meet at Syracuse University.

“That’s one record I’m sure everybody would like to have,” he said.

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And what would Dorsey High Coach Ralph Tilley like to have this year? A fifth City Section boys’ championship.

Seniors Anthony Wheeler and Leo Settle return from last year’s team, which won the school’s fourth championship.

Wheeler was fifth in the state meet at 800 meters in 1:55.45, while Leo Settle, who has run the 100 meters in 10.62, finished second in the 200 and third in the 100 in last year’s City finals.

The other City finalists for the Dons were Anthony Williams, who was second in the 400, and Jabulani Smith-Freeman, who was fifth in the long jump. Williams’ fastest 49.14; Smith-Freeman’s best is 23 feet, 6 inches.

Last season, the Dons won the 400- and 1,600-meter relays and scored in 12 of 15 events to easily outdistance defending champion Birmingham, 81-55.

Tilley expects Birmingham, Taft, Washington and Fremont to be the Dons’ biggest opposition in the quest to become the first school to win consecutive titles in seven years. “The competition is a lot more even this year,” Tilley said. “I won’t be disappointed if we don’t win, but I will be upset if we don’t score well.”

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Dorsey and Washington, with junior Keisha Griffis, are among the contenders to unseat University for the girls’ title.

Griffis won the 300 hurdles and placed third in the 100 hurdles in last year’s City finals. She also ran legs on the Generals’ 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams that finished third and fourth, respectively, to give Washington a third-place showing.

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After finishing second two of the last three years, the Cal State Los Angeles men will rely on strength in the sprints in the hope of capturing their first California Collegiate Athletic Assn. title in five years--and a top-five national finish.

Junior Glenn Stewart has bests of 20.80 and 46.86 in the 200 and 400 meters, and junior John Hensley has run 21.57 and 47.31.

Keadrick Washington, a junior, was the 1992 CCAA champion in the 110 high hurdles and 400 intermediate hurdles. That season, he placed fourth in the longer race at the NCAA Division II national meet with a personal best of 52.29.

In the field events, the Golden Eagles are paced by triple-jumper Dale Johnson and pole vaulter Danny Tapia.

Johnson, who has leaped 51-6 1/2, finished third at last year’s national meet. Tapia was the 1991 state community college champion at East L.A. College and has cleared 16-7.

Jose Padilla, the CCAA 10,000-meter champion (30:42.18), also returns.

The Cal State L.A. women are seeking their third consecutive CCAA title and to improve upon their third-place national finish.

Senior Janet Hill set Division II meet records of 52-10 and 178-4 in winning the shotput and discus at last year’s national championships.

Seniors Kimya Phillips and Marisol Cossio are other returning All-Americans in the discus and 10,000 meters.

Freshmen Oshonda Posey and Marisa Avendando and sophomore Genet Gorgis are the top newcomers. Posey was the City Section champion at 100 meters and was third in the 200 for North Hollywood last season. Avendando was third in the CCAA cross-country championships last fall. Gorgis was the State community college cross-country champion at Trade Tech in November.

Top Individuals to Watch

A look at the top boys and girls in track and field, with school and events: City Section

Coastal Conference

Gilbert Augustine (Manual Arts): 200

Qualema Hayes (Los Angeles): 300H, LJ

Northern Conference

Ricardo Valenzuela (Belmont): 3,200

Brian Acevedo (Belmont): PV

Ti’Wanta Copeland (Wilson): 100

Imelda Flores (Belmont): 800

Yolanda Gomez (Belmont): 1,600, 3,200

Southeastern Conference

Sirr Parker (Locke): 100, 200

David Herrera (Garfield): 1,600

Humberto Sanchez (S. Gate): 1,600, 3,200

Richard Martinez (Garfield): 3,200

Denise Morales (S. Gate): 800, 1,600

Liz Ceja (Bell): 3,200

Alma Herrera (Huntington Park): 3,200

Flor Sanchez (Huntington Park): 3,200

Cloretta Hogue (Roosevelt): HJ

Adriana Cano (Roosevelt): SP

Southern Pacific Conference

Jim McElroy (Washington): 100, 200

Leo Settle (Dorsey): 100, 200

Anthony Williams (Dorsey): 400

Anthony Mabry (Dorsey): 110 HH, 300 IH

Jabulani Smith-Freeman (Dorsey): LJ, TJ

Betty Butler (Dorsey): 400, 800

Alexis Glenn (Dorsey): 100H

Keisha Griffis (Washington): 100H, 300H

Shana Skaggs (Washington): 300H

Southern Section

Michael Granville (Bell Gardens): 400, 800

Jason Barreda (Loyola): 1,600