TRACK : Scott Leaves Cee-Level Rivals in His Wake

Even Clarence Scott wonders how far or how fast he could go with some competition.

The Fremont High sophomore found little opposition Wednesday in the Cee division in the Southeastern Conference track and field finals at Cal State Los Angeles.

The 5-foot-9, 135-pound Scott won the 100 and 400 meters, clocking 10.80 and 51.01 seconds, respectively, and spanned 22 feet to win the long jump. He has leaped 23-4 in the long jump this season, a mark that would have placed him fourth in last year’s state meet, but nixed an opportunity to qualify for the state championships by moving from the varsity to the Cee level.

The top five finishers in each division in the Southeastern Conference meet advanced to the City Section semifinals at Birmingham High on Thursday. Three varsity finishers at the May 19 City finals move on to the state meet.

“I thought about it for a good while and sometimes I wish I could have done varsity,” Scott said. “I might have made it to state, but I would have just placed. I want to be able to win. Next year, I’ll definitely move up.”

On Wednesday, the 16-year-old transfer from La Puente Nogales High appeared primed for the move this year. Scott won the 100 meters by a substantial 0.79 seconds, and his marks in the 100, 400 and long jump would have placed second in the varsity competition.

Scott also anchored the Pathfinders’ 400 relay team of Vincent Thomas, Corey Taylor and Eddy Ruiz to victory in 45.18, a time which would have been good for fourth in the varsity race.

“Clarence could have fit right in on varsity and been a three-time City champion in the long jump,” Fremont Coach Steve Lang said. “Sometimes kids don’t have the confidence competing in their first year of big-time track. Why not bring him along gingerly? It was a collective decision and he had the clinching vote.”

Next season, however, Scott will still have junior Sirr Parker of Locke to contend with in the 100 meters at the varsity level.

Parker won the 100 in 10.70 despite stumbling at the start because of broken starting blocks. He was also third in the 200 in 22.49 and cleared 5-10 for fourth in the high jump.

Not even Parker could catch Vern Bernard of Bell on the final leg of the 400-meter relay as the Eagle running back combined with Charles and Noel Zavala and Bobby Fuller to hold off Locke, 43.75 to 44.10.

Fuller won the 200 in 22.44 by .03 of a second over Art Topete of Garfield, winner of the 400 in 50.19. Fuller also was second in the 100 in 11.00.

Andre Wallace of Jordan won the high jump (6-6), long jump (22-5) and triple jump (43-3), while Rick Curiel of Roosevelt cleared 13-6 to win the pole vault.

Humberto Sanchez of South Gate clocked 4:25.6 to edge Miguel Ramirez of Roosevelt (4:25.9) and Francisco Camacho of Bell (4:26.1) in the 1,600 and came back for a 9:48.0 winning time in the 3,200, beating Camacho by 1.2 seconds.

Sanchez, the City runner-up in cross-country, also ran 2:01.50 to finish second to Ray Duarte of Roosevelt (1:59.0) in the 800.

The Locke girls swept the sprints with victories by Tamekia Windborn in the 100 (13.05), Susan Coleman in the 200 (27.78) and Jemena Johnson in the 400 (1:02.75).

Windborn also won the 300 hurdles in 50.63 and teamed with Coleman, Johnson and April Young to win the 1,600 relay in 4:19.

Aracely Tamayo and Aida Rochin of Garfield ran to wire-to-wire victories in the 800 and 1,600 in 2:25.0 and 5:20.6. Huntington Park’s Alma Herrera (12:29.78), Lourdes Menchaca (12:30.64) and Flor Sanchez (12:39.24) took the first three places in the 3,200.

The Dorsey High boys took a step toward their second consecutive City championship at the Southern Pacific Conference finals at Long Beach City College on Wednesday.

Dorsey, which was 7-0 in dual meets, ran away from Washington for the team title, 120-78, and scored in 12 of 15 events. Crenshaw was third with 54 points.

The 1,600-meter relay team of Anthony Mabry, Leo Settle, Anthony Wheeler and Gene Shepherd ran 3:20.04 to win by more than seven seconds over runner-up Crenshaw (3:27.80).

Mabry, Wheeler and Shepherd also combined for four individual victories. Mabry edged Bernard Ellis of Crenshaw to win the 110 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles in 14.79 and 38.52. Shepherd and Wheeler were victorious in the the 400 and 800, running 50.19 and 2:01.28.

The Dons also figure to be strengthened in their bid to repeat with the return of Anthony Williams, last season’s City runner-up at 400 meters, who is recovering from a hamstring injury and is expected to compete in City semifinals. Dorsey’s sprint strength, however, may be tested by Washington’s Jim McElroy. He clocked a wind-aided 10.70 to win the 100 meters and edged Settle to win the 200 meters. Both runners were timed in 21.31.

The UCLA-bound wide receiver also anchored the Generals’ 400-meter relay team of Amar Brisco, Brian Boles, Chris Jones past the Dons, 42.0 to 42.4.

Betty Butler won the 400 and 800 in 58.83 and 2:27.57 to lead the Dorsey girls to second in the team competition with 81 points behind Gardena, which won with 112.