TRACK : 2nd Straight City Title Almost in Dons’ Grasp : Dorsey exits semifinals with 12 qualifiers and wins its heat in the boys’ 1,600-meter relays despite a botched handoff. The finals are Thursday at Birmingham.

A botched handoff didn’t prevent the Dorsey High boys’ 1,600-meter relay team from winning its heat in the City Section semifinals at Birmingham High last week. And barring another major mishap, nothing stands in Dorsey’s path for its second-consecutive City team title in the finals Thursday at Birmingham.

The Dons led all schools with 12 qualifiers, including both relays, in the semifinals. Birmingham, last year’s runner-up, had 11.

“It ain’t going to be close,” Dorsey senior Leo Settle said. “We feel we’re going to take City by a good 20 points. We have too much depth. All I can say is: ‘Good luck to the best man.’ ”

Settle was tops in the 100 and 200 meters in the Thursday semifinals, clocking 10.93 and 21.77 seconds. He also ran on Dorsey’s 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams, which timed 42.09 and 3:24.25

“We’re in pretty good shape right now,” Dorsey Coach Ralph Tilley said. “Birmingham and Washington will be tough, but we’re looking good.”

Except for those few anxious moments in the 1,600 relay.

The Dons dropped the baton on the final exchange between Anthony Wheeler and Gene Shepard. Shepard had to make a 180-degree turn and run five yards in the opposite direction to retrieve the baton.

Dorsey, which had been leading by 60 meters heading into the bell lap, was never challenged by runner-up Manual Arts. The only debate was whether the Dons would be disqualified for passing out of the zone, but no red flag was raised by the finish-line official.

Shepard and Anthony Mabry, who ran the second leg on the 1,600 relay, were among other heat winners for the Dons. Shepard won the 400 in 49.17 and Mabry rolled to victories in the 110 high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles in 15.02 and 39.95.

Keith Friday bounded 43 feet 1 1/4 inches to qualify in the triple jump and was one of 12 to clear 6-0 in the high jump. Jabulani Smith-Freeman advanced in long jump (22-8 1/2) and triple jump (42-8 1/2) and Anthony Wheeler qualified in the 800 (2:01.21) for Dorsey.

Ricardo Valenzuela of Belmont and Humberto Sanchez of South Gate continued the rivalry in the distances. Sanchez blasted by Valenzuela in the 1,600 to win with the top mark of the meet in 4:24.11. Valenzuela sprinted from Sanchez and runner-up Miguel Ramirez of Roosevelt to win in 9:46.24.

Betty Butler of Dorsey was the fastest qualifier in the 400 (58.25) and 800 (2:23.91) and anchored the Dons’ 1,600-meter relay team, which qualified in 4:12.25.

Keisha Griffis of Washington, the defending City champion in the 300 low hurdles, turned in the top mark in her specialty in 46.05 and won her heat of the 100 hurdles in 15.20 with the No. 2 time.

Competing in the Cee division, Clarence Scott of Fremont had the best mark in the long jump--varsity, Bee or Cee--with a personal-best 23-5 1/2, smashing the 1961 record of 22-8 held by Robert Myles of Fremont.

Scott jumped 22-7 1/2 and 22-6 on his first two attempts. He broke the record with a leap of 22-9 1/2 on his third attempt before sailing 23-5 1/2 on his final try. He bested the No. 2 qualifier by more than three feet.

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Cal State Los Angeles won the men’s and women’s titles in the California Collegiate Athletic Assn. championships at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo on May 13-14.

Keadrick Washington and Oshonda Posey were selected as Athletes of the Meet.

Washington won the 110 high hurdles (14.39), 400 intermediate hurdles (52.39) and high jump (6-9 1/2) as the Golden Eagles to held off four-time champion San Luis Obispo, 165-159, for its first CCAA title since 1989.

Posey won the 100 and 200 meters with wind-aided marks of 11.60 and 20.42 and joined Phetima Woods, Secora Taylor and Jean Yokoyama on Cal State L.A.’s victorious 400 relay team (47.77).