Sports : RIGHT TRACK

Just how talented of a runner is Malika Edmonson?

Last weekend at the prestigious Arcadia Invitational, the St. Bernard sprinter finished fourth with a time of 25 seconds in the invitational 200 meters and sixth with a time of 12.2 in the invitational 100.

Those were impressive times for the sophomore against older competition. Even more impressive is the fact that the 100 and 200 are not her best events.

Edmonson’s race is the 400, an event that she finished fourth in at the state meet as a freshman. Edmonson said she was using the sprints at Arcadia to improve her start in the 400.

“I’m trying to get down to 53.0 in the 400,” said Edmonson, whose personal best is 54.6. “I’m working on my speed. If I get that down, everything will be perfect.”

Still, Edmonson has excelled in the sprints.

Before the Arcadia meet, she ran a personal best of 24.7 in the 200 and 11.7 in the 100 in a dual meet against Bishop Montgomery.

Edmonson will test her speed today when St. Bernard meets Serra in a Del Rey League track meet at Southwest College.

Edmonson comes from a very successful track family.

Edmonson’s mother is Barbara Ferrell-Edmonson, USC women’s track coach, a silver medalist in the 100 meters at the 1968 Mexico City Games and a member of the gold-medal winning 400-meter relay team.

Her father, Warren Edmonson, was the 1972 NCAA 100-meter champion from UCLA.

“My parents have eased the pressure of competing,” Edmonson said. “I know what is to be expected and what I can actually get out of running. They have set down the past. Now it’s up to me to provide the future. I hope to pass my success down to my kids.”

Competing in the open division, Kaaron Conwright of Westchester won his heats of the 200 and 400 meters in 22.05 and 48.89.

RECRUITING

Although Wednesday was the start of the spring signing period, many local high school standouts are awaiting results of their Scholastic Assessment Test. An athlete must score 700 on the SAT to receive a scholarship and be eligible as a freshman.

Some players are holding out for better offers.

Culver City’s Wayne Dooley said he received a scholarship offer to play for UC Santa Barbara. However, the 6-foot-5 senior forward has also received interest from Cal and prefers to play for the Golden Bears. “I’m very excited about the opportunity to play for a Division I program,” Dooley said. “But I’m not going to rush to make a decision.” Dooley averaged 18 points, nine rebounds and 1.5 assists for the Centaurs.

Venice’s Quentin McCowen, on the other hand, is being recruited by Loyola Marymount, Pepperdine and Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y., but has not passed his entrance examination. McCowen, who averaged 22.8 points and 9.7 rebounds, received a 690 on his SAT in December but failed to register in time to take the American College Testing exam (ACT) last Saturday.

Fairfax’s Jair Fray and Israel Plaza will sign with Cal State Dominguez Hills, a Division II school. Fray, a 6-5 forward, averaged 18 points and nine rebounds and Plaza, a 6-0 guard, averaged 8.5 points.

Another Lion--6-6 center Elroy Serano--hopes to sign with the College of Notre Dame, a Division II school in San Francisco, if he passes his entrance examination.

The Sanders brothers--Ben and Jason--know where they are going in the fall. Ben, who was named City Section 4-A Division co-most valuable player, will attend Nevada Las Vegas. Jason, who relinquished his scholarship to San Diego State in November, has signed with Azusa Pacific.

Ben, a 6-5 point guard, wavered about his decision when Tim Grgurich resigned and was replaced by Massachusetts assistant Billy Banyo. But Ben and his family met with Banyo and assistant David Rice on Friday. “I got a good feeling from the coach and I still like the situation at Vegas,” Sanders said.

Jason, a guard, would have been required to sit out a season if he signed with another Division I school. Sanders will be eligible to play for Azusa Pacific in the fall because the school competes in the National Assn. of Intercollegiate Athletics.

“The Azusa Pacific coaches said I can play my position--point guard--and start right away,” Jason said. “They presented an opportunity for me to come in and be a leader. My goal is to win a NAIA championship.”

GRAY MATTER

Former Westchester and Santa Monica College standout James Gray said Tuesday he become one of the first recruits to sign with new Fresno State Coach Jerry Tarkanian.

Now the question is: Will Gray actually make the grade?

In May, 1992, the 6-foot-4 point guard said he would attend Cal State Long Beach as a non-scholarship player. After playing two seasons at Santa Monica College, Gray signed a letter of intent with Georgia. Gray never made it to Georgia or Cal State Long Beach for academic reasons.

However, Tarkanian has always had a knack for taking borderline students and turning them around.

There is no question about Gray’s basketball ability. He was selected the City Section and The Times’ Westside player of the year as a senior after leading the Comets to two consecutive City titles.

Gray, however, never graduated from Westchester and is required to get an associate arts degree before attending a four-year school.

During his sophomore season at Santa Monica, Gray averaged 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds and 5.7 assists. Gray did not play basketball last season.

FAMILY AFFAIR

Brentwood shortstop Jake Willens said he will attend Stanford and hopes to become the fourth member of his family to be an All-American at the school.

Willens’ grandfather Frankie Albert was a Stanford quarterback and later a standout for the San Francisco 49ers. Willen’s mother Janie and his sister Heather were All-American tennis players at Stanford.

Jake led the Delphic League in hitting as a freshman and sophomore and led the Southern Section in runs batted in as a junior, when he was named to The Times’ Westside all-star team.

After 10 games this season, Willens has 19 hits, including five home runs. As a pitcher, he has a win and a save in his first two appearances.