STATE JUNIOR COLLEGE TRACK & FIELD CHAMPIONSHIPS : Blackburn Thrown Off, Finishes Second

Amy Blackburn of Ventura College was happy with her finish in the women’s discus for the second year in a row in the State junior college championships Friday night at Bakersfield College.

However, Blackburn wasn’t too thrilled with her effort.

Her throw of 137 feet 9 inches was more than 10 feet short of her best of 148-5 thrown at the 1994 Southern California finals and two feet shy of her season-best 139-9 at the Southern California championships.

“I’m not used to throwing at night and not being able to see the discus, but I don’t know what it was,” Blackburn said. “I was lucky to finish second. Fortunately, a lot of other people choked, too.”

Tyrenda Stamps of DeAnza College won with a throw of 150-3. Rashawnda Holmes of Chabot (137-3) was third and Ingrid Sipher of Butte (134-2) was fourth.

In other finals on the first day of the two-day meet, Brian Lubocki of Moorpark cleared 15-6 in the pole vault to finish in a three-way tie for fourth with Travis Majors of DeAnza and Luis Apalategui of San Diego Mesa. Mike James of Hartnell won with a vault of 16-6.

In the hammer, Manfred Wagner of Moorpark bettered his season best by more than eight feet to finish sixth with a toss of 162-9, while Kris McLucas of Ventura placed sixth in the men’s 110-meter high hurdles in 14.97.

Josefina Sanchez of Ventura timed 38:52.4 to win the women’s 10,000 meters, an exhibition not counted in team scoring.

Moorpark’s Heather Hanger is fourth after the first day of the heptathlon with 2,464 points. Nichole Wilson of Long Beach leads with 2,563 points.

Hanger had the No. 2 marks in the shotput (31-6) and 200 (26.79). She also ran 16.14 in the 100-meter hurdles and cleared 4-8 in the high jump.

In the decathlon, Justin Burnett of Moorpark is eighth after five events with 3,122 points. Robert Macias of Hartnell leads the two-day competition with 3,556 points for a 70-point lead over Randy Vanover of Shasta.

The Long Beach men, seeking their 12th State title in 17 seasons, lead with 44 points. Redwoods, with victories by Jamael Chase in the long jump and John McEwen in the hammer, is second with 20 points and San Joaquin Delta is third at 18.

Cavetra Mitchell and Karen Vigilant won the 100-meter hurdles and 200 meters for the Long Beach women, who hold a 16-point lead over Riverside with 36 points.

Mitchell won the 200 in 23.46, edging Charmaine Burton of Riverside (23.78). Cynthia Midkiff (24.39) and Michelle Wilson (24.50) of Long Beach were third and fourth. Vigilant timed 14.22 to win the 100 hurdles.

Women’s winners included Charlotte Mayock of Riverside in the 5,000 (18:13.21) and Charity Amama of Trade Tech in the javelin (135-6).

Men’s winners included Mike Harris of Long Beach in the 110 high hurdles (14.33), Demitrius Snaer of San Joaquin Delta in the 200 (21.11) and Cosmas Nguku of Riverside in the 10,000 meters (30:38.76.

The meet resumes today at 10 a.m. with the 110-meter high hurdles event of the men’s decathlon. The first field event is the women’s high jump at 3:30 p.m., with the first running event, the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, starting at 6:30.