BOYS’ TRACK / SOUTHERN SECTION CHAMPIONSHIPS : Brethren Christian’s Pacheco Wins Three Events

Brethren Christian standout Brandon Pacheco staked his claim as Southern California’s most versatile distance runner at the Southern Section track and field finals Saturday at Cerritos College.

Pacheco, a senior, won three events and ran a relay leg to lead Brethren Christian to the runner-up spot behind Banning in the Division IV team race. Pacheco won the 1,600 meters, clocking a county-best 4 minutes 14.17 seconds, followed with a personal- and county-best time in the 800 (1:51.55).

Pacheco then added a victory in the 3,200 in 9:41.35, and anchored the Warriors’ 1,600 relay team to sixth with a 49.8 split.

“I’m enjoying the weather,” said Pacheco, who was all smiles after his busy day.

Tustin sophomore Dominique Degrammont ran away from the Division II field to win the 110 high hurdles in a county-leading time of 14.34.

“I want somebody to race against for a little more of a challenge,” said Degrammont, who posted a personal best for the second consecutive week.

The top nine finishers in each event, regardless of their division, advanced to the Masters Meet Friday at Cerritos.

Degrammont’s teammate Reggie Curry defended his Division II triple jump title, leaping a wind-aided 48 feet 8 1/2 on his second effort.

County boys nearly swept the four 1,600 races, winning all but the Division I final.

Sunny Hills senior Garrett Jensen bested the Division III competition in 4:14.21 and Andy Morgan of Mission Viejo won the Division II race in 4:20.20.

Esperanza’s 400 relay team of Jamaal Footman, Kareem Clark, Anton Hector and Dahrin Footman finished second in 42.22, advancing to the Master’s Meet.

Huntington Beach junior Jess Strutzel managed to hold off defending State champion Michael Granville of Bell Gardens until the final turn in the Division I 800, before fading to second in 1:52.03. Granville won in 1:49.65.

“I was just praying that I could hold on,” said Strutzel, a transfer from La Quinta. “Once he passed me, I just tried to maintain.”

Dana Hills standout Bryan Harrison produced another fine sprint double, winning the Division II 200 in 21.10, the second-best time in county history, and narrowly losing to Moreno Valley Canyon Springs senior Bryan Howard, 10.41 to 10.42, in a wind-aided 100.

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Notes

Orange Lutheran senior Ryan Taube scored a double victory, winning the Division IV 400 meters in 50.47 and 300 intermediate hurdles in 40.61. . . . Garden Grove junior Kevin Griswold advanced with a wind-aided 21.58, finishing third in the Division III 200 meters. . . . Brethren Christian junior Steve Michels won the Division IV pole vault at 15-5 1/4. . . . University senior Sepeher Sharifi advanced in the shotput (53-3 1/4) and discus (165-10). . . . Capistrano Valley senior Adalberto Sanchez won the Division II 3,200, advancing to the Master’s Meet with a time of 9:12.92.