Sports

MONARCHS REIGN

It has become second nature for the Morningside High boys and girls at the Southern Section divisional track and field finals.

Another year, another set of titles.

The Monarchs easily won their sixth consecutive girls’ championship and the boys handily won their fourth in a row at the Division III finals last week at Cerritos College.

Morningside has succeeded behind athletes such as senior Michael Turner, who won the 110-meter high hurdles along with the long and triple jumps in stirring fashion. Turner was especially impressive in the triple jump, where he turned in a wind-aided leap of 49-2 1/2--the best in any division--in his first and only try.

Coach Ron Tatum credits the program’s success to more than simply outstanding athletes. He said it starts by instilling the proper attitude in his athletes early on.

“What we have is a lot of people who are willing to make a commitment in the ninth grade and stay with it,” Tatum said. “Michael was like just about everyone else when he came into our program. He didn’t have a lot of experience but he just grew from it.”

Tatum said it also helps to have an outstanding coaching staff. He said the program has flourished with the help of longtime assistants John Estrada in the hurdles and Daryl Taylor in the jumping events.

“That’s what keeps us going,” Tatum said. “We complement each other and work well together and that’s important.”

Of course, it doesn’t hurt for your squad to have talent and depth, and both appear in abundance at Morningside.

In addition to Turner, the boys have been led by Peter Suggs in the 400-meter sprint, Ray Butler in the 100- and 200- meter dashes and Brandon Lloyd in 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

With most of their top competitors graduating, Tatum said the Morningside boys will be hard-pressed to repeat next season.

“We lose all of our [top] boys and our best young kids are in the ninth grade,” he said. “So we’ll probably disappear for a year, but the next year we should be back up there.”

That does not figure to be the case for the Morningside girls, who do not have a senior among their top six athletes. Leading the way are juniors Nicole Thomas and Rori Kelly in the hurdles.

Thomas won the Division III title in the 300-meter hurdles and placed second in the 100 hurdles last week and Kelly, a transfer from Westchester High, was first in the 100 hurdles and fourth in the 300 hurdles. The Monarchs also are loaded in the sprints with underclassmen such as freshmen Myeisha Withers and Unika Stewart, sophomore Sunny Butler and junior Genia Daniels.

“Barring injuries, we should be able to make a big impact by next season,” Tatum said.

But as the Monarchs celebrate yet another championship season, they have already left a sizable dent on the competition.

ADD TRACK

Morningside wasn’t the only South Bay school to excel at the Southern Section divisional finals last week.

St. Mary’s won the girls’ Division IV championship behind jumping specialist Reynda King and sprinter Elene Udeoji. King won the triple jump and was second in the long jump. Udeoji was first in the 100 meters and second in the 200.

Among the individual winners was senior Phil Fonua of Mira Costa, who defended his title in the Division III shotput with a heave of 53-7 1/2. Fonua, who missed football and basketball season while recuperating from a brain aneurysm he suffered in August, has been competing again for only about a month since receiving clearance from his doctor.

Mira Costa, which finished third in boys Division III, also received a winning effort from Derek Loudenback in the 800 meters.

Other boys’ winners were Andre Hilliard of Torrance in the Division I 100 meters, Marty Brossett of South Torrance in the Division III high jump and Serra in the Division III 400 relay, and South Torrance’s Simone Ferrara won the 1,600 meters in girls’ Division III although she did not qualify for the Masters Meet on Friday at Cerritos College. The top finishers in the meet will advance to the state championships June 2 and 3 at Cerritos.

RECRUITING

Loyola Marymount has signed three South Bay prep athletes to national letters of intent.

The Lions have landed midfielders Ive Grgas of San Pedro and Mark Duncan of South Torrance in men’s soccer and outside hitter Cindy Weglarz of Bishop Montgomery in women’s volleyball.

Grgas was named to the All-City and All-Southern Pacific Conference first teams last season at San Pedro. Duncan made the All-Southern Section Division II and All-Ocean League second teams.

Weglarz, two-time most valuable player of the Del Rey League and a three-time all-league selection, led Bishop Montgomery to two consecutive Southern Section Division II titles. Her older sister, Nelly, is a back row specialist for the Lions.

Weglarz was the only volleyball player added by Loyola, which returns all six starters from its team that won the West Coast Conference title. The Loyola men’s soccer team has signed seven players and is hoping to add another recruit.

COACHES SELECTED

Two of the most successful coaches in the South Bay last season have been named coaches for the 30th annual West Torrance Lions Club All-Star Football Game.

Gary Kimbrell, who guided Peninsula to the Bay League title last season, will coach the West team and Charles Nash, who directed Serra to the Southern Section Division III semifinals in 1994, will coach the East.

The event, the second oldest all-star football game in the state behind the Shrine Football Game, is scheduled June 10 at 1:30 p.m. at Harbor College. Rosters will be announced during a luncheon today in Torrance.

Tickets are $5 before the day of the game or $7 at the gate. Proceeds will go toward South Bay charities. Information: (310) 214-5106.

MISCELLANY

Peninsula High Coach Wendell Yoshida will direct the fourth annual Coaches Clinic of Champions from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 3 at Peninsula High. The clinic is for girls’ and women’s basketball coaches.

Among the instructors will be coaches Kathy Olivier of UCLA and David Wolter of Concordia and shooting specialist Ace Hoffstein. The cost is $60 a coach or $90 a staff including two assistants. Information: Yoshida at (310) 318-5491.

* Boys and girls in grades three through eight will participate in the Mustang Summer Basketball Camp and Advanced Clinic, sponsored by the Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation Department, from June 26-30 at Mira Costa High.

The cost is $90. Information: (310) 545-5621, Ext. 321 or (310) 545-3685.

* Bishop Montgomery High Coach Yvette Angel, whose team reached the Southern Section Division III-AA finals last season, is seeking a varsity assistant and a junior varsity coach for next season. Information: Angel at (310) 986-5782.

* Cal State Dominguez Hills will conduct its 11th annual golf tournament to raise funds for athletic scholarships June 12 at Los Verdes Country Club in Palos Verdes.

The cost is $135 for individuals or $500 for foursomes, including dinner and prizes. Tee sponsorships are available for $100. Information: Sam Lagana at (310) 516-3523.

* Registration for the 1995 season of the American Youth Soccer Organization Region 34 in Redondo Beach is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 3 and 10 at Alta Vista Park, 716 Julia Ave. The cost is $75 for the first player in each family and there are discounts for each additional player.

Proof of birth date and parental consent is required to register. Information: Dan Martinez at (310) 540-0613.

* The Manhattan Beach Parks and Recreation Department is sponsoring its 3-on-3 Beach Over the Line Softball Tournament from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. June 10 in Manhattan Beach. There are divisions for men, women and co-ed teams.

The cost is $40 a team. Information: (310) 545-5621, Ext. 321.