Wells Plays the Way She Practices

Two years ago, Annetta Wells of Cal State Northridge was a relatively unknown sprinter who finished third in the 100 and 200 meters in the City Section track and field championships as a University High senior.

Last season, she didn’t run a college race after being declared ineligible because she failed to meet academic requirements for freshman eligibility.

But when Wells settles into the starting blocks for a qualifying heat of the women’s 200 in the California-Nevada championships at UC San Diego this afternoon, she’ll be regarded as a title contender.

Wells attained that status last week when she ran a career best of 23.66 seconds to place second behind Kinshasa Davis of USC in a university-open heat of the 200 in the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in Walnut.

Davis was the No. 1-ranked 200 and 400 sprinter in the nation as a senior at Long Beach Wilson High in 1997, winning state titles in both events. Wells wasn’t on the national top-50 list in the 100 or 200.

So how was Wells able to challenge Davis at Mt. SAC?

By training hard since the start of fall practice and by refusing to back down to any sprinters, no matter how impressive their resume.

“All you have to do is give her a lane and say, ‘OK, it’s time to race,’ ” Northridge Coach Don Strametz said of Wells. “She really likes to win, and you can’t hope for much more than that.”

Wells showed promise by winning the 200 in the Big Sky Conference indoor championships in February, but her stock rose when she won the 200 in 24.51 and the 400 in 55.77 in cold, windy conditions in an outdoor meet against Missouri, Cal State Fullerton and host Fresno State on March 20.

Although her times weren’t great, Wells twice defeated Angela Daigle of Fresno State, runner-up in the 200 in the California-Nevada championships last year.

“[Northridge assistant Jeff McAuley] has been saying all along that [Wells] could run 23.50 this year,” Strametz said. “And it looks like she might.”

Wells, junior teammate Brandi Prieto and the Northridge men’s 400 relay team are all regarded as title contenders in the two-day meet that begins with qualifying rounds of the men’s hammer throw at 9 a.m. today.

Prieto, runner-up in the women’s triple jump last year, set a Northridge and Big Sky record of 42-11 3/4 earlier this season and is ranked No. 2 in the event behind defending champion Deana Simmons of UCLA, who has a best of 43-4 1/2 this year.

The Northridge foursome of juniors Marcus Bivines and Tim Brown and seniors Bryant Eubanks and Craig Kelley has the top entry time in the 400 relay after running a school record of 40.09 to win a heat in the Mt. SAC Relays.

“They’ve got 39.85 written on the chalkboard,” Strametz said. “That’s the time they’re shooting for.”

UCLA is favored to win its third men’s title in four years, with the Bruin women tabbed to win their second consecutive title and fifth in the six-year history of the meet.

Northridge is shooting for a top-seven finish in the men’s meet and a top-five placing in women’s competition.

The Matador men will be hurt by the absence of versatile sophomore Clinte Motley, who will miss the meet because of a sore hamstring.

Motley would have been one of the favorites in the triple jump, a top-three contender in the high jump and a possible top-eight finisher in the long jump.