Hackett’s Vault Is Better Than Best

Shane Hackett of Verdugo Hills High got a long-overdue career best in the qualifying round of the boys’ pole vault in the state track and field championships at Hughes Stadium on Friday.

Hackett, a junior, had cleared 15 feet in the L.A. Invitational indoor meet at the Sports Arena in February and in the Eagle Rock Relays at Occidental College in March, but that height remained his best until Friday when he cleared a school-record 15-4 to advance to today’s final as the No. 2 qualifier.

“I’ve been wanting [a career best] for a while,” Hackett said. “I cleared 15 feet early in the season, but I hadn’t been able to go that high since.”

Hackett, who cleared 14-6 to win the City Section title last week, almost didn’t get a chance to attempt a career best Friday.

He missed twice at 14-8 before making it on his third--and final--attempt. He then cleared 15 feet on his third attempt and 15-4 on his first.

“This is a big boost to my confidence,” Hackett said. “I feel like I can go higher [in the final].”

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Senior Jerome Stevens of Rio Mesa improved his career best in the discus by nearly 30 feet and the school record by almost 20 feet this season, but he just missed qualifying for the final when his best of 168-1 on Friday placed him 10th, eight inches behind ninth-place Bryan Harris of Lodi Tokay.

Stevens threw a career-best 183-1 in the Mt. San Antonio College Relays in April to move to seventh on the all-time region list.

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Senior Tiffany Burgess of Birmingham won five City Section titles in either the 1,600 or 800 during her illustrious career, but she never advanced to a state final in either event.

Her final chances came Friday, but she placed a nonqualifying seventh in her heats with times of 5:08.48 in the 1,600 and 2:22.10 in the 800.

Burgess, who has career bests of 5:02.74 in the 1,600 and 2:17.0 in the 800, was in third place with 200 meters left in her heat of the 1,600, but faded in the final straightaway.

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The Taft boys’ 400 relay team was missing senior Marquis Brignac on Friday and it showed as the Toreadors clocked 42.55 to finish a nonqualifying seventh in their heat.

Taft, with Brignac running the anchor leg, clocked a season-best 41.69 to finish second in the City championships last week, but he bypassed the state meet so he could play tonight in the Valley Youth Conference All-Star Classic football game at Birmingham.