Dorsey, Taft Maintain Hold on Track Titles

There is no stopping the Dorsey High boys in City Section track and field.

The Dons survived a strong challenge from Woodland Hills Taft for their fourth consecutive City championship Thursday night at Van Nuys Birmingham High.

This time, however, Dorsey had to wait until the final event to clinch the title.

It took a second-place finish behind Gardena (3 minutes 14.08 seconds) in the 1,600-meter relay. The Dons finished in 3:14.66; Taft was third in 3:18.52.

That gave Dorsey 78 points, eight ahead of Taft, and set off a celebration by the Dons.

“This was fantastic,” Coach Ralph Tilley said. “It was the toughest one of all, but we got it.”

Dorsey became the first team to win four consecutive City boys’ titles since Jefferson won five from 1949-53.

The Dons won by dominating the hurdles and scoring well in the sprints and relays.

They scored 36 points by taking first and second in both the 110-meter high hurdles and the 300-meter intermediate hurdles.

Terry Ellis won the 110 hurdles in 14.50 seconds, edging teammate Greg Lee (14.52). Lee came back to capture the 300 intermediates in 38.61 seconds, four-tenths of a second ahead of Ellis.

Lee’s victory in the 300 hurdles was even more impressive considering he was battling flu.

“Greg was feeling real sick after the 110s,” Ellis said. “But I told him we needed to go 1-2 [in the 300] to stay in the team race and that’s what he did.”

Dorsey also got a boost when Haddow Weatherbourne won the 200 meters in 21.52, finishing ahead of Taft’s Blaine Bussey (21.60), and the Dons won the 400-meter relay in 41.10.

The Taft girls made it back-to-back titles, clinching the championship by winning the 1,600 relay in 3:48.64. The Toreadors finished with 82 points; second-place Birmingham had 78.

Taft was led by Daneeka Torrey, who won the 100 hurdles (14.82) and 300 hurdles (43.98).

Other double winners among the girls were Grant sophomore Alexis Weatherspoon in the 100 (12.16) and 200 (24.48) meters and Valerie Flores of San Pedro in the 1,600 (5:01.25) and 3,200 (11:17.79).