They Look to Make Masterful Marks

Team championships and individual places in next week’s Masters Meet will be on the line Saturday at Cerritos College during the Southern Section track and field divisional finals.

Field events begin at 11 a.m., running events at 1 p.m.

Long Beach Poly is the defending Division I boys’ champion. Ventura (Division II); Gardena Serra (III) and Carpinteria (IV) are also defending champions.

The most compelling team competition will probably come in girls’ Division I between defending division champion Long Beach Wilson and defending state champion Riverside J.W. North.

Wilson features hurdler Lashinda Demus, among others.

Demus, Track & Field News’ female athlete of the year in 1999, is the defending state champion in the 300 intermediate hurdles. She also competes in the 100 high hurdles and the 400 and 1,600 relays.

North features Nichole Denby, the defending state champion in the 100 high hurdles, and sprinter Tracee Thomas.

Santa Margarita (II), Atascadero (III) and Pasadena Poly (IV) are other defending girls’ champions.

Other individuals to watch: Big Bear’s Ryan Hall, who clocked a Division IV record 4:05.78 in the 1,600 and also runs the 3,200; sprinters Warren Rogers of Gardena Serra and Bennie Robinson of Long Beach Poly in the 100 and 200; and Anita Siraki of Glendale Hoover in the Division I 1,600 and 3,200.

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Giuliana Mendiola of El Toro scored 18 points, Candice Allen of Chino Hills Ayala had 15 and Laconia Hatcher of Lynwood 13 to lead the Southern Section to a 70-69 victory over the City Section in the Scholastic Hoops Jam all-star game last weekend at Southwest College.

Jason Breland of Westchester scored seven of his 15 points in the fourth quarter to lead the City to a 93-83 victory in the boys’ game.