Fakehinde Finds His Seven-Foot Form

T.J. Fakehinde of Fullerton Eastside Christian did not set a career best in winning the boys’ high jump in the Orange County track and field championships at Mission Viejo Trabuco Hills on Saturday, but he was ecstatic about clearing seven feet for the first time this season.

Fakehinde, a Nigerian native who came to Eastside Christian from Jamaica, cleared 7-0 1/2 last year. His season best was 6-8 before Saturday, however, as he had been tinkering with his approach run to the bar.

“I was floating to the side of the mat,” said Fakehinde, who is 6-foot-2 and 190 pounds. “Today, I changed [my approach] up a little bit. I moved it in a little bit and it worked.”

John Ortega

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The City Section Interscholastic Athletic Committee has approved a change in its football playoff format for this fall. The highest seeded teams will host the semifinal games instead of playing at alternate sites. A similar proposal is expected to be offered for other sports.

A memorial service will be held for longtime Compton basketball coach Bill Armstrong at noon Saturday in the school’s gymnasium. A reception will follow in the student lounge at Compton College.

Armstrong died on Jan. 4 in Palm Springs. He was 85. He is survived by his wife, Dell.

Armstrong won five Southern Section titles while coaching at Compton from 1958-71 and one at Palm Springs in 1973. His 1967-68 and 1968-69 teams combined for a state-record 66 consecutive victories and two section titles.

Information: (310) 833-3521.

Armando Gonzalez is the new football coach at Goleta Dos Pueblos, replacing Jeff Uyesaka, who resigned last winter in order to spend more time with his family.

Gonzalez, 27, was Dos Pueblos’ quarterback in 1993. He has been an assistant coach at Dos Pueblos, Cal State Northridge and, most recently, Valley College.

His father, Armando Gonzalez Sr., coached football at Los Angeles Franklin and is now coach at San Juan Capistrano Serra, which will open in the fall.

Randy Blankenship, who led Mission Viejo Capistrano Valley to a 1-9 record last fall in his only season as football coach, has resigned to accept a similar position at Madera, where he will also serve as athletic director. Blankenship previously won four Central Section titles and compiled a 173-45-3 record as coach at Clovis West.

Scott Holloway, who guided Woodland Hills El Camino Real to three consecutive City Section girls’ soccer championships, has resigned to spend more time with his family. He will continue to teach science.

Several of The Times’ all-region players will participate in the seventh Battle of the Valley boys’ and girls’ all-star basketball games Saturday at Cal State Northridge.

Sheridan Arredondo of Saugus, Summer Johnson of Chatsworth, Kinsley Mittel of Simi Valley Royal and Christina Zdenek of West Hills Chaminade will play for the West when they take on the East and Christine Kepenekian of Burbank, Brittany Morris of Sylmar and Eshaya Murphy of Van Nuys Montclair Prep at 5 p.m.

In the boys’ game at 7 p.m., the West will feature Dion Cook of Chaminade and Keith Lawrence of Moorpark while the East counters with Jimmy Goffredo of Crescenta Valley, Billy Hofman of La Canada and Cody Kase of Newhall Hart.

Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for children 12 and under.