Woods Is Winner at Penn Relays

Long Beach Poly sophomore Shana Woods won the long jump at 20 feet 4 1/4 inches for the second-best mark in the nation this year and the Jackrabbits’ 400-meter and 1,600-meter girls’ relay teams were leading qualifiers at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia.

Poly is the defending champion in both relay events, but Jamaica, which has dominated the relays in recent years, appears intent on taking back the titles.

In the 400 relay behind Poly’s timing of 45.69 seconds were six Jamaican teams led by Vere Tech and Holmwood Tech, each at 46.08. No other U.S. team made the final.

In the 1,600 relay, Poly led with a 3:39.98 and could be pushed to a national high school record in the final by Holmwood Tech, which qualified in 3:40.70. Poly also qualified for the final in the 3,200-meter relay.

California also had impressive performances from Escondido San Pasqual, which finished third to Saratoga Springs (N.Y.) in the girls’ distance medley relay, 11:45.62 to 11:58.62, and Talia Stewart of Union City James Logan, who finished third to Nicole Leach of Philadelphia West Catholic in the 400 hurdles, 57.84 to 59.70.

-- Mike Kennedy

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Seniors Gayle Hunter and Domenique Manning of Riverside North and juniors Kristen Dormanen and Brett Campfield of Temecula Valley are the leading entries in the 10th Flying Tiger Invitational at San Jacinto High on Saturday.

Hunter, one of the nation’s top competitors in the girls’ long jump and triple jump with bests of 20 feet 7 3/4 inches and 41-10 1/2, is entered in those events, as well as the 300-meter low hurdles and probably will run a leg on North’s 400 relay team. She has signed with Penn State.

Manning, a Notre Dame signee who finished third in the 100-meter high hurdles in the state championships last year, is entered in that event, the 300 lows and the 100, and could run on North’s 400 relay team.

Dormanen is favored to win the girls’ pole vault after placing fourth in that event in the state championships.

Campfield, who ran a career best of 4 minutes 15.46 seconds in the mile to place second in the Mt. San Antonio College Relays Saturday, will run in either the 800 or 1,600 meters, or both.

More than 900 athletes from 37 schools are expected to compete in the meet that starts at 8:45 a.m.

John Ortega

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Baseball

Lakewood’s pitching staff continues to baffle opponents. Entering its Moore League baseball game at Compton today, the Lancers (17-5, 6-0 in league) have nine shutouts and have given up one run or less in 12 victories.

Lakewood, ranked No. 8 in the Southland by The Times, faced league rival Long Beach Wilson on Wednesday night at Blair Field, where junior right-hander Justin Wheeler threw a one-hitter to defeat the Bruins, 7-0.

Wheeler (7-0, 1.27 earned-run average) was coming off a no-hitter in his last outing against Anaheim Katella. He has picked up the slack for senior right-hander Danny Johnson, who was 9-2 with three saves last season but is off to a 3-3 start with one save. Coach Spud O’Neil said Johnson has overcome early soreness to win his last two starts.

“He’s really throwing well now,” O’Neil said. “He’s getting ready for the playoffs.”

Josh Williams, another senior right-hander, is 5-2 with a save. Both he and Johnson have ERAs below 1.54.

Dan Arritt

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Swimming

Junior Jenna Schuster, the top swimmer for defending Southern Section Division II champion Upland (6-0, 3-0 in league), could miss the remainder of the season because of a back injury.

Schuster, who has posted automatic qualifying times for next month’s division preliminaries in the 50- and 100-yard freestyles and the 100 backstroke and is a member of the Highlanders’ 200-medley and 400-free relay teams, has been bothered all season by a pulled muscle that has forced her back out of alignment.

The condition, which Schuster has tried to rectify with physical therapy the last two weeks, has caused her to miss three dual meets and the Walnut Invitational last weekend.

Upland was the defending champion in the Walnut meet but was runner-up to Glendora on Saturday. “If Jenna’s not there, our relays are devastated because then we have to move people around,” Coach Terry Kimberling said. “But if she could do it, she’d be there.”

Lauren Peterson

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Softball

Boron had its league winning streak end at 122 games in a 1-0 loss to Lancaster Desert Christian.

The streak -- the longest in the Southern Section -- began March 23, 1993, under Coach Mick Van Horn. Jack Gann has coached the last four seasons.

Lancaster Desert Christian’s Vanessa Garcia threw a three-hitter and scored the game’s only run in the fifth inning. Garcia reached base on an error, stole second and took third on a throwing error. A pitch later, she drew a throw to third base from the catcher and got into a rundown. She slid under the tag of pitcher Courtney Evans at the plate.

The Desert Mountain League teams play again May 4.

Martin Henderson

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Boys’ Basketball

An all-star basketball doubleheader, pitting seniors from the City Section against those from the Southern Section, will take place beginning at noon Saturday at Long Beach City College.

Among the participating players are several Times’ regional all-stars, including Chris Fields and Marcus Lewis from Long Beach Poly, Jonathan Heard from Los Angeles Dorsey, Marcel Jones from Santa Ana Mater Dei, Terrance Harris from Long Beach Jordan and Christian Smith from Harbor City Narbonne.

Tickets are $10 for adults, $6 for students with ID and children 10 and under will be admitted free. Information: (310) 635-4833.