1975 Track: Jefferson Close, But Missed Third in Row

Elijah Jefferson’s quest for a record, third consecutive state meet 100-yard dash championship was short circuited by the blindingly fast start (a “flyer”, some suggested) on the Balboa Stadium track by Kevin Williams of San Fernando.

Jefferson had tied his  meet record of :09.4 in the trials and Williams, known for tremendous acceleration at the sound of the starter’s pistol, or before, had won his heat in :09.5.

Williams’ :09.4 victory in the final tied the record first set by Santa Rosa Montgomery’s Mel Gray in 1967, equaled by Jefferson in 1974 (he also was first in 1973) and by West Bakersfield’s Joel Andrews in 1975.

Billy Mullins of Los Angeles Hamilton won the 220 championship in :21.1, with Jefferson fifth in :21.4, behind Williams’ fourth-place :21.3.

Jefferson went onto to compete for the University of Arizona.  Williams returned to ‘Fernando in 1976 but was disqualified for a false start in the state 100 finals in Berkeley.

Williams had an excellent football and track career at USC but died at age 38 in 1996.

Williams was employed as a railroad brakeman and was killed with another brakeman when the train on which they were working derailed and crashed in flames in a steep canyon on the Cajon Pass north of San Bernardino.

WOODS EDGES HUNT

Vista’s Jay Wood scored a rare victory over Patrick Henry’s Thom Hunt in the state mile, finishing third in 4:10.8, with Hunt fifth in 4:11.2.

Woods did not qualify out of the San Diego Section meet in the two-mile. Hunt won in 9:11, but Hunt finished 19^th in 9:30.2 in the state meet, behind Crawford’s Glenn Best, 18^th in 9:27.2

Hunt had season bests of 4:07.8 in the mile and 9:02.6 in the long race.

5/11-30/75

SOUTHERN LEAGUE FINALS, @GRANITE HILLS

Christian scored 106 points, 50 more than Army-Navy, and won the team championship.

The Patriots were first in nine events and set two individual records, Edwards with a 4:40.9 mile and Blyth with 10:30.6 two-mile.

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Jay Woods of Vista had the day’s best mark, 1:58.5 in the 880. Thomas of Vista clocked :50.5 in winning a 440 heat.

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Kathy Devine was off her national record holder form of 52 feet, 3 inches, with the shot in 1974, but finished far ahead of the field with an eight-pound shot put of 46-6.

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Grossmont’s Carolyn McDonald was a double winner with a 2:23.6 880 and 5:32.2 mile.

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“I had a hard workout Monday and I just using this as another one,” said Helix’ Steve Wiggins, who was attempting an 880-440 double and eased to victories in 1:59 and :50.

“I’ll go hard in the 880, then if disaster strikes I still have the 440 to fall back on, said Wiggins.”

El Cajon Valley’s Mark Malone led shot putters at 58 feet and discus throwers at 168-11 after a 195-foot attempt in practice.

Mount Miguel qualified 21 for the finals, Grossmont 20, and Helix, 18.

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Ned Armour of Morse was a triple winner.  Armour’s victories were in the 120 high hurdles (:14.5), 330-yard lows (:38.6), and long jump (22 feet, 8 inches).

Elijah Jefferson of Crawford and Thom Hunt of Patrick Henry were double winners. Jefferson ran :09.7 in the 100 and :21.4 in the 220 and Hunt logged a 4:15.7mile, second fastest in the state, and 9:14.2 in the two-mile.

Crawford’s Phil Hendrick was second to Hunt in each race in 4:16.5 and 9:16.7.

Jefferson also ran a leg on the Colts’ 440-yard relay, which turned in a state-leading time of :41.8 and Armour helped Morse to a second-place finish in :42.4.  Lincoln was third in :42.5

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Lennie McNeill of Sweetwater took down a league record that had stood since 1937, leaping 23 feet, 2 ½ inches in the long jump, landing beyond the 22-8 7/8 by Oceanside’s Bill Huntales 38 years before.

Montgomery’s Clint Bradburn turned a meet record :49.5 440.  Fifteen minutes later Bradburn with a best of :39.1, was a nonqualifying fourth the 330 low hurdles in :40 as Castle Park’s Bob McCurdy won in a league-record :39.4, bettering the :39.5 by Bradburn in the trials.

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Don Brown, struggling to find his alignment with the 30-inch barriers (“step” in more esoteric terms), had suddenly took the County lead the previous week with a :38.4 race in the 330-yard lows.

The Clairemont athlete, known primarily as a quartermiler, turned around and lowered his mark to :37.9.

Kearny’s Mike Bussey was a double winner in the 100 and 220 at :10 and :22.2 and anchored a :42.5 victory in the 440 relay.

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Oceanside’s Arvli Ward, with bests of :10 and :50.5 coming into the meet, ran the 100 in :09.9 and 440 in :49.6.

Jay Woods of Vista edged Shannon Laird of San Marcos, 4:18.3 to 4:18.4, in the mile, and doubled back with a 9:28.6 two-mile victory.

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Steve Riggins’ quest for an 880-440 double was in place until Mike Cardwell of Mount Miguel stormed past the astonished Riggins in the last 100 yards to win the 880 in 1:55.7, with Riggins clocking 1:55.9.

“I saw Riggins’ mouth drop open as I went by,” Cardwell told Nick Canepa of the Evening Tribune.  “I knew I had him then.  He’s been saying all week than no one can catch him over the last 220.”

Cardwell also got Mount Miguel off to a good start with a :49.6 opening leg in the mile relay, in which the Matadors set a meet record of 3:24.8 after Riggins returned to win the 440 in :49.4.

Mark Malone of El Cajon Valley and Kris Lettow of Helix waged duels of weights.

Malone hurled the shot 58-11 ½ and discus 170-8, Lettow 56-11 1/2 and 170-5, respectively.

Helix won the team championship with 50 points to Grossmont’s 48, and Mount Miguel’s 41.

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Crawford and Patrick Henry each had 11 qualifiers, followed by Vista, 9; Morse, Lincoln, and Bonita Vista had  8 each.

Kearny’s :41.8 in a 440 relay heat tied for first in the state with Crawford.  The Colts’ Elijah Jefferson posted a :09.6 100 into a 4.5 miles-an-hour wind, eased to a :21.7 220, and helped Crawford to a :41.9 relay win.

Helix’ Steve Riggins (1:54.3) topped Henry’s Paul Becklund (1:55.7) with a career-best 880, and Riggins made it a double with a :49.4 440.

The two leaders in the mile, Vista Jay Woods (4:15.7) and Henry’s Thom Hunt (4:16.5) won their heats.  Mount Miguel logged a county best 3:21.9 in the mile relay.

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Patrick Henry scored 27 points, Crawford 25, Morse 23, Santana 22, and Helix 20 in spirited battle for the team championship.

The meet started fast, with Crawford’s :41.5 440 relay, tying Lincoln’s 1968 record.  Kearny was second in :41.9, followed by Lincoln, :42.1, and Patrick Henry and San Diego, each at :42.7.

Elijah Jefferson set a record of :09.5 in the 100 and smoked the Balboa curve and straightaway for a :21.1 220, also a record.

Jefferson, along with San Diego’s Carl Sanford (1963) and Madison’s Bruce Girasole (1972), had run :09.6 (1973, ’74).  Johnny Mack Ellis of Lincoln had timed :21.4 in 1966.

“I talked to Johnny this week and he said the record had been :21.4 too long,” said Jefferson. “He really wanted me to break it.”

Jefferson was on a mission.  “It would be my last chance to set San Diego CIF records, so I wanted to get them.  I also wanted some fast times before the state meet.”

Donald Brown of Clairemont ran :37.6 in the 330-yard low hurdles, bettering the :37.8 in last week’s trials by Helix’ Craig Evans, who was runner-up in :37.8.

Thom Hunt of Patrick Henry won the mile in 4:13.1, topping Vista’s Jay Woods (4:15.7), and backed it up with a 9:11 victory in the two-mile.

6/6/75
57TH STATE TRACK TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM

 FIRST GIRLS STATE TRACK TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM

6/7/75

57^th STATE TRACK FINALS, @BALBOA STADIUM

 SECOND GIRLS STATE FINALS, @BALBOA STADIUM