1979 Track: Tony Banks Wins State championship in Penalized 440
State meet competition is the most difficult, as many athletes who stood out in a strong San Diego Section season experienced in the two-day test in Sacramento’s Hughes Stadium. Just five of the 18 finalists from the original list of 54 entries scored in the top three of the 28 boys and girls events and only Tony Banks of Morse was a gold medalist.
Banks was declared winner of the 440 in :47.28 after finishing second to Palo Alto Cubberley’s Bill Green, disqualified for running out of his lane.
Sue McNeal of Carlsbad matched the winning 5-foot, 9-inch high jump but was second because of a miss at a lower height.
5/11/79
GROSSMONT LEAGUE FINALS, @GRANITE HILLS
Mark Bailey of Helix upped his County bests in the shot put and discus, wafting the platter 185 feet, 7 inches, fourth best in county history, and hurling the shot 59-8 ¾.
Billy Joe Winchester of Mount Miguel reached 195-8 in 1970, Mark Malone of El Cajon Valley 192-6 in 1976, and Matt Gauthier of Valhalla 191-2 in 1977.
Grossmont’s Phil Cookson was second in the discus at 166-6 and Monte Vista’s Carter followed in the shot put at 58-6 ¼.
—The first four runners in the 880 were timed in 1:55.7 or faster, led by Helix’s Steve Whitcomb in 1:54.1.
—Valhalla’s Cheryl Flowers won her fourth consecutive mile title with a season best of 5:08.8 and also claimed the two-mile with a Section leading 10:57.3.
EASTERN LEAGUE FINALS, @PATRICK HENRY
Excessive wind aided the host school’s Kipper Bell, who won the 100-yard dash in 09.6 and 220 in :21.6.
Frank Schiefer of Madison win the high jump at 6 feet, 8 inches, edging Vogt of Point Loma, who cleared 6-7.
Tracy Scott of Crawford won the girls’ 100 in a wind-aided :11.0 and the 220 in :25.1. Kari Alexander of Crawford won the 100 hurdles in :14.3 with wind.
Alexander and Scott also took part in Crawford’s :49.0 440 relay and 4:08.7 mile relay victories.
WESTERN LEAGUE FINALS, @SERRA
Lamar Alexander also had excessive wind behind the Hoover sprinter’s :09.8 100 and :21.5 220.
Dan Robb of La Jolla set a meet record of 14 feet, one inch in the pole vault.
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE FINALS, @HILLTOP
Susan Compton of Marian set a meet record of 123-2 in the discus and also won the shot put at 35-11 ½.
—Murphy of Coronado also was a double winner, 16-9 ¾ in the long jump and with a meet record 5-4 in the high jump.
—Mike (Ace) Adkins of Bonita Vista won the 440 in :49.0 and 220 in :23.5, but Sweetwater outscored Bonita Vista, 84-64, for the Boys championship.
AVOCADO WEST LEAGUE FINALS
Jim Brennan of El Camino doubled with :49.9 and 1:53.9 victories in the 440 and 880, edging Oceanside’s Shawn O’Neal, who ran 1:54. O’Neal and won the mile in 4:21.8.
AVOCADO EAST LEAGUE FINALS
The Nash Rambler, a.k.a. Pat, of Escondido rambled to a :14.45 triumph in the 120-yard high hurdles and came back to win the 330 lows in :38.
Godwin of Orange Glen, second to Nash in :14.5 in the high hurdles and won the 440 in :50.17. Nash and Godwin returned in the mile relay and Escondido (3:24.7) nipped Orange Glen (3:24.9).
—Tylman of Poway also was a double winner, 9:18 in the two-mile and 4:26.9 in the mile.
Sue Hegerle on San Pasqual was a double winner with a 5-2 high jump and 17-3 long jump.
5/12/79
SOUTHERN LEAGUE FINALS.
Scott of Christian won the mile in 4:30.4 and two-mile in 9:50.4 and the Patriots outscored Army-Navy, 114-112, for the team championship.
Christian also won the girls’ championship by a 135-100 score over Mountain Empire.
5/19/79
SAN DIEGO SECTION TRIALS, @MT. CARMEL.
BOYS
Kipper Bell posted a wind-aided :09.5 100-yard dash, a perhaps more impressive :21.3 on the curve 220, and anchored Patrick Henry to the cold, overcast day’s fastest 440 relay, :42.5.
Season leader Mark Bailey of Helix put the shot 60 feet, ½ inch and qualified at 173-6 in the discus, and Morse, with Tony Banks anchoring in :47.8, logged 3:20.8 in the mile relay, another 1979 best.
Bell, the 1978 winner of the 220 in a section record-tying :21 (Henry’s David Russell also covered the distance in :21 in 1977), said declared he wants “:20.9” in the San Diego Section finals the next week.
—Pat Nash of Escondido tied his season-leading :14.3 in the 120-yard high hurdles and ran :37.4 in the 330 lows, off his state-leading :37.2.
Helix, the overwhelming favorite for the team title, qualified 17. Sweetwater had 10, Morse and Escondido eight each, among leaders.
GIRLS
Cheryl Flowers ran the mile in a County-best 5:01.8. Morse’s Cheryl Bullard clocked :11.0, fastest 100 time of the season.
Vista led qualifiers with 14, led by shot putter Debbie Riggs’ County leading 41 feet, 1/4 inch.
5/25/79
SAN DIEGO SECTION FINALS, @MT. CARMEL.
BOYS
Kipper Bell tied he meet record of :09.5 in the 100-yard dash, won the 220 in :21.2 and anchored Patrick Henry to a :42.34 victory in the 440 relay, but Helix won the Boys’ team title.
“I didn’t do much stretching (before his race) and I think it cost me,” Bell told Nick Canepa of the Evening Tribune. “I wanted to go under :21 in the 220.”
Helix’ Mark Bailey won the shot put at 58-8 ½ and discus at 171-1 and teammate Steve Whitcomb won the mile in 4:11.9, topping Oceanside’s Shawn O’Neal by running the last 1320 in 3:04.
La Jolla’s Jeff Woodland nudged Helix’ Bill Cleves, 9:03.9 to 9:05.2 in the two-mile race.
The Highlanders’ Wade Stone surprised the Escondido rambler, Pat Nash, in a :14.6 120 high hurdles race, but the Rambler returned to set a meet record of :37.3 in the 330 low hurdles.
Morse’s Tony Banks won his third consecutive 440 final in :48.3.
Helix’ 41 points outscored runner-up Patrick Henry’ 23.
GIRLS
Sophomore Tracy Scott set a meet record of :11
In the100, win the220 in :24.8 and Crawford’s 34 points outscored Vista (23) and Valhalla (20) for the team title.
Valhalla’s Cheryl Flowers also doubled, winning the two-mile in 10:47.7 and mile in 5:05.6.
“Track is hard work,” Flowers understated after her second win.
6/1/79
BOYS
61st STATE TRIALS, @HUGHES STADIUM, SACRAMENTO.
| EVENT | NAME | SCHOOL | MARK | PLACE |
| 100 | Bell | Patrick Henry | :10.1 | 8th |
| Banks | Morse | :10.31 | — | |
| 220 | Bell | :21.74 | 2nd | |
| Alexander | Hoover | :22.96 | — | |
| 440 | Banks | :47.84 | 2nd | |
| Adkins | Bonita Vista | :49.17 | 7th | |
| 880 | Brennan | El Camino | 1:57.31 | 12th |
| Kimble | Mt. Carmel | 2:10.71 | — | |
| Mile | Whitcomb | Helix | 4:19.04 | 6th |
| O’Neal | Oceanside | — | — | |
| 120 High Hurdles | Nash | Escondido | :15.2 | — |
| Stone | Helix | :15.2 | — | |
| 330 Low Hurdles | Nash | :37.91 | 6th | |
| Goodwin | Morse | :38.86 | 18th | |
| 4×110 Relay | Patrick Henry | :42.59 | 12th | |
| Lincoln | :43.45 | 20th | ||
| 4×400 Relay | Morse | 3:22.6 | 8th | |
| Helix | — | — | ||
| High Jump | Schiefer | Mission Bay | 6-8 | 1T |
| Green | Lincoln | 6-6 | 14T | |
| Long Jump | Turner | Lincoln | 22-10 | 14 |
| Crockett | Mt. Carmel | 21-11 ½ | 18th | |
| Triple Jump | Coleman | Oceanside | 45-3 ½ | 15th |
| Davis | Sweetwater | 44-3 | 18th | |
| Shot Put | Bailey | Helix | 57-3 ¾ | 6th |
| Villareal | Southwest | 53-09 | 15th | |
| Discus | Bailey | 169-02 | 4th | |
| Grunning | Vista | 159-0 | 15th | |
| Pole Vault | Robb | La Jolla | 14-0 | 1T |
| Machin | Escondido | — | — |
6/1/79
GIRLS
61ST STATE TRIALS, @HUGHES STADIUM, SACRAMENTO
| EVENT | NAME | SCHOOL | MARK | PLACE |
| 100 | Scott | Crawford | :11.48 | 11th |
| Bullard | Morse | :11.61 | 12th | |
| 220 |
Bullard |
:25.56 | 9th | |
| Scott | — | — | ||
| 440 | Williams | Crawford | :58.06 | 11th |
| Clift | Valhalla | :60.15 | 19th | |
| 880 | Cheshire | Mission Bay | 2:22.82 | 16th |
| Wilson | Fallbrook | 2:29.00 | — | |
| MILE | Knott | Mission Bay | 5:17.6 | 11th |
| Chamberlain | San Marcos | 5:18.0 | 13th | |
| 110 Hurdles | Alexander | Crawford | :14.51 | 7th |
| Lambert | El Camino | :14.8 | 17th | |
| 4×110 Relay | Morse | :48.66 | 10th | |
| Crawford | — | — | ||
| 4×440 Relay | Valhalla | 4:12.0 | 17th | |
| Crawford | 4:12.40 | 18th | ||
| High Jump | McNeal | Carlsbad | 5-7 | 1T |
| Murphy | Coronado | 5-0 | — | |
| Long Jump | Hegerle | San Pasqual | 16-11 | 15th |
| Whitlow | Vista | 16-1 ½ | 19th | |
| Shot Put | Mueller | Vista | 39-1 ½ | 14th |
| Riggs | Vista | 38-10 ¾ | 15th | |
| Discus | Compton | Marian | 122-05 | 11th |
| Miller | Santana | 114-06 | 15th |
6/2/79
BOYS
61st STATE FINALS, @HUGHES STADIUM, SACRAMENTO
| EVENT | NAME | SCHOOL | MARK | PLACE |
| 100 | Bell | Patrick Henry | :10.05 | 7th |
| 220 | Bell | :21.60 | 4th | |
| 440 | Banks | Morse | :47.28 | 1st |
| Adkins | Bonita Vista | — | — | |
| 880 | Brennan | El Camino | 1:52.25 | 3rd |
| MILE | Whitcomb | Helix | 4:14.51 | 2nd |
| Two Miles | Woodland | La Jolla | 9:20.13 | 12th |
| 330 Low Hurdles | Nash | Escondido | 8th | — |
| High Jump | Schiefer | Madison | 6-11 | 2nd |
| Shot Put | Bailey | Helix | 56-7 ¾ | 6th |
| Discus | Bailey | 164-02 | 8th | |
| Pole Vault | Robb | La Jolla | 14-2 | 6th |
GIRLS
61ST STATE FINALS, @HUGHES STADIUM, SACRAMENTO
| EVENT | NAME | SCHOOL | MARK | PLACE |
| 220 | Bullard | Morse | — | 7th |
| Scott | Crawford | — | 8th | |
| Two Miles | Flowers | Valhalla | 10:55.9 | 7th |
| Brown | San Pasqual | — | — | |
| 110 Hurdles | Alexander | Crawford | — | 8th |
| High Jump | McNeal | Carlsbad | 5-9 | 2nd |
anne Muceus