1940 Track: No State Meet For Contending Hilltoppers

San Diego High, which would have had four entries plus its relay team, opted not to participate in the 26th state meet at Visalia High, a 300-mile jaunt from the Border city.

The Hilltoppers were nosed out of the Southern Section championship but would have been one of the  teams vying for the championship and had won the title as recently as 1938.

Instead, many of the Hilltoppers, Hoover Cardinals  and some  Metro athletes competed in the Amateur Athletic Union meet of the Southern California region in Balboa Stadium.

Finances were cited as the reason for not going to the state meet as the city, state, and nation still were feeling effects of the Great Depression.

Money was tight.

3/3/40

San Diego High coach Ed Ruffa and the 138 candidates for positions on the Class A, B, and C teams anxiously awaited the annual Interclass Meet scheduled over the next two days.

Rain and the midget auto racing season forced a delay.  The midgets, usually occupying the stadium calendar until early February since 1937, would leave the dirt oval in need of a resurfacing to accommodate the thinclads.

3/5/40

Resurfacing and repair of the track did not take place, nor did the interclass meet.  A peevish coach Ed Ruffa told Charles Byrne of The San Diego Union that the Hillers may have to wait until competing in the Southern Counties’ Invitational at Huntington Beach March 16.

3/6/40

Hoover shot putter George Brown, whose son George III would be a third-place medalist in the 1967 state meet and with a career best of 64 feet, 3 ½ inches for Granite Hills, set a school record of 50-1¼ in the Cardinals’ interclass meet.

Brown bettered the mark of 49-8 by Phil Krutzsch in 1937.

George Brown,  future all-America football lineman at Navy and later San Diego State star, was star shot putter for Hoover.

3/8/40

Sebastian Arguello won the 120-yard low hurdles, was third in the 440, and first with a throw of 47-5 in the shot put as Sweetwater opened Metropolitan League competition and winning the 880-yard relay in 1:38 for a 56-48 win over Point Loma.

—Escondido won the 880 relay to come from behind and edge Oceanside, 53-51, and Grossmont topped Coronado, 64 1/3-39 2/3, in other Metro openers.

3/14/40

La Jolla’s Don Latham won the Class B 660-yard race in 1:28.9 in the Vikings’ dual meet with Coronado, breaking a Metro League record of 1:30.3 by a Sweetwater runner in 1936.

3/15/40

Hoover defeated Point Loma, 82-22, in a nonleague meet in which the Cardinals’ best performers were held out because they were scheduled to participate in the Southern Counties’ Invitational at Huntington Beach the next day.

—Sweetwater set a school record of 1:37 in an 880 relay that was the difference in a 53-51 win over Oceanside. Grossmont topped Escondido, 62-42.

3/16/40

Bill Rainey won the hop, step, and jump at 42 feet, 9 inches, and San Diego High won the 880-yard relay in 1:32.2 in the Southern Counties’ Invitational at Huntington Beach High. Ollie Fletcher was one of 12 high jumpers who cleared 6 feet.  Coronado’s Minoru Hatada won the minor division broad jump at 20-1 ½.

Compton won the major division team title with 28 points to 23 ½ for San Diego.  Hoover had 8 1/2.

3/29/40

David James etched his name in Grossmont lore when he scored 16 ¼ points, the maximum possible, in the Foothillers’ 64-40 win over Sweetwater.

James won the 120 low hurdles in :14.2, the broad jump at 21-1, the 70-yard highs in :09.8, and anchored coach Jack Mashin’s Foothillers, 3-0 in league competition, to a 1:36.2 victory in the 880 relay.

4/1/40

The San Diego Relays were delayed another week because of the soggy Balboa Stadium track.

Marcus Alonzo of Sweetwater was among the Metropolitan League’s best sprinters.

4/5/40

Long Beach Poly won the team title in the third annual San Diego Relays in Balboa Stadium with 47 points, followed by Hoover with 39 and San Diego, 21.

Hoover, led by the school record, 51-foot, 11 ½-inch toss by George Brown, set a meet record of 139-4 7/8 in the three-man shot put aggregate.  Ted Jacobs and Forrest Brown (no relation) were George Brown’s wingmen.

Don Smalley replaced an ailing Lou Barrera and teamed with Ed Pohl, Bob Klicka and Bob Estavillo to win the 440 relay in 44.2 and 880 relay in 1:32.5.

—Chuck Beckwith of San Dieguito covered the 100 and 220 in :10.1 and :22.9 and the Mustangs defeated Fallbrook, 82-22.

—David James won three events, 70-yard high hurdles (09.7), 120-yard lows (:13.5), and broad jump (21-3 ¾) and Grossmont (4-0) moved closer to the Metro League dual-meet title with a 70-34 win over Point Loma.

4/9/41

The second annual City Schools relays in Balboa Stadium included one team of Hoover and La Jolla and another of San Diego and Point Loma.

The competitors engaged in a 22-event carnival with point totals in aggregate in each running and field event. Hoover-La Jolla won, 88-85.

Highlight was the final event, in which eight athletes put on football uniforms and carried the ball in a 440-yard relay.

Hoover’s Jim Morgan anchored his team to victory after San Diego anchorman Bob Estavillo juggled a handoff.

Best individual marks were the 12-5 pole vault by Hoover’s Rodney Cole and the 12-3 by the Cardinals’ Bob O’Keefe.

4/12/40

San Diego scored a surprisingly easy, 75 ½-46 ½ dual-meet showdown victory over Hoover, the Hillers winning 10 of the 14 events and tying for first in two others.

Bob Estavillo raced to :10.1 and :22.2 victories in the 100 and 220 and anchored a 1:31 win in the 880 relay.  Bill Rainey broad jumped 22-1 and hopped, stepped, and jumped 44-7.

Rainey set a school record in the second event and bettered the meet record of 43-2 1/2 in 1938 by Hoover’s Bob Beckus.

Rodney Cole of Hoover and Calvin Gibson of San Diego each cleared 12-5 in the pole vault to better the meet record of 11-10 1/3 by Elmer Siegel of Hoover in 1933.

Hoover’s other victories were George Brown’s 49-3/4 shot put and Frank Huennekens’ 2:02.2 880.   Jack Kaiser cleared 5-11 in the high jump to tie Doug Merrill of San Diego.

—Marcus Alonzo of Sweetwater won the 100-yard race in :10.4 but lost a 220 for the first time this season, to Fritz Sanderson of Coronado, in :23.2.  Alonzo caught and passed Sanderson on the anchor leg of the 880-yard relay, giving Sweetwater a 54-50 victory.

—George (Pard) Graves broad jumped 21-6 and won the 100 (:10.4) and 220 (:24) in Point Loma’s 81-23 defeat of La Jolla.

—Grossmont edged Oceanside, 55-49, when the Pirates forfeited the 880 relay after their leadoff man false started twice. Ray Whitcomb broad jumped 21-9 and David James ran :13.4 in the120-yard low hurdles, both Foothillers school records.

Bob Estavillo ran in three sprint events for San Diego every week.

4/20/40

San Diego won all but two events and beat Long Beach Poly, 81 2/3-40 1/3, to clinch the Coast League championship.

Lou Barrera won the 100 in :10 and tied teammate Bob Estavillo in a :22.6 220 and ran the leadoff leg of the Hilltoppers’ 1:30.0 victory in the 880 relay.

Alex Krooskos of San Diego doubled, 48-3 in the shot put and 130-6 in the discus.  Al Salmon won the mile in 4:37.1 and Calvin Gibson pole vaulted 12-7.

4/26/40

San Diego won a telegraphic meet with Tucson High of Arizona, 64-49, after results were tabulated this week.  Grossmont (6-0) clinched the Metro League dual championship, 60-44, over La Jolla.

4/30/41

Coast League Class B and C finals will be May 3 at Hoover, while Varsity athletes in the three-school alignment of Hoover, San Diego, and Long Beach Poly, will meet May 4 at Poly.

—Instead of champions in each class, points would be combined in all classes, winner-take-all.

5/2/40

Three meet records were set in Class A as San Dieguito ran away with the team championship in the Southern League finals at Ramona.

Chuck Beckwith of San Dieguito reportedly set a record of :10.2 in the 100-yard dash, won the 220 in :24 and ran a leg for the Mustangs’ record-setting 880-yard relay (1:36.5).

The Mustangs scored 96 points to runner-up Vista’s 23, but the Panthers dominated Class B with 80 points to San Dieguito’s 33 ½ and Class C, 60 to the Mustangs’ 36.

—About 260 athletes from the seven city and suburban schools, a.k.a. Metropolitan League, would hear the starter’s pistol at 9:30 a.m. tomorrow with preliminary events at San Diego State that will lead to finals in running and Class A field events at 1:30 p.m.

Dual meet champion Grossmont led with 55 entries in the 3 classes.  Point Loma and Escondido were next with 47 each.

Hoover’s Jim Morgan (left) edged Long Beach Poly’s Bill Russell in mile baton event in 3:33 in Coast League Relays.

5/3/40

COAST LEAGUE FINALS, @LONG BEACH POLY

San Diego outscored Long Beach Poly, 85 1/6-46, but the Jackrabbits were declared Coast League champions by the combined A, B, and C score of 139 ½-132. Hoover trailed in Class A with 20 5/6 and had a combined 95 ½.

San Diego’s team of Lou Barrera, Bob Klicka, Ed Pohl, and Bob Estavillo won the 880-yard relay in 1:30.6 to give San Diego a 132-131 ½ lead, but the discus had not been completed and Poly throwers finished 1-2 for eight winning points.

Bill Rainey was a double winner for the Hilltoppers with a 21-10 ¾ broad jump and 43-foot hop, step, and jump.  Al Salmon won the mile in 4:39.8, Bob Klicka the 440 in :51.9, and Lou Barrera the 220 in :22.2.

Hoover shotputter George Brown was first with a throw of 49-7 for the Cardinals’ only outright win.  Three San Diego (2) and Hoover (1) pole vaulters tied at 11 feet, 6 inches.

—Grossmont’s David James won a hurdles race, the broad jump, tied for second in the high jump, and anchored the Foothillers to victory in the 880-yard relay.

James scored 12 3/4 of the champion La Mesans’ 30 1/8 points that clinched the Metropolitan League team title at San Diego State. Oceanside was second with 28 ½.  Sweetwater was third with 28.

5/7/40

What was described as the Group V SCIF qualifying meet, better known as the CIF Divisional, will bring together athletes from the Metropolitan, Imperial Valley, and Southern leagues, plus San Diego and Hoover from the Coast, May 11 at San Diego State.

San Diego High was expected to compete for the Southern California Class A title and the B squad of Hoover, coached by Lawrence Carr, will have 13 entries in the Divisional.

One of the favored Cardinals, Frank Huennekens in the 660, was the 1939 Southern California champion in the Class C 660.

Lou Barrera (white trunks, center) was third in CIF 220-yard dash behind winning :21.6 of Eddie Morris of Huntington Beach.  Jim Jenkins of Compton (left) was second, Bursen of Long Beach Wilson (second from left) was unplaced.

5/11/40

CIF DIVISIONAL, @SAN DIEGO STATE

San Diego High qualified eight entries in nine events at the Group V Divisional at San Diego State and Calvin Gibson finished an impressive day for the Hilltoppers by clearing 12 feet, 7 1/8 inches in the pole vault.

Gibson’s was at least one of the top three marks in Southern California, as was the 1:30.5 time in the 880 relay, completed by Hilltoppers Lou Barrera, Bob Klicka, Ed Pohl, and Bob Estavillo.

Barrera won the 100-yard dash in :10.1 and 220 in :22.2.  Bill Rainey was first in the broad jump at 22 feet, ½ inch, and hop, step, and jump at 44-5 ¼.

Hoover’s Jim Morgan surprised with a :51.9 victory in the 440 and George Brown led shot putters at 50 feet, 2 inches.  Most impressive was the Cardinals’ Frank Huenneken’s 1:24.6, one-tenth second off the CIF Class B 660 record.

CIF honcho Seth Van Patten was to compare the best marks from the five divisionals to determine which nine entries would be invited to next week’s finals.

5/18/40

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS, @LOS ANGELES COLISEUM

San Diego scored in seven of 13 events and was leading in the race for the team championship until the final inch of the 880-yard relay.

Compton won with 22 ½ points to the Hillers’ 19 1/3.  Santa Monica was third with 18.

Bob Smyser of the Los Angeles Times captured the moment in the meet’s final race, which began under threatening skies after rain begin to fall minutes earlier in the Class C relay:

“The baton-passing event was a real thriller.  Compton and San Diego kept together until the anchor lap, when the Hillers’ Bob Estavillo spurted six yards away from Jim Jenkins.  Jenkins, however, slowly closed the gap.  He was a couple yards behind as they hit the stretch.

“Estavillo held on gamely and it appeared that he was going to stay in front.  But with 10 yards to go the Tarbabe ace bundled himself together and blasted across the line a scant inch ahead of his foe.”

Perhaps with some theater, Jenkins collapsed at the end of the race and was carried off the track, according to the Times’ report.

The Hillers’ foursome of Lou Barrera, Bob Klicka, Ed Pohl, and Estavillo were timed in a school record, 1:29.5, same clocking for winning Compton.

Had San Diego won the relay it would have finished with 21 1/3 points and Compton with 20 ½.

Barrera was fourth in the 100 and third in the 220, won by Huntington Beach’s Eddie Morris in :09.9 and :21.6.

Ed Pohl was third in the 220 low hurdles, won by Jack Shoup of Long Beach Jordan in :24.4.  Al Salmon was second in the mile, won by Gil Webb of Redlands in 4:31.  Calvin Gibson cleared 12 feet to tie for fifth in the pole vault behind the winning 13-0 by Paul Corwin of Burbank.

Bill Rainey was third at 21-11 ½ in the broad jump, won by Jack Shoup at 22-8 ¾, but Rainey was unplaced in the hop, step, and jump, won by Laughner of Long Beach Wilson at 45-11 ½.

Rainey’s best jump during the season was 44-7 ½, which would have been good for third place.

Hoover shot putters (from left) George Brown, Forrest Brown (no relation) and Ted Jacobs set Coast League Relays mark with combined average of 46 feet, 5 inches. Brown’s season best was 52-3.

CARR’S CARDINALS

Coach Lawrence Carr’s Class B team ran away with the team title, scoring 27 ½ points to runner-up Glendale’s 18, and Long Beach Wilson’s 13.

Frank Huennekens, who won the Class C 660 in 1939, was first in 1:25.2. Ray Richards won the 1320 in 3:17.6.  Jack Kaiser was first in the high jump at 5 feet, 11 inches.

The Cardinals’ Chuck Blackburn was third to a winning :10.1 100 and third to a winning :22.6 220.  Rodney Cole tied for second in the pole vault at 11-9.  Ted Jacobs was third in the shot put at 50-5 1/8.

Hoover was third in the 660 relay, in which Long Beach Wilson set a record of 1:07.4, breaking the mark of 1:07.6 by Los Angeles Garfield in 1934.




1943: V is Key

Hoover’s Eddie Crain (31) set up Cardinals’ touchdown before being brought down from behind by San Diego’s Everett Posey (36). No. 21 in all-white helmet is Cardinals’ Bennie Edens.

Looking Back:  The article originally was published Nov. 5, 2012.

The most important letter in the alphabet was V.

World War II was nearing the halfway point.  The dark days of early 1942 were receding and Victory, while not in sight, was coming.

V had become a symbol, visible everywhere throughout the country. There were hundreds of references, from military training programs (V-12), to graphics on sporting event tickets to the ultimate goal of V-E (Victory in Europe) and V-J (Victory in Japan).

School honchos in San Diego had created the Victory League and put the Metropolitan League on hiatus just weeks  before the start of the 1942-43 basketball season.

The move was part of the wide-ranging war effort that would extend until Victory was achieved.

Football followed this season.

Harry Bishop, 250-pound La Jolla lineman, hefted the Vikings’ “pony” backfield of diminutive Jake Molina, Norman Akey, Orville Walden, and Donald Schutte (from left).

LONG TRIP

The Metropolitan League stretched more than 40 miles, from National City (Sweetwater) to Oceanside and Escondido.

The California Interscholastic Federation, which governed sports in Southern California, invoked a limit of 6 scheduled games and a  travel distance of 15 miles.

The travel mileage restriction seemed to have some leeway, but there was no travel outside teams’ league reaches.

The Northern San Diego County schools were aligned in what the CIF called the Group 12 League, comprising Oceanside, Vista, Escondido, Army-Navy, San Dieguito, and Ramona.

St. Augustine and Brown Military were members of the Group 12  but played a limited schedule and their games did not count in the standings.

The season did not start until October and ended in late November.  There would be no Southern California playoffs.

A smaller, travel-safer, and more manageable high school football world was important, as was fuel and rubber conservation.

The players also contributed to the war effort.  Many left school during the season, before graduation, and answered a call from Uncle Sam.

Hoover’s Jim Lakin (24) recovered San Diego fumble (ball is in air between official’s right leg and Lakin’s left leg) in Cardinals’ 7-3 victory.

ADDRESSES CHANGE, AGAIN

San Diego and Hoover were in a different league for the fourth consecutive year.

They left the Coast League, which the Cavers had help found and were members of from 1923-40, as the CIF experimented with a 17-school “Major Conference” in 1941.

With the war on and travel an issue, the Cavers and Cardinals split into two squads each and became part of a 11-team Metropolitan Conference in 1942.

The Cavers and Cardinals each dressed out one squad as part of 1943’s seven-member Victory, which also included Grossmont, Sweetwater, Point Loma, La Jolla, and Coronado.

There were 18 high schools in the County, but only 15 played football.  Julian would not field a team until 1967.  Fallbrook had suspended play in 1942 and there is no published record of Mountain Empire’s fielding a squad.

CARNIVAL PICKS UP TEAMS

The fifth annual carnival, which featured only city schools San Diego, Hoover, Point Loma, and La Jolla since 1939, took in all seven teams in the second-year Victory League, adding Sweetwater, Coronado, and Grossmont.

Another change in the format was elimination of the second half kickoff.  Play was to resume at  spot of the ball when the second quarter ended.

The East, consisting of Sweetwater, Coronado, Grossmont, and Hoover scored a 19-0 victory over the West.

Sweetwater and Hoover each scored touchdowns against  San Diego and Coronado reached the end zone on La Jolla.  Big plays included the Islanders’ George Massek intercepting a lateral and returning 50 yards for a touchdown and a Hoover touchdown passing strike from Bob Paramore to Bob Kynaston that went 65 yards.

CARDINALS  FLY

Raleigh Holt, who began his coaching career in the Imperial Valley and who turned out outstanding cross-country and track teams for three decades at Hoover, guided the Cardinals to a 5-0-1 record and the Victory League title.

Undefeated Cardinals were coached by Raleigh Holt (stanmding,m left) and led by Eddie Crain (31), Freddie Espy (25), and Frank Smith (40). Assistant coach Bob Breitbard is in dark top , second row.
Cardinals were coached by Raleigh Holt (left). Team leaders  Eddie Crain (31), Freddie Espy (25), and Frank Smith (40) are in first row. Assistant coach Bob Breitbard is in dark top, second row.

Holt, assisted by former Cardinals lineman Bob Breitbard, relied on a meat-and-potatoes attack that featured  Eddie Crain, Gene Ricard, Julius Kahn, Freddie Espy, Frank Smith, and Bob Paramore.

Crain scored on runs of 14, 35, and 1 yard and completed the only pass (for a touchdown) Hoover attempted in a 40-13 victory over Coronado the week before the Cardinals met San Diego in the 11th annual rivalry game for city bragging rights and the league championship.

Bill Bailey had moved from Point Loma to San Diego, replacing Joe Beerkle, who went into administration and became principal at Memorial Junior High.

Beerkle had advocated the  T formation introduced by coach Clark Shaugnessy at Stanford University and which was hailed as the difference in Stanford’s 1941 Rose Bowl victory over Nebraska.

Bailey, assistant to Charlie Wilson  several years at Point Loma, led the Pointers to a 6-1-2 record in 1942, and then brought his single-wing attack to San Diego.

Formations and modes of attack were taking a back seat.

CAVERS LOW IN NUMBERS

San Diego’s Everett Posey spent part of the season at Fort McArthur in Long Beach.

Bailey facetiously told Bob Lantz of The San Diego Union that he considered suiting up a tackling dummy, his team was so short-handed.

Of more import to the San Diego coach, pass-catching Everett Posey, who  missed a week of practice,  would be available for the Hoover game.  Posey had received his induction notice and reported to Fort McArthur in Long Beach.

Another Caver, junior halfback Sam Balesteri would be playing his final game.  He was awaiting a call from the military.

SMALLEST TURNOUT

A crowd of 9,000, representing the lowest attendance in the history of the game, saw the Cardinals strike with a third-quarter, 84-yard drive in six plays to score the game’s only touchdown in a 7-3 victory.

Crain and Espy collaborated on a 45-yard touchdown pass.  Guard Frank Smith toed the point after.

The Cavers had taken a 3-0 lead in the second quarter on Neal Black’s 23-yard field goal, the first such placement in the series.

Hoover was fighting off a threat at game’s end.

Sam Balesteri’s  passing had moved the Hillers 63 yards but they came up short. Harlan Davenport caught a pass from Balestreri and was tackled on Hoover’s four-yard line. The game ended before another play could be run.

Tom Powell passed and ran for new San Diego coach Bill Bailey.

HONORS

Single wing quarterback (actually, blocking back) Al Sawaya of San Diego earned a CIF Southern Section first-team honor. Second team choices were La Jolla quarterback Ed Teagle, San Diego tackle Ralph McCormick, and Coronado center John Ludwig. Hoover tackle Dick Chase made the third team.  Another third-team selection was Compton’s  Ed Snider, later known as Duke, the slugging Brooklyn Dodgers outfieder.

SIGNS OF THE TIMES

Mayor Harley Knox told the Carlsbad Rotary that, for the first time in generations, San Diego was ready to abandon dumping in the bay and that Harbor Drive, bordering the bay from Point Loma to Chula Vista was almost complete.

Knox also said that the city had asked the government for 13,000 more new housing units.  Previous construction of 13,000 units of government housing mostly was occupied by aircraft plant workers.

End Bob Kynaston was captain of Hoover Cardinals.

TRUE GRID

Coach Dick Rutherford’s Oceanside-Carlsbad Pirates, behind quarterback and future Fallbrook coach Al Waibel,  swept the CIF Group 12 League with a 6-0 record…the Pirates defeated  host Escondido 31-6 in a  showdown which drew a record crowd of 3,000 persons to the inland community…newspapers’ accounts variously identified Oceanside, Army-Navy, Escondido, Vista, Ramona, and San Dieguito as representing the CIF County League, CIF Northern County League, or the CIF Northern Victory League….about 8,000 servicemen, students, and a few fans watched the fifth annual carnival…San Diego got it coming and going in the Carnival, surrendering touchdowns to Sweetwater in the first quarter and to Hoover in the fourth…Coronado scored the East’s other touchdown against La Jolla…Point Loma-La Jolla matched two graduates of an Imperial Valley shuttle…La Jolla’s Larry Hanson was head coach at El Centro Central and Point Loma’s Bill Maxwell was Hanson’s assistant in 1938 and ’39 …Hanson went on to coach the nationally-recognized, often-100-point Los Angeles Jefferson basketball teams in the 1950s…tailback Larry Purdy of Point Loma was son of the Pointers coach of the same name in 1929-30…after 8 consecutive losses dating to 1915, Sweetwater’s Leroy Jackson returned an intercepted pass 65 yards with 40 seconds remaining in the game to give the Red Devils their first victory, 6-0, over San Diego…Grossmont saved all its points for a 26-0 victory over St. Augustine…the Foothillers did not score a point in six Victory League games….




1945 Track: San Diego’s Norman Stocks Led Hilltoppers, Victory Leaguers

Norman Stocks was Southern California’s premier 440-yard runner for San Diego Hilltoppers.

There would be no state meet for the fourth consecutive year and the Southern California Divisional and Finals, highlights of the season, were financially inconvenient or unattractive to some schools with San Diego connections.

Wartime shortages, away from the battlefields.

Only El Centro Central from the Imperial Valley and Army-Navy and Escondido from the Southern League, representing a total of 22 athletes, continued competing after their league meets.

The lack of outside participation opened the door for fourth-place finishers from each event in the Victory League finals, mandated by CIF commissioner Seth Van Patten.  Three qualifiers from league meets throughout Southern California was the general rule.

HIGHER

Victory League coaches voted to continue the 70-yard high hurdles through the league finals and then go to the 120-yard high hurdles in the Southern Section Divisional meet at San Diego State.

San Diego State had a straightaway long enough to accommodate the longer hurdle test. The CIF finals at Ontario Chaffey would be of 120 yards and the 120-yard lows would be contested at 220 yards.

The high hurdles had been 42 inches from 1915-38, when the CIF went to 39 inches for the 120 yards. Victory League schools opted for 70 yards during the war years.  Beginning in 1946 the 220-yard lows, 30 inches high, would reduce to 180 yards at CIF meets.

4/3/45

Bob Marr was first in the 440 in :54 and 120-yard high hurdles in :15.7, and George Pinnell hurled the shot 45-2 in host La Jolla’s 79 ½-24 ½ win over Brown Military.

—San Dieguito outscored Escondido, 63-54, in a hexangular track meet on the Mustangs’ track.

Instead of a dual (2) or triangular (3), the six Southern League schools competed in a dual meet format.

Army-Navy had 33 3/5 points, trailed by Ramona, 9 ½, Vista, 8, and Fallbrook 7.

Football star and future coach Bob (Chick) Embrey scored 16 points for Escondido.  Bill Dawson had 14 for San Dieguito.

—Tom Powell’s :10.2 win in the 100-yard dash stood out in San Diego’s 90 ½-13 ½ rout of Sweetwater.  Grossmont punished Kearny, 97-7, and La Jolla walloped Coronado 87 ½-16 ½.

4/6/45

Earl Caldwell tied the school record of :09.2 in the 70-yard high hurdles and Lloyd Schuneman won the 880 in 2:07.1 as Hoover won its 15th consecutive dual meet, 53 ½-50 ½, over visiting Point Loma.

The Cardinals had not lost since a 69 ½-34 ½ defeat to San Diego in 1942.

4/7/45

Bob Marr won the 120-yard high hurdles in :16, 220 low hurdles in :25.4, and anchored a 1:35.4 victory in the 880-yard relay as La Jolla swept small school honors in the 24th Southern Counties’ Invitational at Huntington Beach High.

Don Ide of La Jolla won the high jump at 6 feet, 1 inch, Dave Hough the 220 in :22.8, and George Pinnell the shot put at 48 feet.

The Vikings scored 32 points, outdistancing Huntington Beach (19) and Bonita (14). El Monte won the large school championship with 29 points.  Grossmont scored 19 and San Diego 12. Hoover did not participate.

Norman Stocks of San Diego won a 440 race in :52.5. Grossmont’s Jim Madden claimed the mile in 4:42.2, and teammate Gilbert Martin the shot put at 48-6 1/8.

4/10/45

Earl Caldwell again equaled his school record of :09.2 in the 70-yard high hurdles and won the 120-yard low hurdles in :14.4 as Hoover defeated Coronado, 86-18.

4/13/45

Norman Stocks of San Diego ran the 440 in :50.1, fastest time in Southern California since 1943, leading the Hilltoppers past Coronado, 85-18.

Stocks, who also won the 100 (:10.4) and broad jump (20-2 ½), bettered a 1944 effort of :50.7 by Jeff Lawson of North Hollywood.

—Hoover set a league record with a 99-5 win over Kearny.  The Cardinals would have to wait until 1954 to equal the record in a 99-4 win over just-getting-started Lincoln.

—Sweetwater’s Wally Hartin took the County lead with a :13.7 clocking in the 120 low hurdles but Sweetwater fell to Point Loma, 62-42.

Navy Lt. Glenn Cunningham, who set world record of 4:04.8 in mile in 1938, held rapt attention of Grossmont distance aces Jim Madden (left) and Larry Boerner before CIF meet.

4/17/45

Grossmont defeated guest Hoover, 69 1/3-34 2/3, ending the Cardinals’ streak of 17 consecutive dual meet victories.

Foothillers shot putter Gilbert Martin set a school record of 51 feet, 1 inch, bettering his record of 50-7, set in 1944. Duane Close posted a Grossmont record of :53 in the 440.

—Harry West ran the 120-yard low hurdles in :13.2, setting a San Diego High record and tying the Southern Section record.

Norman Stocks was a triple winner in the Hilltoppers’ 78-26 win over Point Loma, :10 in the 100, :51.8 in the 440, and 20-4 ½ in the broad jump.

4/26/45

San Diego won its sixth straight dual meet and was first in 7 of 12 events in a 62-42 win over Grossmont in Balboa Stadium.  Top mark was the 4:44.5 mile by the visitors’ Larry Boerner.

The Hillers’ B and C squads also were victorious, ending the Foothillers’ streak of 25 wins in a row in B and 24 wins in a row in C.

Coach Jack Mashin’s lightweight teams had a combined record of 93-9 in dual meets since 1939.

5/3/45

San Diego finished with a 7-0 dual-meet record after an 80 ½-23 1/2, victory over Hoover that ended the Victory League dual-meet season.

Norman Stocks scored 16 ½ points for coach Bill Patten’s Hilltoppers, winning the 100 in :10, 440 in :51, broad jump (21-6 ¾), and anchoring a 1:32 victory in the 880-yard relay.

Hoover’s Earl Caldwell cleared the 70-yard high hurdles in a school-record :09.0, and bettered the meet record of :09.2 by San Diego’s Ed Pohl in 1942.

5/11/45

VICTORY LEAGUE TRIALS, @SAN DIEGO STATE

Norman Stocks bettered his meet record of :53.1 with a :53 effort in the 440.

Chuck Holloway of San Diego set a record of :22.3 in the 220 and Charles Whitmarsh of Hoover set a record at :22.4 220 in Class B.  Sweetwater’s Wally Hartin broad jumped to a B record of 20-6.

San Diego’s Bobby Smith, who would go on to compete on the international stage, pole vaulted 11-6 for a Class C record. Joe Page of Grossmont tied a record with a 5-9 high jump.

5/12/45

VICTORY LEAGUE FINALS, @SAN DIEGO STATE

Eighteen league records were set in the three classes as Grossmont won team championships in varsity and Class C, sandwiched around a San Diego team title in Class B.

San Diego’s Norman Stocks ran :50.3 in the 440, Lloyd Schuneman of Hoover 2:01.7 in the 880, and Jim Madden of Grossmont 4:40.3 in the mile.

Other Class A records:

—Gilbert Martin, Grossmont, 48-10 ½ shot put.

—Ray Oyos, Grossmont, 20-10 ½ broad jump.

—Don Ide, La Jolla, 6-0 high jump.

–San Diego, 880-yard relay, 1:31.5.

San Diego coach Bill Patten addressed CIF qualifiers (top, from left) Norman Stocks, Harry Taylor, Harold Landis, (bottom, from left) Howard Sutliff, John Holloway, Joe Acevedo, Ted Simpson.

5/19/45

SOUTHERN SECTION DIVISIONAL, @SAN DIEGO STATE

Don Ide of La Jolla high jumped 6 feet, 2 inches, and Gilbert Martin of Grossmont put the shot 50-3 ½.

Earl Caldwell of Hoover ran :15.5 in the 120-yard high hurdles and Bob Marr clocked :25.4 in the 220 lows. Favored Jim Madden was forced to withdraw from the mile after sustaining cramps. Madden’ teammate Larry Boerner won the race in 4:44.8, nosing out Ted Simpson of San Diego.

San Diego led in scoring with 52 points.  Grossmont followed with 41.  La Jolla had 31, Hoover 14, Army-Navy 8, Point Loma 7, El Centro Central 6, Sweetwater 5, and apparently Brawley, a surprise entry, 4.

5/26/45

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS, @ONTARIO CHAFFEY

Norman Stocks won the 440 in :50.2, claiming the only Gold Medal among the 44 San Diego and Imperial Valley athletes entered in the three classes.

San Diego High finished with 12 points, tying for fourth place with Beverly Hills.  Glendale Hoover won the team title with 34 points.  El Monte had 17 and Inglewood 16.

Stocks was fifth in the 100, won by George Pasquali of Glendale Hoover in :10.1, a time indicative of the meet’s overall subpar performances.

Lloyd Schuneman of Hoover was second to a 2:01.9-winning 880, Gilbert Martin of Grossmont third and Joe Acevedo of San Diego fifth to a 49-2 1/8-winning shot put;

Earl Caldwell of Hoover was fifth to a :15.4-winning 120-yard high hurdles, Don Ide of La Jolla, second to a 6-1/2 winning high jump, and the San Diego relay team, second to Glendale Hoover’s 1:31.4.

Ted Simpson of San Diego, fourth in the Victory League final but elevated to the CIF meets, was fifth in the mile, won in 4:38.2.

Two Army-Navy runners, in the Class A 440 and C 660, also elevated in the fourth-place decree by CIF commissioner Seth Van Patten, did not place.




2025 Girls And Boys Track Week 8A: Final San Diego Section and State Best Marks

A set of twins and a brother and sister produced some of the San Diego Section’s, and the state’s and the country’s, greatest performances this season.

Morgan Herbst of Carlsbad raced to a No. 2 U.S. all-time 330 hurdles clocking of :39.64 and she and her sister each logged :52.5 400 legs on the 4×400 relay team that salvaged seventh place in a San Diego Section record of 3:45 in the 105th State meet at Clovis Buchanan High.

Makenna Herbst ran the 800 meters in 2:02.28. No. 11 all-time in the U.S., and was so dominant that she had separated from the pack not long after the group passed the first turn in the state meet final.  Grace Smith of Los Angeles-area Claremont was second in 2:07.33.

Jasir Fontenot, a freshman at San Diego High, set a state meet record of :13.31 in the 110 high hurdles after running a wind-aided :13.21 in the trials.  His sister Anisa Bowen-Fontenot won her second consecutive championship in the 100 hurdles in :13.07.

Looking serene and confident, Carlsbad’s Makenna Herbst pulled away from field in state 800 meters race.  Her winning time of 2:02.28 was more than five seconds faster than 2:07.33 by runner-up.   Courtesy, Phil Grooms.

GOODBYE, CAVERS

Jasir Fontenot confirmed that he will begin his sophomore year at Mater Dei in Chula Vista, transferring with his dad.  Basil Fontenot will become basketball coach at Mater Dei after serving in the same position at San Diego High.

FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT 

With Laurence Burston anchoring, Helix ran 3:11.62 while finishing seventh in a loaded field in the 4×400 relay. The Highlanders’ time was the second fastest in County history behind the 3:10.80 by Morse in 1996.

That Morse team was anchored by Laurence’s father, Lydell Burston, whose 400-meter time of :46.98 still ranks No. 2 all-time in San Diego County.

San Diego Section athletes in state top 25 are noted.  Marks followed by — are in addition to top 25:

*Junior. **Sophomore. ***Freshman.

GIRLS

EVENT MARK NAME,
SCHOOL
STATE OTHER STATE NAME, SCHOOL, SECTION
100 :11.65w; :11.77 Frazier, University City * 13T :11:33 Sizemore, Fairfield Vanden, Sac-Joaquin. *
:11.70 Gilhooly, Coronado 17th
:11.72w; :11.91 Morgan Herbst, Carlsbad 18T
:11.75w; :11.91 Scott, Steele Canyon ***
:11.96w;  :12.20 Jayanthi, Carlsbad
200 :24.13w; 24.73 Gilhooly 23 :23.18

 

Sizemore.
:24.28 Frazier 25th
:24.35 Payne, Monte Vista *
:24.43w; :24.54 Gonzales, Torrey Pines **
:24.58w, :24.83 Mack, Otay Ranch
400 :53.92 Makenna Herbst, Carlsbad 4th :53.23 Adams, North Salinas, Central Coast. **
:54.47 Gonzales 9th
:54.82 Arciaga, Westview 13th
:55.15 Hawkins, Olympian 16th
  :55.66 Morgan Herbst, Carlsbad
800 2:02.28 Makenna Herbst 1st 2:07.33 Smith, Claremont, Southern. ***
  2:07.99 Dailey, La Jolla * 3rd
  2:10.82 Arciaga, Westview 21st
  2:11.45 Williams, Eastlake ** 25th
  2:11.48 Miracco, Sage Creek
  2:11.62 Diaz, Santana **
  2:11.92 Hennigan, Westview *
1600 4:40.28 Dailey 3rd 4:35.64 Combe, Corona Santiago, Southern **.
  4:44.71 Williams, Eastlake * 8th
  4:53.20 Aguirre, Patrick Henry
  4:56.40 Gibson, Cathedral
  4:56.62 Hickey, The Bishop’s
3200 9:58.2 Dailey 3rd 9:48.98 Thomsen, Santa Rosa Montgomery, North Coast.
  10:12.15 Williams 7th
  10:27.88 Dunayevich, Canyon Crest 15th
  10:30.26 Aguirre, Patrick Henry 17th
  10:44.44 Gibson
100 Hurdles :12.99w; :13.07 Bowen-Fontenot, San Diego 1st :13.59 White, West Sacramento River City, Sac-Joaquin
  :13.84 Thomas, Grossmont * 5th
  :13.86w; :13.98 Mack, Otay Ranch 6th
  :14.33w; :14.75 Nardi, Carlsbad 16th
  :14.41 Miracco, Sage Creek 18th
300 Hurdles :39.64 Morgan Herbst, Carlsbad :1st :40.28 Edwards, Long Beach Wilson, Southern
  :40.71 Bowen-Fontenot 3rd
  :41.37 Mack 5th
  :42.51 Garcia, Holtville ** 11th
  :43.10 Echsner, Del Norte 15th
4×100 Relay :46.26 Steele Canyon 7th :45.21 Fullerton Rosary, Southern.
  :46.60 Carlsbad 11th
  :47.69 Coronado
  :47.97 Sage Creek
  :48.01 Olympian
4×400 Relay 3:45.00 Carlsbad 4th 3:36.75 Long Beach Wilson, Southern.
  3:50.12 Westview 11th
  3:52.95 Olympian 22nd
  3:53.60 Eastlake 25th
  3:56.59 Steele Canyon
4×800 Relay 9:02.25 Del Norte 8th 8:49.01 Corona Santiago, Southern.
  9:03.91 Cathedral 10th
  9:10.08 Scripps Ranch 14th
  9:31.39 Poway
  9:35.39 San Dieguito
High Jump 5-5 Ortiz, El Centro Central 22T 5-10 Cottrill, Newhall Hart, Southern
  Guckenberger, Sage Creek  **
  5-4 Schroeder, Otay Ranch
  Lopez Valenzuela, Poway **
  R. Frankel, Sage Creek **
  Cunningham, Westview **
Long Jump 19-6 Estes, Canyon Crest * 8T 21-1/4 Webster, Long Beach Wilson, Southern.
  19-3 ¾w; 18-3 1/4 O’Donnell, Cathedral * 14th
  18-8 Jones, Oceanside **
  18-7 3/4w; 17-5 ½ Harper, Santana **
  18-3w; 17-1 ¼ Broussard, Steele Canyon *
Triple Jump 39-10 ¾w; 39-4 Jones 6th 40-10 ½w; 40-5 Hatcher, Berkeley St. Mary’s, North Coast *.
  38-6 O’Donnell 24th
  37-8 Harris, Bonita Vista
  37-7 ¼ Harper
  37-3 ½ Roche, Eastlake
Shot Put 40-1/4 Davis, Oceanside ** 23rd 50-7 Massey, Aliso Viejo Aliso Niguel, Southern *
  39-9 1/2 Ford, Helix
  39-7 ¼ Seabolt, Mt. Carmel
  37-9 Fuller-Lytle, Crawford **
  37-8 Christenson, Grossmont ***
  Price,  Crawford ***
Discus 148-3 M. Frankel, Sage Creek 8th 173-3 Williams, Redlands, Southern.
  128-1 Sugimae, Canyon Crest
  124-7 McClean, San Marcos
  121-5 Ford
  120-10 Seabolt
Pole Vault 13-10 Echsner 1st 13-0 Boyse, Burlingame, Central Coast
  12-9 Khieu, Del Norte * 6th
  12-8 Condiff, Canyon Crest 7th
  12-6 Humer, Rancho Bernardo 10T
  12-0 Bugayong, Rancho Bernardo 20T

BOYS

EVENT MARK NAME, SCHOOL STATE OTHER STATE NAME, SCHOOL, SECTION
100 :10.21 Arrington, Jr., Mount Miguel, * 3rd :10.01 Jefferson, Concord De La Salle, North Coast * :10.20, Obimga, Torrance, Southern. *
:10.37w; :10.62 Getz, Mission Bay 11th
:10.48w; :10.65 Falaave, Cathedral **
:10.51 Burston, Helix
:10.62 Bishop, West Hills
:10.66w; :10.88 Christensen, Rancho Bernardo *
200 :20.35 Arrington, Jr. * 1st :20.79 Buchango-Babalola, S.F. St. Ignatius, Central Coast. *
 :21.37 Getz, Mission Bay
:21.41w; :21.51 Burston, Helix
:21.41w; :21.72 Gray, Helix
:21.42 w; :22.08 Christensen, Rancho Bernardo *
:21.44 Bishop, West Hills
:21.55 Campbell, Steele Canyon ***
Smoole, La Jolla *
400 :46.51 Arrington, Jr. * 3rd :45.69 Stadlman, Temecula Valley, Southern; :46.32, Hunter, Anaheim Servite, Southern. ***
:47.94 Slaughter, Mt. Carmel 25th
:48.11 Gray
:48.17 Corbett, Otay Ranch
:48.20 Ellis, Helix *
:48.34 Pereyra, Clairemont
800 1:50.39 Bowman, Sage Creek * 1st 1:50.45 Obando, Long Beach Wilson, Southern. *
1:53.25 Arnaudy, St. Augustine * 24th
1:53.94 Yarbrough, Del Norte *
1:54.20 van Eldik Thieme, Scripps Ranch
1:54.76 Jordan, St. Augustine *
1:55.78 Xavier, Point Loma
1600 4:08.75 Bowman * 16th 4:03.32 Lott, Clovis North, Central. *
4:10.95 Yarbrough *
4:12.84 Castleberry, Poway *
4:17.12 Senn, Steele Canyon
4:17.32 Espinoza, Canyon Crest *
4:17.52 Smith, Santa Fe Christian
3200 9:08.87 Wilber, Cathedral 8:48.57 Pretre, Atherton Menlo, Central Coast.
9:09.07 Beighley, Mission Hills
9:13.78 Castleberry, Poway
9:16.69 Luecht, Rancho Bernardo
9:20.81 Vestemean, West Hills
110 Hurdles :13.21w; :13.31 Fontenot, San Diego 1st :13.59w; :13.68 Buchango-Babalola. *
:13.86 Bryant, Ramona 3rd :13.68w; :13.72
:13.99 Reese, San Marcos 13T
:14.22 Bailey, Mission Bay 25th
:14.45 Wong, Rancho Bernardo
330 Hurdles :37.39 Bailey 9th :36.50 Waring, Culver City, Southern; Rendon, Carson, L.A. City. *
:37.75 Fontenot 10th
:38.22 Kim, University City 22nd
:38.29 Reese, San Marcos 25T
:38.46 De  Hoyos, Helix
4×100 Relay :41.53 Cathedral 22nd :40.00 Anaheim Servite, Southern
4×100 Relay :41.79 Helix
:41.95 Steele Canyon
:42.00 Mount Miguel
:42.08 St. Augustine
4×400 Relay 3:11.62 Helix 7th 3:08.68 Long Beach Poly, Southern.
3:16.49 Mt. Carmel 20th
3:18.16 Sage Creek
3:19.89 Del Norte
3:20.48 Scripps Ranch
4×800 Relay 7:52.61 Scripps Ranch 22nd 7:33.43 San Juan Capistrano J Serra, Southern.
7:53.55 Point Loma 25th
7:53.73 St. Augustine
7:54.71 Del Norte
7:55.07 Poway
High Jump 6-8 Cheeks, Mission Bay ** 10T 7-0 Mitchell, Antelope, Sac-Joaquin.
6-6 Garcia, Lincoln 25T
6-6 Stokes, Bonita Vista
6-6 Scott, Blythe Palo Verde Valley *
6-4 Griffin, University City
Long Jump 24-3 Evans-Glynn, Cathedral 7th 25-3/4 Francis, Rancho Santa Margarita, Southern.
23-11 1/4w; 23-6 Oluwa, Mater Dei * 9th
23-1/4 Carlisle, La Costa Canyon *
22-10 ¾ Cato, Mira Mesa
22-10 ¼ Daley, El Camino
Triple Jump 48-4 Daley 9th 51-4 1/2 Cotlage, San Bernadino Cajon, Southern
45-7 Oluwa
45-6 McGinnis, St. Augustine
45-5 Cato, Mira Mesa
45-3 Young, Mt. Carmel 69-11 Madsen, Clovis North, Central
Shot Put 52-9 ½ Gibbs, Oceanside *
52-5 Gelt, San Marcos
50-3 ½ Llama, Rancho Bernardo
50-3 Rochet, Scripps Ranch *
49-10 3/4 Roberts, El Camino * 211-6 Madsen
Discus 170-6 Gibbs 22nd
163-7 Diaz, Santana
159-9 Polak, Granite Hills
159-0 Curry, Rancho Bernardo *
158-0 Llama
Pole Vault 17-1 Anderson, University City 2nd 17-10 1/2 Muhammad, Pittsburg, North Coast.
16-3 Yarbrough, San Dieguito 9T
16-2 Sbuttoni IV, St. Augustine 12T
15-9 Suhar, Torrey Pines * 17th
15-8 Stroschine, Scripps Ranch 18T



2025 Boys Track Week 7C: Fontenot Lone Gold Medalist at State

105TH  STATE FINALS, @CLOVIS BUCHANAN HIGH

BOYS

EVENT NAME SCHOOL MARK PLACE
100 Burston Helix :10.90 9th
800 Bowman Sage Creek 1:52.55 8th
110 Hurdles Fontenot San Diego :13.21w 1st
300 Hurdles Bailey Mission Bay :39.15 9th
3200 Wilber Cathedral 9:15.96 14th
  Luecht Rancho
Bernardo
9:18.26 16th
  Beighley Mission Hills 9:34.26 18th
4×400 Relay Helix 3:11.62 7th
4×800 Relay   Scripps Ranch 7:54.53 13th
    Point Loma 7:59.65 16th
High Jump Cheeks Mission Bay 9T
Long Jump Evans-Glynn Cathedral 22-3 ¼ 10th
Triple Jump Daley El Camino 47-3 ¼ 6th
Discus Gibbs Oceanside 170-06 9th
Pole Vault Sbuttoni IV St. Augustine 16-0 6th
  Anderson University City 15-8 9th
  Yarbrough San Dieguito 15-2 12th



2025 Girls Track Week 7B: Herbst Twins Win 2 of Section’s Gold Medals

GIRLS 

105TH STATE FINALS, @CLOVIS BUCHANAN HIGH

EVENT NAME SCHOOL MARK PLACE
400 Gonzales Torrey Pines :54.98 6th
Hawkins Olympian :56.51 8th
800 Makenna Herbst Carlsbad 2:02.28 1st
1600 Dailey La Jolla 4:42.30 3rd
100 Hurdles Bowen-Fontenot San Diego :13.07 1st
Thomas Grossmont :13.84 4th
300 Hurdles Morgan Herbst Carlsbad :39.64 1st
Bowen-Fontenot :40.88 3rd
Mack Otay Ranch :41.81 5th
Garcia Holtville :42.88 9th
4×100 Relay Steele Canyon :46.40 3rd
4×400 Relay Carlsbad 3:44.998 4th
4×800 Relay Del Norte 9:02.24 7th
Cathedral 9:03.91 10th
Long Jump Estes Canyon Crest 17-6 ¾ 11th
Triple Jump Jones Oceanside 39-2 4th
Shot Put Davis Oceanside 39-1¼ 9th
Pole Vault Echsner Del Norte 12-10 1st
Humer Rancho Bernardo 11-8 7T
Khieu Del Norte 9T

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