2019 Week 6: Christon Sizzles at ‘Sac

Madison’s Kenan Christon blasted the San Diego Section 200-meter sprint record, vaulted to No. 1 in California, and into the top 10 in the U.S.

The USC-bound senior lit up the El Camino College track in the 61st Mt. San Antonio Invitational, covering the distance in :20.90 and bettering the section record of :20.98, set in 1997 by Morse’s Ike Okenwa.

Christon, who also won the 100 in :10.66, is ninth in the country in the 200 this season.

Rancho Bernardo’s Ashley Callahan pole vaulted 13 feet, 6 inches, at Mt. Sac to move to second in the state, a tie for fourth in the country, and a tie for first in the San Diego Section with Westview’s Kortney Ross, who cleared 13-6 in 2010.

Callahan’s associate, Jacob Rice is in a tie for seventh all-time locally and currently is 10th in the country with a 16-foot, 4-inch pole vault.

RIEDMAN ROLLS

La Costa Canyon’s Jessica Riedman also covered some ground at the Mt. Sac event, moving to third in the state, 15th in the U.S., and 15th all-time in San Diego with a 2:11.37 in the 800.

Kristin Fahy’s, Riedman’s teammate, is No. 1 in California and sixth in the country with her 4:48.34 in the 1600.  Fahy also is No. 1 all-time in San Diego with her 10:15.80 in the 3200 and currently No. 2  in California, and sixth in the U.S. .

Coronado’s Alysha Hickey is fourth in the U.S. with her 5-10 1/2 high jump and No. 3 all-time in San Diego.  She has an all-time long jump of 20-9 1/2, which would be a San Diego Section record, but is wind-aided.

The Escondido Invitational, which opened years ago as the Orange Glen invite, is scheduled this week and is the last major locally before league trials and the big meets in May.

Marks in italics represent new season bests; those with parenthesis are where San Diego Section competitors stand in the state.

W–Wind aided.

GIRLS

EVENT NAME MARK STATE MARK
100 Shaheed, Madison :11.87 (7) Nowling, Calabasas :11.40
200 Shaheed :24.46 (8) Nowling :23.64
Rustkovich, Scripps Ranch :24.51w (10)
Wright, University City :24.71 (17)
400 Wright, University City :55.64 (13) Babineaux, Quartz Hill

 

:54.27
800 Riedman, La Costa Canyon 2:11.37 (3) Tomkinton, Atherton Menlo 2:10.61
Morales, Scripps  Ranch 2:13.87 (16)
1600 Fahy, La Costa Canyon 4:48.34 (1) Lowe, Clovis Buchanan 4:49.14
3200 Fahy, La Costa Canyon 10:15.80 (2) Lowe, Clovis Buchanan 10:12.78
Dorostkar,  Canyon Crest 10:28.14 (8)
Wallace, Sage Creek 10:35.40 (13)
100 Hurdles Redon, San Diego :14.64 (11T) Shearer San Jose Silver Creek :13.36
300 Hurdles Occiano, Mission Hills :44.64 (17) Glenn, Long Beach Wilson :41.21
4×100 Relay Scripps Ranch :46.95 (2) Calabasas :46.07
4×400 Relay Christian 3:56.37 (19) Eastvale Roosevelt 3:48.12
High Jump Hickey, Coronado 5-10 ½ (1) Glenn, Long Beach Wilson 5-8 1/2
Long Jump Hickey, Coronado 20-9w (1) Harris, Upland 20-2 1/2
Hardaway, Oceanside 19-0 ¾ (7)
Triple Jump Miller, San Pasqual 39-8 ½ (10) Shearer, San Jose Silver Creek 41-3 3/4
Scott, Gompers Prep 39-5 1/2 (11T)
Shot Put Atuatasi, West Hills 42-7 (13) Budwig,

Fowler

47-8

 

Lagoy, Rancho Bernardo 41-7 (17)
Discus Cruz, Mission Hills 139-3 (16) Budwig, Fowler 171-7
Pole Vault Callahan, Rancho Bernardo 13-6 (2) Funk, Clovis West 13-7
Thomson, Poway 13-3 (4)
Adamiec, Poway 13-0 (7T)
Cervantes, Poway 12-9 (9)

BOYS

EVENT NAME MARK STATE MARK
100 Christon, Madison 10.45w (3) Grubb, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame :10.40
Steward, Orange Glen :10.66 (10T)
200 Christon, Madison :20.90 (1) Grubb, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame :20.93
400 Parker, Helix :47.99 (7) Larrier, Elk Grove Monterey Grove :46.49
Lippert, La Costa Canyon :48.54 (13T)    
Salzman, Calvin Christian :48.54 (13T)    
800 Tellez-Velasquez, San Pasqual 1:52.52 (2) Wingo, Valencia 1:52.11
Ali, Crawford 1:54.17 (12)
1600 Niednagel, La Costa Canyon 4:15.58 (14) Hibbard, El Monte Arroyo 4:07.25
J. Stanford, La Costa Canyon 4:16.90 (24)
3200 Velasco, Fallbrook 9:07.27 (8) Young, Newbury Park 8:40.00
Niednagel, La Costa Canyon 9:09.06 (9)
120 High Hurdles Sayles, Steele Canyon :14.69 Marshall, Berkeley St. Mary’s :13.56
300 Intermediate Hurdles Solomon, Grossmont :38.38 (12) Roberson, Upland :36.96
4×100 Relay Madison :42.23 (13T) Long Beach Poly :40.91
4×400 Relay Helix 3:23.04 Placentia Valencia 3:13.73
High Jump Lugo, Canyon Crest 6-6 ½ (10) Allen, Santa Barbara San Marcos 7-0
Brownell, San Dieguito 6-5 (21T)
Long Jump Christon, Madison 23-1 (12) Foster, Clovis North 25-1 1/2
Yokley, El Capitan 22-11 (18)
Triple Jump Mitchell, Point Loma 48-6 (2) Hemphill, Upland 48-8 1/2
Cynkin, Torrey Pines 46-5 ¼ (14)  
Brown, La Jolla 46-0 ½ (16)  
Shot Put Boamah, Scripps Ranch 54-0 Viveros, Bakersfield Liberty 68-11
Discus Lologo, Oceanside 153-1 Elbettar, Newport Beach Newport Harbor 197-4
Pole Vault Rice, Rancho Bernardo 16-4 (2) Wright, Lodi 16-8
Volpe, San Marcos 15-6 (10T)
Brown, La Costa Canyon 15-2 (15T)
Jurisoo, Mt. Carmel 15-1 (19T)

 




1973-74: All-Time and this Season’s Scoring Leaders

Dave Moore topped with a 51-point game, but Patrick Henry’s Mark Fitzner had the most points and held off “Score” Moore for highest average among players from large schools.

The breezy sobriquet for Moore, courtesy of Bill Finley of the Evening Tribune, fit the San Marcos senior, who scored 594 points in 27 games for a 22.0 average, but Fitzner held sway  with 704 points in 31 games and 22.7 average. Clarence Clark of San Diego Military had a 25.8-point average in 19 games, leading small schools players.

Fitzner clears rebound as Patrick Hickey teammate Wayne Hickey and Kearny’s Mark Hoaglin begin to retreat up court in Kearny’s 59-55 victory.

Moore and Fitzner earned rank among the all-time leaders with their individual and seasonal efforts.

Moore became the fourth player in San Diego County history to score at least 50 points in one game.  Fitzner moved to 14th in all-time season scoring.

Fitzner was an exception in what seemed to be a downward trend in scoring.

There were eight players who accounted for at least 500 points this season, compared with 15 in the Bill Walton-dominated season of 1969-70.   Four players scaled 700 that season and six were at 600 or more.

There were eight over 500 in 1970-71, 12 in ‘71-72, and 10 in ’72-73.

Nine players averaged 20 points or more this year, compared with 12 in 1968-69, 20 in ’69-70, 4 in ’70-71, 11 in ’71-72, and 4 in ’72-73.

Fitzner became the 42nd in the County to score at least 1,000 career points.

Poway’s 108-79 win over San Dieguito in a Coast League game was the single score at or above 100.

THIS SEASON

NAME TEAM GAMES POINTS AVERAGE
Mark Fitzner Patrick Henry 31 704 22.7(1)
Dave Moore San Marcos 27 594 22.0(2)
Andre Robinson Morse 28 580 20.7(4)
Ron Thomas Hoover 32 580 18.2(9)
Art Leahy Madison 17 547 20.3(5)
Mike Milke Hilltop 25 533 21.3(3)
Ron Wiggins St. Augustine 26 518 19.9(7)
Rick Taylor Kearny 32 505 15.8
Robin Harvey Mar Vista 24 479 20.0(6)
Dean Miller Poway 26 470 18.1(10)
Ron McFarlin Lincoln 31 469 15.1
Joe Sobkowiak Clairemont 25 462 18.5(8)
Paul Robinson Poway 28 457 16.3
Gary Walin Bonita Vista 27 450 16.7
Terry Belsan Marian 27 446 16.5
Eddie Newell Crawford 27 446 16.5
Dan O’Neill Marian 29 438 15.1
Kerman La Jolla 29 437 15.1
Richard Ridgway Monte Vista 26 435 16.7
John Frise Bonita Vista 29 435 15.0
Tom Ford Granite Hills 25 381 15.2
CLASS A
Dan Stockalper Ramona 26 580 22.3
Clarence Clark San Diego Military 19 490 25.8
Partch Julian 23 404 17.6
Kyle Spain La Jolla Country Day 16 363 22.7
Dave Cook Francis Parker 16 310 19.4
Temple Army-Navy 16 258 16.1

ONE SEASON

NAME SCHOOL YEAR POINTS AVERAGE
Bill Walton Helix 1969-70 958 29.0
Ralph Drollinger Grossmont 1971-72 868 27.4
Dave Smith Madison 1969-70 776 26.8
Wilburn Strong Kearny 1968-69 774 25.8
Phil Edwards Madison 1968-69 766 23.9
George Evans St. Augustine 1969-70 748 23.4
Larry Blum Crawford 1962-63 737 23.8
Tom Shaules St. Augustine 1957-58 736 28.3
Paul Halupa Bonita Vista 1968-69 718 28.7
Von Jacobsen Crawford 1965-66 712 24.6
Cedric (Ric) Reed Morse 1969-70 711 24.5
Clarence Brown Lincoln 1969-70 709 24.4
Ron Dahms Madison 1967-68 706 22.1
Mark Fitzner Patrick Henry 1973-74 704 22.7

ONE GAME

NAME SCHOOL YEAR POINTS
Tom Shaules St. Augustine 1957-58 60
Rob Petrie Julian 1969-70 60
Shaules 53
Dave Moore San Marcos 1973-74 51
Bill Walton Helix 1969-70 50
Shaules 1956-57 49
Jody Schmitz Fallbrook 1972-73 49
Ken Leininger Morse 1963-64 49
Bill Flohr Julian 1960-61 48
Frank Petersen Clairemont 1967-68 48
Paul Lockridge Fallbrook 1950-51 47
Bill Froehling Army-Navy 1960-61 47
Tim Doerr Granite Hills 1968-69 47
Blaine Bundy El Capitan 1965-66 46
Earl May San Dieguito 1967-68 46

The season and game scoring tables above are historically complete through 1973-74.

TOURNAMENTS

Three local events, the 27th Kiwanis, ninth University, and fourth Baron-Optimist, took the pre-league spotlight.

KIWANIS

Hoover or San Diego won the event 8 times in the first 10 years of the event and usually was a finalist in years they didn’t win.

The Cardinals and Cavers were dropped into the Limited Division this year because of declining enrollment and recent years of mediocrity.

No matter. San Diego whipped El Cajon Valley, 74-27, and Hoover mashed Orange Glen, 70-45, in opening-round games.  San Diego defeated Hoover, 61-58, for the division championship.

Mount Miguel cheerleader and boyfriend exchange osculatory salutes during Grossmont’s 84-83 win over Matadors. Cheerleaders left and right concentrate on game action.

Patrick Henry extended its winning streak to 26 games, including 1972-73, and rocked Santana, 68-38, in the Unlimited Division final. Mark Fitzner had 22 points, 14 rebounds and made 55 per cent of his shots from the floor.

The Cavers’ James Pipkins was spotted wearing a Bonita Vista wrestling shirt after an 86-64 win over Bonita Vista.  “My collection includes a shirt from almost every school in the County,” said Pipkins.

Lincoln topped Brawley, 55-45, for the Classified championship.

Grossmont claimed fifth place in the Limited Division, 76-66, over Hilltop despite 36 points by the Lancers’ Mike Milke, whose total was a tournament high for one game.

COVINA

Poway lost to Long Beach Millikan, 68-60, beat Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe, 57-37, beat Pasadena Blair, 67-63, and lost to West Covina, 78-55, in the consolation bracket semifinals.

EL CENTRO ELKS

Dave (Score) Moore made 21×29 field goal attempts and 9×11 free throw attempts to score 51 points in a 78-42 San Marcos win over Imperial. Moore’s total was the highest since St. Augustine’s Tom Shaules scored 60 in 1957-58 and Rob Petrie of Julian scored 60 in 1969-70.

The Knights dropped the Limited Division championship game to Calipatria, 35-33.  Coronado beat Antelope, Arizona, 83-58, for third place. San Pasqual topped Orange Glen, 57-47, for the Limited consolation title.

BRETHREN

Christian’s trip to the Huntington Beach was short-lived.  The Patriots were defeated by Cerritos Gahr, 100-54, and Montebello Cantwell, 77-56.

CHINO

Escondido was chased out in the first round by Claremont, 67-47, and in consolation play by Montclair, 78-55

RIVERSIDE RUBIDOUX

After a 66-61 loss to Colton, Vista rebounded to defeat Bloomington, 61-43, and Riverside Norte Vista, 49-39, for consolation honors.

TRACY

Mount Miguel traveled 450 miles to the community east of Oakland and lost to the host school, 81-74, and defeated Stockton Franklin, 80-61. We’re still looking for the Matadors’ next-game result.

POST-NEW YEAR

Thirty-one teams entered the University and Baron Optimist tournaments, which began after the first of the new year for the first time. Seedings for both tournaments were done before the season.

The seeds held up at Uni, as Kearny was ranked No. 1 and Patrick Henry No. 2, with Lincoln 3 and Hoover 4.  The Baron-Optimist seeds, not so much.  Monte Vista, with a 5-4 record, was ranked ahead of 9-2 Morse and 11-1 San Diego, with the host Barons seeded fourth with a 4-6 record.

UNI

Kearny topped Patrick Henry in the Kiwanis rematch, 49-47.  Hoover edged El Capitan, 53-52, for third place.  Lincoln beat Santana, 52-45, for fifth, and Granite Hills won consolation by outscoring La Jolla, 45-41.

High scoring Mike Milke of Hilltop earned honor from Evening Tribune.

BARON-OPTIMIST

Bonita Vista lived up to its seeding and even upset No 2 Morse, 64-62, in the semifinals, while unseeded Helix beat Marian, 58-47, pitting two surprising clubs in the finals, the finish of which veered from usual script.

Helix led, 67-66, and had the ball with 22 seconds remaining in the game, at which time the Highlanders signaled for a time out.

Oops.

The Scots did not have any time outs, as was pointed out by the official scorekeeper.

The Barons’ Gary Walin stepped to the line and converted the technical free throw to tie the score at 67.

Bonita Vista then took possession of the ball at side court and worked the ball to Bart Helms, who drilled a 15-footer with 6 seconds left and the Chula Vista squad escaped with a 68-67 victory.

FIRST ROUND PLAYOFFS

Hoover’s 13-1 run at the end of the second quarter led to a 37-29 halftime lead in a 71-55 victory over Marian (21-8). San Diego walloped San Marcos (15-12), 76-58.  Kearny conquered Chula Vista (16-13), 60-45.  Lincoln edged University (13-14), 68-64.  Helix beat Poway (21-7), 76-71.  Henry nipped Mount Miguel (16-12), 62-59, and Grossmont ousted La Jolla (15-14), 46-35.

QUARTERFINALS

Charles McLemore scored all of Lincoln’s overtime points to eliminate San Diego (24-6), 70-69.  The teams were deadlocked, 64-64, after regulation play.  Patrick Henry retired Grossmont (20-9), 56-48.  Kearny dumped Vista (16-10), 76-47, and Hoover, which went to a press against Marian, continued pressing and beat Helix, 55-43.

SEMIFINALS

Hoover topped Lincoln (25-5), 77-63.  Kearny again beat Patrick Henry (23-8), 73-57.

FINALS

Kearny dispatched Hoover (24-8), 71-50 (Search 1973-74: Kearny’s Double Unbeaten Komets).

St. Augustine’s Steve Garrison (23), Ron Wiggins (21), Mike Francio, and Ray Nagem, in background up court, make it difficult for University’s Mark Kennedy to get the ball in play. The Saints won, 61-60.

SWEET IT IS

Sweetwater would finish 1-23 this season and took special delight in its only win, which snapped the Red Devils’ latest losing streak at 22.  Coach Gary Zarecky’s battlers knocked off blood rival Chula Vista, 9-2 in league play and 15-10 overall, 49-46.

HIS BEST

Evening Tribune writer and basketball maven Bill Finley picked his favorite players: 1—Mark Fitzner, Patrick Henry. 2—Donald Page, Kearny. 3—Rick Taylor, Kearny. 4—Mike Milke, Hilltop. 5—Mark Hoaglin, Kearny, 6—Terry Belsan, Marian

MILITARY TRAVEL

Clarence Clark of San Diego Military Academy, which had an enrollment of 200 students, averaged 25.8 points and had been the Southern League player of the year in baseball as well as basketball.

During the summer Clark played for the Los Angeles High Romans near his home. Clark’s father, a retired Army major, sent his son to the military school in Del Mar.

“Let’s face it,” said Eagles coach Rick Stewart.  “The teams in this league aren’t world beaters, but he could play anywhere.  People ignore Clarence because he plays at San Diego Military, not Kearny.”

JUMP SHOTS

Poway’s 108-79 win over San Dieguito bettered the Titans’ record, which had come in a 90-50 win over Orange Glen in December, 1971…San Dieguito (10-17) got even with the Titans in the rematch, 66-63, with a 21-11 fourth quarter…winless Poway Christian after a series of blowouts suspended its program and forfeited the remaining three games on its schedule…Jeff Worley’s two free throws with 5 seconds left got Coronado past Vista, 45-44…Marian’s Terry Belsan was 8×8 from the floor and 9×9 from the free throw line for 25 points and had 21 rebounds in an 88-53 win over Point Loma…Mike Milke scored 24 of his 33 points in the first half as Hilltop ran away from Montgomery, 76-59…St. Augustine’s Ron Wiggins scored 17 of his 33 points from the free throw line but Patrick Henry held on for a 79-74 victory…Wiggins scored 15 fourth-quarter points and the Saints won the quarter, 27-15, but couldn’t overcome Henry’s 67-47 lead….

La Jolla coach Rick Eveleth gets down to basics while players lean in for instructions during time out.




2019 Week 5: Mt. Sac Up After Valley Center and Cerveny Invites

The Mt. San Antonio Relays, for decades hosted on campus in the community of Walnut, moved west about 30 miles to El Camino College in Inglewood a couple years ago and will headline the menu this week.

Mt. Sac at one point was supposed to be the probable site of the 2020 Olympic Trials and the 50 years-plus layout was to undergo a makeover in preparation.  The trials now will be beld in Eugene, Oregon.

Outside of Washington, D.C., nowhere are politics as pungent as you’ll find in track and field.

The Escondido Invitational takes place April 26, followed by league trials and finals, San Diego Section trials and finals, and the state meet in Clovis May 24-25.

The Valley Center and Jim Cerveny invitationals were the featured meets last week.

Including dual meets and the 2 invitationals, five boys and one girls season bests were recorded.  Madison’s  :42.23 4×100 relay and Jacob Rice’s 16-foot, 4-inch pole vault led the way.

Marks in italics represent new season bests; those with parenthesis are where San Diego Section competitors stand in the state.

W–Wind aided.

GIRLS

EVENT NAME MARK STATE MARK
100 Shaheed, Madison :11.87 (7) Nowling, Calabasas :11.40
200 Shaheed :24.46 (7) Nowling :23.64
Rustkovich, Scripps Ranch :24.51w (9)
400 Wright, University City :55.64 (12) McCall, Bakersfield :54.61
800 Riedman, La Costa Canyon 2:13.54 (11) Tomkinton, Atherton Menlo 2:10.61
1600 Fahy, La Costa Canyon 4:48.34 (1) Lowe, Clovis Buchanan 4:49.14
3200 Fahy, La Costa Canyon 10:15.80 (2) Lowe, Clovis Buchanan 10:12.78
Dorostkar,  Canyon Crest 10:28.14 (8)
100 Hurdles Redon, San Diego :14.64 (10T) Shearer San Jose Silver Creek :13.36
300 Hurdles Occiano, Mission Hills :44.64 (16) Glenn, Long Beach Wilson :41.21
4×100 Relay Scripps Ranch :46.95 (2) Calabasas :46.07
4×400 Relay Scripps Ranch 3:57.86 Eastvale Roosevelt 3:48.12
High Jump Hickey, Coronado 5-10 ½ (1) Glenn, Long Beach Wilson 5-8 1/2
Long Jump Hickey, Coronado 20-9w (1) Harris, Upland 20-2 1/2
Hardaway, Oceanside 19-0 ¾ (6)
Triple Jump Miller, San Pasqual 39-8 ½ (9) Shearer, San Jose Silver Creek 41-3 3/4
Scott, Gompers Prep 38-3 (19)
Shot Put Atuatasi, West Hills 42-7 (12) Ramirez, Valencia West Ranch 47-5 ¼

 

Lagoy, Rancho Bernardo 41-4 (16)
Discus Cruz, Mission Hills 139-3 (16) Budwig, Fowler 171-7
Pole Vault Callahan, Rancho Bernardo 13-4 (3) Funk, Clovis West 13-7
Thomson, Poway 13-3 (4)
Adamiec, Poway 13-0 (7T)
Cervantes, Poway 12-9 (9)

 

BOYS

EVENT NAME MARK STATE MARK
100 Christon, Madison 10.45w (3) Grubb, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame :10.41
Steward, Orange Glen :10.66 (7T)
200 Christon, Madison :21.32* (T6) Roberson, Upland :21.28
400 Parker, Helix :47.99 (7) Strader, Valencia West Ranch :46.49
Lippert, La Costa Canyon :48.54 (12T)    
Salzman, Calvin Christian :48.54 (12T)    
800 Tellez-Velasquez, San Pasqual 1:52.52 (2) Wingo, Valencia 1:52.45
Ali, Crawford 1:54.17 (11)
1600 Niednagel, La Costa Canyon 4:15.58 (14) Hibbard, El Monte Arroyo 4:08.69
J. Stanford, La Costa Canyon 4:16.90 (23)
3200 Velasco, Fallbrook 9:07.27 (8) Strangio, Sacramento Jesuit 8:47.97
Niednagel, La Costa Canyon 9:09.06 (9)
120 High Hurdles Sayles, Steele Canyon :14.69 (25) Marshall, Berkeley St. Mary’s :13.61
300 Intermediate Hurdles Solomon, Grossmont :38.45 (10T) Roberson, Upland :36.96
4×100 Relay Madison :42.23 (13T) Long Beach Poly :40.91
4×400 Relay Helix 3:23.19 (21) Placentia Valencia 3:13.73
High Jump Lugo, Canyon Crest 6-6 (9T) Allen, Santa Barbara San Marcos 7-0
Long Jump Christon, Madison 23-1 (11) Hemphill, Upland 23-11
Triple Jump Mitchell, Point Loma 48-6 (2) Hemphill, Upland 48-6 1`/4
Shot Put Boamah, Scripps Ranch 54-0 Viveros, Bakersfield Liberty 68-11
Discus Lologo, Oceanside 153-1 Elbettar, Newport Beach Newport Harbor 197-4
Pole Vault Rice, Rancho Bernardo 16-4 (2) Wright, Lodi 16-8

 




1973-74: Kearny’s Double Unbeaten Komets

Kearny High became the second school (after Grossmont in 1971-72) in the 14-season history of the San Diego Section to win football and basketball championships in the same school year.

The Komets took the Grossmont accomplishment a giant step further.  They were undefeated in both sports, football, 12-0-1, basketball, 32-0.

No team has come close since.

Tying it together was Mark Hoaglin, a 6-foot, 8-inch, 230-pound tight end in football and a husky presence in basketball, the only Birt Slater-coached gridder to also be a regular starter for hoops coach Wayne Colborne.

Hoaglin was the connector.

How the Komets won 32 straight:

1—Kearny 74, Oceanside 46.  Poway transfer Rick Taylor, the son of Komets baseball coach Jack Taylor, scored 17 points.  The balanced Komets also received 19 from Alan Rhodes, 13 from Donald Page, and 10 from Greg Ashbaugh.

2—Page, with 20, and Taylor, with 18, were joined by seven others who scored in a 74-47 victory over a second Avocado League foe, Vista.

3—The Komets continued their run through the Avocado League, racing to a 40-14 halftime lead and easing to a 74-38 win over Orange Glen.

4—Hoaglin still was involved in football (he caught a pass for 25 yards and punted 4 times for 36 yards in Kearny’s 34-0 playoff victory over Sweetwater, reversing a 6-6 tie in the first game) and Grossmont, which would mount a championship bid in the Grossmont League, did not take advantage, never out of it but never really in it as Kearny moved on, 69-57.

5—Perennially tough Helix couldn’t penetrate a tough defense, which guided the Komets to a 53-28 victory.

6—Poway, which would win 21 games, tested the Komets’ resolve, leading, 37-35, into the fourth quarter before the Linda Vistans put together a 20-8 final eight minutes to win a 27th annual Kiwanis Tournament opening game, 55-44.

7—Hoaglin, after celebrating the football championship, made his debut and matched Donald Page’s 19 points in a 73-45 win over San Dieguito.

8—The Komets flexed some muscle against Madison, their former Western League antagonist, scoring the first 16 points and cruising, 74-61.

9—Morse was 8-1, fresh from a 69-52 win over Helix, but the Tigers were run off the floor, 82-54, and trailed by 36 points at the end of three quarters.  Hoaglin scored 18 and three other starters, Alan Rhodes, Rick Taylor, and Donald Page scored at least 13.

10—Matchup of the year brought two teams together with a combined 18-0 record for the Kiwanis Tournament Unlimited Division title. Patrick Henry was defending San Diego Section champion and had won 25 in a row, including 64-53 over Kearny in the 1972-73 championship game.

Taylor was key transfer from Poway.

The Patriots socked the Komets with a 14-0 run that erased a 39-30 Kearny advantage and put Henry in front, 44-39, with four minutes left in the game.

Staggered, Kearny regrouped, taking back the lead and separating with two free throws by reserve Phil Thompson with 55 seconds left in 52-48 barnburner.

The last of the County’s unbeaten teams, the Komets were rewarded with a week off before the New Year.  They led the CIF, averaging 68 points on offense and holding opponents to 46.8.

11—January began with Page scoring 17, Rhodes 16, and Hoaglin 15 in a 74-52 victory over St. Augustine in the University Tournament.

12—Santana came with a deliberate offense, the polite term for a semi stall.  Kearny eased, 45-29.

13—Alan Rhodes’ 18, Rick Taylor’s 16, Donald Page’s 12, and Mark Hoaglin’s 11 were enough keep Hoover at a distance, 64-56.

14—A Kiwanis Tournament championship game encore, this time the Komets administering the big punch. Trailing, 29-26 at halftime, Kearny whacked Patrick Henry with a 10-0 blitz at the start of the third quarter and they pulled away to lead, 43-32, before going into a slowdown.

Henry never got closer than 4 points in the last period, although they scored with 13 seconds left to make the final 49-47.

15—Coach Wayne Colborne’s club was living dangerously.  They opened Western League play with a 63-60, overtime victory at 13-3 San Diego, which moved to the West this season after 13 years in the Eastern loop.

Kearny trailed, 38-29, in the third quarter before jumping in front, 41-40.  They trailed again, 48-47, with 4:34 left but tied the Cavers, 56-56, at the end of regulation.  Rick Taylor’s seven free throws during the extra session pulled out the win.

Taylor was 9×10 from the charity stripe and Kearny shot 49 per cent from the field.  Alan Rhodes led the second-half comeback and had 23 points.

16—Nine players, led by Taylor’s 18, scored in a 75-39 rout of Madison.

17—Morse didn’t give up without a struggle, staying close almost all the way before bowing, 66-58, as Taylor scored 21 and Page 20.

18—It wasn’t getting easier.  Kearny finished with a 21-8 fourth quarter to shake the pesky University Dons, 51-38.  Uni held the Komets to four points in the third quarter and defended strongly, forcing a number of off-balance shots.

19—Kearny shot 56 per cent from the floor, Point Loma 28 per cent.  The Pointers fell, 60-32. Page led with 16 and backup Ed Simpson had 14.

20—Hoaglin (23), Page (22), and Taylor (22) combined for 67 points and Clairemont was left behind, 86-64.

Kearny might have approached the school record of 97, set in 1968-69 versus Granite Hills, but the Komets just maintained in a 19-19 fourth quarter as reserves got some minutes.

21—A 25-6 first quarter was all that was needed in an 85-47 romp over St. Augustine.

Page played in 32 games in each of his junior and senior seasons.

22—Mark Hoaglin scored 21 points and pulled down 13 rebounds, the Komets’ shot 55 per cent from the floor, and dominated the rematch with San Diego, 80-55, before a capacity crowd of 1,000 in the Komets’ gym. Kearny’s 1-3-1 zone defense swarmed the Cavers, who shot 38 per cent from the field.

“We’re coming on,” said Colborne.

San Diego coach Gary Todd:  “To fast break you have to get some defensive rebounds. There weren’t any rebounds.  Everything they shot was going in.  Then, when we came down against their zone, we couldn’t move fast enough to get good shots.”

Kearny made 28 free throws to the Cavers’ four.

23—67-57, Hoover. The Cardinals were behind by four points with 1:30 left in the game and had the ball, having run off eight points in a row to close to 60-56.  A 16-6 run had brought the Cardinals back after they lagged, 54-40, after three quarters.

Rick Taylor scored 14 points, including six of the last seven; Donald Page had 17 and Alan Rhodes 21.

24—72-60 over Madison, which scored the last 11 points against reserves.  The Warhawks officially stepped down from the Western League throne, on which they sat for seven straight seasons.

25—The third game, matching No. 1 and No. 2, brought no charm for Henry.  Mark Fitzner’s late, 20-foot looper forced an overtime, but the Komets prevailed, 59-55. Donald Page’s three-point play got separation for Kearny

26—Taylor’s 20, Hoaglin’s 18, and Page’s 16 were the difference in an 81-62 victory over University.  The Dons wilted under a 22-10, third quarter run.

27—77-45, Point Loma.  Ten players scored for Kearny, which was assessed only 5 personal fouls in 32 minutes.  The Pointers were only slightly more aggressive, being whistled for 11 infractions.

28—A perfect, 10-0 Western League season concluded with a 58-45 victory against Clairemont.  The Linda Vistans led, 48-25, after three.

Kearny became the fifth team in County history to end the regular season undefeated, joining Hoover (25-0) in 1959-60, La Jolla (26-0), 1963-64, Mount Miguel (28-0), 1967-68, and Helix (29-0), 1969-70.

29—Chula Vista (16-14) trailed, 40-35, at halftime of the first-round playoff.  The Spartans then affected a stall strategy for the first four minutes of the third quarter.  The stall led to a turnover, which Kearny turned into an 8-0 spurt, and the Komets put away the Spartans, 69-45.

Chula Vista took three shots in the third quarter and was blanked, 6-0, for the period. Rick Taylor led the winners with 29 points.

30—Shooting 58 per cent from the field to Vista’s 37 per cent, the result was a 76-47 victory over the Panthers (17-11).  The Big Four, Hoaglin (17), Rhodes (16), Taylor (14), and Page (12) were in sync.

Donald Page split Henry defense for basket in 73-57 semifinal playoff victory.

31—One more time and Happy Trails, Patrick Henry.

It is rare to beat the same opponent 4 times in one season, especially one with a 25-8 record, but Kearny again measured the Patriots, 73-57, in the playoff semifinal before 3,630 at the Sports Arena, Taylor had 24 points and Page 22.

32—Beating the same opponent three times in a season isn’t easy either. Hoover, which finished 24-8, had more wins than any Cardinals team since the 24-3 club of 1960-61.

After defeating Hoover by 8 and 10 points in previous meetings, Kearny pulled away before 5,143 persons in the Sports Arena to a 71-50, championship game victory.

“They were much more aggressive on defense than when we played them before,” Cardinals coach Hal Mitrovich said to Will Watson of The San Diego Union.

“We had hoped to stay close…and then go to the press in the second half and make a run at them, but they just wouldn’t let us do it.”

Kearny led, 39-24, at the half.

Colborne didn’t play a we-were-disrespected card, but he may have been thinking along those lines.  “I don’t know if we made believers of people or not,” he said in answer to a question. “It seemed that all we heard most of the season was that somebody could beat us.”

Colborne wouldn’t be drawn into any what-ifs.  His team had made its statement.  The Komets were balanced and consistent to the end.  They led the County with a 68.1 average on offense and their 49-point defense average was third.

Rick Taylor, taking aim at Hoover, averaged 15.8 points; other starters averaged between 10 and 13 points.




2019 Week 4: Fahy Fastest Ever in Section 3200

San Diego Section runners and jumpers warmed to the competition in the Arcadia Invitational, turning in season highs in five girls events and three boys events; the young men brought the total to 9 in a City League triangular meet between Madison, Clairemont, and Christian.

Christin Fahy was third in the 3200-meter run at Arcadia, but her 10:15.80 race elevated her to No. 1 all-time in San Diego.  She is second in the state and fourth in the U.S. and continues as the state leader in the 1600 and fourth in the country.

Fahy’s teammate, McKenna Brown, held the 3200 record at 10:15.97 in 2018.  Fahy ran 10:16.44 in 2018.

Eric Parker of Helix became the 21st 400-meter runner to break 48 seconds when he moved into a tie for 20th with his :47.99 and also anchored Helix to its best time of the season, 3:23.1 in the 1600 relay.

Madison’s Kenon Christon long-jumped 23 feet, ½ inch against Clairemont and Christian and was fourth in the 100 meters at Arcadia with a time of :10.62, one-tenth slower than his best non-wind aided time.

Marks in italics represent new season-leading bests; those with parenthesis are where San Diego Section competitors stand in the state.

W–Wind aided.

BOYS

EVENT NAME MARK STATE MARK
100 Christon, Madison 10.45w (3) Grubb, Sherman Oaks Notre Dame :10.41
Steward, Orange Glen :10.75w (T14)
200 Christon, Madison :21.32* (3) Roberson, Upland :21.28
400 Parker, Helix :47.99 (5) Strader, Valencia West Ranch :46.49
Lippert, La Costa Canyon :48.54 (12T)    
Salzman, Calvin Christian :48.56 (14)    
800 Tellez-Velasquez, San Pasqual 1:52.52 (2) Wingo, Valencia 1:52.45
Ali, Crawford 1:54.17 (11)
1600 Niednagel, La Costa Canyon 4:15.58 (7) Hibbard, El Monte Arroyo 4:08.69
J. Stanford, La Costa Canyon 4:16.90 (18)
Ali, Crawford 4:17.82 (25)
G. Stanford, La Costa Canyon 4:18.15
3200 Velasco, Fallbrook 9:07.27 (8) Strangio, Sacramento Jesuit 8:47.97
Niednagel, La Costa Canyon 9:09.06 (9)
120 High Hurdles Jackson, El Camino :14.95
300 Intermediate Hurdles Solomon, Grossmont :38.45 (T10) Roberson, Upland :36.96
Stewart, Canyon Crest :39 (16)
4×100 Relay Madison :42.69 Long Beach Poly :40.91
4×400 Relay Helix 3:23.19 (21) Placentia Valencia 3:13.73
High Jump Lugo, Canyon Crest 6-6 (T9) Allen, Santa Barbara San Marcos 7-0
Long Jump Christon, Madison 23 ½ (T9) Hemphill, Upland 23-11
Luck, Mission Vista 22-5½ (23)
Triple Jump Mitchell, Point Loma 48-6 (2) Hemphill, Upland 48-6 1`/4
Shot Put Watson, Fallbrook 53-5 (22) Viveros, Bakersfield Liberty 68-11
Discus Lologo, Oceanside 153-1 Elbettar, Newport Beach Newport Harbor 197-4
Pole Vault Rice, Rancho Bernardo 16-1 (3) Wright, Lodi 16-8
Brown, La Costa Canyon 15-2 (T9)
Volpe, San Marcos 15-1 (T14)    
Sperry, Rancho Bernardo 15-1 (T14)    
Dudley, Poway 14-9 (T21)    
Elamparo, Poway 14-9    
Jurisco, Mt. Carmel 14-9    

 GIRLS

EVENT NAME MARK STATE MARK
100 Shaheed, Madison :11.87 (6) Nowling, Calabasas :11.40
200 Shaheed :24.46 (6) Nowling :23.64
Rustkovich, Scripps Ranch :24.51w (8)
400 Wright, University City :55.64 (10) McCall, Bakersfield :54.61
800 Riedman, La Costa Canyon 2:13.54 (11) Tomkinton, Atherton Menlo 2:10.61
1600 Fahy, La Costa Canyon 4:48.34 (1) Lowe, Clovis Buchanan 4:49.14
3200 Fahy, La Costa Canyon 10:15.80 (2) Lowe, Clovis Buchanan 10:12.78
Dorostkar,  Canyon Crest 10:28.14 (9)
100 Hurdles Redon, San Diego :14.64 (10) Shearer San Jose Silver Creek :13.36
300 Hurdles Ames, Christian :44.71 (17) Glenn, Long Beach Wilson :41.21
4×100 Relay Scripps Ranch :46.95 (2) Calabasas :46.07
4×400 Relay Scripps Ranch 3:57.86 (26) Eastvale Roosevelt 3:48.12
High Jump Hickey, Coronado 5-10 ½ (1) Glenn, Long Beach Wilson 5-8 1/2
Long Jump Hickey, Coronado 20-9w (1) Harris, Upland 20-2 1/2
Hardaway, Oceanside 19-0 ¾ (6)
Triple Jump Miller, San Pasqual 39-8 ½ (9) Shearer, San Jose Silver Creek 41-3 3/4
Scott, Gompers Prep 38-3 (18)
Shot Put Atuatasi, West Hills 42-7 (12) Ramirez, Valencia West Ranch 47-5 ¼

 

Lagoy, Rancho Bernardo 41-4 (17)
Discus Cruz, Mission Hills 139-3 (14) Budwig, Fowler 171-7
Atuatasi, West Hills 134-9 (25)
Pole Vault Callahan, Rancho Bernardo 13-4 (2) Sommers, Westlake Village Westlake 13-5
Thomson, Poway 13-3 (4)
Cervantes, Poway 12-9 (7)
Adamiec, Poway 12-6 (9)



1929 Track: Willson Leads Hilltoppers To First State Championship

“Willson, with two l’s.”

Jimmy Willson had been correcting the spelling of his last name since he was in grade school but that changed when Willson’s family moved from Massachusetts and 11th grader Jimmy turned out for Coach Glenn Broderick’s track team at San Diego High.

After a “Wilson“ or two, local sports writers got with the program when Willson ran a 10-second 100-yard dash and tied the school record in the first meet of the season.

Willson was leader of state champion Hilltoppers.

Willson also won the 220 and anchored the Hilltoppers’ 880-yard relay team in a 74 ½-38 ½, dual-meet victory over Pasadena.

The rout of their Coast League rival was the starting point of one of the greatest seasons in school history, in any sport.

–The Cavemen and Hilltoppers, as they also were known, were 5-0 in dual meets, winning by an average score of 71-42.

–They won team championships in the calendar’s four major events: Southern Counties’ Invitational, Coast League, CIF Southern Section, and State.

Broderick went into the season with just two returning lettermen, including two-time defending state pole vault champion Bill Miller, but the addition of Willson and the development of several others promised a talented, deep squad.

Meet by meet with Broderick’s thinclads:

PASADENA

The last time the Hillers had met Pasadena, in 1927, the Bullpups romped, 80 ½-32 ½.

Willson’s :10 flat century equaled the school mark set by Bill Powell and Harry Holloway in 1925.

Miller cleared 12 feet, 6 inches, two feet higher than the next vaulter, and Evan Dowers was a 4:49 winner in the mile.

San Diego won 10 of 13 events and swept the discus, led by Athos Sada, who waved the platter 109 feet, 6 inches, in between playing third base for coach Mike Morrow’s baseball team.

SAN DIEGO STATE FROSH

Willson ran another 10-second 100, which tied a record for the Aztecs’ oval, but Aztecs freshman Lawrence Petersen tied Willson in a :23-flat 220 and defeated Irvine (Cotton) Warburton in the 440 in :51 4/5, which rounded off to :51.8.  Stop watches eventually would time all races in tenths instead of fifths.

The Hilltoppers won, 72 ½-42 ½.

SOUTHERN COUNTIES’ INVITATIONAL

More than 200 athletes, almost all from south of the Los Angeles County Line, were entered in the eighth annual event on the Huntington Beach High track.  San Diego High was on hand, while other local teams took part in a DeMolay track meet in City Stadium.

Six meet records, including a national-record pole vault of 13 feet, 3 inches, by Bill Miller and a Hilltoppers triumph with 28 1/3 points, were highlights.

Miller bettered the record of 13-2 5/8, but he shared honors with Alvin Koenig of Huntington Beach, who set meet records with a :09.8 100 and a :22 flat 220. Willson was runner-up in each race.

Santa Ana’s Alva Reboin also was a double winner, in the 120-yard high hurdles in :15.4 and his :25.2 in the 220 lows was a record.

Santa Ana  was second in team scoring with 28 points, followed by Huntington Beach (23) and Ontario Chaffee (19 ½).

San Diego clinched the team title with a 1:33.4/5 victory in the 880-yard relay, last event.  A second place by Santa Ana would have given the Saints the championship but they were third, nosed out by Koenig and Huntington Beach.

SAY, AREN’T YOU…?

Imagine how strong this San Diego team would have been had one athlete made the 1.6-mile trolley ride down Park Boulevard from Roosevelt Junior High to the Hilltoppers’ campus.

But Alva Reboin’s family moved North after his ninth-grade year and Reboin starred at Santa Ana in the hurdles and pole vault.

San Diego’s Irvine (Cotton) Warburton was surprise, gun-to-tape winner in state 440.

LONG BEACH POLY

The Jackrabbits were state champions in 1928, but not a match.  San Diego won, 69 2/3-43 1/3, and was first in 11 events, all but the 120-yard high hurdles and high jump.

Coach Glenn Broderick trusted the weather man after days of rain and promised the meet would go on “unless the (jumping) pits fill up with water.”

Willson ran his usual :10 flat 100 and his :22.6 in the 220 was two-tenths slower than the school record. Irvine (Cotton) Warburton won the 440 in :51.8 and Evan Dowers took the mile in 4:45.  Without Willson, San Diego won the relay in 1:32.2.

Joe Dobbins was the principal figure in a story recounted by Don King in Caver Conquest.

Dobbins was declared broad jump winner in a heated competition with two Poly jumpers.  With teammates cheering, Dobbins apparently had leaped 22 feet when the event judge shouted, “Twenty-two.”

What the judge actually meant was 20 feet, 2 inches.

Apparently no one was the wiser, including Poly coach Norman Barker, Hillers coach Glenn Broderick, and anyone else involved in management of the meet.

The jump went into the books as 22 feet and was a school record until Fred Montpelier went 22-2 ¼ in 1931.

Apocryphal is the first word that comes to mind.

AT SANTA ANA

Bill Miller was nursing sore ankles and did not vault but Wade Potter managed a tie for first with the favored Reboin and his Saints teammate Bill Stiles at 10-6 and San Diego won, 66-47.

Reboin also won both hurdles races, nudging Fernando Ortiz in a :25.8 trip in the 220 lows.

Jimmy Willson, against a strong wind, led a sweep with a :10.2 in the 100-yard dash, won the 220 in :22.6, and ran a leg on the winning relay.

Dobbins did not place in the broad jump, won by Santa Ana’s Norman Paul at 22-4 ½.

Willson scored 11 ¼ points but high point honors went to Reboin with 13.

TEX, TOO

Reboin was not the only transplanted San Diegan.  The Saints were coached by Gerald (Tex) Oliver, former Memorial Junior High mentor.  Oliver also was the Saints’ football coach and eventually was a collegiate boss at Arizona and Oregon.

AT GLENDALE

Jimmy Willson was clear winner in Southern Section 100-yard dash.

The once-powerful Dynamiters, no longer stocked with such graduated stars as  Frank Wykoff, Russ Slocum, and Fulton Beatty, who dominated the sprint scene earlier, were easy for the Hilltoppers, who scored a 71 ½-41 ½ victory.

Maybe the groundskeeper was daydreaming about the glory days of the rapid threesome and erred when he rolled the lime markings and lane boundaries for the races.  Either that or the clerk of the course and timers positioned the finish line tape in the wrong location.

The distance for the 100-yard dash would have been more appropriate for the 1928 Olympics.

Willson and others entered were forced to run a reported 110 yards, slightly more than the Olympic 100 meters, with Willson’s winning time announced as a very un-Olympic :11.6.

Maybe they had to run more than 110 yards.

The Hillers could have added to the final score but they lost five points when disqualified for a violation after winning the relay in 1:32.0.

COAST LEAGUE TRIALS

Home team Pasadena surprised by leading with 19 qualifiers, including non-participating field event entries.  San Diego had 18, Long Beach 16, and Santa Ana, 14.  Glendale, South Pasadena, Whittier, and Alhambra brought up the rear.

The top five in each event qualified for the finals, along with one wild card, to be determined by the respective teams.

Jimmy Willson raced to victories of :10.1 in the 100 and 22.6, and was the relay leadoff man as the Hillers ran 1:31.6. Fernando Ortiz also ran a :10.1 century trial and Irvine Warburton and Maurice Staker each won a heat in the 440 in :53.6 and :52.6, respectively.

COAST LEAGUE FINALS

San Diego outlasted dogged Santa Ana for the team title, 44 ½-39 ½.  Pasadena had 19, Poly 17, Glendale 6, South Pasadena 5, Whittier 2, and Alhambra 0.

Bill Miller, who missed three meets with sore ankles, finished second in the pole vault to Santa Ana’s Alva Reboin, who cleared 12 feet and also set a record in the 120-yard high hurdles at :15.6 and won the 220 lows in :25.4.

San Diego offset Reboin with Jimmy Willson’s :10.2 100 and :22.8 220 victories, Cotton Warburton’s :51.4 440, and Evan Dowers’ 4:40 4/5 mile.  Willson, Warburton, and Dowers, along with sprinter-hurdler Fernando Ortiz, would be the Hilltoppers’ wheelhorses in the most important meets to follow.

SOUTHERN SECTION TRIALS           

The Friday-Saturday virtual carnival necessitated some travel logistics for coach Glenn Broderick.

Don Pearse and Jack Dawson left for Los Angeles on Thursday, accompanied by assistant coach Charlie Church, because they would be required for Friday morning Class B competition in the 120-yard low hurdles and pole vault.

Broderick and the rest of the San Diego contingent took off on Friday for the Saturday competition.

The 1929 state champions, front row from left: Al McGlinchy, Rene Dupree, Ashley Bown, Richard Arguello, Lawrence Crow, Wade Potter, Bill Harvey, Cotton Warburton, Joe Dobbins. Standing, from left: manager Bill Tinker, Maurice Staker, Ed Reed, Bill Miller, Ray Russell, Jimmy Willson, Athos Sada, Harold Crow, Ed Thompson, Fernando Ortiz, coach Glenn Broderick.

Irving Eckhoff of the Los Angeles Times selected 4 favorites for the team title before trials in the Los Angeles Coliseum.  “Twenty-five points will win the meet,” said Eckhoff, who chose San Diego, Los Angeles High, L.A. Fairfax, and Santa Ana to battle it out.

TIRELESS

“Jimmy Wilson (sic), midget San Diego sprinter, and Alva Reboin, the chunky Santa Ana hurdler, stole the show with spectacular performances,” wrote Eckhoff.

Willson ran 5 races during the long day, winning 4 and running a leg on the relay team, which was the second qualifier in its heat behind the winning 1:31.4 of L.A. High.

The diminutive Hilltopper won his heats in :10 and :22.6 and prevailed in :10 in the 100 semifinals before setting a school record of :21.8, enjoying the 220 straightaway at the Coliseum after running most of his furlongs during the season on the City Stadium curve.

Fernando Ortiz was eliminated in the 100 but was first twice in the 220 low hurdles, running :25.5 in the preliminary race and nipping Reboin in the semifinal in :25.

Cotton Warburton was third in his 440 heat, won by Rogers of Hollywood in :51 flat. The two other 440 heats were won in :50.8 and :51.6.

Miller was one of 10 who qualified at 12 feet in the pole vault. Ed Reed moved on by making 5 feet, 8 inches, in the high jump after not qualifying in the discus.  Evan Dowers advanced, fifth in one of two heats in the mile in 4:39.4, and Ray Russell was a qualifier in the discus.

Al McGlinchy and Maurice Staker did not make it in the 120-yard high hurdles and 440, respectively, and Don Pearse and Jack Dawson were eliminated in their Class B events.

L.A. High led all qualifiers with 9. San Diego, Santa Ana, and Hollywood advanced 8 each.

SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS

The Hilltoppers were struggling.

Fernando Ortiz, leading in the 220 low hurdles, crashed into the last barrier, stumbled and did not place, but Evan Dowers, with “leaden feet and iron heart”, came to the rescue and from behind to win the mile, upsetting the field in 4:32.6.

Dowers ran down Roberts of El Monte after passing Baker of Huntington Park (left) in stirring mile race in Southern California finals.

Bowers’ enigmatic pace saw him lead early in the race, fall behind and take the lead again, but he was in third place coming into the final turn.

Irving Eckhoff picked up the action:

…”down the stretch came Dowers, seemingly barely able to drag his feet off the ground with each shortening stride. Ahead of him as he rounded the curve were Baker of Huntington Park and Roberts of El Monte. They had distanced the field.”

(Dowers passed Baker and set sight on Roberts).

“Ten yards from the tape, Roberts was leading the San Diegan by three yards.  But he was tiring fast.  His steps were dragging, even slower than the laboring, towheaded youngster behind him.

“A yard from the tape Roberts collapsed, but a fraction of a second before he stumbled across the finish line, Dowers breasted the ribbon, the winner by scant inches.

“That gave the Hilltoppers five totally unexpected points and won the meet for them.”

San Diego scored 22 ½ points.  Hollywood was second with 14, followed by L.A. High, 13 ½, Los Angeles Jefferson, 11 ½, and L.A. Fairfax, 11.

PILE UP POINTS

Willson won the 100 in :10.1 and was runner-up to Hollister of Carpinteria Cate’s :22 flat 220.  Willson teamed with Ortiz, Maurice Staker, and Warburton in the 880-yard relay. Despite being bumped a couple times in the speedway-like traffic, the group set a school record of 1:30.4, behind Hollywood’s winning 1:29.6 and Jefferson’s second place.

Bill Miller took the pole vault at 13 feet and Warburton was fourth in the 440.  Ed Reed tied for third in the high jump at 5-10.

STATE MEET

Dowers went out too fast in the mile, falling out of contention on the last lap after leading early, and Baker of El Monte and Roberts of Huntington Park, vanquished by Dowers in the Southern California meet, ran 1-2.

While Dowers’ failure to place was a stunner, a bigger surprise came when Warburton, running in lane 1, jumped the field early, led by three yards coming out of the Coliseum tunnel, gained the pole position in the one-turn race, and raced to a record-tying :49.6 440.

Miller defended his pole vault championship with a 12-foot, 6-inch effort.  Ed Reed tied for fourth at 5-8 in the high jump.

Willson won the 100 in a school record :09.8 and equaled Frank Wykoff’s state meet record with a :21.4 220.

San Diego’s 22 ½ points once again outdistanced Hollywood, which had 16 1/2, followed by Santa Ana, 11, and L.A. Jefferson, 10 ½.

Sixty-one schools, including 40 from the South, were represented.

State track champions (clockwise from left) high jumper Ed Reed, captain Bill Miller and coach Glenn Broderick, quartermiler Irvine (Cotton) Warburton, pole vaulter Bill Miller, sprinter Jimmy Willson, miler Evan Dowers, and 880-yard relay team (from left) Maurice Staker, Fernando Ortiz, Cotton Warburton, Jimmy Willson.

CINDER DUST

The seven-man San Diego contingent, leaving at 10 a.m. Friday, traveled to the state meet on a Los Angeles Steamship Company vessel to San Pedro and then rode a Pacific Electric Trailways “Red Car” to their hotel…they were accompanied by team manager Bill Tinker, as coach Glenn Broderick traveled by automobile later…Jimmy Willson’s victory in the 100-yard dash at the Southern California meet was the first by a Hilltopper and the first time a Hilltopper had scored a point in the event…Willson’s son, John, ran the 440 in :48.5 for Point Loma in 1972…Lawrence Carr, future track and basketball coach at Hoover and principal at San Diego High, was San Diego State’s leading scorer with a 10-point average in seven Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference basketball games…Escondido High fielded its first track team…coach Harry Wexler greeted almost 50 candidates…Wallace set an Army-Navy pole vault record of 11-3 7/8 against the San Diego “Seconds”, who defeated the Cadets, 79-34…Bill Miller’s winning vault in the Southern Section was accompanied by continued jeering from L.A. High students, who favored Romans schoolmate Limeburger, second at 12-6…Coliseum patrons, thinking Willson had won the 220 in the same meet, were heard “razzing” the finish judges…Gordon Jones of Sweetwater won 5 events in the Southern Prep League finals at the soggy (from recent rain) San Diego State oval…Jones won the 100 (:10.8), 220 lows (:28.0), 120 high hurdles (:18.8), shot put (41-11), and discus (99-11 ½) for the Red Devils, who claimed their fifth league title in 10 years…Everett Thurber and George Hoaglund won 6 events for Sweetwater in previous SPL finals.…