Sophomores Alison Dring of Mt. Carmel and Erin Blunt of San Pasqual gave promise but only four of the original 45 qualifiers from the San Diego Section finished in the top five in finals at the state meet.
6/1/90
17TH GIRLS STATE TRACK TRIALS, @CERRITOS COLLEGE, NORWALK
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
100
Kimmey
University City
:12.10
8th*
McKinney
Monte Vista
:12.20
10th
Henderson
Morse
:12.28
13th
200
Dring
Mt. Carmel
:25.11
10th
Henderson
Morse
:25.16
11th
Kimmey
—
—
400
Dring
:55.55
2nd*
Bugg
Patrick Henry
:57.59
7th*
Freeman
Crawford
—
—
800
Stowell
Mt. Carmel
2:16.78
12th
Scott
Mt. Carmel
2:18.57
19th
Schoene
La Jolla
2:24.07
26th
1600
Schiebel
Orange Glen
5:10.83
14th
Faye
San Pasqual
5:11.50
15th
Ferguson
La Jolla
5:14.10
17th
100 Hurdles
Dill
Poway
:14.17w
2nd*
Blunt
San Pasqual
:14.60
13th
300 Hurdles
Blunt
:44.05
6th*
Dill
:46.69
19th
4×100 Relay
Morse
:48.37
12th
Mt. Carmel
:48.87
13th
Lincoln
:48.95
16th
4×400 Relay
Mt. Carmel
3:56.27
10th
San Pasqual
3:56.39
11th
Lincoln
4:01.05
16th
High Jump
Armstrong
Torrey Pines
5-4
8T*
Weeks
Madison
Barnes
Granite Hills
5-0
20T
Long Jump
Crisell
Fallbrook
16-9
18th
Conston
Oceanside
16-3 ½
20th
Triple Jump
Sims
Oceanside
38-3/4
6th*
Harrison
Mount Miguel
37-3 ¼
9th*
Andrews
Torrey Pines
35-8 ¾
16th
Shot Put
Houston
Montgomery
39-2 ¾
10th*
Bailey
Ramona
36-5 ¼
19th
Beers
Poway
—
—
Discus
Bihis
Mt. Carmel
139-6
6th*
Wadlington
Granite Hills
118-9
20th
Allen
El Capitan
109-02
23rd
6/2/90
17TH GIRLS STATE FINALS, CERRITOS COLLEGE, NORWALK
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
100
Kimmey
University
:12.10
5th
400
Dring
Mt. Carmel
:55.07
3rd
Bugg
Patrick Henry
—
—
3200
Glusac
Fallbrook
11:10.01
7th
Armstrong
San Dieguito
11:10.69
11th
Villareal
La Jolla
11:13.73
15th
100 Hurdles
Dill
Poway
:14.19
5th
300 Hurdles
Blunt
San Pasqual
:43.95
7th
High Jump
Armstrong
Torrey Pines
5-6
7th
Triple Jump
Sims
Oceanside
38-2 ½
2nd
Harrison
Mount Miguel
36-5
8th
Bihis
Mt. Carmel
133-6
8th
1990 Boys Track: Noon & Price Lead the Way
Seventeen of 48 qualifiers from the San Diego Section finals advanced from the 72nd state meet trials at Cerritos College in Norwalk, including San Diego Section all-timers, Brent Noon of Fallbrook and Jerome Price of University City.
Nine of the 17, or 53 per cent, scored points based on at least a top six finish in the finals.
Noon, the 1969 state champion at 66-1 ½, defended his shot put title with a throw of 74 feet, 4 3/4 inches and came close to the national record of 77 feet in another competition, with a career best of 76-2.
The nearest anyone would come to Noon’s CIF meet standard in the next 30-plus years was more than two feet less, 72-0 by Matt Katnik of Bellflower St. John Bosco in 2015.
Noon was second in the discus at 200-8, his all-time best despite still recovering from a sore hamstring muscle.
Price won the long jump at 25-3 ½, and had several legal and wind-sided attempts trying to break Doyle Steel’s Section record of 25-5 ¼, once jumping 25-8 with more than the allowable wind allowance.
Sophomore Riley Washington of San Diego Southwest gave notice of what to expect in the future, finishing third in the 100 meters in :10.70.
5/3/90
Fallbrook’s Brent Noon hurled the shot 76 feet, 2 inches, a personal improvement of almost two feet in a dual meet with Torrey Pines.
Noon’s distance, second best all-time in the U.S., moved him closer to the accepted national record of 77 feet by Michael Carter of Jefferson high in Dallas in 1979. Carter had a throw of 81-3 ½ in the postseason Golden West Invitational.
Noon also set a personal best and a San Diego Section record with a 196-6 effort in the discus, bettering Billy Joe Winchester’s 195-8 in 1970.
—Pat Pidgeon of St. Augustine became the first record holder in the first Harbor League finals, clearing 13 feet in the league meet at Balboa Stadium.
–Scott Hammond ran the 100 meters in :10.6 as Lincoln clinched the Eastern League dual championship, 71-54 over Crawford.
5/9/90
BOYS
EASTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
George Denny of Morse won a 400 heat in :49.2 and ran a leg on the Tigers’ 400 relay team that included Brian Griffith, Teddy Lawrence, and Stephan McQueen. The Tigers quartet was timed in :42.1.
Patrick Henry’s David Gregory (:49.5) and Mira Mesa’s Sean Cahill (:50) ran 1-2 in another 400 heat.
AVOCADO LEAGUE TRIALS, @MIRACOSTA COLLEGE
Pulu Poumele of Oceanside (51-11 ¾) edged Junior Cienega of Escondido (51-11 3/8) in the shot put, setting up a rematch in the finals.
5/10/90
FINALS
PALOMAR @MIRACOSTA COLLEGE
Poway’s Steve Pomiak was a triple winner and named athlete of the meet. Patrick won the 100-meter dash in :11. 200 in :22.8, and long jumped 22 feet, 7 inches.
Fallbrook’s Brent Noon set a San Diego Section record in the discus with a throw of 195-9, topping the 1970 mark of 195-8 by Mount Miguel’s Billy Joe Winchester.
5/11/90
PALOMAR SHOT PUT, @ORANGE GLEN
Brent Noon of Fallbrook smashed his meet record with an effort of 75 feet, 2 inches.
METROPOLITAN, @HILLTOP
Riley Washington of San Diego Southwest won the 100 (:10.80), and 220 (:21.7) and was a member of the winning 4×100 (:43.5) and 4×1600 (3:30.4) relay teams.
Castle Park’s Eric Bell struck four hurdles but still managed to finish the 110 highs in :14.8 and won the 300 barriers in :40.2.
Hector Hernandez of Mar Vista won the mile in 4:27.8 and two-mile in 9:54.7.
AVOCADO, @ MIRACOSTA COLLEGE
Junior Cienega of Escondido won the shot put showdown with Oceanside’s Pulu Poumele, 56-2 ¾-53-0.
Escondido doubled in the relays, :42.9 in the 4×100 and 3:24.3 in the 4×1600. The Cougars Keith Williams was byed into the CIF trials in the 300 hurdles.
GROSSMONT 3-A, @HELIX
El Capitan edged Helix, 75-74, for the team championship, with Granite Hills at 73 ½, Monte Vista, 32, and Mount Miguel, 19.
David Loshenkohl of Granite Hills was a double winner, 53-8 ½ in the shot put and 145-4 in the discus. Chris Ruff of El Capitan won the 110 hurdles in :14.9, 300 hurdles in :40.5, and ran a leg for the Eagles’ 4×1600 relay.
GROSSMONT 2-A, @HELIX
Santana outscored Grossmont, 96-71, for the team title. El Cajon Valley had 63 points, Valhalla 31, and West Hills 28.
5/16/90
Brent Noon sustained a leg injury in the Palomar League finals but would be denied a request to be byed into the Section finals in the shot put and discus, according to CIF commissioner Kendall (Spider) Webb.
5/19/90
SAN DIEGO SECTION TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Allowable wind is 2.04 meters, so Jerome Price’s 25-foot, 8-inch long jump, while better than Doyle Steel’s 25-5 ¼ in 1966, was not a record.
Nor was another wind-sided jump of 25-3, so the University City jumper settled for 25-0 ¾, second longest in County history and No. 1 in the state.
Morse’s Teddy Lawrence was second with a jump of 23-4.
San Diego Southwest sophomore Riley Washington won a heat in the 100 meters in :10.72 and Kearny’s Darnay Scott lowered the season best in the 220 to :21.55.
OTHER SEASON BESTS
Eric Bell, Castle Park, :14.46, 110 high hurdles.
Hector Hernandez, Mar Vista, 4:19.2 1600.
Lincoln 4×100 relay, :42.01.
Morse 4×1600 relay, 3:21.92.
A virtually immobile Brent Noon, nursing a tender hamstring, led qualifiers with a 61-1/2 shot put and 168-foot discus throw.
5/26/90
SAN DIEGO SECTION FINALS, @POWAY
Morse outscored Mt. Carmel, 56-38, for the team title.
Brent Noon set a meet shot put record of 74-10 ½ and University City’s Jerome Price came close to Doyle Steel’s 25-5 ¼ broad jump in 1966, closing with a 25-4 ½ leap.
Two meet records were set.
NAME
EVENT
RECORD
NAME
PREVIOUS
YEAR
Washington, San Diego Southwest
100
:10.53
Ethridge, Crawford
:10.56
1987
Noon, Fallbrook
Shot Put
74-10 ½
Noon
66-7
1989
OTHER SEASON BESTS
—Darnay Scott, Kearny, :21.49 200.
—Sean Cahill, Mira Mesa, :48.49 400.
—Scott Robeson, Mt. Carmel, 1:54.49 800.
—Hector Hernandez, Mar Vista, 4:17.26 1600.
—Tom Bache, University, 9:25.78 3200.
—Chris Jones, Morse, :37.89 300 hurdles.
—Wes Stephens, Orange Glen, 15-0 pole vault.
—Matt Johnson, Castle Park, 46-11 triple jump.
6/1/90
72ND STATE TRACK TRIALS, @CERRITOS COLLEGE, NORWALK
(*qualified for finals)
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
100
Washington
San Diego Southwest
:10.66
5th*
Lawrence
Morse
:10.88
12th
200
Hammond
Lincoln
:21.75
8th*
400
Cahill
Mira Mesa
:50.01
16th
Gregory
Patrick Henry
:50.26
18th
800
Robeson
Mt. Carmel
1:54.59
9th*
Luna
Poway
1:56.96
19th
Sanchez
Castle Park
2:01.70
27th
1600
Hernandez
Mar Vista
4:12.95
3rd*
Walker
San Pasqual
4:14.05
9th*
Biddle
Mt. Carmel
4:17.15
14th
4×100 Relay
Lincoln
:41.98
7th*
Morse
:42.38
9th*
University City
:42.60
13th
4×1600 Relay
Mira Mesa
3:17.87
4th*
Morse
3:20.83
13th
Poway
3:22.10
15th
110 Hurdles
Jones
Morse
:14.8
11th
Bell
Castle Park
:14.87
14th
300 Hurdles
Williams
Escondido
:38.26
3rd*
Lewis
Mira Mesa
:38.94
12th
Jones
Morse
:39.97
21st
High Jump
Duffield
Vista
6-4
10th
Krebs
University City
6-2
18th
Long Jump
Price
University City
24-4 3/4
2nd*
Balina
Mt. Carmel
23-4 ½
5th*
Hammond
Lincoln
22-1 3/4
13th
Triple Jump
Johnson
Castle Park
45-1/4
20th
Lundy
Morse
43-10 ¾
22nd
Shot Put
Noon
Fallbrook
73-6
1st*
Martz
Orange Glen
54-9 1/2
10th
Cienega
Escondido
53-5 1/2
13th
Discus
Noon
193-6
2nd*
Martz
168-7
Graham
Mira Mesa
154-11
Pole Vault
Stephens
Orange Glen
14-8
9th*
Roth
Mt. Carmel
14-0
Aubuchon
Fallbrook
13-8
6/2/90
72ND STATE FINALS, AT CERRITOS COLLEGE, NORWALK
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
MARK
PLACE
100
Washington
San Diego Southwest
:10.70
3rd
200
Hammond
Lincoln
:21.84
8th
800
Robeson
Mt. Carmel
1:53.89
6th
1600
Hernandez
Mar Vista
4:14.42
5th
Walker
San Pasqual
4:18.78
7th
3200
Lozano
Helix
9:32.17
19th
Hernandez
9:35.81
21st
Bache
University
9:46.93
23rd
110 Hurdles
Jones
Morse
:14.90
7th
300 Hurdles
Williams
Escondido
:38.29
6th
4×100 Relay
Lincoln
:42.34
7th
Morse
:42.38
8th
4×400 Relay
Mira Mesa
3:17.66
7th
Long Jump
Price
University City
25-3 ¼
1st
Balina
Mt. Carmel
23-1w
5th
Shot Put
Noon
Fallbrook
74-4 ¾
1st
Discus
Noon
200-8
2nd
Pole Vault
Stephens
Orange Glen
15-2
5th
The CIF’s scoring system had evolved since the first meet in 1915. Originally a finish in the top four was awarded points and a medal.
By 1980, scoring had evolved to include recognition and points as far down as sixth place.
YEARS
FIRST
SECOND
THIRD
FOURTH
FIFTH
SIXTH
1915-28
5
3
2
1
—
—
1929-30
5
3
2
1
½
—
1931-65
5
4
3
2
1
—
1966-79
6
4
3
2
1
—
1980—
10
8
6
4
2
1
6/16/90
The 31st Golden West Invitational in Sacramento attracted some of the nation’s premier athletes.
Brent Noon of Fallbrook won the shot put with a throw of 72 feet. Jim Flanigan of Brussels, Wisconsin, was second at 66-5.
University City’s Jerome Price was fourth in the long jump at 24-5 ½, behind the winning 25-5 ½ by Michael Hightower of Paris, Texas.
(Avocado and Eastern League championship meet results were not found).
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 Metropolitan League athletes competed in the Amateur Athletic Union meet of the Southern California region in Balboa Stadium.
Finances were cited by the Hilltoppers as the reason for not going to the state meet; 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 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 and was disqualified. Ray Whitcomb broad jumped 21-9 and David James ran :13.4 in the 120-yard low hurdles, both Foothillers 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 as Cardinals won 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 Hoover’s 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 21 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, 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.
1971 Track: Clairemont’s Dale Fleet Sets State Record in Two-Mile Run
San Diego Section entries totaled only a combined 10 points in the state meet, but they set one individual state meet record and provided some excellence not seen on the scoreboard.
Clairemont’s Dale Fleet set a state meet record of 8:53.8 in the two-mile run and broke Tim Danielson’s County record of 8:55.7. Helix’ Ed Mendoza was fifth in the two-mile and third all-time in 9:00.8.
San Diego’s 440 relay team of Melvin Jones, Clark Neal, Charles Fenderson and Elijah Turner was fourth in :41.5 and tied Lincoln’s 1968 record. The 4:12.3 for fourth in the mile by Claremont’s David Harper was the sixth fastest ever.
Greg Gorsuch of Castle Park equaled a career best of 6-8 in the high jump although finishing sixth and Vista’s Ken Parrot long jumped 23-5 for a personal topper.
Shot putter Greg Norfleet of Morse improved from a regular-season best of 56-4 by qualifying 12th in the trials at 57-1/4 and improving to ninth in the finals at 58-8 ¾.
My favorite was Lincoln’s Donald Tyler, who couldn’t get a call in pre-meet dope sheets but came to compete in a loaded 440. Tyler, who won the San Diego section championship in :48.7, then surprised by advancing in the trials with a career best :48 flat.
Tyler was eighth in the finals but he tied the San Diego Section record of :47.3 and he had the same time as the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh-place finishers. I wonder if the film review of close finishes included a good look at this sizzler.
Not many medals, but outstanding marks.
Clairemont’s Dale Fleet finishes state two-mile run in record 8:53.8, followed by Upland’s Gordon Innes (8:54.4) and Los Angeles’ Wilson’s Jose Amaya (8:54.4). The three bettered mark of 8:55.9, set in 1970 by Ron Johnson of West Torrance.
4/30/71
Greg Gorsuch cleared 6 feet, 8 inches, Steve See 6-6, and Bob Simas, 6-5 ¼, in the high jump, in the same meet, as Castle Park whipped Hilltop, 78-40, in the Metro League.
“Greg just ticked the bar at 6-9,” said Trojans coach Gray Elliott, “and he must have cleared 6-8 by three inches.”
Gorsuch also won the 120-yard high hurdles in :14.8.
—Patrick Henry won the Eastern League dual meet, 68-50, but Lincoln’s Donald Tyler ran the 220 in :21.4 on the Henry straightaway for the day’s best mark.
5/3/71
Patrick Henry defeated Clairemont, 76-42, ending a streak of 15 consecutive dual meet victories for the Chieftains, who had not been beaten since losing to Helix in the opening dual of the 1970 season.
Scott Hurst’s 1:57.9 victory in the 880, marked the first time he had gotten under two minutes this season and beat the Chiefs’ favored Randy McFarlane and David Harper.
5/7/71
EASTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
The all-weather track at the stadium meant that running events would go but heavy rain made the jumping pits resemble swimming pools, so field events were postponed.
Lincoln led with 13 qualifiers with Donald Tyler’s :49.4 in the 440 pacing the Hornets. Morse sophomore James Milton (:22) edged Tyler (:22.1) in the 220.
Dual meet champion San Diego had 4 qualifiers, “but we got all our key guys in,” said Cavers coach Martin Pedigo.
GROSSMONT LEAGUE TRIALS, @El Capitan
El Capitan, dual-meet titlist Mount Miguel, and Granite Hills each qualified 17.
Wind was such that a :19.4 by Mount Miguel’s Milton Johnson in the 180-yard low hurdles was disallowed a meet record.
Discus throwers, led by the 172-4 of Monte Vista’s Les Frank, took advantage of the eight m.p.h. breeze. El Capitan’s Jim Fulcher was second at 170-10.
Lincoln coach Earl Faison and meet official Olga Jackson come to aid of Morse high jumper David Jackson, the Section Class B winner at 5 feet, 10 inches. Jackson, using the flop technique, sustained a broken leg on his winning jump.
5/11/71
WESTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @MISSION BAY
Rory Trup, who won the San Diego Section 880-yard run in 1:55.3, with a best of 1:55.1, in 1970, ran the fastest 440 of the day, :50.2. Point Loma’s John Willson won the second heat in :50.3.
Kearny led with 14 qualifiers. Clairemont had 12, Mission Bay and Madison nine each.
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE TRIALS, @CHULA VISTA
Greg Gorsuch of Castle Park won hurdles heats in :15.3 and :20.4 and took a rest from the high jump, in which all competitors were advanced to the finals.
Donald Tyler of Lincoln raced 220 in :21.4 and showed big improvement in 440-yard dash, tying County record of :47.3.
5/14/71
EASTERN LEAGUE, @BALBOA STADIUM
San Diego scorched a :41.8 in the opening 440 relay andwent on to win the team championship with 57 points to Lincoln’s 49, Patrick Henry’s 39, and Crawford’s 38.
San Diego’s Melvin Jones won the 100-yard dash in 09.8 and teammate Elijah Turner the 220 in :21.8. Morse’s Greg Norfleet had a season-best 56-4 in the shot put. Donald Tyler of Lincoln ran :48.7 in the 440.
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE, @CHULA VISTA
The winning high jump height was 6-4 ¾. But the winner was not the favored Greg Gorsuch as unheralded Dave Stigen of Chula Vista out jumped Castle Park’s Steve See and Gorsuch, who was third, and their teammate Bob Simas.
Gorsuch interrupted his jumping to take part in the 440 relay. The bar was at 6-6 when Gorsuch returned to the high jump.
According to Logan Gray Elliott, Gorsuch’s coach, his ace cleared 6-9…after the competition.
Gorsuch affected the high jump flop but Stigen used the vintage Western roll.
Castle Park won the team title with 52 points. Hilltop was second with 31.
WESTERN LEAGUE, @MISSION BAY
Kearny’s Mike (Barney) Person cleared the 120 high hurdles in what was described as a wind-legal :14.4, bettering the :14.7 of Clairemont’s Steve Spiewak in 1970.
John Willson of Point Loma tied he 440 record of :49.7 by Clairemont’s Larry Godfrey in 1962.
Kim Downs of Kearny surprised the field, including defending champion Rory Trup of Mission Bay, with Downs’ 1:54.5 880, 13th fastest in County history, but short of Bob Hose’s league-record 1:52.1 in 1964.
Kearny also surprised Clairemont, 44 points to 43, and won the team championship.
GROSSMONT LEAGUE, @EL CAPITAN
Mount Miguel (47 points) won a battle with Helix (45 1/2), El Capitan (45 ½), and Monte Vista (45) for the team championship.
Rick Schultz of Helix set a pole vault record of 14 feet, 8 ½ inches. Jim Cochran of El Cajon Valley and Schultz each had cleared 14-7 ¼, Cochran in 1968, Schultz in 1970.
AVOCADO LEAGUE, @ESCONDIDO
Vista’s Stan Leonard ran 1:56.4 in the 880 to break the 1965 record of 1:56.8 by Oceanside’s Brett Rowlett.
The 440 time of :49.5 by John Davenport of Escondido erased the :50 by Coronado’s Scott Knox in 1961 and was the fastest-ever by a runner from a North County school.
Wesley Babcock of Lincoln tied record of :14.2 in San Diego Section Trials, beating Crawford’s Les Francisco, who ran :14.4.
5/21/71
SAN DIEGO SECTION TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Wesley Babcock of Lincoln tied the meet record of :14.2 in the 120-yard high hurdles, won his heat in the 180 lows :19.5, and anchored Lincoln’s mile relay, which ran 3:24.3 and qualified.
The inspired Babcock cited divine providence after the Hornets entered the race not one, but two regulars short. “It was a miracle,” he intoned.
Lincoln was third in its heat as Winston Sharp substituted for ill Willard Nickleberry and Donald Tyler could not run the long relay because he was in the 440 relay, plus the 220 and 440 and a CIF rule prohibited substitutions of relay personnel unless of injury or illness.
Vista’s Stan Leonard won 880 championship in 1:54.2.
Babcock was timed in :49.5 for his leg, although one observer had him in :48.9.
San Diego was dominant in each relay, winning its heats in :41.9 and 3:19.5, respectively. Melvin Jones won a 100 heat in :09.7.
Three top pole vaulters did not qualify.
Helix’ Rick Schultz’ pole snapped and he was slowed by a pulled muscle. Glen Gunderson of Poway (13-11 ¼) was out with a back injury, and Monte Vista’s Max Gabaldon (14-4) could not find his step and was slowed by back problems.
Lincoln and Vista each qualified nine for the finals. San Diego, Patrick Henry, Escondido, Oceanside, and Clairemont had eight each.
5/27/71
SAN DIEGO SECTION FINALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
A see-saw battle for the team championship went to San Diego, with 31 ½ points to Lincoln’s 30. Clairemont followed with 28 in the closest team race since Granite Hills edged Lincoln, 26-23 in 1965.
The team race came down to the mile relay, last event. Without Willard Nickleberry and Donald Tyler, Lincoln was fifth in 3:24.3. San Diego won in 3:19.4 and also edged Lincoln in the short relay in :42.2, same time as for the Hornets.
David Harper and Dale Fleet kept Clairemont in the running.
Harper ran the mile in a season-best 4:12.4, beating teammate Rick Lord, who ran 4:18.8. and Fleet outran Helix’ Ed Mendoza in the two mile, 9:02 to 9:10.4.
Castle Park’s Greg Gorsuch flopped 6 feet, 6 inches, in the high jump and Chula Vista’s Dave Stigen, using the Western roll technique, also cleared 6-6, but Gorsuch won on fewer misses.
Stan Leonard of Vista won a competitive 880-yard run in 1:54.2, ahead of Mission Bay’s Kim Downs (1:54.3) and Rory Trup (1:54.4), Helix’ Bob Bishop (1:54.5), and Patrick Henry’s Scott Hurst (1:55.3).
Elijah Turner hit tape in San Diego’s 3:19.4 victory in San Diego Section mile relay, with Patrick Henry’s Jim Howe (left) anchoring his team to runner-up, 3:19.7 clocking.
6/5/71
53RD STATE TRACK TRIALS, @UCLA
FIRST 3 IN EACH HEAT, TOP 12 IN FIELD EVENTS QUALIFIED
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
RESULTS
PLACE
100
James Milton
Morse
:09.8
3rd
Melvin Jones
San Diego
:09.9
9th
220
Milton
:21.5
4th
Elijah Turner
San Diego
:21.8
5th
440
Donald Tyler
Lincoln
:48.0
3rd
John Davenport
Escondido
—-
9th
880
Kim Downs
Mission Bay
1:55.3
4th
Stan Leonard
Vista
1:55.7
6th
Mile
David Harper
Clairemont
4:14.0
2nd
Mark Novak
Clairemont
4:19.8
6th
120HH
Barney Person
Kearny
—-
6th
Wesley Babcock
Lincoln
—-
Scratched
180LH
David Watson
Crawford
:19.5
6th
Bill Haynie
:19.6
7th
440 Relay
San Diego
:42.1
3rd
Lincoln
:42.3
4th
Mile Relay
Patrick Henry
3:18.9
3rd
San Diego
—
Scratched
High Jump
Greg Gorsuch
Castle Park
6-6
3rd
Dave Stigen
Chula Vista
6-4
—-
Long Jump
Ken Parrot
Vista
23-0
T-6th
David Crouch
Crawford
22-11
10th
Shot Put
Greg Norfleet
Morse
57-1/4
12th
Kurt Nelson
Madison
50-6
—
Pole Vault
Steve Field
Escondido
No Height
Francisco Zepeda
San Diego
Scratched
Discus
Jim Fulcher
El Capitan
155-11
—
Les Frank
Monte Vista
148-1
—
6/6/71
53RD STATE TRACK FINALS, @UCLA
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
RESULTS
PLACE
100
Milton
—-
7th
440
Tyler
:47.3
8th
Mile
Harper
4:12.3
4th
Two-Mile
Dale Fleet
Clairemont
8:53.8
1st
Ed Mendoza
Helix
9:00.8
5th
440 Relay
San Diego
:41.5
4th
Mile Relay
Patrick Henry
—-
8th
High Jump
Gorsuch
6-8
6th
Long Jump
Parrot
23-5
7th
Crouch
22-11 ¾
8th
Shot Put
Norfleet
58-8 3/4
9th
1939 Track: Hilltoppers’ Heredia Barely Missed State Championship
Al Heredia leaned at the tape but Torrance’s John Hall won state mile run in 4:26.8, with Heredia’s setting a San Diego High record that stood until 1967 with same time as Hall’s. Herman Stanfil of Montebello (behind Heredia) was third in 4:27.5.
San Diego High’s defending state championship team had the splendid miler, Al Heredia, but it was a quiet season overall in the militarily vital Coastal zone. The young men of the area undoubtedly were aware of the war clouds in Europe that would lead to World War II.
3/16/39
Oceanside won the 880-yard relay in 1:36.2 and the five points secured a 55-49, Metropolitan League victory at Escondido.
Jerry Williams of the losing Cougars set school records of 6 feet in the high jump and 21-1½ in the broad jump.
3/18/39
Defending champion San Diego was sixth with 9 1/2 points in team scoring in the Southern Counties’ Invitational at Huntington Beach High.
Al Heredia was a winner in 4:49.1 in the mile. Chuck Hertzog was fourth in the broad jump at 21 feet, 1 inch. Jim Brewer was fourth in the 880 and the Hilltoppers were third in the 880-yard relay, won by Com[ton in 1:32.5.
Compton won the large school championship with 33 points. Garden Grove won the small schools title with 20 points. Coronado was third with 17, Grossmont fourth with 16, and Vista tied for ninth with 3.
Eddie Morris of Huntington Beach, on his home track, ran :09.7 in the 100-yard dash and :21.0 in the 220.
3/31/39
Chuck Hartzog broad jumped 22 feet, 2 ½ inches for the best mark in San Diego’s 90-32 Coast League dual meet rout of the host Alhambra Moors.
Robert Estavillo was a triple winner in :10.2 and :23.6 in the 100 and 220-yard dashes and anchored the 880-yard relay team to a 1:33 victory. Al Heredia won the mile in 4:49 for the Hilltoppers.
—Don Hayden won three events, 70-yard high hurdles (:10.1), high jump (5-feet-6), and pole vault (10-feet-8) at Vista swept a triangular meet with San Jacinto’ and Wildomar Elsinore.
The Panthers got the best of the two teams called Tigers, 67 points to 37 for San Jacinto and 27 for Elsinore and also swept classes B and C.
—Ramona scored 29 points, Fallbrook 25, and Mountain Empire 23 in a Southern Prep League triangular at Ramona.
Marr, Wise, and Elliott, the only Mountain Empire entries, won 4 events. Marr won the 100 (:10.8) and 220 (:24.8), Wise the 440 (:55.6), and Elliott the high jump (5-3).
4/10/39
Don Harden won three events and Vista defeated Ramona, 81-26, in a Southern Prep League meet.
4/12/39
Hoover defeated Alhambra, 86 1/6-35 5/6, in a quickly organized Coast League meet. Alhambra balked at the under-the-lights Friday, April 15, date at Hoover.
The Moors would have had to travel three hours and 125 miles on the often foggy Coast Highway as evening was setting in.
4/13/39
Tom Herrin, his Point Loma baseball team’s game rained put, switched uniforms and helped the Pointers beat Grossmont, 73-31, in a Metropolitan League dual.
Herrin was second to teammate Bill Fitzgerald in the 100 and 220 and won the broad jump at 20-5 7/8 and shot put at 43-1 ½. Fitzgerald’s winning times were :10.6 and :24.1.
—Long Beach Poly won the Coast League’s big meet, 69½-52 ½, over visiting San Diego. Poly’s Tommy Davies won sprint duels from San Diego’s Robert Estavillo in :09.9 and :23 and anchored the Jackrabbits’ 1:32.2 win in the 880 relay.
The Hilltoppers’ Al Heredia won the mile in 4:43. Chuck Hartzog took the broad jump at 21-1 /3/4 and John Macevicz beat teammate Jim Brewer in a 2:01.3 880.
—Vista stayed unbeaten in the Southern Prep League by sweeping classes A, B, and C from Brown Military. The Panthers outscored the Cadets, 72-36, in Class A.
Jim Henderson (left) and Walter Obayashi cleared hurdles for San Diego High.
4/18/39
Escondido outscored visiting Hoover, 52 2/3-51 1/3, in a nonleague dual meet. Bob Gain set a school record with a :10.2 victory in the 100-yard dash and teammate Jerry Williams set another with a 6-1 high jump.
4/20/39
Coronado won at Sweetwater, 66 2/3-37 1/3, clearing the decks for a showdown between the Islanders (4-0) and Escondido (3-0) four days later.
Point Loma (4-1) was lying in the weeds, the Pointers’ only loss to Escondido and still to meet Coronado.
4/21/39
The first annual All-City Relays at Hoover matched the Cardinals and Point Loma against San Diego and La Jolla.
Twenty events with combined squads in varsity, Class B and C, from the opening, four-man shuttle hurdles, to the final, Football Lettermen’s 400-yard relay (in full uniform and a football to serve as the passing baton), drew about 1,400 persons.
Hoover-Point Loma outscored San Diego-La Jolla, 88-72, with scoring at 5 points for first and 3 for second. The Cardinals and Pointers combined for 14 first places. San Diego was forced to enter four men in some events as La Jolla did not have personnel.
Best performance probably was by the four Hilltoppers runners in the four-man, two-mile relay.
Bill Chapman, Jim Brewer, John Macevicz, and Al Heredia covered the distance in 8:22. Macevicz was timed in 2:03 and Heredia anchored in 2:01.5, crossing the finish line 150 yards in front of the Hoover-Point Loma entry.
4/24/39
Coronado’s Tommy Miller overtook Escondido’s Jerry Williams in the 880 relay and the Islanders came from behind to win the important Metropolitan League dual, 52 ½-51 ½, with a school-record time of 1:35.1.
Bob Gain, who won the 100 (:10.3) and 220 (:23.7), gave the Cougars a lead on the opening leg of the relay and that held up until Miller caught Jerry Williams about 15 yards from the tape.
Williams had won the high jump (5-8) and broad jump (20-9 1/8) and was second in the 120-yard low hurdles. Howard Bob White of Escondido won the 880 in a Metro best of 2:09.3, narrowly beating Coronado’s Tom Rice.
4/28/39
The powder blue pants of San Diego High coach Joe Beerkle caught the attention of the crowd, which gathered under the lights at Hoover as the Hilltoppers surprisingly dominated, 74 2/3-47 1/3.
Al Heredia pulled away to beat Cardinal Art Nash by 20 yards in 4:38.2, stamping Heredia as a CIF contender. Glendon Armstrong and Bob Klicka tied for first in the 440 in :51.8.
—Escondido would get an opportunity to tie for the Metropolitan League dual meet championship with a 76 1/3-27 2/3 win over Sweetwater.
—Point Loma defeated Coronado, 56-48, as the Islanders’ Tom Rice set a school record of 4:53.5 in the mile and the Pointers’ Parkinson set a school record of 5-8 7/8 in the high jump.
Escondido had only La Jolla remaining on the schedule. An expected win by the Cougars would give the three contenders 5-1 records.
5/2/39
La Jolla, citing a lack of personnel, forfeited the final dual meet to Escondido, creating a three-way tie for the dual meet title between the Cougars, Point Loma, and Coronado.
Johnny Bauer of Hoover was one of area’s top shotputters, whether competing in Class A or B.
5/5/39
Johnny Bauer, who set a CIF Class C record of 53 feet 5 inches with the eight-pound shot in 1938, won the Coast League Class B competition at Alhambra by pushing the 10-pound ball 52-4.
Rodney Cole of Hoover was second in the pole vault but set a school record of 12 feet, ½ inch.
Hoover won the Class B championship, edging Long Beach Poly, 61-60.
5/6/39
Grossmont, undefeated in Class B and C dual meet competition entered 52 athletes in a field of 265 in the sixth Metropolitan League trials and championships at San Diego State. Trials were to begin at 10 a.m., with finals getting underway at 1:30 p.m.
The 17th Coast League finals were at Balboa Stadium and the third Southern Prep League championships were at San Dieguito.
Al Heredia continued his late-season push when he ran the mile in a 4:33.2 that smashed the meet-record of 4:38 by Evan Dowers of San Diego in 1930.
A month ago Heredia was running in the 4:40s and John Macevicz was one of the top half-milers in Southern California. Sinus problems forced an end to Macevicz’s season this week, but Jim Brewer stepped up to win the 880 in 2:01.
Long Beach Poly outscored San Diego, 75 ½-68, for the team championship. Hoover and Alhambra finished third and fourth with 38 ½ and 9.
Bill Hite of Poly logged :50.4 in the 440 to better the record of :50.5 by Maynard Shove of Pasadena in 1927 and Hite was part of the 880 relay squad which won in 1:30.7.
—Point Loma’s Richard Marques set a Metro mile mark of 4:44.9, which broke a record of 4:48.8 by Sweetwater’s Clair Berdel in 1935.
Marques’ teammate, Tom Herrin, and Oceanside’s Bruce McAllister were double winners, Herrin with a 21-6 7/8 broad jump and 45-8 shot put and McAllister with a :10.2 100 and :22.6 220.
Point Loma won the team title with 43 points, with Coronado (22), Oceanside (21-1 ½), Escondido (16 ½), Grossmont (10) and Sweetwater (8) trailing.
—Ten meet records were broken and Vista outscored San Dieguito, 67 to 62, for the team Southern Prep League championship. Leo Swain of San Dieguito had the day’s best effort with his record 2:07.7 in the 880.
5/13/39
DIVISIONAL @SAN DIEGO STATE
San Diego and Hoover of the Coast League was joined by athletes from the Metropolitan, Southern Prep, and Imperial Valley loops.
The often afternoon cold wind was prevalent as San Diego’s Al Heredia won his mile race in 4:42. Sophomore Lou Barrera led teammate Robert Estavillo and Escondido’s Bob Gain in a :22 flat 220.
5/20/39
SOUTHERN SECTION FINALS, @L.A. COLISEUM
San Diego’s Al Heredia set a school record and won the mile in 4:29.3. Jim Brewer ran the 880 in 1:59, second to the 1:58.6 by Beverly Hills’ Paul Christianson, for another Hilltoppers record.
Lowell Donnelly tied for third in the high jump at 6-1 and Chuck Hartzog was fifth in the broad jump at 21-9. The 880 relay team, of Lou Barrera, Bob Klicka, Glendon Armstrong, and Robert Estavillo, was third as Compton won in 1:28.9.
Tom Herrin of Point Loma reached 44 feet, 6 ½ inches and won the hop, step, and jump.
Long Beach Poly led in team scoring with 24 points, with Compton second with 21, San Diego tied for third with Glendale Hoover with 15.
5/27/39
25TH STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS, @L.A. COLISEUM
Al Heredia was so close to winning that his second-place time of 4:26.8 was the same as the winner, John Hall of Torrance, second to Heredia in the Southern Section meet last week. Heredia’s school record wouldn’t be broken for almost 30 years, by John Jacobsen, who ran 4:22 in 1967.
Jim Brewer was runner-up again to Beverly Hills’ Paul Christenson, who ran 2:01.3 in the 880.
Tom Herrin of Point Loma did not compete in the hop, step, and jump because it was an exhibition, non-scoring event.
San Diego was sixth in team scoring with 8 points. Bakersfield won with 16.
San Diego’s Lou Barrera (white trunks) was sixth in Southern Section 220, behind winner, Huntington Beach’s Eddie Morris, who ran :21.6.
1970: Culp Cleared 7 feet Three Times, Won State Title
Culp made San Diego County history with Western Roll high jump. s
Jerry Culp starred on a vanishing stage.
The Oceanside High senior became the eighth prep high jumper to clear seven feet, scaling the height three times and winning the state championship with a leap of 7 feet, ¼ inch.
But since an Oregon State high jumper had perfected a new, drastically event-changing style and won an Olympic gold medal in 1968, jumpers were moving away from what had been tradition for about 15 years.
Culp used the “Western Roll” technique which had evolved from the “Standing” high jump of the early 1900’s to the scissors, which gradually became a straddle and which gave way to the form Culp and predecessors, such as 1956 gold medalist Charlie Dumas had perfected.
Castle Park’s Greg Gorsuch was one of the practitioners adopting the “Fosbury Flop” introduced by Dick Fosbury, who won the gold two years before with his revolutionary, “back first” approach.
Gorsuch cleared 6 feet, 6 1/2 inches and was an object of attention as he competed as a Class C jumper and low hurdler in league and CIF meets.
Almost all jumpers eventually flopped.
4/17/70
Oceanside’s Jerry Culp for the first time cleared 7 feet in the high jump, negotiating 7-1/4 on his first try as the Pirates won their 49th consecutive dual meet, 86-32 over Vista.
Otis Hailey from Wasco in California’s San Joaquin Valley reportedly cleared 7-1 ¼ in 1968.
“It’s what we’ve been hoping for since he cleared 6-10 in his first meet last year,” Pirates coach Tom Shields told Jack Williams of the Evening Tribune. “Now we’re just sort of all quivery and excited.”
Culp did not make another attempt. “Anything else seemed like anti-climax,” said Shields. “I asked Jerry if he wanted to continue jumping and he said, ‘Not unless you want me to, coach.’”
—San Diego was ready for its Eastern League showdown with Lincoln next week after the Cavers’ 69-49 win over Patrick Henry, which tied the Hornets earlier, 59-59.
The Cavers set the pace from the outset with a :43.4 victory in the opening, 440-yard relay. Henry’s Jim Howe ran the 100 in :10.
—Helix turned back Monte Vista, 69-66, to win its third straight Grossmont League dual-meet championship, but the biggest splash was by Billy Joe Winchester, who set a County record of 180 feet, 2 inches, in the discus and won the shot put at 62-7 ½ in Mount Miguel’s 92 ½-43 ½ win over Santana.
—Jesse Davis, with the obligatory Castle Park wind behind his back, ran the 180-yard low hurdles in :19.4 and a leg on the winning, 440-yard relay team (:44.2) in Sweetwater’s 64-56 win over Castle Park.
Mike Ruiz was even more important in the Red Devils’ victory, winning the 220 in :21.8, long jump at 21-10, and anchoring the meet-clinching mile relay triumph (3:32.2).
Greg Gorsuch “Fosbury flopped” 6-5 for the Trojans to win the high jump and future NFL first-round draft choice Steve Riley hurled the shot 51-6 1/2.
4/18/70
Helix’ Ed Mendoza won the two-mile run in 9:14.5, nearly 40 seconds faster than the nearest runner, and was named outstanding athlete at the Compton Cup Invitational.
Smith was Morse’s fastest.
Ochoa battled Smith.
4/22/70
Bill Smith of Morse, running in front of the friendly breezes at home, sped to a :09.5 100-yard dash, took the 220 in :22.3 and anchored Morse to a :43.3 win in the 440-yard relay, but Crawford won the Eastern League dual, 60-58.
4/23/70
“It used to be that Lincoln was so strong the coaches in our league wondered if they could put together an all-star team good enough to beat them,” said San Diego’s Martin Pedigo.
But Pedigo’s squad defeated Lincoln, 61-57, for the Cavers’ first win over the Hornets since 1963. The Hornets lost two dual meets, including their first in the Eastern League in seven years and were tied by Patrick Henry, 59-59.
—Coronado’s Robert Mansueto raced the 120-yard high hurdles in :14.8, tying the school record, set by Charlie Love in 1956, but Hilltop won the Metropolitan League dual, 63-55.
Billy Joe Winchester’s excellence included mastery of discus upper left).
4/24/70
MT. SAN ANTONIO INVIATIONAL, @WALNUT
Jerry Culp cleared 6-4 in the high jump, missing three times at 6-6.
El Cajon Valley’s Dean Owens won the event at 6-8. “I know I can beat these guys,” Culp said of the competition. “I don’t want to make any excuses but the takeoff area was sloped. I didn’t like it.”
—Billy Joe Winchester lost his first shot put competition of the season, reaching 60-11 ¼ and finishing third behind Roger Friberg of San Marino (62-8 ¼) and Dave Schiller of Long Beach Millikan (61-9 ¼).
Winchester won the discus toss at 166-10 ¼, short of his County-record 180-2.
—Helix was second in the four man, four-mile relay to Manhattan Beach Mira Costa as a team of Robin Schulz (4:33), Rich Stump, Dennis Rodgers, and Ed Mendoza (4:16.4) bettered the County record with a time of 17:46.2. Clairemont had run 17:46.8 a month earlier.
Helix was third with a team of Dave Raney, Steve Pitt, Don Moore, and Bob Bishop in the four-man, two-mile relay in 8:01.2
—Clairemont defeated Mission Bay, 77-41, to claim the Western League dual meet title as David Harper ran 4:18.5, the season’s fastest mile; George Chandler took the 100 in :09.9, and Steve Spiewak the 180 low hurdles in :19.6.
–Oceanside won the Avocado League team title in the Vista Relays for the seventh consecutive year with 81 points to 74 for second-place Escondido. Orange Glen’s Jerry Matlock set a record with a time of :13.1 in the 120-yard high hurdles.
4/28/70
St. Augustine’s Jesse Ochoa clocked a wind-aided :09.6 for the 100-yard dash at Patrick Henry, which won the dual meet, 79-38. El Cajon Valley’s Richard Norkunas cleared 14 feet, 3/4 inch, in the pole vault, and the Braves beat Monte Vista, 71-65.
4/30/70
Wesley Babcock’s :14.6 clocking in the 120-yard high hurdles was a milestone in Lincoln’s 16-year track history. Babcock was the 15th Hornet to run :14.8 or better. Ted Scales, David Edwards, and Marion Franklin each shared the school record at :14.1.
—Vincent Breddell won the 100 in :09.8, 220 in :22,5, and anchored Kearny to a :42.3 victory in the 440 relay but Point Loma won the mile relay in 3:31.9 and the Western League dual, 61-57.
5/1/70
Billy Joe Winchester won the shot put at 60-2 and whirled the discus 194-6, fourth longest distance in California this season and more than 14 feet further than Winchester had accomplished when he set the County record of 180-2 on April 17.
Chris Adams of Los Altos (201), Bob Stoecker (Los Altos), 195-4, and Tom Birtwhistle (Palo Alto), 195-4, rank 1-2-3.
El Cajon Valley won the Grossmont League dual meet against the visiting Matadors, 74-62.
—Robert Mansueto of Coronado broke the school record he tied the previous week when Mansueto scaled the 120-yard high hurdles in :14.7 and won the 180 lows in :19.7.
—Mesa College coach Dick Coxe provided a wind gauge for the Eastern League meet between Morse and San Diego.
There was wind, 7 miles an hour, more than the allowable 4.473, when Morse’s Bill Smith won the 100-yard dash in :09.7, but the setting was not the gusty plain on which the Tigers and others ran their fast times.
The 5-foot, 6 ½-inch Smith ran his century in usually mild Balboa Stadium and he followed with a :22 victory in the 220, after anchoring Morse to a :42.5 win in the 440 relay.
San Diego stayed unbeaten in league meets, winning, 65-53, over the Tigers. Cavers high jumpers Hubert Everett and Albert Mills each cleared 6-4 ¼ and Everett won the long jump at 22-5 ½.
Willard Nickleberry of Lincoln breasted tape ahead of Crawford’s John Graham and Morse’s Harold Hendrix (right) in Eastern League 880 final in 1:59.1. Hendrix was given same time and Graham 1:59.2.
5/8/70
WESTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @MADISON
Kearny led with 14 qualifiers, followed by Clairemont and Mission Bay, 11 each; Point Loma and Madison, 10 each, and La Jolla and University, 5 each.
Point Loma junior John Willson, whose late father, Jimmy Willson was the state sprint champion for San Diego High in 1929, ran the fastest 440 trial, :50.2.
EASTERN LEAGUE TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Lincoln’s Milton Mitchell ran :47.7, the second fastest 440 in County history, and equaled the state’s fastest this season as Lincoln led all qualifiers with 17.
Jesse Greene of Lincoln (:49.6) was given the win in a dead heat with San Diego’s Melvin Jones (:49.6) in the other quarter mile trial. Lincoln’s Bobby Odom was second to Mitchell at :49.8.
Crawford and Morse qualified 13 each, Patrick Henry 10, San Diego 8, St. Augustine 7, and Hoover, 3.
GROSSMONT LEAGUE TRIALS, @SANTANA
Five-foot, 10-inch, 240-pound Billy Joe Winchester continued his late-season run of records in the discus, sending the platter 195-8, bettering his County record, set eight days before.
“I love throwing the discus at Santana,” Winchester said. “The wind’s like a tornado there. I threw 157 there as a freshman.”
Helix’ Gunnars Valkirs (168) and Dick Comber (159-9) also reached season highs, as did Granite Hills long Jumper Daryl Guthridge, 23-0.
Lloyd Kaster of El Cajon Valley and Art Evins each doubled in the hurdles, Kaster in :14.8 and :20.1, Evins in :15.1 and :20. Dean Owens, Kaster’s teammate, led qualifiers with a 6-4 high jump.
Helix sent 22 to the finals, followed by El Cajon Valley, 18; Monte Vista, 14; Granite Hills, 13; Mount Miguel, 11; Grossmont and Santana, 10 each, and El Capitan 6.
—High jumpers continued to excel. Orange Glen’s Jerry Kiley went 6-6 ¼ in the Patriots’ 62-56 loss to Vista and Dave Stigen of Chula Vista cleared 6-4 in a 99-19 win over Bonita Vista.
Greg Gorsuch flopped in practice for cameraman.
5/12/70
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE @CASTLE PARK
Greg Gorsuch made history with his Fosbury Flop, clearing 6-6 ½ in the Class C field event finals, breaking the County C record of 6-3 1/4 by Eddy Hanks of Hoover in 1962 and the CIF Southern Section record of 6-3 ½ by Randy Fulkerson of Santa Fe Springs Santa Fe.
Also shattered by Gorsuch was the league record, 5-10.
The usual Castle Park breezes aided Mar Vista’s Valley Coleman, who ran :14.4 in the 120-yard high hurdles; Sweetwater’s Jesse Davis, :19.1 in the 180 lows, and Jim Eaves, who raced the 220 straight course in :21.6, fastest in the County this season.
5/15/70
EASTERN LEAGUE FINALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
San Diego won its first team championship since 1963, edging Lincoln, 57 ½-55, with Crawford third with 41 points. Morse had 30 1/2, St. Augustine 22, Patrick Henry 15, and Hoover 1.
Bill Smith of Morse won the 100 duel with Jesse Ochoa of St. Augustine in :09.8 and Ochoa evened the score in the 220 in :21.8.
San Diego won the 440 relay in :42.2, followed by Morse, :42.4, and Lincoln, :42.6. The Cavers had four more individual winners, Hubert Everett, 6-3 high jump, 21-10 ¾ long jump, Robert Leyba, 9:54.8 two-mile, and Roy Manriquez, 4:37.6 mile.
Lincoln’s Milton Mitchell won the 440 in :47.7, followed by Clifton Smith of Crawford in :49.3, and Jesse Greene of Lincoln, :49.5. Mitchell and Greene were on the winning mile relay team that ran 3:22.7.
WESTERN LEAGUE, @MADISON
Three meet records were set and two tied and Clairemont outscored Kearny, 52 ½-47, for the team championship. Following were Mission Bay (45), Madison (32), Point Loma (30½), University (8), and La Jolla (7).
Steve Spiewak of Clairemont set two hurdles records, :14.7 in the 120-yard highs, bettering the mark of :14.8 by Mission Bay’s Dee Hayes in 1965 and Kearny’s Dennis Downes in 1968, and :19.4 in the 180 lows, which erased :19.6’s by Point Loma’s Charles Streeter in ’63, Mission Bay’s Sam Fernandez in ’65, and Point Loma’s Steve Noall in ’68.
David Harper of Clairemont logged a 4:15.4 mile, making Harper the sixth fastest four-lap runner in County history and better than his 4:19.5 in 1969.
The only milers to have run faster than Harper were Tim Danielson (3:59.4), Armando Valencia (4:08.8), Tom Davidson (4:09), Thornton Bigley (4:10.8), Lloyd Apgar (4:11.8), Steve Becker (4:13), Otis Martin (4:14.3), and Dave Funderburk (4:14.4).
Patrick Henry’s Jim Howe (foreground) dejectedly walked away as San Diego Cavers celebrated pivotal Eastern League dual meet victory.
METROPOLITAN LEAGUE, @CASTLE PARK
Valley Coleman of Mar Vista beat Robert Mansueto of Coronado in :14.7 in the high hurdles, but Jesse Davis of Sweetwater defeated both in the low hurdles in :19.6 and anchored a :43.1 victory in the 440 relay.
Davis also won the 100 in a shockingly slow :11.6.
Not to worry, Red Devils. Davis was forced to run 120 yards. Bosses forgot to move the finish line after the 120-yard high hurdles final.
Sweetwater outscored Mar Vista, 70-43, for the team title. Chula Vista (28), Castle Park (20), Coronado (20), Hilltop (7), Bonita Vista (6) and Mar Vista (0) also were on the card.
AVOCADO LEAGUE, @ESCONDIDO
Oceanside won five events in the non-scoring event, led by Leonard Willis’ :19.4 victory in the 180 low hurdles and a San Diego Section leading 23-4 ¼ in the long jump.
Jerry Culp high jumped 6-10 and had three misses at what would have been a national record of 7-1 ½.
GROSSMONT LEAGUE, @GRANITE HILLS
Billy Joe Winchester heaved a career best 62-11 in the shot put and a personal third best 193 feet to share double honors with Helix’ Art Evins, who won the high hurdles in :14.8 and set a meet record of :19.5 in the low hurdles.
Pole vaulter Rick Schultz of Helix cleared 14 feet, 7 ¼ inches, higher than all but El Cajon Valley’s Jim Cochran, 14-10 ¾, in 1968, and El Capitan’s Andy Steben, 14-9 in 1965.
El Cajon Valley’s Dean Owen upped his meet high jump record from 6-4 to 6-9. Helix’ Ed Mendoza set a record, 9:10.2 in the two-mile.
Helix scored 69 points, followed by Granite Hills, 37; El Cajon Valley, 32; Santana, 28; Grossmont and El Capitan, 24; Mount Miguel, 22.
SOUTHERN LEAGUE
Mountain Empire won the team championship with 52 points.
5/21/70
SAN DIEGO SECTION TRIALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Billy Joe Winchester led discus qualifiers in Balboa Stadium with a toss of 170-3. Helix’ Gunnars Valkirs, 168-3 last week, was second at 154-6.
5/22/70
Jerry Culp of Oceanside cleared 7-1/4, but declined when asked if he would be aiming for a prep record of 7-1 ½ in the CIF finals the following Thursday.
“I just want to win,” Williams told Jack Williams of the Evening Tribune. “I don’t care if I win at 6-6 or 7-5. So long as I win.”
Helix had the best chance of winning, qualifying 11, followed by Oceanside, 10, and San Diego and Lincoln, 9 each.
Milton Mitchell’s :47.3 440 set a meet and County record, bettering the :48 by San Diego’s Michael Singletary in the 1965 Section finals and the :47.6 Singletary ran in the state meet that year.
Mitchell also anchored Lincoln’s mile relay to an easy win in 3:19.5, the Hornets’ best time of the season and stamping themselves as potential state meet medalists.
Mendoza led for much of state meet two-mile run and finished third.
5/27/70
SAN DIEGO SECTION FINALS, @BALBOA STADIUM
Jerry Culp won his event at 6-10 and missed three times at 7-1 ¼.
Billy Joe Winchester was a double winner (59-5 shot put, 180-6 discus). Kearny’s Vincent Breddell won the 100 in :09.7 and finished first in the 220 but was disqualified for running outside his lane.
Morse’s Bill Smith, ahead of Breddell after 40 yards, was second in the 100 in :9.8, same time given teammate James Milton and Escondido’s Richie Hunt.
Clairemont’s David Harper won the mile in a season-best 4:12.5. Mission Bay sophomore Rory Trup out dueled Helix’ Bob Bishop, 1:55.3 to 1:55.9, in the 880.
Sweetwater, thanks to Jim Eaves’ powerful second leg, was a surprise winner at :42 in the 440 relay. Milton Mitchell won the 440 in :48.2 and then left the Stadium to attend Lincoln’s prom. The favored Hornets then went unplaced in a controversial mile relay when they claimed that one of their runners was tripped during the race.
Helix outscored Oceanside, 30-23, for the team championship, followed by Orange Glen, 17; Mount Miguel, 14, El Cajon Valley and Kearny, 13 each, and Lincoln, 11, among others.
6/5/70
52ND STATE TRIALS, @EDWARDS FIELD, BERKELEY
(First three in each of three heats and first 12 in field events qualified).
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
RESULTS
PLACE
100
Vincent Breddell
Kearny
:09.71
1st
Bill Smith
Madison
:09.8
3rd
220
Jesse Ochoa
St. Augustine
:22.8
7th
Richie Hunt
Escondido
Scratched
—
440
Milton Mitchell
Lincoln
:48.2
1st
Clifton Smith
Crawford
Scratched
—
880
Rory Trup
Mission Bay
1:55.1
5th
Bob Bishop
Helix
1:57.1
7th
Mile
David Harper
Clairemont
4:17.1
2nd
Ruben Heredia
Oceanside
4:17.5
2nd
120 High Hurdles
Valley Coleman
Mar Vista
:14.8
5th
Robert Mansueto
Coronado
:15.2
8th
180 Low Hurdles
Jerry Matlock
Orange Glen
:19.5
3rd
Leonard Willis
Oceanside
:20
7th
440 Relay
Sweetwater
:42.3
5th
Orange Glen
:43
7th
Mile Relay
Escondido
3:22.1
7th
Mar Vista
No Time
7th
High Jump
Jerry Culp
Oceanside
6-4
1T
Dean Owens
El Cajon Valley
6-4
1T
Long Jump
Willis
22-11 ½
9th
Daryl Guthridge
Granite Hill
22-1/2
19th
Shot Put
Billy Joe Winchester
Mount Miguel
60-7
5th
Gunnar Valkirs
Helix
55-11
15th
Discus
Winchester
160-8
11T
Valkirs
157
—
Pole Vault
Richard Norkunas
El Cajon Valley
13-6
1T
Rick Schultz
Helix
13-6
1T
6/6/70
52ND STATE FINALS, EDWARDS FIELD, BERKELEY
EVENT
NAME
SCHOOL
RESULTS
PLACE
100
Breddell
:10
4th
Smith
:10.1
8th
440
Mitchell
:48.7
6th
Mile
Harper
4:15.8
4th
Heredia
4:19.7
8th
Two Miles
Ed Mendoza
Helix
9:01
3rd
Steve Israel
El Capitan
9:55.6
24th
180 Low Hurdles
Matlock
:19.9
9th
High Jump
Culp
7-1/4
1st
Owens
6-6
5th
Long Jump
Willis
21-4 1/4
12th
Shot Put
Winchester
61-11 ½
2nd
Discus
Winchester
185-9
2nd
Pole Vault
Schultz
14-6
5th
Norkunas
13-6
12T
Said Culp: My legs were a little tired from jumping two days in a row. The shin splints didn’t bother me. I’ll probably jump once more this year (he did 6-10 ¼ at the Sacramento Golden West Invitational) then rest the leg the rest of the summer.”
Said Winchester: “The wind never was right after I threw 197-3 in the (discus) warmups. In the shot, a lot of guys threw hard in the prelims…I’m glad I saved my best for the finals.”
Said Harper: “Running twice in two days was harder than I expected. I never had good position after the first lap. I kept getting boxed and bumping into people. Actually I asked somebody to move over and (then) squeezed through a couple guys.”
Said Breddell: “I didn’t have my usual pickup. The track seemed real slow. I couldn’t get any bite with my spikes.”
Said Mitchell: “I was ahead coming off the last turn, but the straightaway is longer here. I couldn’t hold out.”
Culp looked to summer rest.
6/14/70
Billy Joe Winchester prepared for the upcoming Golden West meet by putting the 16-pound shot 49 feet, 9 inches, and whirling the 4-pound, 6.4-ounce college and Olympic-sized discus 150-11 in an all-comers meet at San Diego State. Eddie Moeller of San Diego was unofficially reported to have reached 151-4 in 1926. Two others, Pete Shmock of San Dieguito (53-1/4 in 1968) and Grossmont’s Jim Wade (50-6 in 1957) had gone further in the shot put.
6/20/70
Winchester went just 176-6 in the Sacramento Golden West Invitational but tied Pete Shmock’s County record of 64-11 in the shot put.