Seven of the No. 1 seeds in the San Diego Section boys’ and girls’ playoff divisions of five each made it through the four rounds to championships.

Most of the surprises were in boys Division V, a distant bracket appealing mostly to friends and relatives of the competing teams. The computer, from which most pairings are determined, obviously wasn’t tuned in.

Consider: Valley Center, a No. 11 seed, which ended the season with a 10-20 record, beat three teams with combined records of 45-15 before finding its level in a 68-36 loss in the finals to No. 1 seed St. Joseph.

The Jaguars topped No. 6 Ocean View, 54-42, No. 3 San Diego Jewish, 83-57, and No. 2 Southern California Yeshiva, 73-31.

THERE WERE OTHERS

La Jolla Country Day, a 4 seed, clipped No. 1 Francis Parker, 63-59, in the boys’ D-I semifinals.  Mt. Carmel, another 4, edged No. 1 Montgomery, 68-67, in the D-II semis.

No. 4 Scripps Ranch girls overcame No. 1 Carlsbad, 66-62, in the D-I semifinals.  No. 4 Rancho Buena Vista ousted No. 1 Oceanside in D-II, 75-68, and No. 9 Calipatria, with a historically strong program, took a 13-16 record into a 63-31, opening-round win over No. 1 and 19-5 Bayfront Charter.

The most impressive boys run was by Coach Terry Tucker and the San Ysidro Cougars.  The seventh-ranked South Bay squad toppled No. 2 San Marcos, 66-52, and No. 3 Torrey Pines, 69-67, and made a second-half run in the final against St. Augustine, losing, 81-76, after trailing, 56-39, at the break.

SAN DIEGO SECTION CHAMPIONS

BOYS
Number before team names represents bracket seeding.

DIV	WINNER	RUNNER-UP	SCORE	NOTABLE
OPEN	1 St. Augustine (23-7)	7 San Ysidro (23-8)	81-76	Saints’ Dixon won a title 3 seasons ago at San Ysidro.
D-I	2 Carlsbad (21-11)	4 La Jolla Country Day (19-10)	52-42	Lancers’ fifth title, third this century, first since 2019.
D-II	4 Mt. Carmel (23-9)	2 Otay Ranch (18-12)	77-61	SunDevils broke away with 47-29 second half.
D-III	1 San Dieguito (20-7)	3 Scripps Ranch (21-11)	57-46	John Hapgood, 25 points
D-IV	1 Monte Vista (24-5)	2 Victory Christian (21-11)	54-36	Isaiah Hilke 26 points, 19 rebounds.
D-V	1 St. Joseph (20-9)	11 Valley Center (10-20)	68-36	Mikey Moore, 31 points.

GIRLS

DIV	WINNER	RUNNER-UP	SCORE	NOTABLE
OPEN	1 La Jolla Country Day (24-2)	2 Mission Hills (24-7)	68-53	Bamford’s Torreys on 16-game wining streak.
D-I	2 Del Norte (22-10)	4 Scripps Ranch (22-6)	68-59	Nighthawks’ all-time best record.
D-II	1 Fallbrook (24-6)	3 Imperial (24-6)	29-23	Warriors’ first title since 1982.
D-III	3 Maranatha (18-10)	4 Rancho Buena Vista (17-11)	65-45	Emmy Stout, 34 points, 22 rebounds.
D-IV	1 Victory Christian (17-11)	3 Steele Canyon (17-14)	44-20	Knights won D-V title in 2021
D-V	4 Blythe Palo Verde Valley (18-11)	6 Sweetwater (11-9)	55-45	Dagnino sisters, 23 points combined.

Playoffs begin Wednesday, February 16, for boys, Tuesday, February 15, for girls.

BOYS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

LEAGUE	TEAM	LEAGUE	OVERALL	AVERAGE
Avocado	San Dieguito	7-1	16-7	66.1-56
Central	*Kearny	5-3	14-6	66-52.9
Citrus	Victory Christian	6-0	18-10	63.3-51.5
City	Patrick Henry	6-2	16-11	55.9-51.8
Coastal	Santa Fe Christian	11-1	19-9	64.8-56.4
Desert	Imperial	7-2	14-8	54.6-50.9
Eastern	Morse	8-0	20-6	54.9-44.3
Grossmont Hills	*Grossmont	8-2	16-12	54.9-52
Grossmont Valley	*Monte Vista	7-1	20-5	63.4-48.4
Imperial Valley	*Calexico	7-1	18-6	62.8-47.8
Manzanita	Warner Springs Warner	4-0	7-9	34.8-42.2
Mesa	San Ysidro	12-0	21-7	79.1-62.3
Ocean	San Diego Jewish	10-0	14-4	63.5-43.8
Pacific	Escondido Charter	9-1	18-9	55-48
Palomar	Mission Hills	9-1	21-6	64.7-53.3
Patriot	Southern California Yeshiva	8-0	15-4	63.9-39.3
Pioneer	Mountain Empire	7-1	16-5	41.2-35
Sierra	Gompers Prep	6-2	8-4	47.3-40.8
South Bay	San Diego Southwest	9-1	17-11	56.1-49.6
Summit	Mabel O’Farrell	5-1	7-11	50.7-53.2
Valley	Mt. Carmel	10-0	19.9	76.8-63.1
Western	St. Augustine	8-0	20-7	74-55.9

North County Coastal       Torrey Pines                 10-0           22-5                66.2-51

*Other teams had similar league records but were not seeded as high for the playoffs. Records are according to Max Preps.

GIRLS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS

LEAGUE	TEAM	LEAGUE	OVERALL	AVERAGE
Avocado	Oceanside	8-0	20.5	50.8-39.5
Central	Patrick Henry	9-0	10-9	35.7-35.9
Citrus	St. Joseph	5-1	14-14	45.8-39.6
City	San Diego	7-1	19-8	39.4-34.3
Coastal	La Jolla Country Day	4-0	21-2	66.3-43.8
Eastern	Lincoln	9-1	20-6	56.5-39.3
Grossmont Hills	Mount Miguel	8-0	19-7	62.3-41.1
Grossmont Valley	Steele Canyon	7-2	14-13	38.9-42.1
Imperial Valley	Imperial	8-0	21-5	51.3-27.9
Manzanita	Salton City West Shores	7-1	9-6	NA
Metropolitan	Bonita Vista	10-0	17-10	53.4-47.9
Ocean	Escondido Charter	11-0	16-7	42.2-29.3
Pacific	Maranatha	11-1	14-10	54-48
Palomar	Mission Hills	10-0	20-6	61.7-48.9
Patriot	Bayfront	8-0	18-4	33.8-21.4
Pioneer	*Ocean View	7-1	12-4	NA
South Bay	Montgomery	9-2	16-7	51.6-35.2
Summit	Liberty	6-0	15-10	38.2-34.5
Valley	Fallbrook	10-0	20-6	54.8-39.1
Western	Cathedral	8-0	21-4	68.4-46.2

North County Coastal El Camino                        10-0             20-3               60.6-35.3

Records are according to Max Preps.

BOYS

John Maffei’s final regular-season The San Diego Union-Tribune  poll.  First-place points in parenthesis.  Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	LAST WEEK
1.	St. Augustine (16)	20-7	160	1
2.	Torrey Pines	22-5	139	3
3.	Mission Hills	21-6	128	4
4.	San Ysidro	21-7	116	6
5.	San Marcos	22-5	113	2
6.	La Costa Canyon	19-6	87	5
7.	Cathedral	19-9	60	7
8.	Francis Parker	16-6	36	10
9	Mission Bay	21-8	31	8
10.	Carlsbad	17-11	25	9

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Santa Fe Christian (19-9, 6 points), Montgomery (22-6, 5), Del Norte (19-9, 1).

VOTING PANEL

• John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
• Aaron Burgin Fulltime Hoops.com.
• Nick Pollino, Fox 5 San Diego.
• John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3-FM The Fan.
• Adam Paul, ECPreps.com.
• Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
• Rick Smith, Partletonsports.com.
• Terry Monahan, Eric Williams, Steve Brand, Freelance correspondents.
• Brad Enright, LA Court Report.
• Ramon Scott, Eastcountysports.com.
• Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country, 107.9-FM. 
• Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
• Max Preps.

INCLUDING STATE RANKINGS                                      Rankings for boys and girls by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Max Preps, and Cal-Hi Sports.  Records may be inaccurate as teams play daily.  Cal-Hi Sports‘ rankings stop at 25.  San Diego Section girls’ team rankings are coordinated by Terry Monahan.

BOYS

TEAM	WON-LOST	SAN DIEGO SECTION	MAX PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
St. Augustine	20-7	1	32	21
San Marcos	22-5	5	24	NR
Torrey Pines	22-5	2	57	NR
Mission Hills	21-6	3	49	NR
La Costa Canyon	19-6	6	54	NR
San Ysidro	21-7	4	67	NR
Cathedral	19-9	7	91	NR
Mission Bay	21-8	9	102	NR
Carlsbad	17-11	10	143	NR
Francis Parker	16-6	8	124	NR

GIRLS

TEAM	WON-LOST	SAN DIEGO SECTION	MAX PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
La Jolla Country Day	21-2	1	6	2
Mission Hills	22-6	2	11	9
Cathedral	21-4	3	14	10
The Bishop’s	15-6	4	84	NR
Mount Miguel	19-7	5	63	NR
El Camino	20-3	6	39	NR
Scripps Ranch	19-5	7	170	NR
Del Norte	18-10	8	106	NR
Westview	18-10	9	92	NR
Carlsbad	17-11	10	113	NR

Divorced from the Southern Section after 47 years, the new San Diego Section was one of the smallest in the state, 28 schools, and found itself with one automatic qualifier for each event in the state meet.

The legislation by the state CIF ended the possibility, however unlikely, of as many as three in each event, the number which graduated to the state meet from the Southern Section in previous years.

One was more than enough this year. See the subhead 6/3/61 below.

3/3/61

Bill Jones’ 6-5 high jump bettered Jones’ 6-3 ½ Grossmont record a couple weeks before.  The latter topped Joe Page’s 6-3 in 1947.

Ed Speed sent the 12-pound shot 61 feet, 1 inch, but didn’t break the Grossmont school record.

Speed was close to Jim Wade’s 61-5 7/8, with which Wade placed third in the 1957 Southern Section championships.

Speed and Jones were not enough as Lincoln won the nonleague dual, 57 1/2-46 ½.

3/10/61

About 1,500 persons converged on Grossmont to see Compton Centennial win a heralded triangular meet with 59 ½ points to Grossmont’s 45 ½, and San Diego’s 27.

Marks were disappointing because of wind and a slow Foothillers track, but Centennial ran 1:27.8 in the 880 relay (San Diego was second in 1:30.8), fastest ever on a local track.

Grossmont’s Ed Speed reached 61 feet in the shot put and Bill Jones won a high jump duel with the Apaches’ Cleve Liddell.  Jones cleared 6-4 and Liddell 6-3.

—Scott Knox ran the 880 in 2:01.8 and anchored Coronado to a 1:32.8 and school-record-tying 880 relay victory in a 58-46 loss to Chula Vista.

3/14/61

Ed Speed set a County record of 61 feet, 6 ¼ inches in the shot put, his third meet with an attempt of at least 61 feet, and Bill Jones high jumped 6-5 in Grossmont’s 82 ½-21 ½ win over Granite Hills.

Granite Hills’ Ray DeBolt bettered two Grossmont runners with a 2:00.5 880.

—Vernus Ragsdale raced to a :09.9 100 and :51.6 440 and Del Cooper logged wins of :15 and :20.4 in the 120-yard high and 180 low hurdles, and Lincoln topped Kearny, 79-25.

Three Lincoln broad jumpers, Walter Scott (22-10) and sophomores Donell Belcher (22-8 ½), and James Kennedy (22-1/2) swept the event.

3/19/61

Grossmont (large schools), Lincoln (medium), and Mar Vista (small) were the division winners in the seventh annual National City Relays at Sweetwater.

Several outstanding running marks eventually were not recognized because the Sweetwater track was discovered to be yards short of a standard 440-yard oval.

3/24/61

“I just decided this morning,” said Point Loma coach Ed Thomas.  “I don’t think I’ve ever made a wiser choice.”

The Pointers boss had taken a gamble and inserted Steve Brown, a virtually unknown Class B 1320 runner into the Class A mile. Brown responded with a 4:42.3 victory, providing the pivotal points in the 55 3/5-48 2/5 win over Clairemont.

The dual meet victory would clinch the Western League championship and atoned for the surprising loss in the 1960 showdown with the Chieftains.

4/1/61

Steady breeze denied records at Sweetwater in the sixth annual Easter Relays.

Lincoln’s Del Cooper ran a heat in the 120-yard high hurdles in :14.4 and Lou White of San Diego won the final in :14.5.

Both marks would have exceeded allowable breeze of 4.47 miles an hour had a wind gauge been present. Same with the :09.7 100 by Lincoln’s Venus Ragsdale in the heats, but Ragsdale won the wind-allowable final in :09.8, ahead of San Diego’s Thomas Phillips and Escondido’s Dave Blunt.

Lincoln’s 1:28.8 in the 880 relay and San Diego’s :42.8 in the 440 were records but meaningless because the Sweetwater track was yards short of a regulation 440 yards.

—Coronado was second among 15 schools with 15 points in the Laguna Beach Trophy meet.  Islander Scott Knox won the 440 in :50.9 and Norm Alm the 880 in 2:03.8.

4/7/61

—Jeff Moran ran :21.9, the season’s fastest 220, and bettered the Mission Bay record of :22.2 by Jim Cerveny in 1957 in an 86-18 rout of La Jolla.

—Lincoln’s 75 ½-28 ½ win over Hoover was marked by broad jumps of 23-4 by Walter Scott and 23-¾ by Ed Goodman.

—Mike Rudd of Point Loma hurled the shot 54-2, breaking the school record of 52-3 1/4 by  William Bradford in 1958.

4/12/61

Lincoln still held sway over San Diego, despite the loss of academic casualties Vernus Ragsdale and Del Cooper.

The Hornets defeated San Diego, 57-47, and just missed closing out the meet with a victory in the 880-yard relay.

The San Diego team of Eddie Logans, Raymond Dixon, Eddie Frost, and Thomas Phillips raced to 1:28.5 with a Lincoln foursome of James (Preacher) Johnson, Walter Scott, Ed Goodman, and Curtis Meekins a tick behind at 1:28.6.

—Clairemont’s John Stancil, Larry Godfrey, John Swallow, and Tom Rutkoske ran a school record 1:29.9  in the Chiefs’ 84-20 rout of Kearny.

—Jack Wilson’s :51.3 set a Helix 440 record as the Scots remained undefeated in dual meets, 77-26 over Sweetwater.

—El Cajon Valley’s Larry DePaul “won” a shot put competition against Mount Miguel with a toss of 49-6.  Assistant Mount Miguel coach Dick Ridgway, official judge of the event, ruled the attempt a foul because the shot landed outside the throwing area boundary.

El Cajon Valley would win the meet if the throw were ruled legal. El Cajon Valley coach Joe Brooks protested.  Days later the issue still was not resolved after a meeting of the San Diego Track and Field Officials’ Association at the Breitbard Athletic Foundation office.

Metropolitan Northern Division honchos eventually and surprisingly ruled in El Cajon Valley’s favor and the Braves scored a 53 1/3-50 2/3 victory.

4/21/61

Helix ended Grossmont’s streak of 29 consecutive Metropolitan League dual meet victories, 55 2/3-48 1/3.

Déjà vu.

The Highlanders were the last team to beat the Foothillers, 56 1/3-47 2/3, in 1957.

This Highlanders team clinched the meet with a 1:32.5 triumph in the 880 relay.

Grossmont’s trio of shotputters, Ed Speed, Brad Baer, and Dave Eichorst, usually good for a 9-0 sweep, had to be satisfied with a 6-3 scoring advantage.

A huge crowd of spectators lined the area around the competitors and saw Speed win at 59-7 ¾, but the Highlanders’ John Pottinger set a school record with his second-place 57-9 ¾.

Bob Vezza won the 100 in :10, 220 in :22, and advanced the school record to 22 feet, 6 inches, in the broad jump, and ran a leg in the relay. Vezza, Jack Wilson, and Larry Aiken staked Charles Hahn to a 10-yard lead at start of the relay anchor leg.

Hahn, who earlier set a school record of :51.2 in the 440, managed to hold on for the relay victory despite an unofficial :21 flat anchor by Grossmont’s Steve Adams, who closed to within two strides of the leader.

—Dave Price a future 60-foot thrower with the collegiate and international, 16-pound implement, reached 54-4 in the shot put for Clairemont.

4/28/61

Mission Bay’s Jeff Moran ran a school-record :09.8 100 in the Buccaneers’ 78-26 loss to Clairemont. The Chieftains’ John Stancil edged Moran in a :21.9 220.

—Walter Scott broad jumped 23-9 and teammate Ed Goodman 23-3 as Lincoln wrapped  the Eastern League championship, 82 1/3-21 /2/3, over Crawford.

—Point Loma claimed the Western league dual title, 59 ½-43 ½, overcoming Komet Bob Richardson’s double in the low hurdles (:20.3) and high jump (6-3/4).

—Granite Hills’ Ray DeBolt won an 880 showdown with Mount Miguel’s Gerry Mavrinac, running a career best and besting his rival by 10 yards in 1:59.7.

5/2/61

Helix’ John Pottinger became the all-time, sixth 60-foot thrower in the area, reaching 60-1 ¾ with the 12-pound shot in a Southern Division dual at Mount Miguel.

5/5/61

Chula Vista’s Gary Coleman logged a 4:29.8 mile, but Helix, lifted by John Pottinger’s 59 3 3/4 shot put, won the dual meet, 66-37.

–Grossmont’s Ed Speed went 58-7 in the shot and the Foothillers raked Sweetwater, 94-10.

–Escondido won the Vista Relays with 54 points. El Cajon Valley’s Mike Graves, the area leader at 13-6 in the pole vault, did not begin competing until the bar was at 13 feet and missed all three attempts.

5/9/61

LEAGUE TRIALS

EASTERN, @CRAWFORD

Lincoln, the dual-meet champion, led with 15 qualifiers, followed by San Diego with 14, but the Cavemen sustained one of the day’s biggest setbacks.

Thomas Phillips, third in the Southern Section finals 100 in 1960, pulled a muscle winning his 100-yard dash heat in :10.1.

Phillips scratched from the 220 but hoped to run the 100 and relay in the league finals in three days.

San Diego’s Lou White ran a not-wind-aided season-best :14.6 In the 120-yard high hurdles.

WESTERN, @CLAIREMONT.

Clairemont led with 19 qualifiers eight more than runner-up Point Loma.

Best event of day was a 440 heat in which Point Loma’s Ron Steele (:50.3) edged Clairemont’s Larry Godfrey (:50.9).

5/9/61

METRO NORTHERN DIVISION, @EL CAPITAN

Escondido’s Dave Blunt, who turned out for track this season after playing baseball for three years, ran the 220 in :21.8 and won a 100 heat in :10.1.

“I think when he goes against some of those city sprinters he’ll improve even more,” said Cougars coach Charlie Bonebrake, whose squad qualified 14, behind El Cajon Valley’s 17.

Granite Hills’ Ray DeBolt, a favorite in the 880, with a best time of 1:59.7, switched to the mile and won his heat in 4:36.

DeBolt was the Southern Section champion in the Class B 660 in 1960  in 1:23.8.

METRO SOUTHERN DIVISION, @GROSSMONT

Helix and Grossmont each qualified 13 entries, but top mark went to Mount Miguel’s Gerry Mavrinac, who logged a 2:00.1 880.

AVOCADO LEAGUE, @VISTA

Scott Knox of Coronado raced to a :50.3 clocking in the 440 for the day’s top performance.  Teammate Norman Alm won an 880 heat in 2:04.7.

Knox and the Islanders led with 17 qualifiers.  Defending champion Mar Vista had 14.

5/12/61

FINALS

WESTERN LEAGUE, @LA JOLLA

Clairemont won the team title before about 1,500 persons at Scripps field on the Vikings’ campus.

John Stancil surprised teammate Larry Godfrey and Point Loma’s Ron Steele with a 440 win in :50.2 and Dave Price put the shot 54 feet, 2 ¾ inches.

The Chieftains outscored Point Loma, 63 1/2-51, although the Pointers’ Ray Alexander doubled in the 100 and 220 in :10.1 and :22.6 and anchored the winning 880-yard relay team to a 1:33.6 victory, and Steve Brown won the mile in a season-best 4:36.5.

EASTERN LEAGUE, @BALBOA STADIUM

Curtis Meekins’ :09.8 100, :22.2 220, and the last leg of a winning, 1:30.2 in the 880-yard relay led Lincoln to the team championship.

The Hornets outscored San Diego, 79 1/2-44 ½.

Hoover half milers John Garrison and Ralph Havens, ran 1-2 in the 880, Garrison winning in 2:00.4 to Havens’ 2:00.6.

Lou White ran :14.9 and :20 to win both hurdles races. White’s San Diego teammate Thomas Phillips, third in Southern California in 1960, was unplaced in the 100 but ran a leg on the relay despite a muscle pull sustained in Tuesday’s trials.

AVOCADO LEAGUE, @VISTA

Scott Knox logged a :50.0 quarter mile and Coronado outscored Mar Vista, 76 ½-56 ½, for the team championship.

Norm Alm won the 880 in 2:04.4 and the Islanders completed their domination with a 1:32.2 win in the 880 relay.

SOUTHERN PREP, @CAMP PENDLETON

Matt Burnett (:15.5, :19.9, 19-11 ½) won three events, highs and low hurdles and broad jump, to lead Army-Navy to the team title with 73 points to Ramona’s 49.

METRO NORTHERN DIVISION, @ESCONDIDO

Dave Blunt broke the oldest record on the books, running :21.4 in the 220, erasing the :21.5 by Oceanside’s Bill Huntales in 1937.

Blunt also won the 100 in :09.9 and anchored the host Escondido Cougars to a 1:31.8 win in the 880 relay.

El Cajon Valley’s Mike Graves, who couldn’t muster 13 feet in the Vista Relays one week before, cleared 14 feet in the pole vault, top mark in Southern California.

Escondido outscored El Cajon Valley, 59 3/4-56 ½, for the championship.

METRO SOUTHERN DIVISION, @Chula Vista.

Ed Speed of Grossmont and John Pottinger of Helix drew a crowd around the shot put ring.

Speed’s 60-10 effort had been bettered only by his 61-6 ¼ earlier this season.  Pottinger was second at 59-8 7/8.

Sixth-place Bill Burnett of Helix reached 52-5 1/8, which would have been first in the Eastern, Avocado, and Southern Prep leagues.

Grossmont edged Helix in the team race, 48 ½-45 ½.

5/19/61

SAN DIEGO SECTION TRIALS, @KEARNY

A sprint duel was promised when Lincoln’s Curtis Meekins won his heats in :09.9 and :21.6 and Escondido’s Dave Blunt won his in :09.9 and :21.7.

Coronado’s Scott Knox became the favorite when he ran the 440 in :49.7.  Point Loma’s Ron Steele won his heat in :50.7.

Casualties included San Diego’s 880-yard relay team, disqualified for passing out of its lane; Walter Scott, 23-10 broad jumper from Lincoln, and Mount Miguel half-miler Gerry Mavrinac.

Lincoln led with 13 qualifiers.  Clairemont was next with 8.

5/26/61

SAN DIEGO SECTION FINALS, @KEARNY

Only one record was accepted in any sprint race as wind blew off the Kearny Mesa.

Escondido’s Dave Blunt won the 100 in a wind-aided :09.7 but his :21 flat 220 was under the legal limit of 4.47 miles an hour.

Scott Knox of Coronado won the 440 in :49.2, fastest ever in San Diego County, and bettered the school record of :49.5 by John Fawcett in 1937.

The day’s outstanding performance was the 14-foot, 3 ½-inch pole vault by El Cajon Valley’s Mike Graves, who also was competing on a runway that had the breeze at his back.

Lincoln won the team championship with 28 points to San Diego’s 22.

6/3/61

Three of the 12 San Diego entries, one for each event, scored in the morning-afternoon, 43rd state track meet at East Los Angeles College.

Mike Graves of El Cajon set a meet record of 14 feet, 2 ¼ inches, in the pole vault.

“I was pretty sure of myself,” said Graves.  “I wasn’t sweating too many people.   Figured once I got over 14 feet I could win it.”

Collectively this was the finest group of prep vaulters in one setting.  The next four tied at 13-10, marking the first time any group of five had gone that high.

Lou White of San Diego was fifth in :14.5 in the 120-yard high hurdles. Bill Jones of Grossmont tied for fifth in the high jump at 6-4.

None of the other San Diego competitors finished better than eighth (Crawford’s Bill Rainey, 1:58 in the 880).  Granite Hills’ Ray DeBolt ran his best time, 4:26.8 in the mile, but was ninth.

BETTER DAYS AHEAD

Escondido’s Dave Blunt was unplaced in the 100 trials in the morning and qualified at :21.5 in the 220, but was ninth in :22.2 in the final.

Blunt continued on in track at the University of Oregon and was one of the nation’s top 220 runners, finishing fourth in the national collegiate meet in 1965 with a wind-aided :20.7.

 

Regular-season play wraps up this week and pairings for the San Diego Section playoffs will take place Saturday morning.

BOYS

John Maffei’s The San Diego Union-Tribune  poll.  First-place points in parenthesis.  Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	LAST WEEK
1.	St. Augustine (15)	18-7	159	1
2.	San Marcos (1)	20-4	140	3
3.	Torrey Pines	19-5	120	2
4.	Mission Hills	19-6	111	5
5.	La Costa Canyon	18-5	102	6
6.	San Ysidro	17-7	73	4
7.	Cathedral	18-8	59	9
8.	Mission Bay	18-7	54	7
9	Carlsbad	16-10	27	10
10.	Francis Parker	14-6	14	8

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
Del Norte (18-7, 4 points), Montgomery (19-6, 4), La Jolla Country Day (15-8, 2),  Santa Fe Christian (18-9, 2), San Dieguito (16-6, 1).

VOTING PANEL

• John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
• Aaron Burgin Fulltime Hoops.com.
• Nick Pollino, Fox 5 San Diego.
• John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3-FM The Fan.
• Adam Paul, ECPreps.com.
• Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
• Rick Smith, Partletonsports.com.
• Terry Monahan, Eric Williams, Steve Brand, Freelance correspondents.
• Brad Enright, LA Court Report.
• Ramon Scott, Eastcountysports.com.
• Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country, 107.9-FM. 
• Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
• Max Preps.

INCLUDING STATE RANKINGS                                      Rankings for boys and girls by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Max Preps, and Cal-Hi Sports.  Records may be inaccurate as teams play daily.  Cal-Hi Sports‘ rankings stop at 25.  San Diego Section girls’ team rankings are coordinated by Terry Monahan.

BOYS

TEAM	WON-LOST	SAN DIEGO SECTION	MAX PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
St. Augustine	16-7	1	32	18
San Marcos	18-4	2	24	NR
Torrey Pines	16-5	3	57	NR
Mission Hills	16-6	4	49	NR
La Costa Canyon	16-5	5	54	NR
San Ysidro	15-6	6	67	NR
Cathedral	18-8	7	91	NR
Mission Bay	18-7	8	102	NR
Carlsbad	16-10	9	143	NR
Francis Parker	14-6	10	124	NR

GIRLS

TEAM	WON-LOST	SAN DIEGO SECTION	MAX PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
La Jolla Country Day	20-2	1	5	2
Mission Hills	18-6	2	10	10
Cathedral	18-4	3	12	11
The Bishop’s	14-4	4	69	NR
Mount Miguel	17-7	5	64	NR
El Camino	18-3	6	36	NR
Scripps Ranch	18-4	7	177	NR
Del Norte	17-9	8	112	NR
Westview	17-9	9	92	NR
Carlsbad	16-9	10	94	NR

Hoover was 1-7 in football but then the seasons changed.   The Cardinals won the first San Diego Section championship with a 24-3 record in winter basketball and repeated the 24-3 with another title in spring baseball.

There were seven no-hitters pitched in the San Diego Section this year but none by Hoover’s Dave Morehead, who posted a 15-0 record.

Morehead instead pitched a no-hitter in 1965 for the Boston Red Sox, whose scout Ray Boone, himself a Hoover star of the 1942 Southern California championship team, signed Morehead after Dave’s high school graduation.

2/24/61

Crawford managed only six hits off Dave Varvel, but El Capitan committed seven errors and the host Colts won the season opener, 18-7.

–Hoover won, 9-8, at Point Loma, where the Pointers aided the Cardinals with 10 errors and Helix won at Mission Bay, 4-3.

3/1/61

Hoover’s Joe Verdon and Dick Armstrong combined to stop Escondido on three hits, 4-0, and George Sherrod allowed San Diego five hits as Helix pushed across a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to win, 2-1.

3/3/61

Bill Casey homered for Clairemont and Phil Boland for Lincoln, which edged the Chieftains, 4-3.

–Dave Bruen relieved John Allison in a Chula Vista three-run first inning and allowed one hit thereafter as the Colts rallied, 9-4.

–Dave Armstrong pitched Hoover to a two-hit, 7-1 win at San Gabriel and Ron Rutherford gave up two hits and San Diego won, 9-2, at Alhambra Mt. Keppel.

3/4/61

Robert Ruiz and Joe Verdon were the winning pitchers as San Diego and Hoover respectively concluded their northern invasion 6-2 and 5-1 over Alhambra Mark Keppel and San Gabriel.

Keppel earlier had visited San Diego and came away with a 5-0 win.

3/7/61

Froebel Brigham’s three-run home run elevated San Diego past El Cajon Valley, 6-2.  Helix won at Point Loma, 3-0, behind George Sherrod’s three-hit pitching.

3/10/61

Arnold Powers walked no one, struck out 14, and set down Kearny, 6-0, to give Western League defending co-champion Clairemont a 3-0 loop record

–Mike Huse and Lee Waske combined with a two-hitter as Helix improved to 4-0 with a 3-0 win over Hoover.

3/14/61

Mike Hill hit two home runs, including a grand slam, and Dave Varvel gave up two hits as El Capitan hammered Hilltop, 14-0.

–Home runs by Jimmy Bob Mosley and Dennis Wilson propelled Kearny to a 6-5 win over Hoover and Don Sada, three for three with a triple, pitched Point Loma to a 4-1 win against San Diego.

3/18/61

San Diego’s Ron Rutherford walked St. Augustine’s Bob
Ahern leading off the second inning and then retired the next 18 batters to complete a near-perfect game in the Cavers’ 4-0, Eastern League win at Golden Hill Playground.

Rutherford (3-0) faced 22 batters. “I was hit on the wrist by a ball last week against Crawford and it’s pretty sore, so I didn’t think I’d be able to throw too well today,” declared the tall right-hander.

–Dave Morehead, fresh from Hoover’s CIF championship basketball season, spaced three hits and the Cardinals won their Eastern League opener, 6-0.

–Mike Hill stopped Helix on two hits and contributed to his cause with a triple in El Capitan’s 2-0 win over Highlanders ace George Sherrod.

–Ron (Flame) Tompkins of Chula Vista blanked Sweetwater, 8-0, and Bill Crayton of Kearny closed Mission Bay, 4-0.

3/21/61

Kearny jumped on Point Loma in a 30-minute first inning for seven runs and six hits for an 8-4 victory. Phil Ewert relieved starter Mike Parker and pitched the final 6 2/3 innings for the Komets.

–Doug Wardell pitched and Mount Miguel’s 4-1 win over Sweetwater gave the Matadors a 7-0 record and the Metropolitan League Southern Division lead.

3/24/61

Mount Miguel improved to 8-0 behind left hander Bob Curley, who hit a two-run home run in a six-run third inning and went the distance in a 7-5 win over El Capitan.

–Joe Verdon hit a two-run home run and relieved starter Dave Morehead in Lincoln’s four-run fifth inning, and preserved Hoover’s 11-4 win.

3/25/61

Thirty-one reams, including 16 in the Unlimited Division, were entered in the 11th Lions Tournament with Helix the defending Unlimited champion and El Centro Central the returning Limited winner.

3/27/61

Helix’ Lee Waske gave up one hit but Mission Bay’s Dennis Bissmeyer also allowed only one hit and Mission Bay knocked the defending Lions champion into the consolation bracket, 1-0.

Chula Vista’s Ron Tompkins gave up one hit and shut out San Diego, 1-0, and Mount Miguel, undefeated and 8-0, was beaten by Hoover, 2-0.

Coronado took a 2-1 lead on El Centro Central in the top of the seventh inning, but the Spartans rallied in the bottom half to advance, 3-2.

San Dieguito’s Rich Long had a no-hitter for five innings when the game was stopped with the Mustangs routing Ramona, 12-0, and the so-called 12-run rule was applied.

3/28/61

Rain postponed action for a day, resuming today with quarterfinals and semifinals.

3/31/61

Point Loma, 2-5 to open the season, won its fifth game in a row and the 11^th Lions tournament Unlimited Division title, 5-4 over Hoover.

La Jolla made it a Western League sweep by defeating Vista, 6-5.

Helix beat Crawford, 9-1, for the Unlimited Division consolation title and Oceanside won the Limited, 4-0, over Carlsbad.

“We’ve beaten every team in the Eastern League now,” said Point Loma coach Kermeen Fristrom.  “The Western League has really proved itself, hasn’t it?”

Jerry Jeli relieved Pointers starter Ron Holmes in the sixth inning as Hoover twice battled back from two-run deficits.

4/4/61

Hoover’s Joe Verdon hit a two-out, two-run home run that followed Johnny Peterson’s double in the top of the sixth inning and was the difference in Hoover’s 2-0 win over San Diego.

Dave Morehead struck out 16 and allowed one hit in outdueling the Cavers’ Ron Rutherford, who gave up five hits.

–Mike Hollister, with relief from Ron (Flame) Tompkins rode Dave Truelock’s run-scoring, first-inning triple to a 1-0 victory over St. Augustine.

–Army-Navy committed nine errors but beat San Miguel School, 18-9.

4/7/61

Arnold Powers struck out 13 and gave up six hits but dropped an eight-inning, 3-2 decision to Kearny, which scored two unearned runs.

Dennis Wilson and Jimmy Bob Mosley crossed the plate after Billy Cesena’s hot grounder went through the legs of Clairemont’s second baseman.

–Dave Varvel hit a run-scoring double and restricted El Cajon Valley to four hits in El Capitan’s 4-1 victory.

Jim (Corky) McCorquodale homered and Ron Dargo struck out 11 in Crawford’s 7-1 victory over San Diego.

4/10/61

Dave Morehead hit a home run and gave up three hits, one a three-run homer by John Allison, as Hoover improved to 5-0 in the Eastern League with a 5-3 win over Crawford.

–El Cajon Valley (1-5) won its first Metro Northern Division contest, as Owen Rinner stopped Grossmont, 4-0, on three hits.

4/14/61

Graig Nettles hit two home runs and Fred Shuey and Jimmy Martin gave San Diego a total of four in a 13-1 win over Lincoln.

4/18/61

Five singles, by Jon Clark, Bruce Kehrli, Don Sada, Tom Ferrara, and Tim Faris, generated four runs in the fourth inning and Point Loma went on to a 7-2 triumph over Clairemont for its 10^th straight victory.

–Carlsbad’s line score was 0 runs, 1 hit, 7 errors in a 12-0, Avocado League loss to Vista.

–Two-run home runs by Gene Crise and Vern Elliott paved the way for Dick Armstrong, who hurled Hoover to a 7-1 win at Lincoln.

–Ewert of Kearny held La Jolla to one hit as the Komets scored a 3-1 win.

—Mar Vista and San Dieguito went scoreless for 10 innings before the Avocado League game was called because of darkness on the Mustangs’ Encinitas diamond.

4/21/61

Hoover, which lost to Point Loma in the Lions Tournament final, won its eighth straight Eastern League game, 8-2 over San Diego and opened a three-game lead on the Cavemen with five to play.

The Cardinals’ Dave Morehead allowed only four hits, including a two-run home run by Graig Nettles in the sixth inning.

–Jim Pignatelli doubled for El Capitan’s only hit but it came with the bases loaded and was enough for the Vaqueros to improve their Northern Division record to 7-1 with a 3-2 triumph against Grossmont.

4/24/61

Point Loma’s 12^th win in a row, 2-1 over Mission Bay, kept the Pointers one game ahead of Clairemont in the Western League.

–Grossmont’s Neil MacClellan stopped Mount Miguel, 5-4, and aided his cause with a three-run home run.

–Chula Vista profited from three Sweetwater errors in the 10th inning and scored a 3-2 victory to take over first place in the Southern Division after Mount Miguel lost.

–Mike Hill, with help from Dave Varvel in the seventh inning, pitched El Capitan past Escondido, 1-0.

4/27/61

Joe Verdon hit a home run over the short, right field porch at Hoover that had observers calling for a tape measure.

Verdon’s drive had begun to descend when it hit a light standard behind the right field stands.

The 11-3 win over Crawford was Hoover’s 10^th in a row since a loss to Point Loma in the Lions Tournament final and clinched the Eastern League title.

Unbeaten Cardinals pitcher Dave Morehead scattered four hits and won his 10^th in a row.

4/28/61

“Weak-Sticking El Capitan” began the headline after the Vaqueros, inspiring historians to recall the Chicago White Sox’ “hitless wonders” of the early 20^th century, defeated Chula Vista, 1-0.

Dave Varvel singled in the first inning, stole second, advanced to third on an error, and scored the game’s only run when Spartans’ pitcher Ron Tompkins issued a pair of bases on balls.

5/1/61

San Diego’s Larry Murillo no-hit Lincoln and hit a home run in the Cavers’ 13-0 victory and Brown of Chula Vista blanked Granite Hills, 1-0.

The season’s seventh no-hitter came on a day when three were pitched, including Helix junior George Sherrod’s in an 8-0 win over Grossmont.

HIT OR ERROR?

Sherrod was unaware of his gem as he continued to quiet Grossmont bats.

Grossmont shortstop Mike Ekanbrack reached first base safely after he hit a ball down the third base line in the fourth inning.

Helix’ Chris Hansen got his glove Ekanbrack’s bouncer but couldn’t make a play.  The Helix scorer assumed that the play resulted in a base hit.

Grossmont viewed the play as an error, since Hansen momentarily juggled the ball.  The Foothillers’ scorebook was official, Grossmont being the home team.

5/4/61

Point Loma won its 15^th consecutive game and clinched the Western League championship, 5-2 over Clairemont.

–El Capitan won the Metropolitan League’s Northern Division title, 2-0 over Granite Hills.

–Hoover earlier clinched the Eastern League, bringing to   three the number of titlists in the San Diego Section’s five leagues.

5/10/61

George Sherrod (12-2) tripled and drove in the winning run with a fourth-inning double and Helix (17-5) earned the Metro South title, 3-2 over Mount Miguel.

Sherrod gave up a two-run home run to the Matadors’ Duane Freeman after two were out in the seventh inning, ending a string of 22 scoreless innings by the Highlanders’ pitcher.

5/16/61

Catcher Randy Simpson hit a pair of two-run home runs and Pat Bauman’s solo homerun was all pitcher Rich Long needed as he scattered four hits in San Dieguito’s  5-3 victory over Mar Vista.

San Dieguito (7-2) claimed the Avocado League championship in a quasi-postseason contest, which was played after the teams earlier deadlocked in a 10-inniing tie.

5/18/61

PLAYOFFS

Dave Morehead socked two home runs, struck out 10 batters, and gave up two hits as Hoover (21-3) defeated El Capitan (14-5), 9-2, at Grossmont in the first round.

Morehead’s home runs measured 330 and 375 feet, respectively, and his complete game ended on his 106^th pitch.

–George Sherrod outdueled Larry Murillo and Helix (18-5) edged 14-9 San Diego, 2-1, on the Marine Corps Recruit Depot’s Beeson Field.

Randy Schwartz tripled in Chris Hansen with the Highlanders’ first run and Ken Nasife scored the winning run in the top of the seventh inning on Gary Johnson’s infield roller.

One of the Cavers’ five hits was an inside-the-park home run by Henry Peavy.

–Ron Dixon allowed only an infield hit to Pat Bauman in the bottom of the seventh inning and University advanced with a 3-0 win over San Dieguito.

–Point Loma’s Jerry Jeli won a 2-0 struggle with Ron Tomkins of Chula Vista.

Don Sada’s double, Tom Lutes’ triple, and Tom Ferrara’s single were what Jeli needed as he set down the Spartans (15-8) on one hit, a bunt single.

SEMIFINALS

George Sherrod (13-3) checked Point Loma (20-7) and Helix (19-5) scored four runs in the sixth inning to eliminate the Pointers, 7-1.

Sherrod also hit a home run and gave up six hits, including Don Sada’s home run that narrowed the Scots’ lead to 3-1 in the sixth.

–University (13-7) scored first and led, 2-1, after two innings but Hoover (22-3) scored an 8-3 victory.

CHAMPIONSHIP

“Now I’ll just relax and be a fan,” said Fulton Vickery, who was retiring as coach at Hoover after taking over for Bill Matthie in 1956.

The Cardinals (24-3) sent Vickery out with a 2-0 victory over Helix (19-6), Dave Morehead (15-0) besting George Sherrod (13-4) at Beeson Field.

Morehead’s scratch single, Sherrod’s throwing error, and Bill Daw’s single gave the Cardinals the run they needed in the fourth inning.

Joe Verdon’s double, Gene Crise’s ground ball out, and Morehead’s sacrifice fly scored another run in the fifth.

BOYS

LEAGUE	TEAM	LEAGUE	OVERALL	AVERAGE
Avocado	San Dieguito	5-0	13-6	66.2-56.1
Central	Kearny	4-1	13-4	66-52.9
Citrus	Victory Christian	4-0	15-9	65.8-52.4
City	Point Loma	4-2	7-11	55.2-54.6
Coastal	Torrey Pines	5-0	16-5	65.2-52.7
Desert	Imperial	6-1	11-6	54-49.4
Eastern	Morse	3-0	14-6	51.1-44.3
Grossmont Hills	Grossmont	5-0	13-10	54.5-52
Grossmont Valley	Monte Vista	4-0	17-4	62.6-47.5
Imperial Valley	El Centro Central	4-0	11-7	57.9-51.6
Manzanita	Warner Springs Warner	1-1	4-9	33.2-42.2
Mesa	San Ysidro	6-0	15-6	80-62.7
Ocean	San Diego Jewish	8-0	12-4	59.8-42.8
Pacific	Escondido Charter	7-0	16-8	54.7-47.7
Palomar	San Marcos	5-1	18-4	61.1-46.5
Patriot	The Cambridge	2-0	7-5	32-33.9
Pioneer	Mountain Empire	6-0	13-4	39.5-33.2
Sierra	Gompers Prep	4-0	6-2	49.9-40.5
South Bay	San Diego Southwest	5-0	13-10	55.5-50.3
Summit	Chula Vista High Tech	2-0	5-14	41.9-51
Valley	Mt. Carmel	6-0	13-7	75.8-60.9
Western	St. Augustine	5-0	16-7	73.8-55.7

GIRLS

LEAGUE	TEAM	LEAGUE	OVERALL	AVERAGE
Avocado	Oceanside	3-0	15-5	48.4-39
Central	Patrick Henry	7-0	8-9	34-38.2
Citrus	St. Joseph	2-0	11-12	47.5-44.5
City	San Diego	4-1	16-8	37.8-34.6
Coastal	El Camino	6-0	16-3	60.9-37.4
Eastern	Lincoln	5-0	16-4	55.5-36.5
Grossmont Hills	Mount Miguel	5-0	15-7	60.8-42.7
Grossmont Valley	Steele Canyon	5-0	12-11	37.3-43.2
Imperial Valley	Imperial	6-0	16-5	50-28
Manzanita	Borrego Springs	2-1	4-6	NA
Manzanita	Warner Springs Warner	2-1	3-6	NA
Metropolitan	Bonita Vista	4-0	11-8	54.5-51.9
Ocean	Escondido Charter	9-0	13-7	39.6-28.4
Pacific	Maranatha	7-1	10-10	52.2-52.7
Palomar	Mission Hills	6-0	16-6	60-49
Patriot	Bayfront	2-0	12-4	33.7-25.7
Pioneer	Horizon Prep	5-0	12-0	36.3-9.8
South Bay	San Ysidro	3-0	16-3	63.4-34.8
Summit	Liberty	4-0	12-9	35.1-35.7
Valley	Fallbrook	5-0	14-6	54.3-40.7
Western	Cathedral	5-0	16-4	65.8-46

Note:  El Camino is listed ahead of La Jolla Country Day in the Coastal League since it has played 6 games to the Torreys’ 2.

BOYS

John Maffei’s The San Diego Union-Tribune  poll.  First-place points in parenthesis.  Points on 10-9-8-7-6-5-4-3-2-1 basis.

RANK	TEAM	RECORD	POINTS	LAST WEEK
1.	St. Augustine (13)	16-7	157	1
2.	San Marcos (3)	18-4	134	3
3.	Torrey Pines	16-5	117	2
4.	Mission Hills	16-6	114	5
5.	La Costa Canyon	16-5	103	6
6.	San Ysidro	15-6	94	4
7.	Mission Bay	16-6	63	7
8.	Francis Parker	12-4	48	9
9	Cathedral	16-8	17	8
10.	Carlsbad	14-9	11	NR

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
La Jolla Country Day (14-6, 8 points), Mt. Carmel (12-7, 4), Montgomery (14-6, 3), Santa Fe Christian (15-8, 3).

VOTING PANEL

• John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune.
• Aaron Burgin Fulltime Hoops.com.
• Nick Pollino, Fox 5 San Diego.
• John Kentera, Braden Suprenant, 97.3-FM The Fan.
• Adam Paul, ECPreps.com.
• Bodie DeSilva, scorebooklive.com.
• Rick Smith, Partletonsports.com.
• Terry Monahan, Eric Williams, Steve Brand, Freelance correspondents.
• Brad Enright, LA Court Report.
• Ramon Scott, Eastcountysports.com.
• Steve (Biff) Dolan, Mountain Country, 107.9-FM. Christian 
• Christian Pedersen, San Diego Sports Association.
• Max Preps.

INCLUDING STATE RANKINGS

Rankings for boys and girls by The San Diego Union-Tribune, Max Preps, and Cal-Hi Sports.  Records may not be accurate as teams are playing daily.  Cal-Hi Sports‘ rankings stop at 25.  San Diego Section girls’ team rankings are coordinated by Terry Monahan.

BOYS

TEAM	WON-LOST	SAN DIEGO SECTION	MAX PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
St. Augustine	16-7	1	37	17
San Marcos	18-4	2	34	NR
Torrey Pines	16-5	3	59	NR
Mission Hills	16-6	4	60	NR
Las Costa Canyon	16-5	5	63	NR
San Ysidro	15-6	6	61	NR
Mission Bay	16-6	7	99	NR
Francis Parker	12-4	8	136	NR
Cathedral	16-8	9	109	NR
Carlsbad	14-9	10	181	NR

GIRLS

TEAM	WON-LOST	SAN DIEGO SECTION	MAX PREPS	CAL-HI SPORTS
La Jolla Country Day	18-2	1	7	2
The Bishop’s	13-2	2	45	NR
Mission Hills	16-6	3	12	10
Cathedral	15-4	4	13	11
Mount Miguel	15-7	5	63	NR
El Camino	15-3	6	42	NR
Carlsbad	15-7	7	85	NR
Scripps Ranch	15-4	8	182	NR
Westview	16-7	9	88	NR
Del Norte	15-9	10	126	NR