AVC NOTEBOOK; FUTURE OLYMPIANS MIGHT THROW HERE.

Byline: Art Avila Staff Writer

The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, provides the backdrop for the fourth annual Antelope Valley College Throws Festival. The event features nearly 50 athletes who will participate in the discus. Some might qualify for their national teams.

Men and women from nine countries, including four who are ranked among the top 10 throwers in the world, will participate in the event at Marauder Stadium.

``On the men's side, it will be a spectacular event. It is one of the deepest discus competitions,'' AVC track coach Mark Covert said.

Lithuanian Virigilius Alenkna, ranked No. 1 in the world in the discus, is among the competitors. He was ranked fourth in the world last year.

``Only two times has he thrown outside of Europe,'' Covert said.

One of the United State's best throwers, Adam Setliff, ranked fourth in the world in 1998, will compete.

``In Olympic years, (the festival) has been popular,'' sports information director Glen Haller said. The 1996 event was well attended, and some who competed went on to the Atlanta Olympics.

The wind is one of the biggest draws for the athletes, as it helps the discus travel an extra five to 10 feet.

Open competition begins at noon, with the women's competition at 1:30 and the men at 3. The event is free.

``To get the best people in the world together, it's an exciting thing,'' Covert said. ``A lot of these guys are coming together for the first time. Many of them don't throw outside of Europe - it's their first time together in America.

``You would have to have an Olympics to get all of these people together.''

--Track update: The AVC track team may be looking ahead to the Mt. San Antonio College Relays this weekend, but the team is not 100 percent.

The team's top runners, Craig Hall and Erica Brown, suffered injuries at the Ventura meet last weekend. Hall has a strained calf, and Brown's hamstring cramped.

``We are working through our last work phase before the end of the season,'' Covert said. ``We have to get through our aches and pains right now.''

The Mt. SAC Relays, which begin Friday, is the last meet before the Western State Conference preliminaries.

``Mt. SAC is one of the great meets in our country. It's exciting to go there,'' Covert said.

One reason: Athletes from two-year schools compete alongside those from four-year schools.

``The kids that went competed real well,'' Covert said. ``For those that got in, it was a big plus. They could see that they are getting better.''

--Finally, a final: The AVC softball team won its first nine games and dominated teams, but had not won a tournament in its three previous appearances. It lost in two championship games.

The futility streak ended Sunday when the Marauders beat Santa Barbara 6-2 to win the Santa Barbara tournament.

``To win the last tournament of the year is great,'' coach Gene Pagliaro said. ``We are not a great tournament team. The girls don't play well when they are away.''

Pagliaro said it was a good sign to win the tournament because the Southern California regional tournament is designed the same way.

Although Pagliaro said the teams in the Santa Barbara tournament were average, the Marauders were in the same bracket as the only other state- ranked team, El Camino, which the Marauders beat twice to reach the final.

The Marauders (28-9, 7-1) are alone in first in the Foothill Conference with four games to play. They travel to San Bernardino College on Friday.