BIRMINGHAM HAS DEPTH TO CONTEND.Byline: Matthew Kredell Staff Writer A first glance at the top girls' qualifiers for today's City Section track and field finals doesn't look promising for host Birmingham of Lake Balboa Balboa, town (1990 pop. 2,751), Colón prov., in the former Panama Canal Zone, on the Gulf of Panama. The port for Panama City, Balboa was the administrative headquarters of the Panama Canal Zone. It was also the site of a U.S. navy base (closed 1999). . The Patriots have just one athlete - Emmaline Hartel in the 3,200 meters - heading into the finals with the best time in her event. That's a far cry from the dominance Birmingham displayed while winning back-to-back City titles in 2002 and 2003. This year's Birmingham team requires a deeper look. The Patriots' seven-year streak of finishing first or second is not likely to end. ``I feel it's our meet to lose,'' Birmingham coach Scott King Scott Glenndale Martin King (born June 25, 1967 in Thunder Bay, Ontario) was a professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in only two National Hockey League games for the Detroit Red Wings, but is known for his great play for the Toledo Storm. said. ``With 18 qualifiers, that's a lot mixed up in a lot of different areas. We're not going to win eight of 15 events, like we did a couple years ago. But we're going to nickel nickel, metallic chemical element; symbol Ni; at. no. 28; at. wt. 58.69; m.p. about 1,453°C;; b.p. about 2,732°C;; sp. gr. 8.902 at 25°C;; valence 0, +1, +2, +3, or +4. and dime them. We have a lot of events that we can get points in.'' King thinks the Patriots have fewer holes than last year, when they finished second to Gardena. Carson and El Camino Real El Camino Real (Spanish for The Royal Road or The King's Highway) was the name of a series of pre-automobile highways linking the various New World colonies of Spain:
Birmingham's relays could get a boost from the return of sprinter Monique Joseph from injury, but injured in·jure tr.v. in·jured, in·jur·ing, in·jures 1. To cause physical harm to; hurt. 2. To cause damage to; impair. 3. sprinter Jamina Johnson is not expected to run. King thinks the lack of individual City title contenders could help team aspirations aspirations npl → aspiraciones fpl (= ambition); ambición f aspirations npl (= hopes, ambition) → aspirations fpl . ``I think when kids run for the team title, it takes a lot of the pressure off,'' King said. ``The focus isn't on themselves. It makes it a lot easier.'' --Bonty back: Monroe of North Hills' Kandi Bonty ran an impressive 12.0 seconds in the 100 meters at the City prelims, the 12th-fastest time in the state this season and her best time of the year. Bonty has been battling a persistent hamstring injury hamstring injury Sports medicine A muscle injury of biceps femoris, seen in sprinters and runners, when a contracted muscle meets a lengthening force, overpowering intrinsic muscle resiliency Management RICE, NSAIDs, gradual ↑ of pain-free activity–eg, . ``When I pulled the hamstring hamstring /ham·string/ (ham´string) one of the tendons bounding the popliteal space laterally and medially. inner hamstring the tendons of gracilis, sartorius, and two other muscles of the leg. , I was doubting myself,'' she said. ``Now I'm back where I want to be.'' --Taft's hopes dashed: Taft of Woodland Hills had high hopes to win the City championship and challenge for the state title in boys' track. Any chance ended at the City prelims, when both sprint relays were disqualified dis·qual·i·fy tr.v. dis·qual·i·fied, dis·qual·i·fy·ing, dis·qual·i·fies 1. a. To render unqualified or unfit. b. To declare unqualified or ineligible. 2. . Coach Brian Godsey appealed the disqualifications without success. ``It's something you can't recover from, going against a team like Dorsey,'' Godsey said. ``It ends those (City title) hopes.'' The 400-meter relay team was disqualified because Elijah Wells lined up behind his mark and took the baton too early in the anchor leg. In the 1,600 relay, Taft had a uniform violation because the first three runners wore black tights under their shorts and the fourth wore white. The Toreadors, who had a good shot at winning both events, will lose out on as many as 24 points. Matthew Kredell, (818)713-3607 matthew.kredell(at)dailynews.com CITY SECTION TRACK AND FIELD FINALS When: Today, 5:30 p.m. Where: Birmingham High of Lake Balboa. What: Top three in each event advance to June 3-4 state championships in Sacramento. CAPTION(S): box Box: CITY SECTION TRACK AND FIELD FINALS (see text) |
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