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Brentwood Press - BrentwoodPress_07.25.08 - Index

4B | THEPRESS.NET SPORTS JULY 25, 2008
Panther alums take next step
by Avi Burk
Staff Writer
Three Los Medanos College basketball
stars, including a pair of Antioch
High School alumni, recently signed letters
of intent to attend Culver-Stockton
College in Canton, Mo.
Antioch products Jessica Trizuto and
Tia Witherspoon were joined by LMC
teammate Shannon Reed in announcing
their intention to play basketball at Culver-Stockton
this fall after two seasons as
key contributors to the lady Mustangs.
“These three student-athletes played
a major role in making our women’s bas-
Track star wars produce an air-Walker
by Avi Burk
Staff Writer
Oakley’s Kenneth Walker, 14, bettered the competition
by leaps and bounds at the Pacifi c Association/USA
Track & Field (PA/USATF) Region 14 Junior Olympic
Track and Field Championships, setting new records in
both the 100- and 200-meter hurdle events. Although six
other PA/USATF records were set at the event, it was
Walker’s double-dip that stole the show.
Walker, who competes for ISC International track
club, set new PA/USATF records in both Youth Boys
division hurdle events. His time of 13.54 seconds in the
ketball team a competitive program in the
Bay Valley conference for the past two
years,” said head coach Richard Villegas.
“All three have been starters on the LMC
women’s basketball team for the past two
years, this year culminating with the team
placing fourth in the Bay Valley Conference.”
Trizuto has excelled at small forward
for the Mustangs, boasting averages of 14
points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists per
game. Her tenacity on the glass helped
her become the third-leading rebounder
in the conference and the 10th-leading rebounder
in the state.
Witherspoon played power forward
both years at LMC, and joined Trizuto
with a double-double average (10.6 points
and 10.7 rebounds per game). She also
earned a reputation as one of the best
shot blockers in the conference, swatting
an impressive 2.6 blocks per game.
“Tia, Jessica and Shannon dedicated
themselves to the women’s basketball program,
not only on the court but also in the
classroom,” Villegas said. “They developed
a work ethic that helped them each
earn a scholarship to Culver-Stockton
College to continue their academic and
athletic careers. They also laid the foundation
for the program at LMC and I appreciate
their dedication and hard work.”
100-meter event bested the previous record by a full
eight-tenths of a second, and his record-setting 200-meter
performance was nearly a quarter-second better than
the previous mark.
Antioch’s Amber Purvis, 18, and Leslie Reed, 17,
also made history at the Region 14 Junior Olympic
Championships as part of the record-setting Flying Jaguars
Young Women’s 4x100-meter relay team, which fi nished
in 46.31 seconds, narrowly eclipsing the previous
record of 46.48.
The most exciting event at this year’s Region 14 Junior
Olympic Track and Field Championships was undoubtedly
the Young Women’s 2,000-meter steeplechase,
Photo courtesy of Los Medanos College
LMC standouts, from left, Tia Wither-
spoon, Jessica Trizuto and Shannon Reed
were all smiles after signing their letters
of intent alongside Mustangs coach
James Veronas and Culver-Stockton head
coach Timothy Southers.
which saw its previous record time of eight minutes, 52
seconds bested three times. Sacramento’s Alison Motor,
17, won the event in a record 7:53.43, and second- and
third-place fi nishers Catherine Crisp (8:21.10) and Rebekah
Phillips (8:31.89) each bested the previous record
as well.
The top three fi nishers in each track and fi eld event at
the Region 14 Championships qualifi ed for the USATF
National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships,
which are being held this week in Omaha, Neb. and feature
over 6,000 of the top youth track and fi eld athletes
from around the country.
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