The Los Gatos girls sprint medley relay team of (l-r) Ali Dodson, Sally Stanton, Ashley Caldwell and Carolyn Penner set a new school record at the West Valley Relays. Dodson, Caldwell and Penner each came back with individual wins this week in a dual meet against Wilcox.

Photograph by Bill Campbell

Dodson wins twice to lead Wildcats to win over Wilcox

By Dick Sparrer

Ali Dodson was coming off of impressive back-to-back performances at the Indoor Nationals in New York and at the West Valley Relays in Saratoga.

She had teamed with Michelle Bertizhoff, Ashley Caldwell and Carolyn Penner to run to a new school record and earn All-American honors in the distance medley relay in New York, and she joined with Caldwell, Penner and Sally Stanton to win the sprint medley relay in record time at the West Valley Relays at West Valley College at week later.

But despite the early season successes, there was no sign of a letdown for the Gatos sophomore last week. Quite the contrary, in fact--she went out and won two events to lead the Wildcats to a 70-46 dual meet victory over Wilcox in the De Anza Division of the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League.

Dodson sprinted to a win in the 100 in 13.53 and came back with a first in the 200 in 25.5 to figure as the lone double-winner for the Wildcats in the team win. She also ran a leg on the first-place 4x100 relay team, which finished in 51.43.

Caldwell and Penner, Dodson's relay mates on the record-setting teams in both New York and Saratoga, were also winners for Los Gatos against Wilcox.

Caldwell, a senior, cruised to a win in the 400 meters in 59.44 and Penner, a sophomore, raced to a first in the 800 in 2:34.70.

Junior Kristen Turner covered the 100 hurdles in 18.45 for a Los Gatos victory.

In the field events, seniors Kim Christiansen and Lynsey Erickson each flew to victories. Christiansen was first in the triple jump at 33-9 ¹/2, and Erickson took the long jump at 15-10.

Michelle Johnson rounded out the list of Los Gatos winners with a first in the high jump at 4-10.

The Wildcats improved to 4-0 in division dual meets with the victory.

The Los Gatos boys dropped an 87-39 decision to Wilcox to slip to 0-3 in the De Anza Division.

Nik Kay was a double winner for the Wildcats in the weight events. Kay whirled the discus 170-5 for a victory and pushed the shot put 45-7 for a first.

Clay McKell breezed to a win in the 800 meters in 2:07.71 and Peter Baunach won the high jump at 6-0. The Cats also ran to wins in both the 4x100 relay, in 46.31, and the 4x400 relay, in 4:16.

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