By Dick Sparrer
Peter Carter and Stephanie Chavez of Los Gatos are two of the best in the Central Coast Section in their track and field specialties. So it should come as little surprise to find the two in the roles of favorites when track and field's elite converge on the Los Gatos oval April 25 for the annual running of the CCS Top 8 Meet.
Carter is the man to beat in the mile, and Chavez is the favorite in the 800 meters when the best CCS has to offer shows up at Gatos on Friday. Field events begin at 4 p.m. with running events to get under way at 5 p.m.
But the two Los Gatos athletes won't be alone. They lead an impressive contingent of Wildcats who have qualified for the prestigious meet.
Los Gatos will send 17 athletes to the competition-- four varsity boys, seven varsity girls and six more frosh-soph boys.
Carter heads up the varsity boys' contingent that includes Chris Lipp in the 400, Mike Pugh in the discus and Ben Martin in the two-mile.
Chavez, who will run the mile relay in addition to the 800, will be joined by Lina Biber-Ferro in the 800 and relay, Amy LaPine in the 800 and relay, Jeanne Fishback in the mile and two-mile, Sarah High in the two-mile, Sarah McAleer in the two-mile, and Karisse Leis in the 300 hurdles and relay.
Joseph Carter tops a list of six Wildcats who have qualified for the Top-8 Meet in frosh-soph competition.
J. Carter was first in both the 800 (2:02.0) and the mile (4:34.5) at the Frosh-Soph Classic to qualify for the meet, and he figures to be the favorite in each event at Friday's meet.
Jed Martin qualified in both the mile and two-mile, and Zack Regner earned a spot in the two-mile.
Don Hilliker soared 12 feet to earn a berth in the pole vault, and Eric Sturm flew 18 feet 1114 inches to gain a place in the long jump. Ben Emmons qualified in the discus with a heave of 118 feet 1112 inches.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, April 23, 1997.
©1997 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.