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Hennessy wins national title
Bates, Martin join Hennessy in N.C.
By Dick Sparrer
Heather Hennessy didn't win a state championship in the 800 meters this spring. She couldn't.
The Los Gatos speedster was disqualified after winning the Central Coast Section title when two timers at the finish line determined that she had impeded Sacred Heart Cathedral's Shannon Rowbury on the final turn.
So because of the disqualification, Hennessy didn't qualify for the state meet.
The Golden West Invitational, though, was another story.
Hennessy competed in a national field at the Golden West meet in Sacramento last weekend and she raced to a victory, beating, among others, state champ Liz Morse of Corona Del Mar.
The talented Gatos junior breezed over the 800 meters in 2:08.6, breaking her own school record that she had set earlier this year in Arcadia when she finished second to Morse.
With Hennessy sidelined because of the CCS disqualification, Morse cruised to the state title June 3 at Cerritos College in Los Angeles.
Morse entered the Golden West meet at American River College in Sacramento unbeaten in 2000 and ranked No. 1 in the nation. But Hennessy took care of that.
Hennessy was fourth after the first 200, but moved into second at the 400-meter mark, passing Morse. Hennessy caught the leader, Spring Dawson of Vallejo, on the last turn and pulled away in the final stretch.
"Morse caught Dawson for second, but not Heather," said a pleased Gatos coach, Willie Harmatz, after the event. Dawson is ranked No. 3 in the nation in the 800. "Heather is the first national champion I've ever coached," added the coach. "It was quite a thrill."
Hennessy's time was the second fastest in the nation this year (Morse had run 2:08.1 to win the state title on June 3), and six of the top 8 ranked runners in the country were entered in the race. Five of them had won state titles.
"What a season she is having," said Harmatz of Hennessy. "She amazes me in every big meet. She knows now that even the very top people are beatable. She has great confidence."
Hennessy will now advance to the Foot Locker National Championships June 15-17 at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, N.C., where she will likely run the 800 and the mile.
"We need to see what she can do a mile in," said Harmatz. "She may run it at the nationals in North Carolina."
Hennessy will make the trip to the nationals with teammates Matt Bates and Russ Martin. Like Hennessy, Bates and Martin are both juniors at Los Gatos.
Hennessy, the No. 2 ranked 800 runner in the nation, is the fastest 800 (2:08.6) and mile (4:57.92) runner in Los Gatos school history and a league and CCS champion.
Bates is another league and CCS champ who will run the 800 at the nationals. His best of 1:53.88 ranks No. 3 on the LG all-time list and was the eighth-best time in the state this year.
Martin is the fourth-best two-miler in Los Gatos history with a best of 9:24.09, and has been a top track and cross country runner for the Wildcats for the past three years. He'll run the two-mile at the nationals.
Harmatz is looking for donations from the community to help the three athletes make the trip to the nationals. Donations should be sent to the "Hennessy-Bates-Martin Travel Fund," c/o Los Gatos Athletic Association, P.O. Box 1334, Los Gatos, CA 95031. For more information, call Harmatz at 408.206.9973 or e-mail him at willieharmatz@aol.com.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
Los Gatos speedster Heather Hennessy finished first at the Golden West Invitational National meet last weekend in Sacramento.
