Photograph by Robert Scheer
Fremont superstar Joe Naivalu (center) leans at the tape, but ends up second to Damon Hamm of Milpitas in the 100-meter finals at CCS. Naivalu came through with wins in both the 110-meter high hurdles and 300 intermediate hurdles, and will advance to the state meet in all three events.
By DICK SPARRER
Many prospective high school graduates are currently planning senior trips to exotic places... Hawaii, Cancun, Cabo San Lucas.
But Norwalk, Calif.?
That's where Fremont senior Joe Naivalu is headed. And it's a senior trip he's been looking forward to for four years.
Norwalk is the home of Cerritos College, the site for the 1996 state track and field championships. And Naivalu's goal all year has been to return to the state meet in his senior year.
But it will be more than a vacation for the Fremont senior. Naivalu will be busy in Norwalk, competing in three events after qualifying in the 110-meter high hurdles, 300 intermediate hurdles and 100-meter dash at the Central Coast Section finals.
Naivalu romped to wins in both the hurdle events at CCS. He set a new meet record in the 110 highs in a wind-aided 13.65, and he was first in the 300 intermediates in 37.17.
The Fremont hurdle star was first in the 110 highs a year after finishing second in the event at CCS. His 13.65 was nearly a full second better than the 14.53 recorded by runnerup John Bull of Mountain View.
Naivalu led a solid Santa Clara Valley Athletic League showing in the 300 intermediates. He finished first with Brian Carroll of Saratoga third and Manny Austin of Los Gatos fourth.
Naivalu's 37.17 was almost two seconds better than the 38.90 posted by Guy McGowan of Leigh.
Carroll earned a state trip with a third in the 300 intermediates. His 39.26 was good for a close third behind McGowan. Austin was a close fourth in 39.44.
Naivalu also qualified for state in the 100, finishing second in 10.73. Damon Hamm of Milpitas, another SCVAL star, won the event in 10.67.
Other boys from the SCVAL placing at CCS were Aaron Bryant (100) and Jason Adkins (800) of Wilcox; Beebe Rutledge (400) and Tom Newman (400) of Los Gatos; Bull (high jump) of Mountain View; and Darren Marble (high jump), Willie Howard (shot put and discus) and Pete Bjorkland (shot put and discus) of Los Altos.
In girls' competition at CCS, Mary Lucido of Homestead and Tamara Chellum of Mitty were top local finishers.
Lucido, a distance star for the Mustangs, raced to a fifth in the 3,200 meters in 11:26.78.
Chellum, a Saratoga resident who competes for the Monarchs, romped to a sixth in the 400 meters in 58.82.
Other girls from the SCVAL placing at CCS were Monica Coleman (400) and Evelyn Shih (triple jump) of Gunn; Jessica Burnham (long jump) of Los Altos; Shana Buchanan (long jump) of Santa Clara; Christin Chan (long jump) of Mountain View; Holly McClain (high jump) of Milpitas; Colleen Wrenn (400) of Palo Alto; and Stephanie Chavez (100), Lina Biber-Ferro (800), Ally Lombardi (800) and Rose Sczawinski (400) of Los Gatos.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, May 29, 1996.
©1996 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.