Merino to Bid for Steeplechase Repeat

Jose Merino of Glendale College will try to give the Vaqueros their second consecutive 3,000-meter steeplechase winner in the Southern California track and field championships today at Mt. San Antonio College in Walnut.

Merino, who won the steeplechase, 5,000 and 10,000 in the Western State Conference championships last month, will run in the steeplechase and 5,000 today.

Julio Serratos, who now attends Adams State College in Alamosa, Colo., won the steeplechase for Glendale in the Southern California championships last year.

Merino is among several athletes from the region who will compete in at least two individual events in the meet, which starts with field events at 1 p.m. and running events at 5.

Andre Velasquez of Antelope Valley will compete in the men’s high jump and long jump.

Tranisha Holmes of Antelope Valley will run in the women’s 100 and 200.

Angela Foster of Moorpark will compete in the women’s shotput and discus.

The top four finishers in running events through 800 meters, and the top six finishers in races of 1,500 meters or longer and in field events, will qualify for the state championships at City College of San Francisco next Friday and Saturday.

Fifth-place finishers in races through 800 meters will qualify for the state championships if their time is faster than the fifth-place finisher in the Northern California championships.