Masters Track and Field Meet : Duarte’s Cannady Wins Both Masters Sprints

Martin Cannady, No. 13 on the jersey and not much higher in recognition outside the San Gabriel Valley, was nothing less than No. 1 Friday night at the Masters track meet.

A junior from Duarte, Cannady had several standout performances at Cerritos College, where the best of the Southern Section met in the final qualifying for the State championships. He won two individual events and anchored Falcon relay teams to first- and second-place finishes.

“I was running relaxed and not worrying about anything else,” he said.

So the night was a success?

“It could have been a little better, but it was good enough,”he said.

In this case, good enough means running 10.59 to win the 100 meters and 21.31 to win the 200.

“He was very good, but the important thing to remember is his mental toughness,” Duarte Coach Michael Ramos said. “That is such an overused phrase, but it’s also so true. Notice in the 200 how he didn’t give up?”

The night was equally as gratifying for Terry Johnson of Anaheim Katella, who came back after a disappointing loss to Rodney Bradshaw in last week’s 3-A finals to beat the Saugus senior in the 110- and 300-meter hurdles.

“I proved myself today,” Johnson said. “I didn’t like being second, and that was motivation enough for me.”

Saugus, the 3-A team champion, suffered a setback in the distance races as Daren Stonerock qualified in only the 3,200 and his twin brother, Kirk, was shut out.

The two were expected to contend in the 1,600 and 3,200 and between them qualify four times for the State meet, but that was before a hip injury that has bothered Kirk since cross-country forced him to drop out of the 3,200 and miss the 1,600. Daren got hit in the right foot with a skimboard last Sunday at the beach. Running with a bad bruise, he finished third in the 3,200 behind Aaron Mascorra of Rosemead (9:04.06) and Richard Erbes of Glendale (9:05.19) with a time of 9:05.74. He was eighth in the 1,600, three away from qualifying.