July 31, 2002     Los Gatos, California Since 1881 Contributed photograph The Los Gatos Athletic Association sent five athletes to the Junior Olympic regionals, and Christine Jones and Hilary May earned spots in the nationals. Team members included (front row, l-r) Brantley Rideau, Jones and May; and (back row, l-r) John Udall, coach Willie Harmatz, Steven Udall and coach Roger Adams. Los Gatos well-represented at Junior Olympic track finals By Dick Sparrer The meet may have been a couple of thousand miles away, but Los Gatos was well-represented last weekend at the Junior Olympic track and field meet held in Omaha, Neb. Christine Jones and Hilary May of the Los Gatos Athletic Association (LGAA), Matthew Petrillo of Fisher Middle School and the Union Track Club's 4x800 girls relay team all won places in the national meet. Athletes had to place in the top three in their events at the Junior Olympic regionals to earn a spot in Nebraska. Jones, 14, finished second in the youth girls 800 in 2:21.5 to claim a spot in the nationals. She had won county eighth- grade championships in the mile and 800 for Fisher in May. "Christine has been dropping her times so fast, she is really becoming a star overnight," said Willie Harmatz, who teamed with Roger Adams to coach the LGAA squad. "She has a great future." May, a Los Gatos resident who attends St. Andrew's Middle School in Saratoga, ran third in the 1,500 in 4:57.5 to qualify for the nationals. May, 13, won the seventh-grade county titles in the mile and 800 in the spring, setting new records in each event. "She is one of the best runners in the country for her age," said Harmatz of May, who has recently moved to Corona Del Mar. At the nationals last weekend, Jones ran a personal best 2:21.5 to finish second in her 800 heat, but she was disqualified in the finals for running on the lane line. Jones was eighth in her 1,500 heat in 5:01.0. "Things didn't go that great [at the nationals], but I'm real proud of the two girls," said Harmatz. "It was a great honor for them to make it that far, and it was a great experience for them." Brantley Rideau, John Udall and Steve Udall, all seventh-graders at St. Andrew's, also competed for LGAA at the regionals. Petrillo second Petrillo, 13, finished second in the 3,000 meters in 9:58 at the regionals to earn a place at the nationals. Petrillo, the most valuable athlete on Fisher's seventh-grade track team in the spring, had qualified for the regionals by finishing third at the Pacific Association finals in 10:16. Petrillo was the league and county champion in both the 800 and 1,600 in the middle school season, and he set new league records in the two events. He was also second in the long jump and third in the 200 at league, and second in the long jump and fourth in the 200 at county. Union girls The Union Track Club girls 4x800 meter relay team of Morgan Hancock, Kaela Hoch, Elle Meulman and Jessica Wacker finished third in the Pacific Association Junior Olympic track and field championships to qualify for the nationals. The girls are coached by Jeff Argabright of Union Middle School. Dammit Run The 29th annual Los Gatos Dammit Run returns to town on Aug. 17. Race-day registration will begin at 6:30 a.m., and the starting gun will blast at 8:30 a.m. All finishers will receive ribbons. The preregistration entry fee is $10 ($30 with a T-shirt), and the fee is $20 on race day ($40 with a T-shirt). T-shirts alone are priced at $20 and will be sold at the track on race day or in advance at Athletic Performance, 55 W. Main St., or at the Runners Factory, 51 University Ave. Preregistration closes Aug. 15. For more information, call 408.354.7365 or 408.395.4311. All-comers meets There are three all-comers track and field meets remaining in the summer season at Los Gatos High School. Thursday meets—slated for Aug. 1, 8 and 15—begin at 6 p.m.