Los Gatos outran Los Altos and Milpitas to the tape in the final event of the meet to take the championship.

The top 16 placers from the De Anza and El Camino divisions will get together for the SCVAL Qualifier meet on May 15, 11 a.m., at Los Gatos. The top six placers Saturday advance to the Central Coast Section semifinals May 22 at San Jose City College.

The Wildcats ran up 109 points to 98 for Milpitas to win the title at the league meet after posting a 6-0 dual meet record. And it was senior Ali Dodson winning the point parade for the Cats.

Dodson won both the 400 and the 200 meters, and she anchored the 4x400 relay team to a victory. Dodson was also a member of the 4x100 relay team that finished second.

It all came down to the night's final event.

"The meet again came down to the 4x400 relay, something my girls are used to by now," said Los Gatos coach Monica Townsend.

With junior Caroline Stege sitting out the event with a sore hip, Ashley Benson teamed with Sally Stanton, Samantha Peppard and Dodson to win the event and the meet.

Stanton opened with a 61.8 leg and Peppard cruised to a 60.6 lap. Benson ran 61.5 in her leg, and Dodson finished up with a quick 60.1.

"Ali who closed out her phenomenal day with a comfortable 60.1 in the relay," said Townsend.

Dodson had opened her day with a win in the 400 with Stege second.

"Both girls won their heats as expected on Tuesday, and in the finals they did what they are used to doing—finishing one-two," said Townsend. "The difference this time was that they both ran PRs in order to do it."

Dodson ran a 56.76 to win it, the best time this year in the CCS. Stege was second in 58.60.

Dodson came back to wrap up an undefeated league season in the 200, running 25.55—her second best time of the year. Cheryl Parkman was fourth in 26.98 and freshman Jaimee Erickson was sixth in 26.98.

"We looked to gain key points in this event," said the coach, "and the girls didn't disappoint, finishing one-four-six for another big 15 points."

Dodson had helped the Cats open the meet with a second-place finish in the 4x100 relay. Parkman, Dodson, Stanton and Erickson teamed to run 50.15.

Peppard joined Dodson on the top step of the victory stand at the finals, winning the 800 in 2:20.37 with Benson a close second at 2:20.94. Sophomore Marlana Shile was fifth for the Cats.

"The meet took a decided turn in our favor at the conclusion of the 800 meters," said Townsend. "Milpitas looked to get first, third and fifth in this event while we had other plans."

The coach praised Peppard, Benson and Shile for running "smart and gutsy races to take first, second and fifth to add 20 points to our score and hold Milpitas to only 10 in the event."

Peppard won the event late in the race.

"She ran like a seasoned veteran, letting Nguyen from Milpitas take the lead through 550 meters," said Townsend. "She made a huge move on the backstretch with Nguyen trying to hang on."

"Meanwhile, Benson was sitting on Milpitas' second girl through the backstretch and finally made her move with 150 meters to go," added the coach. "She passed her then set her sights on Nguyen about 30 meters ahead and just caught her at the tape with a great lean."

Stanton nailed a second in the 300 hurdles in 47.77 for the Wildcats and she added a fourth in the 100 hurdles.

Parkman raced to a third in the 100 in 13.03 and Erickson was fourth.

Sophomore Ariana Nicewonger came through with a strong showing in the 3,200 meters, running fifth in a personal best 11:34.65. Jacqui Kemp was 11th.

Freshman Jill Goodwin ran seventh in the 1,600 in 5:28.19 and senior Ashley Harris was 10th in a personal best 5:31.15.

In the field, Michelle Johnson soared 5-0 to finish second in the high jump to defending CCS champ Allie Miller of Los Altos, first at 5-2.

Shea Dailor nailed a fourth in the discus with a 106-0 effort and freshman Madeline Rose was sixth in the shot put.

The Los Gatos boys, meanwhile, finished fifth at the league meet, but senior Nathan Young raced to an individual victory for the Cats.

Young was first in the 800 meters in 1:59.13 with teammate Chad Blanchard, also a senior, second in 2:00.65.

Senior Greg Geldman was third in the 1,600 for Gatos in 4:31.99.

The Wildcats were also second in both the 4x100 and 4x400 relays.

In girls junior varsity competition, Los Gatos finished the year fourth at the league meet after going 5-1 in dual meet action.

"They would have placed higher at the finals if I had not moved some key scorers up to varsity for the better competition," said Townsend of her JV team.

Sanishya Fernando won both the 200 and 400 for the Cats, taking the 400 in 61.97 to earn a place in this week's SCVAL meet. Ali Rubnitz ran 63.95 for fifth in the 400 with Stephanie Girsback sixth and Sam Mason seventh.

Fernando, Rubnitz, Girsback and Mason teamed to win the 4x400 relay in 4:15.41, bettering the old school record by 1.5 seconds.

Mary Gonzales was first in the 100 meters with Janelle Carino sixth.

Kristy Barker scored 11 team points for the Cats with a second in the 1,600 in a personal best 5:48.07, a fifth in the 3,200 and a sixth in the 800.

Lauren Sitzenstatter ran a personal best to finish sixth in the 100 hurdles, and the Cats were second in the 4x100 relay.