TRACK AND FIELD: Let the Pasadena Games begin

By Scott Galetti, Staff Writer
Some of the area's top track and field athletes will congregate at Pasadena City College on Saturday for the 65th annual Pasadena Games.
"The Pasadena Games is the oldest track meet west of the Mississippi for high school," meet director Dr. John Bianci said. "I feel that it's important to the community because a lot of the high schools have a chance to come to a quality track meet in their backyard.
"It also showcases the city of Pasadena and Pasadena City College."
The meet is a conglomeration of hard work by many sources.
"La Salle High School has been instrumental in making sure we have all the people to donate time to run the meet," Bianci said. "Pasadena City College's administration has also been instrumental to help us put on a high-quality track meet. It's a wonderful, feel-good event for the City of Pasadena, I think."
Area schools are Alhambra, Blair, Flintridge Prep, Flintridge Sacred Heart, Muir, La Ca ada, La Salle, Marshall Fundamental, Pasadena, San Marino and Westridge.
Muir senior Jarred Banks leads the list of competitors in Flight 1 of the boys long jump.
South Pasadena senior Matt Aquino is among the top entries in the boys shot put.
Westridge's Shahar Thomas will be among the top competitors in the girls long jump.
Flintridge Prep's Dot Silverman is among the top athletes in the girls 1,600 open division.
Muir senior Richard Zarazua has the top qualifying mark in the boys 1,600 open.
Muir's John Patton will run out of the No. 5 lane in the boys small schools 110 hurdles, while Ahmere Owens headlines the list in the boys 110 hurdles for large schools.
Westridge junior Jade McKnight is in the small schools 400, and South Pasadena junior Jeffrey Stephens has the top qualifying mark in the boys 400 for small schools.
He also will be one of the top athletes in the boys 300 hurdles.
Mayfield sophomore Natasha Hamlin is among the top qualifiers in the girls 100 for small schools, while Blair's Reinaldo Reyes is among the top entries in the boys small schools 100.
Muir's boys team headlines the 4x800 open relay.
Marshall's girls team tops the list in the 800 sprint medley for small schools.
South Pasadena's girls team is the front-runner in the 4x400 relay for small schools.
"Typically, the competition is very good because the athletes need early- season marks," Bianci said.
"In order to qualify for the Arcadia Invitational and the Mt. SAC Relays, you need to get good early-season marks, so there is always great competition at the Pasadena Games."