High School Track : Hand Injury Sidelines Lawson; Granada Hills Opens With a Victory

Granada Hills High, competing without its top runner, still managed to defeat Poly, 64-58, in a season-opening nonleague track meet Friday at Granada Hills.

The Highlanders defeated the defending East Valley League champions despite the absence of Craig Lawson, the 1988 City Section cross-country champion who placed fourth in the 3,200 meters in last year’s City track championships.

Lawson suffered a broken bone in his left hand while skiing Monday and also could miss next week’s Northwest Valley Conference opener at Chatsworth, according to Coach Mal Stock.

With Lawson sidelined, Jeremy Karpel and Jerry Carayanis led the Highlanders to victory with two individual victories each.

Karpel, a junior, won the 200 meters in 23.9 seconds and the long jump at 19-7 1/4. He also led off the victorious 400- and 1,600-meter relay teams.

Carayanis, a senior, won the 800 in 2:12.6 and the 3,200 in 12:32.1.

Kelly Hernandez won the pole vault with a 12-6 leap for Poly.

In another boys’ meet:

Grant 74, Verdugo Hills 42--James Moore won the 880 and two-mile race as the Dons dropped the nonleague meet at Grant.

Moore, a junior who placed eighth in the 1988 City cross-country championships, timed 2:09.1 in the 880 and set a school record of 10:08.5 in the two-mile. Moore’s time bettered the previous mark of 10:10.0, set by Bill Thomas in 1975.

GIRLS

Granada Hills 75, Poly 33--Shaunte Parker and Danielle McCulley paced the host Highlanders in a nonleague meet.

McCulley upset Parker in the 100 (both runners were timed in 12.9), but Parker clocked 26.3 to defeat her teammate in the 200.

Parker and McCulley also teamed with Kim Montgomery and Jennifer Cannell to win the 400 relay in 54.3

Verdugo Hills 57 1/2, Grant 48 1/2--Rosie Dominguez won the shotput for Verdugo Hills in the nonleague meet at Grant.

Dominguez, who placed fourth in last year’s City championships, threw 31-9 1/2.