Since becoming Southern California's decathlon champion April 13, Ventura College's Teddy Elsenbaumer hasn't felt like his fellow competitors have paid him any more attention.

"I haven't noticed anything," said Elsenbaumer. "Decathlon is so close. It's quite an experience. All the athletes who are there are on the same boat."

As the Ventura College men's track and field team enters the Western State Conference finals today at Bakersfield College, Elsenbaumer's teammates can feel confident knowing their newest champion is a team player.

The Ventura High product, who will also compete in the 110-meter hurdles, the 4x400- meter relay and the javelin, picked up the 400-meter hurdles in the middle of a meet earlier this year.

"I told coach," said Elsenbaumer, "if you need me to run that one for some points, I'll try it."
Elsenbaumer is the No. 6 seed in his new event.

"I actually kind of like it," said Elsenbaumer. "It goes by really fast. There's a rhythm to it."

Ventura's Tirrel Brooks and Derrell Brooks are the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds in the long jump.

"If we can all take care of our own thing and score the most points as possible, who knows," said Elsenbaumer. "We just have to put ourselves in the best position."