Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, April 19, 1991 TAG: 9104190199
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Not if Martinsville or Salem has anything to say about it, and not if Demond Wesley isn't healthy.
The Blue Demons haven't lost an All-American Relays crown since they were runners-up in 1986. The 1987 event was rained out, and after that the Demons have poured on the points. Last year, they finished with 65 points, far outdistancing second-place Bassett (41 points) for their third consecutive title.
This is the top regular-season track meet in Timesland in terms of entrants and teams. There are 30 schools represented with 25 boys' teams and 27 girls' teams. In all, there are 1,135 individual entries, down 50 from last year.
The race for the girls' title is wide open. Magna Vista, Christiansburg, Brookville and defending Group AA champion Blacksburg appear to have an edge. The Indians won the 1990 All-American Relays with 68 points to 43 for Christiansburg.
Andre Martin of Martinsville, who has the best performances in the triple jump and both hurdles events coming into Saturday, leads the Bulldogs in their quest to unseat Christiansburg.
Salem depends on balance, but Jodie Terry has the best long jump and is tied with Wesley for the best time in the 100 meters. The Spartans also are strong in the weights and in the distance runs.
Two of the state's premier Group AA individual performers won't compete in the All-American meet, and that hurts Northside's chances to make a run at the boys' title. Brian Burke, defending Group AA high jump champion and an excellent hurdler, and Curtis Ballard, who is strong in the triple and long jumps, will be at the Volunteer Classic in Knoxville, Tenn. They also will miss next week's Cosmo Relays in Salem to participate in the Penn Relays at Philadelphia.
Wesley, who is outstanding in the dashes, has been slowed by a pulled right hamstring.
"We'll wait until Saturday to make a decision on whether he runs," said Christiansburg coach Randy Bailey. "It definitely could be a factor.
"We've been very fortunate [in the winning streak] and had a lot of good kids who aren't injured at the All-American Relays."
Christiansburg is strong in the distances with junior Brian Eigel, the Group AA cross country champion and Timesland cross country athlete of the year, heading the talented group. The Blue Demons won the Group AA cross country title.
Blacksburg's girls will build around strong distance runners who carried them to the Group AA cross country title.
Magna Vista has an outstanding athlete in Kiki Hughes, who comes in favored to win the long and triple jumps.
The best events for the girls might be the distance races. Brookville's Corey Morris and Melissa Ward of Jefferson Forest have the best times in the mile to lead a strong field.
In the two-mile run, Ward, Blacksburg's Lynn Price, Christiansburg's Carrie Porterfield and Salem's Lori Archer should all be contenders. Archer has the best time this spring at 11 minutes, 49.9 seconds and set an All-American record last year at 11:47.7.
The surprise of the field might be Santosha Marshall of Martinsville Christian. She carries a 12.0-second time in the 100 and a 25.2 in the 200. The private school in Martinsville brings only a few girls, but they make a talented group.
The meet starts at 9:45 a.m. with a Fun Run for children 11 and under followed by a Masters Mile at 10 a.m. The high school trials and field events follow with finals in running events set for 1:20 p.m.
by CNB