Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 31, 1992 TAG: 9203310238
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-9 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: CHRIS BACHELDER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
That's hardly going out on a limb. If talk of Blue Demon dominance on and around the oval is beginning to sound like a broken record, it may be because that's the only record these Christiansburg fellows enjoy.
Consider this track record: five New River District and four Region IV titles in the past six years, as well as two consecutive third-place finishes in the state Group AA meet.
Head coach Randy Bailey said this year's team has what it takes to make another serious run at a state championship. The Demons are led by a fantastic senior class, one that knows about winning.
After winning its eighth-grade championship, Christiansburg's track class of '92 has won the district and region the past three years at CHS. This year, they aim for a four-year sweep.
"Our numbers are a little down this year," said Bailey, who has about 40 or 45 athletes. "But the quality is excellent. We don't have too many kids that can't do much.
"This is really a great senior class. I've watched these guys come up through the program and succeed for four years, and I'm really close to this group."
Gone is all-purpose star Demond Wesley, who finished his career at CHS second only to Tyrone Johnson ('89) on the school's all-time scoring list.
But Christiansburg has the depth and talent to offset the loss, and Bailey looks for senior Darrell Lucas to stride out from under Wesley's long shadow.
Lucas is an accomplished but little-known long jumper, triple jumper and hurdler. He is a 21-foot long jumper, as well as the defending region champ in the 110-meter high and 330 intermediate hurdles.
"I'm pushing Darrell for the track and field Athlete of the Year," Bailey said. "He is this year's Demond for us. He is the best all-around Group AA hurdler around here.
"Darrell is fairly well known around here, but when we go up to Roanoke or somewhere, people say, `Man, that skinny kid can go.' And he can."
Another prominent senior is Robert Craft, one of the best shot and disc throwers in Timesland. Craft has thrown the discus 143 feet outdoors and is the school's indoor record holder in the shot.
Senior Shawn Marshall, the district's defensive back of the year in football, and junior Scott "Lurch" Cummings are the other top weight men for the Demons. Cummings, who props up his 6-feet-4, 240-pound frame with size 17 feet, is in his first year of outdoor.
Senior Chris Collins, junior Von Lewis and sophomore John Cochran are the team's best high jumpers; and Lucas, Collins and freshman Andra Beasley will represent the Demons well in the long and triple jumps. Collins is the defending region triple-jump champ.
Explosive junior Kevin Bennett, sophomore Steve Surratt and Beasley are the top sprinters; and Lucas and senior Charles Hardy head a strong corps of hurdlers. Hardy has placed three years in a row in the district meet.
Chris Whytal, who placed third in the state meet in the 1,000, joins Aaron Payne, Chris Roop and senior Ryan Phillips to make up a formidable mid-distance crew.
In the distance events, Bailey has a tremendous asset in senior Brian Eigel, the two-time Timesland cross-country runner of the year. Eigel ran a 4:25 mile in indoor.
"He's the best AA distance runner in the state," Bailey said. "He's won just about everything in his career."
Jimmy Osbourne, an all-Timesland cross-country selection, and Jeremy Cosgriff will boost the Demons in the 1,600 and 3,200.
Bailey and his staff are a big reason the Demons have stayed at the top. Always looking to improve, Bailey now is armed with seven specialized assistant coaches as well as a new computer-assisted conditioning and goal-setting program.
In addition, Christiansburg will face tougher competition in 1992. "We split with Patrick Henry in indoor track, and we will be in a tri-meet against William Fleming and Pulaski County at Pulaski.
"We've stepped up our schedule some. We feel like we're one of the better teams in Timesland, and we'll have the opportunity to show it."
Here's a glance at the other boys' teams in the area:
\ BLACKSBURG: The Indians' strength should lie in sprinting events, where Mike McPhail, William Grayson, Terry Simpson and Jason Kipps all return with experience.
Tom Springer and Chad Cox are top high jumpers and sophomore Nick Burroughs, coming off a strong indoor season, will compete in the 400 and mile relay.
Walter Wierwille lends experience and talent to a young distance crew.
\ RADFORD: Tommy Edwards does it all for the Bobcats. Edwards, heading to Virginia Tech on a football scholarship, will rack up points in the 100, 200, 400, long jump and triple jump. He reached state competition in multiple events last season and doubtless will return.
Coach Norm Lineburg also will rely on hurdler and jumper Duane Pierson, a senior, and weight man Mike Whittaker, a junior.
Juniors Chris Anderson and Joseph Burcham anchor the distance runners.
\ AUBURN: Sophomore V.J. Lumia is the top returner for a young and inexperienced team. Last year, Lumia placed in the Mountain Empire District meet's high jump and the Region C's 400.
Distance runner Randy Bishop, sprinter Ricky Akers and weight man Andy Stull, all juniors, help to give Lumia some help.
\ FLOYD: The Buffaloes should again be competitive after finishing second to Galax last season in the Mountain Empire District.
Six athletes return with state meet experience - Fred Via (100, 200), Jeremy Delaney (400), Thomas French (shot, disc), Shannon Rogers (intermediate hurdles), and Chase Lowe and David Goorsky (distance).
\ GILES: Giles placed third in the district last season, and coach Jerry Huffman said this year's team is deeper and stronger.
Leading the Spartans will be Mike Slusser and Shane Rundgren in the hurdles, Jamies Gusler in the shot, and Tyrome Anderson and Steve Johnson in sprints and jumps.
Sophomore Rick Jennings, who finished second in the state Group A cross-country meet last season, will be a force in the 1,600 and 3,200.
\ NARROWS: Points may be hard to come by this season for a freshman-dominated Narrows team. Juniors Michael Martin (shot, disc) and Nathan Thornton (jumps), and senior Anthony Meadows (400, relays) are the Green Wave's hope.
\ SHAWSVILLE: Coach Marvin Ballard takes over the Shawnees, facing "a whole host of unknowns." But at least Shawsville will have home meets this year. The highlight of the 1992 season is a new track, the first ever at the school.
\ PULASKI COUNTY: First-year coach Scott Frye is trying to get settled in before a trial by fire in the competitive Roanoke Valley District.
Frye likes what he sees of sprinters Tyrone Hash, a freshman, Donnell Patterson and Carl Lewis (not that Carl Lewis).
Byron Mayberry is the Cougars' top distance runner.
by CNB