Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, March 27, 1993 TAG: 9303270019
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-7 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By BRIAN DEVIDO SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: CHRISTIANSBURG LENGTH: Medium
The Blue Demons have won five regional titles in a row and look to improve on their seventh-place finish in the state AA meet last year.
Head coach Randy Bailey likes his team's depth, but he doesn't know if he has the individual stars needed to win a state crown this year.
"It would be difficult to win the states," Bailey said. "The biggest challenge for us will be to take our kids who can finish fourth, fifth and sixth in the states and have them move up to the top three."
The Blue Demons will be especially strong in distance events, in which Aaron Payne, Jimmy Osborne and Jeremy Cosgriff will be the top competitors. Payne won the regional indoor title at 1,000 meters earlier this year.
The Demons' top sprinter will be Kevin Bennett, who placed third in the 100 meters and fifth in the 200 meters in last year's outdoor regionals. Sophomore Andra Beasley will be a sprinting, jumping and throwing threat.
Beasley could compete in as many as eight events for the Blue Demons this year - the 100-, 200-, 400-meter relay, the long, high and triple jumps, the shot put and the discus.
Scott Cummings will be the strength for Christiansburg in the throwing events. He could be the schools first 50-foot shot putter in 10 years.
Bailey said Handley, the defending state champions; Tabb; Northside; and Charlottesville will be the teams to watch in the state tournament.
If Christiansburg slips, then Blacksburg will be ready to pick up the slack. The Indians finished runners-up to Christiansburg in the district and region last year.
Head coach Tommy Oliver has heard his team's primary motivation since the beginning of practice: "Of course, they all say they want to beat Christiansburg."
A win for Blacksburg may be a possibility this year as the team depth is better than ever. The top performer for the Indians will be Tom Springer, who won indoor regional titles in the long, high and triple jumps.
Radford fields a team that is lacking in depth. While New River District rivals Christiansburg and Blacksburg have 40 members each, the Bobcats only have 17.
Radford lost its top athlete, Tommy Edwards, to graduation and will try to score points with Mike Whittaker. Whittaker qualified for states last year in the shot put and discus throws.
Heading up the Mountain Empire District is last year's defending champions, Floyd County. The Buffaloes, who finished second in Region C last year, are led by two state-place winners from last year, Jeremy Dulaney and David Goorskey.
Dulaney finished third in the 400 meters and Goorskey finished third in the 3,200 meters.
Competing with the Buffs for the district crown will be the Giles Spartans, who finished third in the district last year. Head coach Jerry Huffman brings back 12 regional qualifiers from last year.
"Any time you have everyone back, you've got a super punch," Huffman said.
The Spartans are led by Perry Martin, who went to state meet last year in the 200 meters.
The Narrows Green Wave may be smaller in number than Floyd County or Giles, but head coach David Mabry said he likes the quality of his athletes.
Todd Carter, who went to the regionals in the shot put, and Michael Martin, who went to the regionals in the discus, lead the team.
Shawsville fields a team short in numbers and young in years. The Shawnees, competing in the Mountain Empire district, have no seniors and will rely on underclassmen. Doug Ashworth and Charles Duncan will be solid distance runners for the team.
Rounding out the Mountain Empire district is Auburn. It fields a small team that is led by V.J. Lumia, who has run in the 200 and 400 meters in states last year.
Also in the New River Valley is Pulaski County. The Cougars, who compete in the Roanoke Valley District, are led by Carl Lewis and Carson Graham. Lewis - no relation to the multi-Olympic gold medalist - runs the 100 meters and long jumps. Graham qualified for the state meet last year in the 300-meter hurdles.
The girls' track preview will be in a New River Current next week.
by CNB