Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 23, 1993 TAG: 9305230144
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
They won just three events, but Christiansburg's boys recorded 118 points in walking off with their fifth straight Region IV team championship.
Blacksburg's girls don't have quite the dynasty of the Blue Demons. However, the Indians were talking about a state championship after pulling away in the last two events to beat Marion for their second girls' championship in a row and third in the past four years.
Katie Ollendick paced the Indians, breezing to wins in the high jump (5 feet, 4 inches), 400-meter run (59.4 seconds) and 800 run (2:26.2) and then anchoring the winning 1,600-meter relay team. That was offset by Marion's Julie Pickle, who won the long jump (16 feet, 10 3/4 inches) and the 100-meter hurdles (15.7) and the 300-meter hurdles (48.1). The Scarlet Hurricane lost because of Blacksburg's depth in the distance running events.
Scott Cummings was the only double winner for Christiansburg's boys. He won the shot put (49 feet, 11 inches) and the discus (138 feet, 7 inches). The Blue Demons' Andra Beasley upset Virginia High's David Beasley with a leap of 20 feet, 10 inches to win the long jump for Christiansburg's only other first place.
Cummings said his discus performance was about 11 feet better than his previous best.
"I came from behind in the shot. I was fourth [going into the final round]. That sort of pumped me up for the discus," said Cummings, who had personal bests in both events.
Christiansburg boys' coach Randy Bailey marveled at his team's performance.
"It was a little easier than I thought it would be. We projected 98 1/2 points, and we thought it would take 90 to win," said Bailey, whose team finished 37 points in front of runner-up Virginia High.
"This is one of the greatest group of kids I've had to work with," Bailey said. "Coming into the season, we didn't have an all-star lineup. I think we scored in every event but the 400-meter run today."
Bailey isn't talking state title.
"I don't think we have the horses, but we'll go down there and try to have as many people score [place] as possible," he said.
Blacksburg, though, is thinking of a championship because of Ollendick and the fact the Indians feel they're stronger than the Blacksburg team that finished third a year ago.
"We did a little better than I expected," said Blacksburg coach Cecille Newcomb, whose team trailed early. "I thought we'd be behind because we're weak in field events. So it came down to distance events. I think we have a good shot at the state [title] because this team is stronger than last year."
Ollendick buried the field in the 800 meters and will try to get the same four victories in the Group AA state meet Saturday at James Madison University in Harrisonburg. She is defending state high jump and 400-meters champion.
"It'll be tough to win the state, but we have some other people with the potential to place in the state," Ollendick said.
One of those is junior Samara Hunt, who won the 200-meter dash, was second in the 400 and ran a leg on the 1,600-meter team.
"Really, Katie inspires me, and it's my goal to have a time as good as she has by next year," Hunt said.
The Indians got a surprise in the 3,200-meter run when freshman Sarah Hendricks upset Beth Eigel of Christiansburg. Eigel passed Hendricks on the next-to-last turn, but the Indians' runner kicked her way back past the Blue Demons' runner for the victory.
"I've always been too far back to get ahead of her that late," said Hendricks, who was an outstanding cross country runner this year.
Pickle will be trying to pull off a triple win in the state meet.
by CNB