Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SATURDAY, May 29, 1993                   TAG: 9305290164
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B4   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

RVD FARES WELL IN REGIONAL TRACK WITH 13 WINNERS

The RVD came up with 13 of 33 individual championships in the boys' and girls' meets.

The Patrick Henry girls' team led going into the final two events before Gar-Field dominated the 3,200-meter run to take the championship over the Patriots by 12 points.

In the boys' meet, William Fleming's 1,600-meter relay team finished fifth. That wasn't good enough to qualify for the Group AAA meet, but it was enough to leave William Fleming with 59 points, a half-point ahead of Woodbridge for second place. Gar-Field won with 85.

It was another triumphant day for Cave Spring twins Tiki and Ronde Barber, who are in the last two weeks of their high school careers.

Tiki Barber won both the long and triple jumps. His long jump of 24 feet, one-half inch was the only meet record set on the hot, humid day.

Ronde Barber won both hurdle events. Really, he won them when he beat rival Doug Haynesworth in the first hurdle race of 110 meters.

The two keen rivals, who traded victories on the indoor circuit this winter, were locked in a duel coming into the last hurdle.

Ronde Barber, who won this event in the state a year ago, pulled in front of Haynesworth. The Potomac runner, straining to make up the difference, hit the last hurdle and struggled to second with a cut leg.

Haynesworth didn't run the 300 and Ronde Barber had little trouble winning his second title.

"It was kind of anticlimactic, but Doug will get through it and we'll battle next week at the state," Ronde Barber predicted.

Ronde says he and Tiki are just getting into top shape because they haven't been to that many big meets. They've been getting an early start on a football weight program that the University of Virginia sent to them for next year.

Tiki Barber said he was basically looking to win two events and got what he wanted.

Despite the Barbers' performance, the Knights weren't close to defending their team title.

"We didn't have the Doughtys [Todd and Baker]. That's why," said Ronde Barber of the other Cave Spring brothers who accounted for so many points last spring.

Patrick Henry's girls had a pair of double winners in Arminta Crosby (100- and 200-meters) and Regina Johnson (shot and discus).

Crosby injured an ankle competing in the triple jump, but she had little trouble winning her dash events.

"I was glad to run the 24.6 [in the 200]. I didn't expect to run that. I was kind of scared of the 200. After I twisted my ankle, Coach [Jeff Johnson] told me to do the best I could," said Crosby.

Johnson had her personal best in the discus. "I'll practice hard this week. I know what I'm capable of, but it will be hard to win both events in the state," she said.

PH senior Deidre Trigg, who scratched in one hurdles in the district, finished second in the 100. "I'm happy because I'm a senior and I made it count for something if it helps our team," said Trigg.

Jeff Johnson thought his team might capture the regional title. "We came out of the field events strong. We thought we might get something out of a couple of other events, but we didn't and Gar-Field got us in the 3,200," he said.

"I'm happy because we had some people get personal bests. As for the state, you never know. If Regina gets us some points and Arminta has a great day, we might score 38-40 points and the way it's spread out, we could win."

Cave Spring's Emily Rakes easily won the high jump at 5-6. She was the only one jumping after 5-4 and didn't get her best of 5-7. However, the Knight junior with a 5-4 should be in the hunt for a state title.

Franklin County sophomore Sandy Hudson won the 300-meter hurdles where she's unbeaten this year. A year ago, Hudson was playing on the softball team and now she's ready to challenge the state's best hurdlers as a regional champion.

William Fleming's boys, who have returned to some of their past glory days, got great efforts from Leroy Witt and Clyde Lewis.

Witt won the 200 and was second in the 100. Lewis won the 400. Both were on the Colonels' winning 400-meter relay team.

For Lewis, that was the tough part of the day. He had to run the 400 and then turn around to anchor the relay team.

"It's kind of a mind game," said Lewis. "I had to concentrate. But it was a matter of pride to win."

Witt controlled the 200. "It was only my second best time, but I paced myself and then on the last fifth I really busted it," said Witt.