Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 30, 1993 TAG: 9305300201
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RANDY KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LEXINGTON LENGTH: Medium
When Strasburg's Jennifer Frye came up 4 1/2 inches shy of second place in the day's last event - the triple jump - the Rams and George Wythe ended up in a flat-footed tie for the title.
In a finish that one tournament official said "doesn't happen often," George Wythe and Strasburg each wound up with 48 points.
The co-championship wasn't exactly what George Wythe coach Lillie Moore's team had in mind, but the Maroons boarded the bus for home knowing they hadn't lost.
"We're no more the state champion or no less the state champion than the other is," Moore said. "I guess everybody would rather have their own than it being a share deal. But we're not about to give it back."
Going into the final event, the Maroons led defending champion Strasburg 44-42 and appeared to be in good shape with their two top guns - senior Eve Kendall and junior Stacey Green - set to compete in the triple jump.
Green, though, competing in her seventh event on the hot day, faltered in an event in which she entered as the top seed. She scratched on her first two attempts, then hit only 34 feet on her final jump and missed making the final seven.
That placed all the pressure on Kendall, who was in sixth place entering the final round. With Frye in third, Kendall had to improve to fourth in order for the Maroons to lose only two points and get a tie.
The lanky senior responded, coming through her with her best jump of the year. Kendall's effort of 36 feet, 3 inches assured her of fourth. And when Frye failed to improve on her final jump, the meet was left with two girls' champions.
"Eve had all the pressure, but, you know, she has that cool head," Moore said. "Before the jump she said, `We've been runner-up in the state in basketball, runner-up in the state in volleyball, what's going on?' I told her, `Darling, you're in control of our destiny' and she did it."
Kendall's clutch performance helped ease some, but not all, of the pain felt by Green.
"This is my fault," said Green, who had gotten Wythe in position for the title by winning the 100-meter dash; finishing fourth in the long jump, fifth in the 200 and fifth in the high jump; and anchoring the Maroons' second-place 400 relay team.
"I'm glad about winning the 100, but in the triple jump I'm supposed to be the best. I was a little tired. I got sick after the 200, but that's no excuse," Green said.
The Maroons didn't get to carry a trophy home. Moore lost a coin flip with Strasburg coach Glenn Proctor to settle which school would take home the trophy on hand Saturday.
"We will get one sent to us, right?" Moore asked.
The official nodded his head affirmatively.
"After 18 years of trying to win a state title, I want to make sure we get a trophy," Moore said.
Goochland, paced by double-winner Itrina Payne (200 and 400), was third with 34 points.
Besides Green's victory in the 100, the only other Timesland school recording a first-place finish was Giles, in the 1,600 relay.
In the boys' competition, Cumberland stockpiled an early lead in the field events and cruised to its first-ever title. The Blues finished with 48 points, easily outdistancing Sussex Central (39). From Timesland, George Wythe and Region C champion James River tied for 16th with 10 points apiece.
George Wythe's Jason Alexander, who won the 3,200 with a time of 9:55.36, and James River's Daniel Peery, who was third in the 110 high hurdles, were the only Timesland individuals to place in the top three.
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