Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 6, 1993 TAG: 9306050261
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: HAMPTON LENGTH: Medium
For the Knights, Tiki Barber rallied to win the boys' long jump for the second year, and Emily Rakes took first in the girls' high jump.
Patrick Henry's girls got off to a good start, thanks to Regina Johnson, who took third in the discus, and Arminta Crosby, who finished sixth in the long jump. That gave the Patriots seven points after the field events.
It was a mixed day for the Roanoke Valley District in the trials. William Fleming sophomore Leroy Witt failed to qualify in the 100 meters, an event in which he would have been one of the favorites. He did qualify in the 200 meters.
His teammate, Clyde Lewis, ran the second-fastest time to qualify in the boys' 400.
Crosby qualified for the 100 final with one of the fastest times.
In the hurdles, Ronde Barber missed qualifying for the 300 final, but made it in the 110, which he won a year ago.
"I just didn't have it today. I didn't run that strong in the 110," said Barber, who might be hard-pressed to repeat in the 110 today.
Franklin County sophomore Sandy Hudson, the Northwestern Region champion, made the girls' 300 final by finishing fourth in her semifinal as she overcame a case of jitters.
The pressure event of the day was the boys' long jump. Tiki Barber scratched on his first two jumps, so he had to make the finals on his third leap.
He did that and in the final and wiped out leader Jamel Green of First Colonial with a leap of 23 feet, 9 inches that stood up for first.
"It wasn't what I wanted. I came in thinking 24 feet. I was aiming for the record [24-8 1/2 by William Fleming's Robert Majors]. It's always been there, something I've tried to reach," Barber said.
Rakes beat Wilson's Yolanda Hines on fewer misses when both cleared 5-6 but failed to make 5-8.
"It's always better to clear a higher height than win by misses. That tells you how much misses count," said the Knights' junior.
"I thought I could at least be in the top three if I jumped 5-6. I wanted 5-8 badly. It would have been a personal best."
Johnson might end up as one of the Roanoke Valley District's top scorers in the state. She will compete in her strongest event this morning, the shot put.
Friday, Johnson threw the discus 121-4 - a personal best.
"I feel great," she said. "I've been working hard for this. I'll be disappointed with anything less than third in the shot, but this surprised me."
Crosby sailed 17-9 3/4 on her last jump to finish sixth. It wasn't a good performance, but it was enough for what might be Timesland's busiest athlete in this meet.
"I think I could have done better, but everything was going so fast," said the PH junior, who was the last jumper of the day. "I had to go to the 100-meter trials, back here, back to the 100-meter trials and then back here. And everyone kind of wanted to get this over with quickly."
by CNB