Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: MONDAY, April 25, 1994 TAG: 9404240219
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
So close, yet so very far away.
Christiansburg's girls stayed together better than that creaky, recently closed bridge on Route 11 and beat the Bobcats by one-quarter of a point - 73 3/4 points to 73 1/2.
The Blue Demon boys, who saw a five-year All-American winning streak stopped a year ago, got a huge day from Andra Beasley and won by a much larger margin, making Christiansburg the first school to win both the boys' and girls' titles since 1982.
In the girls' meet, the Blue Demons trailed by 1 3/4 points heading into the final event of the day, the 1,600-meter relay. Christiansburg finished second to Blacksburg - one spot and two points ahead of Radford.
When the Bobcats posted a time of 4 minutes, 23.2 seconds in a heat race, Christiansburg knew what it had to beat.
"Yes, they told us," said Sarah Slikker, who ran the final leg of the Christiansburg relay. "About 50 people told us. `You know what you've got to do, right?' "
Kesha Walton, Leslie Cosgriff and Meredith Ritter put Christiansburg ahead of Radford's pace after three legs, and Slikker finished it up in 4:19.
"When it comes down to something like that," said Christiansburg girls' coach Norma Cox, "it takes all the guts in the world."
Both teams had guts - and talent. Christiansburg's Bethany Eigel flattened the meet record in the 1,600 by more than five seconds with a time of 5:17.8, then finished second to Glenvar's super sophomore Trish Nervo in the 3,200. Nervo, a two-time Group A cross country champion, won in 11:31.4, barely a second ahead of Eigel.
Christiansburg also got stout-hearted efforts from Maureen Jackson, who won the shot put (35 feet, 7 inches) and finished second in the discus, and from Leslie Cosgriff, who outkicked Radford's Sarah Argabrite in a close 800 race. Ritter was third.
Radford stayed in the hunt for its first All-American title since 1988 by getting big days from some young girls. Sophomore Nikki Holloway was first in the 200 meters and third in the 100, and junior Shayla Evans was second in the 100 and third in the 200.
Freshman Charlee Taylor won the 400 (1:00.7) and senior Jadean Curtis won the high jump (5-0) for Radford, and the Bobcats' 4-x-100 relay team of Evans, Crystal Hubbard, Emily Jebo and Holloway torched the field.
"We got the most out of 'em today," said Radford coach Tony DeHart. "I hate for them to lose like this, but they've got a lot to be proud of. What a great, great team effort."
Harrisonburg's Leema Madden, who won the long jump and 100, was the top girls' scorer with 17 points.
While the boys' meet lacked the drama of the girls', it had the biggest star in Beasley, who scored a meet-high 30 1/2 points. Christiansburg's 107 points more than doubled its nearest competitor, Laurel Park, which totaled 45.
Beasley, who didn't score in last year's meet because of a sprained foot, came in first in the long jump (21-8 1/2), triple jump (43-6), and the 100 (11.1). When he wasn't dabbling in a new event such as the shot put (in which he placed third) he was part of the Blue Demons' winning 400 relay team that included Steve Surratt, Stephen Trail and Larry Carter.
Beasley's stiffest challenge probably would have come in the 100, had not Graham's Mike Gregory, last year's Region IV champion, been disqualified for a false-start in the semifinals.
Christiansburg got first-place finishes from Aaron Payne in the 800 (2:01.6) from its 3,200 relay team of Payne, Lee, Kevin Nolan and Robbie Rakes.
"We didn't have a glitch today," said Christiansburg coach Randy Bailey.
Other notable performances from Timesland:
Salem's Cynthia Lundstrum and Amy Pitts won the 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, respectively. Pitts had the fastest time in the 100 hurdle semifinals, but she false-started in the finals.
Radford's Erik Barton won the 300 hurdles and Neal Thompson of Galax won the 110 hurdles.
Glenvar's David Robinson won the high jump by clearing 6-2.
by CNB