THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, June 4, 1994 TAG: 9406040395
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C4 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: 940604 LENGTH: HAMPTON
``Jump higher and don't hit the bar,'' Doan said.
{REST} Not exactly technical stuff. But Benhase cleared 14 on his next try, then soared over 14-6 to win a state title Friday afternoon at the Group AAA track meet at Darling Stadium.
Benhase, a senior, has two state runner-up medals at home - he was second here last year and second indoor this year - and had no interest in adding a third.
``I didn't want to come in second again,'' Benhase said. ``I'd rather have had a bad day and not placed.''
He had a good day, starting in the morning when he delivered a signed national letter-of-intent to the track coaches at Virginia Commonwealth University, where he'll compete in the pole vault and decathalon next year.
Benhase was ``clean'' at 13 feet and 13-6, and didn't miss until the bar was raised to 14. Faquier's Jeff Atkinson and Herndon's Billy Hesse also cleared 14, but Benhase alone nailed 14-6, on his second try.
``It felt like about 15-6,'' he said.
Also feeling good Saturday was Western Branch high jumper Nicole Elliott, who came in with 20 qualifiers ahead of her but finished second.
All the remaining jumpers missed at 5-6, but Elliott and Heritage's Jamie McCoy had the fewest misses, so the bar was moved back to 5-5 for a jump-off. Both cleared it. The bar went back to 5-6, and McCoy cleared it on her second try, while Elliot missed twice.
Elliott, who only cleared 5-1 at the Eastern Region meet last week, was more than pleased.
Jennifer Petykowski of Cox tied for third.
In the girls discus, First Colonial's Jamie Kollar unleashed a career-best throw of 129-3 to take second. Deep Creek's Michelle Boyd was third, Great Bridge's Charndra Lewis fourth and Lake Taylor's Makisha Banks sixth.
In other events, Norcom's Jay Clarke took third in the long jump, and Deep Creek's Deon Dyer was sixth in the shot put.
Wilson's LaTasha Colander, favored to win three state titles, breezed through her qualifying races in the 100, 200 and 100 hurdles. Her time of 13.63 in the hurdles was faster than the state record of 13.8, although the tailwind was beyond the allowable maximum of two meters per second. by CNB