THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 25, 1994 TAG: 9412230253
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
THEY CALL IT indoor track. But about the only time these thinclads get indoors is when two inches of ice covers the outdoor running facility. And sometimes they still stay outside, moving inside just to thaw out.
Bundled up between events, the three Portsmouth teams already have run a pair of four-team meets with the five Chesapeake schools.
Two more meets are scheduled - on Jan. 11 and Jan. 18.
Then the real business begins.
The Southeastern District meet is scheduled on Feb. 8 (field events) and Feb. 11 (running events) at Churchland.
The Eastern Region meet will be Feb. 20 and Feb. 22.
The state meet will be March 3-4 at George Mason University.
Primarily the schools use indoor track as a warm-up for the outdoor season in the spring.
But warm-up might be an improper word. Maybe it should be called freeze-down.
Last year there was so much ice on the stadium bleachers at Churchland during the district meet that the stands were placed off limits on one of the days because of the danger that spectators might fall.
The jumping pit was frozen over. The triple jump was postponed for two days.
But the meet went on. And five records were broken. Another was tied. Western Branch claimed both the boys and girls championships. It was the first title in either division for the Bruins.
Western Branch showed it's still the team to beat in the boys division, romping past Great Bridge, Deep Creek and Wilson in the last quad meet. But the Great Bridge girls prevailed, topping the Lady Bruins by 14 points.
Most coaches feel the two Western Branch teams are the favorites, however.
This year both Churchland and Norcom could be among the contenders in the boys division. In the season-opening boys meet Western Branch edged Churchland by 11 points and Norcom was 18 behind the Truckers.
The girls meet was even closer with Western Branch taking a nine-point win over Wilson and Norcom finishing four behind the Presidents.
Norcom won its other quad meet, beating Indian River, Oscar Smith and Churchland.
Both Wilson, despite a lack of distance runners, and Norcom, bolstered by some impressive newcomers, could be title contenders. Wilson coach John Crute feels Western Branch's overall strength gives the Bruins an edge.
Here's a thumbnail look at the Portsmouth teams:
Churchland - The Truckers are extremely strong in the running events. Churchland has excellent distance runners in Ryan Smith, Bjorn Shoulders, Josh Hester and Robbie Williams, a standout at 500 meters in Jarmon Mayes, a hurdling contender in Alvin Goodman and a 55-meter and 300-meter threat in Greg Boothe. Boothe has the district's best time so far this season in the 55-meters (6.3) and was third in the state last year.
Jamin Elliott will vie for top honors in the pole vault, Carter Chapman in the long jump and Sheldon Barnes in the shotput.
Clarence Brown's Truckers won the championship two years ago.
Churchland has a small number on the girls squad but promising prospects include Synthonie Thornton in the sprints, jumper Shea Nastali and distance runner Sheri Williams.
Norcom - Joe Langston, recov ering from surgery last year, has returned to the helm of the Norcom boys team. ``I think we are very strong contenders,'' said Langston. ``In those earlier meets we were just settling in and fitting people in the proper places.''
The Greyhounds always are formidable in the relays. Shotputter Lavar Bowers is a region title hopeful, unbeaten so far this season.
Other mainstays include distance runners Jason Wells and Marquis Perkins, Jermile Smith in the 300 and 55 hurdles and Rod Richardson and Al Britt in the 55 and 300 meters, Richard Deberry in the 55 and Jerrod Ruffin the 500 and 1,000 meters.
Norcom has a very formidable 800-meter relay unit in Wells, Ruffin, Perkins and William Coltrane.
In the girls division Vincent Pugh has a much improved team.
Jennifer Cook is a threat in both the 55 meters and the 300. Tiesha Pickett (500 meters), Shenna Hawkins (1,000 meters) and distance runner Chantel Lane are prospects. Hawkins is a former outdoor champion who did not run last year.
Shakya Rogers is a standout shotputter. Hurdler Keisha Graves and freshman jumper Terri Parham are good prospects. Parham had two wins in the quad meet.
Norcom also is strong in the 800 relay event.
Wilson - Second-year boys coach David Littlefield is building around four solid performers - Brian Bonner, Perez Bottoms, Aaron Goodman and Edwin Shannon.
Bonner was fourth in the district meet in the 55-hurdles last year, just two-tenths of a second off the winning time that tied the all-time record. Bottoms is splitting time between track and basketball, where he is one of the Presidents' scoring leaders. A cross-country standout, he will contend in the 1,000-meter run.
Goodman is a threat at 55 meters and Shannon is a top notch jumper.
Jenita Harris appears to be the district's best hurdler. Erica Hines has the best time in the 55-meters (7 seconds flat).
Junior Jonelle Whitley should place in both the 55-meters and the 300.
Wilson has a good 1-2 punch in the long jump. Shanell Jenkins was the indoor champ last year and Natosia McNair was the outdoor titlist. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by GARY C. KNAPP
Triple jumper Jamin Elliott of Churchland High School will vie for
top honors in the pole vault.
by CNB