THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503240156
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 152 lines
LAST YEAR'S Southeastern District girls track meet was one of the closest ever. This year, it could be even better.
Only seven points separated the winning Deep Creek team from fourth-place Indian River in 1994. Western Branch finished second, two points behind the Hornets. Great Bridge was third, three points from the top.
Unbelievably, seven of the district's eight schools could be in the title chase this year. Only Churchland will not be a contender.
Deep Creek's championship last year was only the second ever for the Hornets. The other came in 1988.
The Hornets have two district champions back, two-event winner (shot/discus) Michelle Boyd and 800-meter runner Monica Harvey. But Boyd won't be the shot favorite this year. That honor goes to Norcom's Missy Banks, who is exceeding last year's winning effort by five feet and recently finished fourth in the National Scholastic Indoor Meet at Syracuse, N.Y.
Deep Creek's overall strength still makes the Hornets the team to beat.
A capsule look at the eight teams:
DEEP CREEK
Coach: David Cox
Last year's record: First in district, 12th in region
Top returnees: Michelle Boyd (shot/discus); Latarisha Ward (sprints); Atoysha Wells (3,200 meters, jumps); Monica Harvey (800); Afreeka Hardison (high jump); Antionette Teal (sprints); Crystal Cooper (shot/discus).
Top newcomers: Quirstin Wynn (shot/discus); Tamara Sivels (jumps and relays); Bobbie-Jo Hess (sprints); Karly Green (400); Eumika Minggia (hurdles/jumps).
Outlook: The Hornets have perhaps the district's most balanced team but must replace the points racked up last year by Nicole Langley in the hurdles and jumping events. Fourth-year coach Cox will build around seven holdovers from last year's championship team. He also has very talented newcomers in senior Sivels, who was a regional qualifier as a jumper in his sophomore year, and Wynn, who was a junior high school record-setter in the shot.
WESTERN BRANCH
Coach: Bill Volkman and Thomas Anderson
Last year's record: Second in district
Top returnees: Meredith Turnage (distances); Heather Allen (distances); Dionne Dunston (sprinter/400 meters); Tanisha Johnson (sprints); Shanita Jackson (sprints); Jennifer Rice (hurdles); Urusalla Peters (middle distances); Erica Hudson (jumps); Tanisha Johnson (sprints/relays).
Top newcomers: Elizabeth Albert (sprints/relays); Tiffany-Dawn Sykes (field events); Tia Snell (field events).
Outlook: Turnage is the defending district champion in both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters, Dunston is the reigning queen in the 400 meters and Hudson is the title holder in the triple jump. Allen is another outstanding distance runner. The Bruins also are looking for additional help from newcomers in the sprints and field events. ``The competitive level is high among the team members,'' said Volkman. ``If uniformity occurs with consistency, the team will be one of the top contenders.''
GREAT BRIDGE
Coach: Pat Banks
Last year's record: Third in district
Top returnees: Melba Brown (800 meters); Dawn Trueblood (distances); Jen Huston (distances); Denita Eason (sprints/jumps); Kim Gibbs (sprints); Woodrena Baker (sprints/jumps); Alicia Edwards (sprints); Michele Twyman (jumps); Chandra Lewis (shot/discus); April Meyers (shot); Jill Ferguson (hurdles/jumps); Shirluin Sanderlin (hurdles).
Top newcomers: Tracey O'Neal (distances); Jessica Scott (distances); Heather Mani (800 meters); Derasia Hubbard (sprints); Lauren Conally (hurdles/jumps).
Outlook: The Wildcats had one of the largest turnouts with 40 on the squad. A year ago, Great Bridge came within a whisker of winning the title despite not having a single individual champion. This team has depth, and newcomers Mani and Hubbard were junior high champs. Says Banks: ``Deep Creek again is loaded with talent. Oscar Smith will be very good. Western Branch will be tough to beat. And, hopefully, Great Bridge will be in this group.''
OSCAR SMITH
Coach: Ed Lowery
Last year's record: Fifth in district
Top returnees: Cheredia Carter (long jump/hurdles/relay); Sherita Spencer (jumps, dashes); Torae Artis (400 meters); Aaren Poteate (sprints/hurdles); Laura Denyes (distances); Chavita Mathews (shot/discus); Jackie Johnson (800 meters); Dianna Golt (distances); Joy Carrington (shot/discus).
Top newcomers: Brooke Coley (hurdles/sprints); Katie Kramer (sprints/jumps); Shamia Artis (sprints-/-hurdles); Tabitha Nothnagel (distances).
Outlook: Lowery hopes his Tigers can move up among the top three in the district and feels the large number of returning letter winners, led by district long jump titlist Carter, will provide mature leadership in molding a winning team. He has high hopes for his 4x400 relay team of Carter, Spencer, Artis and Poteate, the same unit that won the district title last year.
INDIAN RIVER
Coach: Melvin Queen
Last year's record: Fourth in district
Top returnees: Kenisha Hodges (sprints/jumps); Cathy McNeeley (hurdle/distance runs); Latisha Grevious (shot/discus); Ericka Moses (hurdles/800).
Top newcomers: Sharelle Speller (sprints/high jump); Kim Parham (sprints/high jump); Lakhan Brown (sprints); Sabreen Staples (distances); Nisha Allen (shot/discus).
Outlook: Speedy newcomers are being counted upon by Queen to boost the Braves. ``We have a lot of young but promising talent,'' said Queen. Hodges will be a multievent star for Indian River, competing in the dashes, the 400, triple jumping, long jumping and probably running on a relay unit. Queen felt his team would have won the district championship last year ``if we had placed in the sprints the way I thought we would.''
WILSON
Coach: John Crute
Last year's record: Sixth in district, tied for fourth in region
Top returnees: Jenita Harris (hurdler); Natosia McNair (jumps); Jonelle Whitley (sprints); Devona Chambers (sprints); Kellee Chambers (sprints); Shanell Jenkins (jumps); Chamae Barringer (jumps); Tracee Bynum (jumps); Sonya Elliott (jumps); Christine Farrell (shot/jumps); Jewel Gatling (discus); LaToya Owens (discus)
Top newcomers: Erica Hines (sprints); Kathryn Riddick (sprints); Tammy Reese (800 meters); Laurie Monacelli (800 meters); Shamonda Davidson (sprints/jumps); Brandy Butler (hurdles).
Outlook: Hurdler Harris and longjumper McNair, both indoor district champions, lead the Presidents. Hines is a promising sprint prospect. But it will take several to pick up the slack by the loss of multitalented hurdler/sprinter LaTasha Colander, already an ACC indoor champion as a freshman at the University of North Carolina. Coach Crute had one of his largest turnouts, and the Presidents seem to be on the upswing.
NORCOM
Coach: Vincent Pugh
Last year's record: Seventh in district
Top returnees: Jennifer Cook (sprints); Lakeishia Graves (sprints/hurdles); Tieshia Pickett (sprints); Latonya Vinson (discus).
Top newcomers: Missy Banks (shot/discus); Brandi Smith (hurdles/jumps); Jennifer Gainey (400 meters/jumps); Leah Godwin (distances); Nikied Townsend (sprints); Nina Melton (shot).
Outlook: Pugh believes he will have one of his finest teams and feels the Greyhounds will be title contenders ``if we can develop any jumpers.'' Norcom is strong in the sprints and relays and possesses the region's finest shotputter in Missy Banks, who was the indoor champ in the district and region and second in the state. Banks also adds strength in the discus and in the 100-meter dash. Cook was district indoor champ in the 55-meters and 300-meter dash.
CHURCHLAND
Coach: Clarence Brown and Winston Brown
Last year's record: Eighth in district
Top returnees: Darica Driver (sprints); Symphonie Thornton (sprints).
Top newcomers: Lateisha Parker (sprints/jumps); Lakisha Hall (sprints/distances); Amy Carlsen (distances); Sherri Williams (distances).
Outlook: Only 13 turned out and the coaches are hopeful of recruiting additional candidates to field a complete team. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by MARK MITCHELL
Missy Banks, who throws the shot and discus for Norcom, finished
fourth in the national indoor meet and second in the state meet.
by CNB