THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 26, 1995 TAG: 9503260411
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
A victory in the final event provided Western Branch with the championship trophy in the 15th annual Conn-Madden Relays at Todd Field Saturday.
Five teams, three from South Hampton Roads, were in the title chase as the 1,600-meter relay closed out nearly 11 hours of track action featuring 55 schools.
The Western Branch unit of Malik Cook, Tony Smith, Donald Taylor and Darone Watson reeled off a 3:23.9 mile to move from a tie for fourth into the top position.
Actually Great Bridge tied Western Branch for first place as both teams totaled 29 points. But the Bruins were awarded the championship via a tiebreaker based upon most winning events.
Western Branch won three events and Great Bridge captured two. The Wildcats were third in the closing race.
Menchville finished a point behind the co-leaders, placing second in the 1,600-meter relay. The Bruins were nine-tenths of a second in front of Menchville.
It was a tough loss for fourth-place Norcom with 27 points. The Greyhounds carried a one-point lead into the last race and won their heat in a 3:41.3 time. But that failed to place in the six top spots.
Fork Union, fifth with 26 points, also did not place.
``Truthfully I thought Menchville would win the race,'' said smiling Western Branch coach Wade Williams. ``My guys really ran well.
The South Hampton Roads schools fared exceptionally well in a competition usually dominated by Peninsula schools.
Western Branch's other wins came in the 400-meter relay and the 800-meter relay.
Great Bridge won the shot relay and the high jump relay, when Brian Hunter and Tony Felton combined for 11.8 feet.
Norcom's Dujuan Newsome and Jermale Smith paired to win the 300-meter hurdles.
Kellam's 6,400-meter relay team of Dave Waksmunski, Dan Daugherty, Kris Johnson and Matt Morgan, won in a 19:15.0 time.
On Friday Churchland won the 400-meter hurdles.
The girls title went to West Potomac with 33 points. Phoebus was runner-up with 24.75 and Denbigh was third with 23.5.
Fifth-place Bayside and sixth-place Norcom led the Southside teams.
Suffolk schools grabbed the 1-2 spots in the boys' B Division. Lakewood grabbed the top spot with 41 points and Nansemond River was second with 38. York finished third with 23.
Bruton was the girls B Division winner with 43 points. Appomattox had 41 and Lakeland 33. by CNB