THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 27, 1995 TAG: 9504260150
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
THE MEMBERS OF LAKELAND'S 100- and 400-meter relay teams know the Penn Relays is a big and popular meet.
But as for how big and how popular, the Cavalier coaches believe the athletes really have no idea.
``They think it's going to be like running at William & Mary or Christopher Newport,'' Lakeland coach Greg Rountree said. ``When they get up there and see (a stadium that holds) 60,000 people, they're going to be amazed.''
Not too amazed, the coaches hope, to produce a strong showing in the 101st Penn Relays Friday and Saturday at Franklin Field in Philadelphia.
Reginald Wiggins, Kevin Bell, Melvin Frazier and Melvin Faulk - in that order - will run the 100 relay. Lindell Hunter, Monolito Johnson, LaRon Claud and Faulk will compete in the 400 relay.
This marks the first time the Cavaliers have sent runners to the prestigious tournament.
``We decided to do this last year, as kind of a reward for the work the guys put in,'' Lakeland coach James Dabney said.
Faulk and Frazier spoke confidently about perhaps winning the Penn Relays, but how realistic of a goal that is is another matter. Both Lakeland teams are capable of quality efforts, but neither own the best time in the area. And at the Penn Relays, they'll each be competing against more than 400 other teams. The top eight teams in each event will compete for the overall title.
The 400 relay team will probably have trouble winning its own heat, where they'll be competing against a group from running-happy Jamaica.
Still, the Lakeland coaches say the Cavaliers don't necessarily have to bring home a title to make the trip a success. Although both teams have already met the qualifying standards for the Group AA state tournament, Dabney hopes posting an even faster time at the state meet will translate into better lane assignments and placement in faster heats at the state meet.
And while only a few thousand fans turn out for the Penn Relays qualifying heats, Franklin Field is generally filled to capacity for the Top-Eight finals.
``This will help them get used to pressure,'' said Rountree, who will make the trip to Philadelphia with the teams along with girls track coach Stephanie Odom. ``If you can run in front of that many people, the state meet won't be a problem.''
Learning to handle the pressure of a big meet should be particularly important to Faulk, the junior who logged the best times in Group AA in both the 100 and 200 last year during the regular season but came up short in the post-season tournaments. A false start got him disqualified from the district 100 run, and he finished fourth in a preliminary heat at the state 200.
Faulk did run a leg on the 100 relay team - along with Johnson, Claud and Jerome Harris - that finished second in the state.
Faulk got off to a slow start this season, but says it has more to do with bagging groceries than wallowing in last season's disappointments.
``I got a job over the summer,'' he said. ``Instead of running five times a week, I only ran twice. I'm just now starting to come around.
With Faulk continuing to find top form, Frazier has assumed the role of ``The Man'' for Lakeland track. The senior, a transfer from Nansemond River, has set school records in the triple jump, long jump and 110 hurdles so far.
Production has never been the problem for Frazier, who qualified for the state meet as a sophomore in the long and triple jumps. The problem has been getting him on the track. Frazier didn't run in ninth grade or as a junior because he needed to beef up his grades.
``I finally made up my mind to do good,'' he said.
The Lakeland coaches say this type of attitude, while unlikely to make much difference at the prestigious Penn Relays, is what should make the Cavalier relays teams deadly come state meet time.
``The thing of it is, these guys still haven't reached they're potential,'' Rountree said. ``They don't even know how fast they can run.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Melvin Faulk, left, will compete on the 100- and 400-relay teams at
the 101st Penn Relays Friday and Saturday at Franklin Field in
Philadelphia.
by CNB