THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, May 19, 1995 TAG: 9505180273
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 97 lines
A YEAR AGO, the Southeastern District track meets produced a couple of surprise winners. Great Bridge captured the boys title and Deep Creek won the girls crown.
If either champion repeats in the annual meets at Churchland starting today and concluding on Saturday, it will be equally startling.
The Deep Creek boys rate a solid favorite this weekend with Western Branch regarded as the top challenger. The girls meet is so wide open that any of five teams could win. Great Bridge, Western Branch, Norcom and Oscar Smith will be out to dethrone the Lady Hornets.
Both meets are expected to be closely contested and the results could bring on an avalanche of record performances in the boys division.
Already several individuals have chalked up efforts superior or nearly equal to district records, which only can be set in these meets.
Churchland's Greg Boothe will go after marks in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes. He has area-best times of 10.5 and 21.7 in the two events. The district records are 10.4 in the 100 and 21.8 in the 200. In addition to the two dashes, he will run on Churchland's 4x100 relay unit.
Western Branch's Malik Cook is the defending champ in the 400, winning last year at 50.94. The district record is 48.6.
Jason Buckley of Great Bridge rates an edge in the 800-meters. He has posted a 1:59 this year, but the district record (1:54.6) appears out of reach.
The three-year-old record in the 1,600 meters (4:23.68) could be shattered by Great Bridge's Mike Donnelly. Donnelly won last year at 4:30 but has lowered his time to 4:23 this season.
The 3,200-meter record (9:41.74) is another that should stand. Best shot at reaching it belongs to Great Bridge's Eric Adams, who has a 9:48 this year.
The hurdles records also are in jeopardy. Deep Creek's versatile Jason Waters has a 14.1 in the 110 hurdles this season and that matches the longtime records in this event shared by Norcom's Eric Townsend (1986) and Andre Fields (1980). Waters notched a 14.76 in winning a year ago.
In the 300 hurdles, Western Branch's Tony Smith has run 37.94 this season. That record is 37.7, registered by Townsend in 1986.
All three records in the relays could be erased, including a 12-year-old mark in the 1,600 meters. Western Branch has posted a 3.20.7 this year, just one-tenth of a second off that record.
Deep Creek's 400-relay unit has a 41.8 time under its belt. The Hornets broke the record last year when the same four runners had a 42.6 clocking.
Great Bridge heads a strong group of 3,200 relay entries. The Wildcats certainly can topple the record of 8:19.52. Great Bridge has run a blistering 8:10.7 this year.
The shot and discus records seem secure but several jumping records could fall. Jordan Brandon of Great Bridge is the shot favorite and has thrown 52-9. Norcom's Levar Bowers has the season's best discus throw at 163-6.
The six-year-old long jump mark of 22 feet, 10 inches already has been bettered by Western Branch's Clayton Porter, who cleared 23-6.
Waters has a 44-9 triple jump under his belt but that record is an imposing 49-1 by Fields that has stood for 12 years.
Jonah Glassoway of Oscar Smith has high jumped 6-6, just a half inch off the district record.
Lawrence Johnson's 14-9 pole vault is another untouchable but another Great Bridge vaulter, Brian Hunter, can go 13 feet - which should win.
Four records were broken in the girls meet last year but only a couple seem possible in this meet.
Norcom's Missy Banks has a 41-1 in the shot and could threaten the six-year-old standard of 42-6 by Great Bridge's Shane Johnson.
In the long jump, Oscar Smith's Cheredia Carter has cleared 18-9 1/2. That record is 18-10, set in 1989 by Wilson's Shander Gary.
Wilson's Jenita Harris seems a certain winner in the hurdles. She's the defending champion in the 300-meter hurdles.
Western Branch has premier distance runners in Meredith Turnage and Heather Allen but not the overall depth of a year ago.
Great Bridge, with nearly 40 on the squad and only four seniors, could be a year away.
Wilson coach John Crute says a victory by Norcom ``would not surprise me.''
The meets will get under way at 2 p.m. Friday. Saturday's finals will start at 10 a.m.
There is no admission fee for Friday. On Saturday admission is $4 for adults and students sixth grade and up, $2 for kindergarten to fifth grade and free to pre-schoolers. Meet director is Wilson athletic director Dave Willett. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Churchland's Greg Boothe is favored to win the 100- and 200-meter
dashes. He has area-best times of 10.5 and 21.7 in the two events.
Photo
Levar Bowers
Graphic
Track Records
For copy of graphic, see microfilm.
by CNB