THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 3, 1995 TAG: 9506030211
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
Deon Dyer couldn't get a grip.
Literally. With the temperature hovering near 90 and the humidity making it feel like 100, the Deep Creek High junior couldn't keep his shot dry enough to get off a good throw Friday at the Group AAA state track meet at Todd Stadium.
``I would throw it and it would slide off my hand somehow,'' Dyer said.
Dyer was beginning to get worried when on his next-to-last throw he broke loose with a 57-foot-1 1/2 inch toss, enough to win the state shot put title.
``I finally got it the way I wanted, and I got that 57,'' Dyer said. ``It feels real good. It feels good to know that hard work pays off.''
Dyer's state title was his second. He won the state indoor title in February. It was also the only state title won by an area athlete Friday, the first day of competition.
Lake Taylor's Shnaka Walker narrowly missed a chance at a state crown in the high jump when her foot struck the bar at 5-6.
``I was over it,'' she said.
Walker finished second, behind Felicia Cooksey of Mount Vernon, the only competitor to clear 5-6.
Bayside's Monica Matthews tied for third, while teammate Michelle Thompson was fifth.
After clearing 5-4, Matthews, a senior, cleared out.
``I'm going to the prom,'' she said.
Also placing on the girls side Friday were First Colonial senior Jamie Kollar, who took third in the discus, and Oscar Smith junior Cheredia Carter, who was fourth in the long jump.
On the boys side, Brian Hunter of Great Bridge and Anthony King of Granby both placed in two events, Hunter in the pole vault and high jump and King in the long and high jumps.
Hunter spent the afternoon jogging between the pole vault stand, which was in one end zone, and the high jump area in the other.
``It kept me fresh,'' he said.
Hunter, a sophomore, cleared a personal-best of 14 feet to take third in the pole vault. He packed his pole and headed back to the high jump, for three attempts at 6-6, the school record. He couldn't clear it, and finished fourth.
``I've been trying to get the record for a while,'' he said. ``But it's been 6-4, 6-4, 6-4.''
That was the theme for King in the high jump as well. The junior from Granby also failed to clear 6-6, and finished fifth, because he had more misses than Hunter and fourth-place finisher Phil Purgason of Centreville.
``I'm happy. I've got another year to get first,'' said King, who also took sixth in the long jump.
Also placing was Sidney Brandon of Great Bridge, who took sixth in the shot put. The meet resumes today at 9:30 a.m. with the conclusion of field events. by CNB