THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, June 9, 1995 TAG: 9506070174
SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER and BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITERS
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
A month ago, Deep Creek track coach Richard Cox wasn't sure if shot putter Deon Dyer would even make it to the state meet last Friday and Saturday at Todd Stadium in Newport News.
Cox had no doubts about Dyer's ability - the 245-pound junior won the state indoor title in February.
But the coach was wondering whether Dyer would stick with track long enough to compete for an outdoor title.
``I thought I might lose him,'' Cox said.
Dyer had been going nonstop since the start of football practice in August. The pressures of school and recruiting were getting to him, Cox said. And he also was wondering whether his time might be better spent preparing for football next fall.
Dyer stuck it out, however, and notched his two best performances of the year heading into the state meet.
Three weeks ago, at the Southeastern District meet, Dyer unloaded a throw of 57-6, a personal best. He nearly duplicated it two weeks ago at the Eastern Region meet with a toss of 57-5 3/4.
``Now I have the confidence to do it,'' Dyer says. ``So there's no excuse if I don't.''
Dyer says that ``sometimes I have little doubts'' in practice the week before a meet. He didn't have any before the regionals, however, and wasn't expecting any before the state competition.
``I can't relax, though,'' he said. ``I've still got to work hard.''
Dyer's perseverance was rewarded. Even though the humidity made it difficult to even grip his shot, on his next-to-last attempt Dyer uncorked a throw of 57-1 1/2 to win the Group AAA state title by 4 1/4 inches.
``It feels real good,'' Dyer said after the meet. ``It feels real good to know that hard work pays off.''
Cox said that there were rumblings that Dyer's throw at the district meet at Churchland High may have been a fluke. The shot put throwing area at Churchland has been reconfigured and appears to slope downhill.
``I guess he made believers out of them,'' Cox said.
And out of Cox.
``The last month he's given us 100 percent,'' Cox said. ``He's really put his mind to it.''
Norcom track coach Joe Langston watched the throw that won the state discus championship for the Greyhounds' LeVar Bowers and called it ``the prettiest ugly throw I have ever seen.''
It came on Bowers' final attempt, soaring 160 feet, 8 inches, after he had failed to reach 150 in his earlier tries.
``That was really one ugly throw,'' laughed Langston. ``It was on a line drive and it hit right on the line, barely inbounds.''
Bowers had predicted his victory a day earlier.
When Deep Creek's Deon Dyer heaved the shot for a winning distance of 57-1 1/2, somebody said, ``Well, at least we're (Eastern Region) going to have one state champion.''
Responded Bowers: ``That's not the only one we're going to have. We're going to have another tomorrow.''
The confident Bowers, a 6-4, 235-pounder, overcame a frustrating start on Saturday to fulfill his promise.
Upon his arrival for certification, he was told that he would be unable to use his regular discus. It had a small dent from hitting a fence when he won the Southeastern District championship two weeks earlier. It was approved for use at the Eastern Region meet last week, where he registered another victory.
Finally, state officials relented and allowed Bowers to use the disc.
Then came another problem - a steady morning rain.
``My track shoes were too slick for the wet surface in the circle and I was slipping,'' Bowers said.
Bowers switched to tennis shoes.
Then, on his final toss, Bowers bettered a 160-3 by William Fleming's John St. Claire by five inches.
In addition to the field events titles won by Bowers and Dyer, the Southeastern District had one other champion.
Western Branch's Tony Smith was the winner in the boys 300-meter hurdles, reeling off a 37.58 time. Churchland's Jarman Mayes was third at 38.20.
Smith was just 1.08 seconds off the 11-year-old record set by Patrick Mann of GarField.
Smith stumbled over the third hurdle. ``Once I got back on stride I was fine,'' Smith said.
Three other Southeastern entries claimed runnerup laurels. Great Bridge's Melvin Bates had a 49.45 time in the 400-meter dash, barely losing to Shawn Ricks of Menchville (48.28). Churchland's Greg Boothe was second to 100-meter winner Ian Winston of Hayfield. Winston, the defending champ, had a 10.74 time. Boothe finished at 11:00.
``There goes my undefeated season,'' said Boothe. ``But he's a great competitor and I knew I was in for a tough race.''
Western Branch's 1,600 relay team placed second to Hampton with a time of 3:18.20. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by PAUL AIKEN
Western Branch's Tony Smith was the winner in the boys 300-meter
hurdles, reeling off a 37.58 time. Smith was just 1.08 seconds off
the 11-year-old record set by Patrick Mann of GarField.
by CNB