THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 28, 1995 TAG: 9509260134
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 19 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
The 1994 season was a history-making year for Maury in cross country. Coach Walt Green is hoping it was a stepping stone to bigger and better things.
A year ago Maury's girls team became the first from the Eastern District to qualify for the state meet, finishing third in the region.
The Commodores were the first in the boys division to qualify for the state meet since 1979.
Three of the top five runners on the girls squad are back. Five of the top seven on the boys team graduated but district champion Dallas Williams has returned.
Other holdovers on the boys squad are junior Jon Frank, junior Jordan Bradley and senior Jeremy Burge.
Top newcomers include senior George Dahl, junior Steven Ryan and freshmen Tim Otten and Michael Vasquez.
``We're hoping this year's group can adjust as well as last year's did,'' said Green. ``Our early season scheduling was the key to last year's success.
``Our goals are to win the district again and to qualify for the state.
``We hope our girls team can also repeat and contend for a region title.''
Returning runners are Courtney Dozier, Jennifer Warren, Kit Weaver and Amie Weisberg. Dozier, only a sophomore and juniors Warren and Weaver are all-district performers. Warren was the No. 1 player on the tennis team.
Also back is Sara Frueh, a senior who was all-district two years ago and won the Southeastern Invitational.
A strong group of newcomers includes junior varsity standouts Sara Grady and Samaiyah Islam and sophomore Emily Kirsch, who was fourth in the Southeastern meet.
Double-duty Norview coach Lytonya Payton has three lettermen back on the boys squad and four on the girls team.
Junior Lee Oliveras and sophomores Melvin Williams and Mike Olds will lead the boys team.
Promising additions are sophomores Markee Burton, Tramari Abdul and Jason Malin and junior Milton Lovick.
The Norview boys were 3-3 last year and Payton feels the team might improve upon that mark.
Sophomore Genesha Gibson and senior Gina Ginn are the mainstays on the girls squad. Ginn was eighth and Gibson was ninth in last year's district meet. Other holdovers are junior Jamie Harris and sophomor Mona Lisa Sumler.
Junior Terrie Moore and sophomore Basha Coleman are the standouts among the newcomers. Another prospect is freshman Khara Willis.
Jarrell Wilkerson has taken over the helm of both Booker T. Washington teams.
``We are in the process of building a solid program,'' said Wilkerson. ``As a first-year coach I am looking to get the Bookers off the bottom of the pile.''
The boys team has Obafemi Hawk, Mareus Simpson, Michael Hill and Jason Mallery back. Several newcomers have bolstered the squad. New additions include Terry Gray, Lance Green, Detron Short, George Wilson, Akel Ellis, Antwain Epps and Lamont Clark.
Donita Barnett and Sherika Sadler are the only holdovers on the girls squad. Newcomers include Lavonne Cuffee, Melissa Wilson, Octavia Ruffin and Monica Pollard.
Debra Bayles has taken over as coach of both Granby teams. She also coaches swimming.
Peter Moran, Quentin Turman and Sean Powers are the only lettermen on the boys team. All are juniors. Newcomer Delano Harrison, a sophomore, likely will be the top runner. He is a Lake Taylor transfer who was 10th in the district meet last year. Two other new prospects are junior Josh Blizzard and Maksim Smeliov, who was on Bayles' swimming team.
The girls team is being built around runners from the outdoor team, including sophomore Jaquetta Harold and Madeleine Benthin.
Newcomers include Joy Martin, Marquita Morton and Lucia Treto. Morton was an outdoor track sprinter. Treto played softball and Martin played soccer.
Floyd Conley, who coaches both Lake Taylor teams, had expected his boys to contend for the district crown this year. But he lost four of his top runners, one transferring to Granby, another to Princess Anne and two moving to other states.
``So that leaves us with only Jeremiah Munden back,'' said Conley. ``I know he has to be disappointed because he was looking forward to us contending for the championship.'' Munden was seventh in the district meet a year ago.
His younger brother, Jessie, is a freshman and a promising prospect. Other newcomers on the 10-runner squad include sophomores Deshawn Hendricks and Jobert Fortuno, junior Johnnie Davis and freshman Phillip David. Outdoor sprinter Gerrod Colston also is a candidate.
Lake Taylor had no girls team last year and Conley is rebuilding around Veta Wilson and exchange student Hanna Wenndeberg.
Elsewhere, Great Bridge is the power in both the boys and girls division of the Southeastern District. The Wildcats won both region titles last year, finishing third in the boys state meet and 12th in the girls. In the Beach District Cox and Kellam appear the standouts in the boys division. Bayside and Kempsville figure as the teams to beat in the girls division. by CNB