THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 22, 1995 TAG: 9510210087
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 26 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JULIE GOODRICH, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 80 lines
It's not the best of times for Western Branch girls cross country coach Bill Volkman.
The Bruins top runner, Emily Thomas, is down with an ankle injury. She had a bone scan on Thursday and whether she can continue to run is questionable.
Western Branch's No. 3 runner, Melissa McManus, has a more serious leg injury that could finish her season.
The Bruins might be able to overcome one injury. If neither girl can compete in Thursday's Southeastern District meet, Western Branch will have to take an incomplete in the team competition.
``(The injuries) are really a factor, because we were hoping to make it to state,'' said Volkman. ``We've got such a thin team.''
This year, the district competition is being held on the course at Churchland High School. There is a 4 p.m. start.
Great Bridge coach Steve Sawyer also has a few runners out with injuries, but their ailments are relatively minor. The Wildcats are the odds-on favorites to take both the girls and boys titles.
``The girls are not as dominant as the boys team, but we've got a chance to win regionals if we're healthy,'' Sawyer said.
Sophomore Tracy O'Neal, ranked fifth in the South Hampton Roads top ten poll of area runners, had one of her better races of the year Wednesday, turning in a time of 18:54 on the Great Bridge course to win the final meet of the regular season. Freshman Michelle Nicolay was third behind Western Branch's Angie Cusick with a time of 19:51.
The top four teams and 15 individuals in the district meet qualify for the Eastern Region meet. Great Bridge and Deep Creek are locks in the team competition. Wilson is strong, and if Western Branch isn't healthy, Oscar Smith could advance as well.
Other individuals to watch for in the girls' race include Indian River's Cathy McNeeley; Deep Creek's Karen Heely and Monica Harvey; Great Bridge's Jenny Huston, Dorothy Mackey and Lauren Passero; Western Branch's Cheri Newman and Amy Bevan; and Wilson's Jenita Harris, Yael Lewis and Charmae Barringer.
In the boys' competition, there is no doubt which school will claim the team competition. Great Bridge has been virtually unbeatable all season and dominated the competition in its Wednesday meet by placing nine runners among the top ten finishers.
``This was kind of a breakthrough day,'' said Sawyer after the meet. ``We had rested some kids. . . they looked real good.''
Although four runners - Matt Bruckner, David Bristow, Andy Hite, and Greg Holden - are battling for the seventh slot on the Wildcats' travel team roster, there is no question which runner is No. 1 - Eric Adams.
Adams, Great Bridge's only senior, is the top-ranked runner in South Hampton Roads. He has continued to improve through the season and notched his fastest time of the year Wednesday with a 15:36 on the three-mile course.
``District isn't going to be an all-important race. I'm ready to run it but I'm not training for it,'' Adams said. ``I'm training to peak at state.''
The only runner in the district who has been close to Adams this season - other than teammate Erik Cooper - is Western Branch's Billy McGlaughlon. Injured last year, McGlaughlon has finished second to Adams in the last two races, only two and five seconds behind.
Great Bridge will advance in the team competition with ease, but the remaining three berths are up for grabs. Western Branch, Wilson, Churchland and Deep Creek are all contenders.
Individually, Great Bridge figures to take many of the top spots, with Brenden Vesey, Brian Walsh and Jason Santucci in top form. Others to watch include Western Branch's Robbie Birsch, Deep Creek's Connell Williams and Masayoshi Shibutani, a foreign exchange student, Wilson's Kenya Edwards and Perez Bottoms and Churchland's Robbie Williams and Ben Booth.
Churchland beat Wilson, 26-29, in a Wednesday meet at Churchland. Wilson's Edwards won individual honors with a time of 16:36 over the 3.1-mile course. Williams was runner-up at 16:42 and Bottoms was third at 17:03. The Truckers took the next three spots.
Wilson won the girls meet with Norcom, 17-45, with Harris setting the pace at 22:33. Teammate Lewis was runner-up at 24:06. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Wilson's Kenya Edwards
by CNB