THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 14, 1996 TAG: 9601120160
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 107 lines
EVEN WITH THREE weeks left in the Beach District's five-week indoor track season, some teams are already rising to the top.
The district will crown no regular-season champion. Instead, the title will be decided at the district meet Feb. 8 and 10. The Eastern Region meet will be split between field events Feb. 19 at Cox and running events Feb. 21 at Todd Stadium on the Peninsula.
Here's an overview of the district boys and girls teams:
GIRLS
Bayside and Salem are the top contenders and the December showdown between the two was halted between the running and field events because of weather. Since regular season records don't figure into the championship picture, the remainder of the meet likely won't be made up and the issue will be settled at the district meet.
The Marlins won last year's district and region titles to set up a victory in the state team competition and tacked on a region cross country title last fall.
Lashonda Cutchin is a junior who finished fourth in the 55 and 300 in last year's state meet and then captured the state outdoor championship in the 100. Bayside also won the four-by-100 and four-by-400 relays at the state outdoor meet. Other sprinters are Tamika Williams, Twylite Pope and Davon Lame. Middle and long distance runners Carolyn Zanelli, Jaime Hicks, Jonelle Coleman, Kristin Doublas, Jackie Tugman and Sara Marlow will be tough.
Salem is led by district 55 champ Kyra Purham, along with Maro Mitchell, Katrina Roundtree, Jonelle Collins, Portia Joyner and Jameka Collins. Newcomers are Tiffany Purham and Tiffany Watson.
While Bayside and Salem are the favorites, Cox, Kellam, Kempsville, Green Run and First Colonial have strong track traditions.
The Falcons feature jumpers Missy Thomas and Beth Reading, and distance runners Hollie Robinson and Nicole Pagan. Jennifer Dillinger is a freshman jumper and sprinter who will quickly make a name for herself.
Kellam is led by Rebecca Goodnight and Amber Saunders in the hurdlers and sprints, and Virginia Upham and Tamyra Stegman in the distance events. Melissa Potter is the top 1,600 runner, while Erin Walsh and Raye McMichaels are middle distance runners.
Kempsville's Charlette Fayton is the defending district 55 hurdles champ. She gets help from Monica Frey and Lulu Santi. The Chiefs have a host of newcomers who will help this year's effort.
Sophomore sprinter Kawahi Palmer will score many points for First Colonial.
Valieri Wells qualified for region competition in the 500 to lead Green Run, and Brenna Ashton advanced to the region cross country meet as a freshman last fall.
Tallwood freshman Pam Edwards is one of the top distance runners in the area, joining returners Michelle Epps, Jennifer Luther, Denise Lundy, Charity Mosley, Rachel Kuhr, Tamara Valentine, Quyan Than and Monique Harris.
Shannon Perkins made it to state in the 300 for Ocean Lakes and Gina Ward is the top distance runner on the Dolphins squad. Jamie Lomax, Amber White, Tiffany Blake and Effiel Claire are other returners.
Princess Anne's Megan Kaminski qualified for state in the 3,200 and is joined by returners Apreile Watkins, Kathryn Ehrenfried and Krista Elmore.
BOYS
Kellam is the defending champion and will face stiff competition from Green Run, Kempsville and Salem.
Leading the defense for the Knights will be distance runners Matt Morgan, Dave Waksmunski and Ralph Denton, and the 800 relay team of Uland Timms, Dowford Combs, Dwayne Punter and John Green. Tims also runs the 300, while Combs is the top sprinter. Nick Curtis is the top hurdler.
The Sun Devils feature four returning district champions in hurdler Mark Felton, jumper/hurdler Gary Abra, sprinter Curtis Sanders and sprinter/hurdler De Mario Williams. Byron Gray is another top returner in the middle distance events.
Green Run's Cedric Warren, Kecalf Cuffee and Jerry Wilson are some of the top contenders in the city in the 55, 300 and long jump, respectively.
Bayside is led by returners Maurice Person, Beau Daniels, Curtis Adams, Tyri McCall, Fred Conniff and Dave Ehlers.
First Colonial is led by returning 500 meter specialist Dan Baxley, who finished third in the state last winter. Jason Dolney, Brian Kollar, Rob Wright, Dan Weinberg, Andy Hucks, Rip Gordan and Nathan Frost are the other returners.
David Scott and Nick Mollenhauer are the top returners for Kempsville.
Robert Dillard, Billy Edwards, Joe Starchia, Mike Rogers, Falanzo Perry, Craig Wolfe, Mark Curtis, Calvin Wilson, Kenny Myers and Chuck Barlow are the top returners for Tallwood.
Ocean Lakes is led by returners Savoy Harrell, Wallace Andrews, Michael Peeler and Michael Morris.
Princess Anne's top performers are Joe Lanier, Mike Adair, Jarrad Anderson and Stephen Jones. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
Bayside's Lashonda Cutchin, left, is a junior who finished fourth in
the 55 and 300 in last year's state meet and followed by capturing
the state outdoor championship in the 100. Among Bayside's other
sprinters is Davon Lame, above.
Staff photos by STEVE EARLEY
Bayside's Lashonda Cutchin, left, is a junior who finished fourth in
the 55 and 300 in last year's state meet and then captured the state
outdoor championship in the 100. Among Bayside's other sprinters is
Davon Lame, above.
by CNB