THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, February 18, 1996 TAG: 9602160221
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 30 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 95 lines
THERE'S AN SOS out at Norcom and, ironically, it is being sent by the school's first district championship team in girls indoor track.
An also-ran in Southeastern District girls track until becoming a contender for the first time last year, the Greyhounds won the 1996 title Wednesday at Churchland in convincing fashion.
Norcom racked up 132 points for a 39-point edge over runner-up Great Bridge. Deep Creek was third with 66 points, exactly half the Greyhounds' total.
Norcom coach Vincent Pugh feels his team will be a contender in the upcoming Eastern Region and possibly a threat for the state title.
But the two upcoming meets could be the last ever for Norcom.
Norcom, Wilson and Churchland transfer out of the Southeastern District into the Eastern District in September. The Eastern District does not have indoor track.
``Our girls are hoping they'll find a place for us to continue indoor track,'' said Pugh. ``I know the Southeastern teams would be delighted to have us compete with them. Several coaches have told me so. And I would hope the Virginia High School League would allow us to run with them.
``Our victory in this district meet is something our school really needed. Since the football team won the state championship, the overall sports program has been down. And I think it has shown in the morale at the school.
``I could see the excitement our winning the district created. I know it will carry over throughout the school.
``Now we have the region to look forward to. And what a lift it could be if we could win that.''
Pugh pointed out there would be little financial advantage in discontinuing the indoor track program.
``We're virtually self-supporting now,'' he said. ``We raise money for any trips we make. And indoor track is not an expensive sport. Plus it is going to help some of our girls get college scholarships.
``I'm most concerned about kids having the opportunity to train. We really started the indoor program to keep from getting behind in the outdoor season. All the top teams have indoor track. This will put us far behind in outdoor track if we do away with our indoor program.''
Norcom set two individual records en route to its championship. Missy Banks put on a show in breaking the shot put mark. She had a record toss of 41 feet, 7 inches. But all three of her throws in the finals were beyond the previous district record (38-11 1/4) by former Norcom star Nicole Robertson in 1992.
Brandi Smith shattered the triple jump record with a leap of 36 feet, 9 1/2 inches. The old record was 33-8 1/2 by Yolanda Hines of Wilson in 1993.
Norcom won three other events. Sprinter Jennifer Cook was first in the 55-hurdles (8:03) and the 300-meter run (43.11). The Greyhounds 800-relay unit - composed of Smith, Lakeisha Graves, Deandris Townes and Tiesha Pickett - had a winning time of 1:51.4. This was less than two seconds off the record.
``We're capable of breaking that,'' said Pugh. ``I really thought we would.''
In the boys division, Western Branch claimed its third straight championship. The Bruins totaled 96 points. Second-place Deep Creek had 86. Churchland was third with 71 and Norcom was fourth with 63.
Four records fell. Great Bridge's Jason Buckley lowered his own record in the 500-meter run with a 1:05.84 time. Churchland's Jamin Elliott had a triple jump of 47 feet, 1/2 inch, which was 16 1/2 inches beyond the previous mark.
Brian Hunter of Great Bridge cleared 6-5 in the high jump, an inch above the four-year-old record held by Manor's Keith Jordan.
Jessie Grant of Indian River had a long jump of 22 feet, 6 1/2 inches. Chris Edmond of Churchland held the old record at 22-4 1/2.
MEET NOTES: Deep Creek competed without four of the standouts who helped the Hornets win the boys state title last year. This included defending state shotput champ Deon Dyer, who is attending SAT classes. . . . The biggest surprise winner was Great Bridge's Denita Eason, a junior who won the girls long jump in her very first competition. She has been participating in the Miss Great Bridge pageant and just joined the team. Eason jumped 17-3 1/4, only 3/4 of an inch off the record. . . . Happiest of the winners was Churchland's Robbie Williams, who led the field in the boys 3,200-meter run. Williams finished first a year ago but was disqualified for running out of his lane. . . . In winning the boys title, Western Branch had only one individual champion. Kenny Mosely won the 55-hurdles and the 300-meter run. The Bruins actually trailed Deep Creek by 14 points with three events left in the meet. Western Branch picked up 18 points with a 1-2 finish in the 300 meters, nine in the 3,200-meter run and eight in the 1,600 relay to pull away at the finish. . . . Norcom's boys won the 1600 relay. The other Portsmouth champion was Wilson's Kenya Edwards in the 1,600-meter run. ILLUSTRATION: INDOOR TRACK
Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Deandris Townes runs in the Norcom 800-relay unit, helping the
Greyhounds win the Southeastern District championship Wednesday.
THE CHAMPIONS
[For a copy of the list, see microfilm for this date.]
by CNB