THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, March 29, 1996 TAG: 9603270141
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER
CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 117 lines
It's very possible that Southeastern District girls track could have a different school winning for the fourth year in a row.
Great Bridge won the title in 1995. Deep Creek was the 1994 winner. Western Branch finished first in 1993.
Norcom, winner of the district indoor title, looms as one of the prime contenders this year.
But nobody should write off the defending champion Wildcats. Great Bridge had only one senior on last year's team.
Pat Banks is working with a squad of 50 and just two are seniors. ``We have a lot of promise,'' said Banks. ``Norcom, Deep Creek and Oscar Smith look to have strong teams, too.''
``I feel that we have a chance to win the district,'' said Norcom coach Vincent Pugh. ``Great Bridge would have to be favored by what they have back. We must develop some distance runners to compete with them.''
Oscar Smith coach Ed Lowery says his team's goal ``is to compete for the district title.''
Adds Lowery: ``With the quality and quantity of the veterans we have returning, we are extremely excited about the upcoming season.''
Deep Creek coach David Cox feels the Hornets will perform well in the sprints, middle distance running events and in the shot and discus. ``We have good depth,'' he said. ``But we will be asking for major contributions from some of our young members to give us a high finish in the district.''
Bayside and Salem are the favorites in the Beach District. Maury and Granby are the top teams in the Eastern District.
A capsule look at the eight Southeastern District teams in predicted order of finish:
GREAT BRIDGE
Coach: Pat Banks
1995 record: First in district
Key performers: Hurdler/jumpers Jill Ferguson and Denita Eason; sprinters Kim Gibbs and Pam Garrett; distance runners Dawn Trueblood, Tracey O'Neal and Jessica Scott; and field events standout Chandra Lewis.
Outlook: Twenty holdovers return from last year's district championship squad and perennially the Wildcats compete for the title.
NORCOM
Coach: Vincent Pugh
1995 record: Fourth in district
Key performers: Missy Banks, shot and discus; Jennifer Cook, sprinter/hurdler; Brandi Smith, jumper; Tieshia Pickett, sprints and relays.
Outlook: With multi-point scorers in Banks, Cook and Smith, Norcom can be a championship team with the development of distance runners. Banks and Cook are potential state champions.
OSCAR SMITH
Coach: Ed Lowery
1995 record: Third in district
Key performers: Jumper/400-meter runner Cheredia Carter;jumper/400 meter runner Sherita Spencer; sprinters Torae Artis and Shawnas Moore; middle distance runner Jackie Johnson; and distance runner Dianna Golt.
Outlook: Carter and Spencer should be among the region's best. Freshmen talent holds key in sprints and in the shot put, where Tigers must pick up points.
DEEP CREEK
Coach: David Cox
1995 record: Fifth in district
Key performers: Sprinter Bobbie Jo Hess; middle distance runners Monica Harvey, Karly Green and Kim Brown; high jumper Afreeka Hardison; and shot/discus thrower Quirstin Wynn.
Outlook: Good depth with strength in sprints, middle distances and shot put/discus. Young team members must contribute for Hornets to contend for title.
INDIAN RIVER
Coach: Mel Queen
1995 record: Tied for sixth in district
Key performers: Cathy McNeeley, middle distance runner; Latisha Grevious, shot/discus; Grika Moses, sprints and hurdles; Disheika Person, hurdles/800 meters.
Outlook: Ten members returned but improvement will depend upon development of young and inexperienced additions. No team can outsmart the Braves, however, with a team academic average exceeding 3.2 and three with over 4.0 averages.
WESTERN BRANCH
Coach: Thomas Anderson
1995 record: Second in district
Key performers: Distance runners Angela Cusick and Renee Ferguson; jumper Erica Hudson; sprinter Shanita Jackson; Quentina Knight in field events.
Outlook: Key members graduated but Bruins are rebuilding around six veterans and some promising freshmen additions.
WILSON
Coach: Ken Dugan
1995 record: Tied for sixth in district
Key performers: Hurdlers Jenita Harris, Sharmae Barringer and Terri Rivera; Jewel Gatling anda Christine Farrell, shot/discus; Karen and Sharon Anderson, sprints.
Outlook: Dugan is coaching both the girls and boys and is drawing upon some outstanding track grads from the school as helpers. The 20-member team has only three seniors. As always, Wilson will be especially formidable in the hurdles.
CHURCHLAND
Coach: Darin Bracy
1995 record: Eighth in district
Key performers: Sprinter Latasha Parker; middle distance runners Amber Cook and Sara Hudson; Meredith Watts, discus.
Outlook: Bracy and boys coach Clarence Brown are working with the largest turnout of girls in school history (21). Churchland, which has not had a complete girls team, will have participants in most events this year. ILLUSTRATION: SOUTHEASTERN DISTRICT GIRLS TRACK
Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Missy Banks, a discus thrower for Norcom High, is considered a
potential state champion. And Norcom coach Vincent Pugh thinks ``we
have a chance to win the district.''
by CNB