THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, April 14, 1996 TAG: 9604140216
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C8 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY KEITH POMPEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Cedric Warren's facial expression told the story Saturday.
The Green Run sprinter hoped the Stallions would run away with the high school boys 4x100 at the Norfolk Invitational Relays at Norfolk State.
But due to a scheduling glitch, the foursome of Kecalf Cuffee, Plaxico Burress, Sevend Mason and Warren lost for only the fifth time in four years.
On Friday, Mason posted the fastest time in what was believed to have been the 400-meter final. Saturday, it was learned the Friday race was only a time trial. The actual 400 final, involving Mason and Burress, was followed immediately by the 4x100 final.
``That drained them,'' Warren said.
As a result, the defending Group AAA champions placed second to Camden (N.J.) High.
``We performed OK,'' Mason said. ``If we would have run the 4x100 first, we would have definitely won because it was close from the start.
``But this helps in the long run. We needed to take to a loss and get serious. We got a little big-headed, coming here thinking we were going to win.''
Being overconfident didn't hurt the Stallions in other events.
Mason was first in the 200 and 400. Burress placed fourth in the 400. And Warren took second in the 100 and third in the 200.
In the girls meet, Salem, led by Katrina Roundtree and Jonelle Collins, stole the show.
Roundtree won the 800, while Collins finished second. Both then teamed with Jamike Collins and Tiffany Edwards to win the 4x800. The Collins sisters also joined Slienda Tatum and Kyra Purham to take second place in the 4x400.
And the Sun Devils weren't finished. Maro Mitchell was second in the triple jump, and Porsha Joyner placed sixth in the long jump.
Other area performances: Kellam's Matt Morgan won the boys 1600, Great Bridge's Jill Ferguson won the high jump and Granby's Anthony King won the boys triple jump. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Green Run's Cedric Warren, center, logs rare second-place finish in
the Norfolk Invitational Relays' high school boys 4x100.
by CNB