THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, February 18, 1997 TAG: 9702180514
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BRIAN J. FRENCH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: 47 lines
You're familiar with the term ``eating for two?'' Well, Churchland's Jamin Elliott was running for two on Monday.
Elliott placed first in the long and triple jumps at the Eastern Region championships at Menchville, and afterward admitted to added inspiration in his performance.
``I had Big Mo on my mind the entire day,'' Elliott said, referring to Churchland football player Morris Thompson, who died of cancer last summer. ``Before he died, I told him that I was going to win state for him, and I've dedicated my season to him.''
And Elliott - who won the triple jump last year - is twice as likely to honor his promise after Monday's events. After finishing second in last year's meet, Elliott jumped an even 22 feet, edging Denbigh's Nathanial Clopton and Western Branch's Doug Casper by an inch.
He - along with the rest of the participants - had to deal with a setup in which reaching the jump ramp required starting in a secondary gym, running through a hallway and entering the main gym through a set of double doors before running up a 3-inch ramp and jumping into a series of tumbling mats.
``When you come up the ramp, you kind of lose your footing a little bit,'' Elliott said. ``But I've ran here before, so I'm sort of used to it.''
Churchland is tied with Lakeland for the lead after the field events. Salem, Great Bridge and Denbigh round out the top five.
Brian Hunter from Great Bridge won the high jump title, outlasting Lakeland's Harry Saunders in a jumpoff.
Hunter ended with a jump of 6-4, then tried to eclipse the school record with a 6-6 jump, but missed.
``You're kind of in your own world out there,'' Hunter said. ``Once I get to the (jump) line, I just let it all go.''
Brian Kollar of First Colonial won the shot put title with a throw of 54-4 1/2.
Bayside's girls team rolled through their first day of competition, outscoring Great Bridge 35-22 after four events.
The Marlins' Johanna Battle won the high jump title at 5-2 to outdistance six jumpers with marks of 5-0, and teammate Brandy Parks nipped Great Bridge's Denita Eason in the triple jump, 36-6 1/2 to 36-4 1/2.
Missy Banks of Norcom continued to dominate the shot put division, posting a throw of 41-3 to win by more than 2 feet.
Lafayette's Alexandra Bruxton beat Eason to win the long jump.
The meet continues Wednesday with track events at Darling Stadium.