DATE: Wednesday, May 7, 1997                TAG: 9705070478

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: BY JEFF ZEIGLER, CORRESPONDENT 

DATELINE: HERTFORD                          LENGTH:   67 lines

TEAM SET TO END SECOND WINNING YEAR THE LADY PIRATES 12-MEMBER TRACK TEAM HAS YET TO LOSE A LEAGUE GAME.

Despite the odds, the Perquimans County High School girls track team has outperformed all Albemarle Conference opponents in the last two years.

With one conference meet to go, the Lady Pirates are looking for two straight years without a league loss.

Last year, Perquimans went 5-0 in conference meets. So far this year, the team is 4-0, and looking to go 5-0 at the meet at Williamston Thursday.

It's been an amazing run considering the team has just 12 athletes and has no home track.

In a grassy field near the bus depot in Hertford, a 400-meter oval is marked off for the team to train on.

``We actually held two meets there last year,'' said second-year head coach Bob Turner. ``Sometimes it confuses the younger athletes. When they go to the first meet, they see all the markings on the track and the exchange zones and lanes, and it's hard to teach that on grass. It takes a while to get adjusted to the real track.

``Practice-wise, it's easier on the legs,'' Turner added. ``We haven't had a major injury the last two years.''

It's a good thing. All but one of the 12 athletes already participate in at least two events, and eight girls compete in four events.

``To compete for a conference championship you have to have girls that can do a lot of different things. Most of them are really good in one or two events and compete in other events so they can help the team out,'' Turner said.

Perquimans' strong point is in the field events. Leading the team is senior Celena Sheard, who is unbeaten this year in the shotput and discus. Her best shotput throw so far this season has been 35-4. Last year's 1A state champion threw 34-2, so hopes are high for a state championship for Sheard. She placed fourth last year.

Sheard has thrown 85-8 in the discus, down from 95 feet last year. ``We're trying to get her back up to 95. She threw it 100 feet at a clinic at East Carolina,'' Turner said.

Also scoring a bunch of points for Perquimans is Cristin Harrell, a junior who Turner calls his ``assistant coach.''

``She helps out with the younger athletes,'' Turner said. ``She was there to get track started while I was still coaching basketball.''

Harrell competes in the high jump, 800 meters, 1600 meters, 4 x 400 meter relay and sometimes the 400 meters. This year she has tied her own school record in the high jump at 4-8 and has qualified for the Eastern Regionals in the 400 meters at 1:07.

``She could qualify in five events, but since you can only compete in four, we'll have to choose her four carefully,'' Turner said.

Junior Laura Matthews competes in the long jump, triple jump, 4 x 400 relay and 4 x 100 relay. ``She is constantly first or second in every meet in the long jump and triple jump,'' Turner said.

Senior Jameire Jordan competes in the sprint races. She has qualified for the Eastern Regionals in the 100 meters at 13.6 and in the 200 meters at 28.5.

Junior distance runner Renee Jennings has won several times in the 3200 meters and averages about 16 minutes in the event. She also runs a leg of the 4 x 800 relay and fills in in the 1600 meters.

Perquimans, which has been blowing out conference opponents, has an overall record of 12-3. Its losses, all to larger schools, were close. The Lady Pirates lost to 4A Northeastern by 10 points but also beat the Lady Eagles once. Perquimans also dropped a 10-point meet to 2A Manteo and had a five-point loss to 2A Edenton-Holmes.

``Our goal is just to (do) better than last year,'' Turner said.

The Lady Pirates have already accomplished that. Now it's on to the state meet.

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