DATE: Tuesday, May 20, 1997                 TAG: 9705200299

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C4   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: CHESAPEAKE                        LENGTH:   42 lines

SHAWNAS MOORE: RUNNER GETS HER CHANCE TO SHINE ON THE TRACK

In between this season's and last year's Southeastern District track and field championships, Oscar Smith coach Edward Lowery expected great things from Shawnas Moore. But until recently, she had not delivered.

``This year, it hasn't been the same,'' said Moore, a junior.

For one thing, she's in a different role.

Last year Moore, who won the district 400-meter title, was in the background of Cheredia Carter and Torae Artis. With their departure, Moore went from being a highly-talented but overlooked athlete to one of the team's leaders.

And unfortunately for the Tigers, she did not always set the best examples.

``I haven't practiced as hard as I should have,'' she admitted.

But at the time Oscar Smith needed her the most, Moore has come on.

At the district championships at Lakeland last weekend, Moore earned her first medal with a third-place finish behind Great Bridge's Denita Eason and Pamela Garrett in the 100-meter dash.

Then came a dazzling anchor leg on the 400 relay.

Lakeland got off to a blazing start on the first two legs. On the second exchange for Oscar Smith, the baton went to Sherita Spencer, who lessened the gap with a strong run around the curves.

Moore took the final exchange and bolted past Lakeland and Deep Creek runners to give the Tigers a first-place finish in 50.78.

``I had to run hard,'' Moore said. ``I just exploded.''

The resurgent Tiger capped her day by successfully defending her title in the 400, despite the fact that the race was run only moments after the 4 x 100 relay.

Moore battled Western Branch's Trenace Elliott and Great Bridge's Brandy Jackson down the stretch and won in 59.5.

Now, those are the type of performances Lowery had been expecting from Moore. ILLUSTRATION: Photo KEYWORDS: ATHLETE OF THE WEEK

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