
DATE: Thursday, September 11, 1997          TAG: 9709100179

SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS         PAGE: 10   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   74 lines

BUCHANAN, GRANBY WILL BE HARD TO BEAT

Last fall Granby stole the Eastern District girls cross country title from favored Maury, breaking a string of five consecutive titles won by the Commodores. Granby is led by district champ Angie Buchanan, who also took league honors last spring in the 1,600 and 3,200.

Challenging the sophomore will be Norcom's Leah Godwin and Wilson newcomer Kathryn Keady. Wilson is among the few teams in that district that has the depth to compete with Granby.

Elsewhere, Kempsville is strong in the Beach and regional champ Pam Edwards returns for her junior year at Tallwood. In the Southeastern, Western Branch is heavily favored.

A look around the Eastern District:

LAKE TAYLOR

Coach: Floyd Conley

Top runners: April Cullen, Zeta Wilson

Outlook: The Titans were helped last fall when several field hockey standouts doubled as cross country runners. They will need that same help this year.

GRANBY

Coach: David Jacobs

Top runners: Angie Buchanan, Lucia Treto, Joy Martin, Marquita Morton, Meredith Bates, Lisa Radabaugh, Donna Gilmet, Shannon Jones

Outlook: Led by Eastern District champion Buchanan, the Comets should repeat as district champions. Turner, Martin and Morton finished third, fourth and sixth in the district, respectively.

NORVIEW

Coaches: N. Jenkins, D. Miller

Top runners: Genesha Gibson, Nikki Perez, Martesha Bishop, Loren Thompson

Outlook: Four starters return led by Gibson, but the Pilots are still in rebuilding mode.

MAURY

Coach: Barbara Matthewson

Top runners: Courtney Dozier, Katie Connors

Outlook: The Commodores lack the depth that made them unbeatable in the district. Matthewson, who coached last season at Norfolk Collegiate, takes over for veteran coach Walt Green.

NORCOM

Coach: Danny Hill

Top runners: Leah Godwin, Toni Shannon, Lorraine Moore, Tenisha Gray, Nadia Vass, Crystal Bellfield

Outlook: Godwin is among the top runners in the district and should qualify for state. With a team full of sprinters and basketball players, Norcom is in the hunt for a top three finish.

CHURCHLAND

Coach: David Moss

Top runners: Sarah Hudson, Trina Clemons, Elizabeth Brown

Outlook: The Truckers are young and rebuilding.

WILSON

Coach: Roger Smith

Top runners: Jamie Smith, Leslie Neal, Talia Raulhac, Kathryn Keady, Yael Lewis, Tiffany Johnson

Outlook: Newcomers Keady and Smith should boost the Truckers to contend with Granby and Maury for district honors. ILLUSTRATION: File photo

Granby is led by district champ Angie Buchanan, who took league

honors last spring in the 1,600 and 3,200. KEYWORDS: EASTERN DISTRICT GIRLS CROSS COUNTRY