Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 27, 1990 TAG: 9005270260
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Lemons won the 100-, 200- and 400-meter runs and finished fourth in the triple jump, scoring 34 of Floyd County's 42 points. That was good for a third-place finish behind Essex, which won the last two events to pile up 52 points and knock off three-time champion Amelia County (46 points).
"I'm real pleased," said Floyd County coach Winfred Beale. "We have a superstar in Pam and a supporting cast. She's done a lot for us, not just today . . . "
It was a big day for Timesland individuals, especially for Jack Baker of James River. Baker won both hurdles events, and only a fairly stiff wind in his face kept him from setting one or two meet records. He missed both marks by one-tenth of a second.
Glenvar's Jamie Soltis repeated his 3,200-meters title of a year ago, adding another state championship to the 103-pound wrestling crown he won during the winter.
Natural Bridge's Scott Hubbard won the long jump and had the triple jump won until Goochland's Welton Allen beat him by a half-foot on his last attempt. Still, Hubbard had his best performances of the year in both events with a 23-foot, 3\ -inch long jump and a 46-10 in the triple jump. Both distances are tops in Timesland, based on last week's results.
The only other individual winner from Timesland was Galax's India Bryson, who finished first in the discus with a toss of 113-1. That was 3 1/2 feet better than runner-up Sandra Giles of Amelia County.
Lemons, who will attend the University of Virginia on a track scholarship, repeated her 100-and 200-meters victories of last year. She rallied from behind to win the 400, a race that is not her specialty and one in which she was not the favorite.
"I hate the 400," Lemons said. "But I knew the team needed the points. Coach Beale told me we didn't have a chance to win if I didn't finish first."
Lemons also gave an extra effort in the triple jump.
"I hadn't practiced the triple jump until last week," she said. "Coach Beale put me into it just for points in the district."
Nikki Tessar also came up with a big effort for Floyd County in the 3,200. She picked up her pace to catch one runner and finish fourth instead of fifth, giving the Buffaloes another point.
"I was dead going into the last lap," said Tessar. "It was for the team."
Baker was quite a story. A week ago, the James River senior fell at the start of the 300 hurdles and finished second in Region C. He outlasted Mark McDowney of Washington and Lee on Saturday to win the event in the state meet.
"I didn't know you were that close to me," Baker told McDowney after the race.
Said McDowney, "You were just striding and when you heard me coming, you picked up the stride."
For Baker, it was the end of a tremendous senior year. He played football and was a starter for the Group A runner-up basketball team.
"This is what makes four years worthwhile in track," Baker said. "I never had any idea he [McDowney] was that close until we went over the next-to-last hurdle."
Unlike last year, Soltis ran in the 1,600 in addition to the 3,200. He was an also-ran, though it was apparent that he was using it as a warmup for his specialty.
"If I could have gotten first place, I would have tried for it," Soltis said. "But he [Prince Edward's R'Wayne Walton] went out so fast.
"Give credit to my coach, Dickie Myers. He told me just to jog in that race. In the 3,200, he told me to just run until I felt good and then leave them."
Soltis did that at the start of the sixth lap. He cruised away from the field to the easy victory. "But I made a mistake. I thought we only had two laps to go," he said.
For his senior year, Soltis said he hopes to regain the Group A cross country championship that he won as a sophomore and lost in the fall. "I might also give up wrestling next year," he said. "I'm afraid of injuring my legs and I don't like losing [13 pounds] in weight."
Hubbard said that despite his victory and second-place finish with personal-best performances, he did not have a good day.
"I had hoped to win two events," said the Natural Bridge senior. He also had hoped to place in the high jump after clearing 6-5 earlier this spring.
Sussex Central had no trouble winning its second consecutive boys' team title with 68 points, outdistancing King and Queen, which finished with 36. Covington, paced by strong field events from Mike Smith (second in the discus and third in the shot), Scott Waddell (second in the shot) and Andy Carroll (third in the triple jump) was Timesland's top team with a fourth-place finish of 28 points.
by CNB