Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 10, 1994 TAG: 9403100161
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: By RALPH BERRIER JR. STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
CHRISTIANSBURG will probably be the favorite to unseat perennial powerhouse Blacksburg, the defending Group AA champion. The Blue Demons appear to have more talent and depth than they've had in years; with most of their stars being juniors, the Blue Demons may just be hitting their stride.
Bethany Eigel should continue to be one of the top distance runners in a district that features some excellent runners, such as Blacksburg's Sarah Hendricks. Fellow junior Maureen Jackson will be the NRD's best in the shot put and discus. Other juniors who should pile up points are Sarah Slikker (300 hurdles), Leslie Cosgriff (middle and long-distance), Pam Jones (110 hurdles and sprint events) and Tamia McNeil (shot put and discus). Those performers were Christiansburg's best scorers last year.
The senior group has good experience. Meredith Ritter is a fine multi-event athlete who excels in the distance events, Beth Stepp is another good long runner, Renee Goncz is a competitive sprinter, and Gail Jones will round out the Blue Demons' excellent shot and discus group.
Considering that the Blue Demon girls had an outstanding cross country season and the indoor team finished second in the state, Christiansburg enters the spring season with high hopes.
"I think we're definitely going to be a contender," said head coach Norma Cox.
Contenders for what? District, Region IV or Group AA state titles? All three, perhaps.
BLACKSBURG will have difficulty repeating as NRD champions, much less as Group AA champs. The Indians will be without the stars who provided 95 percent of their scoring during last year's state meet, according to first-year coach Grant Smythers. The most notable absentees are: Katie Ollendick, who placed in Group AA's top four in four events, including a first-place showing in the high jump; distance runner Lynn Price; and three other girls who scored in the state meet.
The Indians have young talent. Sophomore Sarah Hendricks, last year's 1600-meter state champ and 3200 runner-up, will again be one of the best distance runners around. Whitney Foust and Jill Johnson have state experience in the distance events, and ninth-grader Erin Knocke finished third in the indoor mile last month. Nikki Hunt is the Indians' best sprinter, and Amy Mathena could make a repeat performance in the state hurdles. Sophomore April Rogers has excellent potential as a sprinter.
"We have a really young team," said Smythers. "There's no way we'll have anybody who can duplicate the things Katie Ollendick did last year. I still think we can be in the top five in the region, and [a] top 10 [finish] in the state is possible. We're depending on some young kids."
RADFORD, which drops to Group A next fall, has a young team that could make waves and possibly pull an upset in the school's last spring in the NRD. Jadean Curtis (see related story), who has previous state meet experience in the triple jump, high jump, 400 relay, 100 hurdles and 300 hurdles, is the Bobcats' top all-around performer. Talented sprinters Nikki Holloway, Shayla Evans and Emily Jebo are all underclassmen; Sarah Argabright and Katie Castleberry are consistent distance runners; and Rozetta Reed and Diana Mitchell should post good showings in the shot put and discus.
In the Mountain Empire District, GILES is favored to run off with its fourth straight title, although some other schools may nip at the Spartans' heels this year. Tomika Saunders and Crystal Ramos will be back on a 1600-meter relay team that has won back-to-back Group A championships. Saunders should also do well in the sprinting and jumping events.
Katie Walker and Jennifer Jeffers, the MED's defending 1600 champion and 3200 champion, respectively, are back, as is Keeli Whetzel, a sophomore sprinter and jumper who placed in six MED events as a freshman. Valerie Janney should also score points in the sprint events. Four sophomores - Erin Fisher, Heather Francis, Keli Ratcliffe and Stephanie Saunders - will heave the shot and discus for the Spartans.
If Giles can gain some consistency in the hurdles, the Spartans should stay atop the Mountain Empire.
FLOYD COUNTY, however, will battle the Spartans stride for stride. In a year that has seen the Buffaloes win the girls' basketball state championship and a district volleyball title, the girls' track team could make it a year-long sweep of MED championships. The Buffaloes have quality athletes, but they may not be able to match Giles' depth.
Monica Lucas, Floyd's fine all-around athlete, will try to equal or top her outstanding performances from last year's Group A meet when she placed in the top five in the 100, 200 and long jump.
Leigh-Ann Pursifull is back after advancing to the state last year in the shot put (in which she was runner-up) and the 300 hurdles. Others on the Floyd team with state experience are Melissa Cantrell (300 hurdles), Jennifer Wimmer (shot and discus) and Sarah Fralin (Region C high jump champion).
NARROWS welcomes back senior Melinda Fleeman, who skipped last season after winning the MED and Region C shot put championship as a sophomore. Fleeman should consistently score high in the shot and discus. Narrows has some good athletic talent in high-jumpers Billie Lucas and Melissa Lawrence and decent middle-distance runners, led by Marty Powell. The Green Wave's biggest surprise could be Natalie Wheeler, a 5-foot-11 freshman who will sprint and possibly hurdle.
AUBURN should have one of its stronger girls' teams in years. Sherry Smith, who placed fourth in the intermediate hurdles at the Group A meet last year, is the Eagles' top returner. Smith, a basketball and volleyball standout, made it to the state meet in the triple jump last year and could make it in the long jump this year. Cheryl Nickerson (high jump, sprints), Renay Gardner (shot put, discus) and Celia Eicheldinger (distance events) will be the best bets to score for an Auburn team that will also rely on a quality group of ninth graders.
SHAWSVILLE boasts two returners who went to the Region C meet last year - Missy Flight (mile and 2-mile) and Loressa Mitchum (800-meters). Junior twins Robyn and Sandy Burdette should place high in the sprints and high jump while helping the Shawnees relay teams, and Brandy Alexander will gain points in the hurdles and triple jump.
by CNB