THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 19, 1996 TAG: 9605190200
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ED MILLER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 62 lines
Two years ago, after Granby finished last at the Eastern District track meet, Tanya Jones made a promise to her coach, Christine Handy. Jones told Handy the Comets would win the district meet in 1996. She even put it in writing, sending Handy a card signed by the Granby team, ``1996 Eastern District Champs.''
Saturday, Jones' promise was fulfilled. Granby scored 160 points to run away with the Eastern District title at Norview High. The Comets put 51 points between themselves and second-place Maury.
``From worst to first,'' Jones said. ``We worked real hard.''
Jones, a senior, did her part by winning the high jump, triple jump and 100-meter hurdles. She also took second in the long jump, and fourth in the 300 hurdles.
Granby got rolling Friday with a win in the 3,200-meter relay. The Comets kept pouring it on Saturday. Not even a disqualification in the 400-meter relay could slow them.
``We were determined,'' said Jaquetta Harrell, who won the 1,600 meters and ran a leg on the winning 4x400-meter relay. ``We didn't underestimate anybody. We just came in and did what we had to do.''
Granby also got two wins from Lakeesia Ebron, who took the long jump and the 200 meters.
``They had a lot of heart, and they wanted it,'' said Handy, who was in her first year at Granby when Jones made her promise. She still has the card, on her mantle.
``That's the way you set goals,'' Handy said.
Maury's strength was in the sprints and middle distance. Cassell Person won her third district 100-meter title. Victoria Holden took the 800, while Emily Kirsch, who won the 3,200 Friday, was second in the 1,600.
In the boys meet, Granby's Anthony King helped make it a clean sweep for the Comets. The senior won four events, took second in another, and ran the anchor leg on the winning 400 meter relay team to lead Granby to the district title. Granby scored 138 points, while Norview was second with 103.
``Anthony is the spark that makes the Comets fly,'' coach Hank Sawyer said. ``He has been our role model.''
King, who will attend Penn State on a football scholarship, won the long jump, triple jump, high jump and the 100 meters. He was edged by Norview's Erik Hines in the 200 meters.
King's win in the long jump, the final event of the day, put the finishing touches on Granby's victory. He jumped 22-8 on his last attempt to beat Norview's James Whitley.
``There was no pressure on me,'' King said. ``Either way, we had the points we needed.''
Granby picked up points all over. Delano Harris won both the 1,600 and 3,200 meters. Ray Martin won the discus and Racque Parker took the 300-meter hurdles.
``We were real balanced this year, and that's what we've worked to put together,'' coach Hank Sawyer said.
Granby had not won a district title in 20 years, Sawyer said.
Norview got a strong day from Hines, a sophomore who also won the 400 meters, holding off Granby's Dexter Reid. by CNB