THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 26, 1996 TAG: 9605260240
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NEWPORT NEWS LENGTH: 64 lines
Prepare like a champion? Well, not exactly, said Kellam's Dan Waksmunski.
Execute like a champion? Not necessarily, replied Green Run's Plaxico Burress.
But walk away from Saturday's Eastern Region boys track meet a champion? Yeah, both athletes agreed, that's more like it.
So while Waksmunski may have taken a week off from training for the 3,200-meter run, and Burress may have attacked hurdles as though he was having flashbacks to his defensive back days for the Stallions football team, the two still managed to dominate their events during the regional championships at Todd Stadium.
Great Bridge's Jason Buckley (800), First Colonial's Dan Baxley (1,600), Churchland's Jamin Elliott (triple jump), Oscar Smith's Rafael Butts (discus) and Green Run's 4x100 relay team also took individual titles, while two-time defending state champion Menchville (56 1/2 points) held off Green Run (53 1/2) to retain its regional team title.
The Stallions trailed by six points heading into the climactic 4x400 relay and caught a break when Menchville's anchor-leg runner, Shaun Ricks, pulled up with a hamstring injury.
But Green Run could manage only a sixth-place finish.
Sixth place seemed like a reasonable goal going in for Waksmunski, whose sore shins kept him from workouts all week.
Then, on a day when tricky winds had even eventual girls 3,200 champion and notorious frontrunner Adrienne Parker of Kempsville getting drafting help from another runner, Waksmunski shot to the front of the pack as soon as the race began.
``Sounds crazy, doesn't it?'' he said.
But not only didn't Waksmunski fade, he continued building his lead and finished with his best time of the year, 9:49.92.
``I just feel better running from the front,'' Waksmunski said. ``I don't have to worry about what the others are doing. Just stay calm and go.''
The graduation of former Lafayette star Seneca Lassiter, owner of the meet records in the 800, 1,600 and 3,200, cleared the way for South Hampton Roads runners to rule this year's distance events. Buckley shaved nearly four seconds off his Southeastern District championship time of a week ago in winning the 800; Baxley held off Tallwood's Billy Edwards to take the 1600. Edwards was the first to congratulate the new champion.
``We're not on the same team, but it's almost like we work as a team,'' Baxley said.
Burress, who admits he lacks sound technique in the 300 hurdles, kicked over the third hurdle Saturday, clipped two others, slowed to a jog before eclipsing the final barrier - and still finished a good 10 yards ahead of the field.
Earlier in the day, Burress teamed with Cedric Warren, KeCalf Cuffee and Sevend Mason to win the 4x100 relay and bury memories of last week's district meet when the defending state champions failed to place after dropping the baton.
``We just wanted to let everyone know we've still got it,'' Mason said.
Butts, whose 145-10 heave on his first attempt held up as the day's best, added a track title to his regional heavyweight wrestling crown.
Elliott (46-6 1/2 in the triple jump) missed his 48-foot-plus goal, but vowed his best will come in next week's state meet. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
D. KEVIN ELLIOTT/The Virginian-Pilot
Plaxico Burress, left, cheers on Green Run teammate Sevend Mason
after handoff for the 4th leg in winning 4x100 relay. by CNB