Highlands District Track meet

[Beamerball 566]

http://www.tricities.com/tristate/tri/sports.apx.-content-articles-TRI-2007-05-17-0015.html

VHS boys, girls win Highlands track meet

 

Thursday, May 17, 2007 - 12:00 AM

 

BY JIMMY MOORE

 

SPORTS CORRESPONDENT

 

BRISTOL, Va. – Virginia High’s boys and girls defended their turf here Wednesday as they swept the field in the Highlands District Track Meet.

 

In boys action, the Bearcats finished at the top of the field with 179 points followed by Abingdon (145.5), Lee High (81) and Marion (77.5).

 

The Virginia High girls used a 1-2-3 finish in the shot put on the way to the victory with 150 points. Lee High finished second (132) followed by Marion (82).

 

After watching his boys team earn enough points for the title, Bearcat coach Terry Smith said he was hoping to see his team also post a regional time on the days’ final event, the 4x100 meter relay which they won with a time of 44.05.

 

"Our relay teams have really worked hard this year," said Smith. "Our distance runners are getting better and our sprinters are getting pretty good.

 

"We had a few false starts today but we’ve got to overcome stuff like that. Our kids didn’t hang their heads, they let me cry. They did a great job composing themselves and coming back.

 

"We were third in the region last year and this year we are hoping to do better but it is going to be pretty tough. Abingdon has probably got the better distance runners but we probably have a little more depth in the sprinters. We also did a great job with our jumpers today."

 

Curtis Price, head coach of the Abingdon boys, said he was still proud of his team’s effort despite coming up short.

 

"They gave it their all," said Price. "We won both hurdle events with Ross Ellis and we had the 100-meter won and our kid [Zach Smith] fell down [and still finished second].

 

"It was a good day for us. We have a small team but we also have a bunch of winners."

 

Lester Byington carries the title of head coach of the Virginia High girls but he said a pair of his assistants play a huge part in the success of the Bearcats.

 

"Coach Sara Debusk works with our jumpers and Dennis Huffman works with our field [event] people. I am coach in name but if it wasn’t for Sara working with our jumpers and Dennis working with our shot and discus people ...

 

"We’ve only got five girls that do field [events] and we’ve got seven girls that run. We don’t have the numbers so it all boils down to us having these good assistants."

 

Lee High’s girls coach, Gary Wolfe, said under the circumstances, he was fairly pleased with the outcome.

 

"We only have three seniors and the other girls are fairly young," said Wolfe. "We have been learning a lot this year but you still need the numbers.

 

"In track, second, third, fourth and fifth [place finishes] really add up big time."

 

Virginia High’s Allen Eccleston garnered a trio of gold medals in winning the 100-meter dash (11.52) and the 200-meter dash (23.22), and also ran the anchor leg in the 4x100 relay (44.05) that bettered the school record (44.1).

 

Tonya Stallard led the Virginia High girls with four first-place medals. The senior captured both the 100-meter (17.07) and 300-meter hurdles (50.82) and also won the 200-meter dash (27.64). She also collected 10 points in the triple jump with a leap of 33 feet, 8 inches.

 

Lee High’s Hannah Audia played a huge part in her team’s second-place finish with her 54 points. After posting a pair of second-place finishes in the long jump (14-7) and high jump (4-4), the senior brought home gold in the 400-meter dash (1:01.39) and the 800-meter run (2:23.06).

 

Abingdon’s Ross Ellis was also a dual winner, capturing the 110-meter (16.35) and 300-meter (43.77) hurdles.

 

Virginia High’s Randy White also captured two gold medals, winning the discus with a throw of 141-7 and the shot put at 47-9.