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Page B4-The Chronicle, Thursc
One for the t
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game that Wiwbash ~1iad come
back to be in. Though he had
started every game during the
season, they were.merely stepping
stones to his final reward.
And, despite the fact that the
Rams lost a nail-biting 20-19
decision to Norfolk State, Winbush
got that reward, playing the
game of his life and giving his
teammates the kind of leadership
that normally wins championship
games.
The scrappy senior racked up
imDressive numbers acainct th*
number one defensive team in all
of Division II football, completing
20 of 32 passes for 220
yards and a touchdown. He also
eluded, the rock-hard Norfolk
rush, scrambling to buy time until
he could find open receivers.
As I walked with Winbush
across Foreman Field to the Ram
lockerroom after he accepted an
award as the Rams* outstanding
player, it was obvious he was hurting
inside. He had enjoyed his
best game ever as a Ram, but
Winbush had difficulty accepting
the loss.
After watching Tyrone Smith's
field goal attempt hit the upright,
Winbush had thrown himself to
the Astroturf, weeping in
disbelief. Now, however, he had
regained his composure.
"Winbush, you are a tough little
quarterback," a Norfolk partisan
said, as Winbush wove his
wav thrOUfih a maze of oreen anH
gold-clad supporters. "You can
play on my team anytime."
Even the Norfolk players were
in awe of the 5-10, 175-pound
Goldsboro native. After witnessing
his performance, nearly half
of the Spartans came over individually,
chatting briefly as
they extended their hands to him,
saying with their expressions,
"Boy, you were too much for us
today."
Still, I don't think Winbush
realized what he was able to accomplish
on this brisk autumn
afternoon.
t
Winbush refused to give In
when the Rams' offense wasj**ing
soundly defeated ifr the *?e'
cond quarter. Almost
singlehandedly he directed the offensive
attack.
He could have ttiven un after
Norfolk had taken a 17-6 lead
with only a minute and twentythree
seconds left in the first half.
But, being the competitor that he
is, he fought on.
Winbush helped stem the NorWMHMIIIIIIIINIIIIMHIIIMM
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She's a natui
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had someone to push me."
Although she had never run
competitively before she started
running cross country, Tomika
has become increasingly interested
in track.
Following her success as a
ninth-grader on the cross country
team, Tomika decided to go out
for the track team. After a few
races, she came to like it more
than cross country.
"I really like running track,"
c says Tomika. "My goal is to run
like cross country, but now 1 run
cross country because it prepares
me for track. It builds up my endurance."
She isn't sure which event
she'll specialize in yet, but
Tomika is fondest of the mile and
two-mile runs.
Last summer, she ran with the
Greensboro Champions track
club and came away with some
impressive awards.
441 came in first place in the 800
and second in the mile in the
AAU Regionals," she says. 441
was supposed to go to the naionals,
but the team couldn't go
because of financial difficulties."
Because of her involvement in
:ross country and track, Tomika
;ays she doesn't have many hobDies.
4'Cross country takes up
nost of my time," she says.
* 'Usually when I come home
from practice, I'm pretty tired."
At first, Tomika says, her
nother thought cross country
vas taking too much out of her.
44My mom thought I was runn
lay, November 22, 1984
oys From Pagl
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tv
vl \ ' - A'OW I " *'
A Norfolk State assistant coac
Wlnbush as he prepares to acc
most valuable player in the CI/
James Parker).
folk tide by creating a few waves
pf his own. *
The biggest play of the game as
far as the Rams are concerned
came on first down of that particular
drive. when Winhinh
eluded at least four Norfolk
defenders, leaving them grabbing
air as he scampered for daylight.
He pumped new life into his
teammates and they responded.
While he only picked up eight
yards on the play, it was enough
to let his teammates know that he
wasn't about to quit. From that
point on, the Ram offense began
to click.
f >? 4 ?s what realty got us going,"
said Ram defensive captain
Mike Warren. "That was the turning
point in the game. It gave us
the momentum for the second
half."
The Rams came up empty on
the final drive of the half, but
Winbush had provided the lead
and the rest of the team soon
followed suit.
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ing too much at first," Tomika
says. "I'd come home all tired
and she thought I was overdoing
it. But now she encourages me;
she's my biggest booster."
Despite being a standout
athlete, Tomika is equally as
talented in the classroom. For the
past three years, she's been a
member of the student council.
She's also been a solid B student
and last year was recommended
for the National Honor Roll.
She somehow finds time to
West Forsyth, too.
"I've been playing the flute for
four years," she says. "It's really
the only hobby I have."
Looking at the size of Tomika,
it's hard to believe she has the
stamina to compete in high
school sports. A mere 5-3 and 90
pounds, she savs her si7e dnpsn't
affect her one way or the other.
Only once, she says, has it come
into play during a meet.
"The only time that anyone
tried to take advantage of me was
in the state meet," she says.
"This one girl tried to nudge me
every time I tried to pass her, but
I didn't let it bother me."
To prepare herself for competition,
Tomika runs five or six
miles a day.
"Some days I might run 10
miles," she says. "Over the
weekends, my coach (Lewis
Newton, cross country coach at
West) might tell me to run a total
of 15 miles."
Tomika says running those
long distances is difficult, but she
Ve
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:h offers congratulations to Mike
:ept an award for being the Rams
<A championship game (photo by
"From that point on, we moved
the ball," said Winbush. "We
scored two quick touchdowns in
the second half and everything
started going our way."
Though the Rams' final effort
came up short, it was nevertheless .
a thing of beauty. Winbush orchestrated
a picture-perfect drive.
He controlled a no-huddle of?fense
and the Rams did whatever
he asked. On at least two occasions,
he switched receivers and
backs from side to side, getting
"is moLwiiu^i oiiu luiuuuiuu mai *
worked perfectly almost every .
time.
is
The game will go down lit
history as a defeat for the Rams
and a conference championship
for the Spartans. Yet, Mike Winbush
was a winner last Saturday.
Even if he never realizes it,
Winbush accomplished much
more than he set out to when he
passed up the money that pro
baseball could have given him
this fall. Just ask his "boys."
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Rather, she tries to work on her
form
"I sort of blank out," she says.
"I concentrate on trying to push
myself. I have to concentrate so
that I make myself keep going.
Once her high school days are
over, Tomika says, there * are
other things she'd like to accomplish.
441 would like to go to the
University of Tennessee," she
says. "They have a good track
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However, Tomika realizes she
won't be able to run track forever
and that there are other goals to
attain.
441 want to get my degree from
college," she says. "I want to
specialize in computer science. I
like computers and I think I
would enjoy working with
them."
If she takes to computers as
quickly as she has to cross country,
Tomika Whitten may continue
to be a pacesetter for years
to come.
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