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_ Winston-Salem Greensboro High Point
SCCTION D May 29, 1997
Consistency, work habits vital to success of Greensboro Smith track
By SAM DAVIS
The Chronicle Sports Editor
-,'2 * *
V \ -The key to having a successful
program is developing good work
Jtabits. That, along with consisten
cy, according to Larry Ratliff,
Greensboro Smith's track coach,
t
will allow high school athletes to
be successful.
Ratliff, who is in his sixth year
as the Golden Eagles' coach,
Relieves that having the proper
System in place is very important
-fir'the development of top-flight
athletes.
r^lAt least that's the way its been
during Ratliff's tenure with the
program.
The Golden Eagles boys track
team validated Ratlift's philoso
phy at last Saturday's Mid West 4
A Regional Track Meet at Mount
Tabor. Smith captured four indi
vidual championships and had a
total of nine athletes to qualify for
next weekend's State 4-A champi
onship in Charlotte.
Brandon Isaac led the way for
Smith win wins in both the 110
and 300-meter hurdles. Danny
Campbell won the 400-meter dash
and LaTron Morehead captured
the championship in the triple
jump.
From a team standpoint, the
Golden Eagles captured the 1600
meter relay title and placed fourth
in the 800-meter relay.
"The last few years we've done
fairly well," RatlifT said. "Again,
I'm pleased with the performance
today. Our kids pretty much did
what we expected them to do. We
really did well in the events that we
thought we would do well in."
Morehead got off to his best
leap of the year to win the triple
jump at 47-6 1/2 to win the event
by more than a foot. Kwan
Skinner of Durham Jordan was a
distant second at 46-3.
Morehead, who has been
ranked in the top 10 in the state all
season, is one of the few juniors
who captured regional titles. Other
top finishers for the Eagles were
Malik Swinton, who ran on the
1600- and 800-meter relay teams,
and Ricky Moore, a freshman,
who placed sixth in the shot put.
"Coming in we thought he
would really have a chance to
win," RatlifT said. "He's been pret
ty consistent all season."
Isaac also blew away the com
petition. He covered the 110-meter
hurdles in 14.3. David Ellis of
Greensboro Dudley was the clos
est competition at 15.1. Isaac's
300-meter showing was equally
impressive. He posted a time of
39.3 to out-distance teammate
Andrew Lofters, who was second
at 40.6.
Campbell, who ran the 400
meter dash in 49.0 to take the
championship also anchored the
Golden Eagles' 1600-meter relay
team. His closest competitor in the
400 was Ty Wilson of Reynolds,
who finished at 50.0.
"We feel that any athlete that
stays in our program for three to
years will have a chance to com- I
pete for a state championship,"
Ratliflf said. "We feel that they are
going to have a chance to run for a
state championship in an individ
ual event or on a relay team. We
tell them to stay in the program
and this will be your reward at the
end of your high school career. We
feel that every senior should have
that opportunity."
The Golden Eagles benefited from
having a strong turnout for the
team. The team started out with
42 athletes and ended the season
V See SMITH os B3
William Lofters rah the second
lag of Smith's winning 1600
matmr relay team.
Young Spartans sprint to
regional championship
The shower from a water
cooler, filled with ice;
cold water, couldn't
wipe the smile from Coach Mike
Esposito's face.
His Mount Tabor girls track
team had the cooler poised to
douse Esposito and when the offi
cial announcement came that gave
them the Mid West 4-A Regional
Track championship, they
dumped it squarely on his head.
Esposito, soaked from head
to-toe, was beaming as his young
team approached him to receive
its championship trophy.
"They did what they were
capable of doing," Esposito said.
"We did well in every event and
placed in all the relays. That's a
pretty good thing."
Unlike most teams in the field,
the Spartans' girls didn't rely on
individual finishes to spark the
team. Becky Maier, who won the
discus with a throw of 126-11,
was the only individual champi
on. However, the team won the
400- and 800-meter relays. They
also qualified for next week's 4-A
State meet in the 1600- and 3200
meter relays with third place fin
ishes. In addition to Maier, the
Spartans had six others to qualify
for individual berths in the state
meet.
"It was a total team effort,"
Esposito said. "We scored in every
track race but the 100-meter hur
dles. That's the mark of a strong
team."
Although he wore a deep smile
on his face, Esposito said he was
n't really surprised to win the
meet.
"We expected to," he said.
Sht MX TABOR os i3
B aJ jf * I
Audrena Archie, the lone uppertlatsman on Mount Tabor't relay
teams, alto captured third place in the 300-meter hurdles.
Pennington, Carver assistant, takes on task
of rebuilding Mustangs basketball program
By SAM DAVIS
The Chronicle Sports Editor
When Parkland tips off its 1997
98 varsity basketball season the
Mustangs will be playing for a new
head coach.
Mike Pennington, who has
served as an assistant coach at
Carver for the last seven years, was
flamed to head the Mustangs' pro
gram last week.
Pennington will replace Charles
Schoederbeck, who resigned last
year after less than two years on the
job.
"It's just a great opportunity for
me," Pennington said, during a
recent interview. "It's hard to town
down something that I've always
dreamed about.
"I'm thankful that Mr. (James)
Brandon (Parkland's principal) q
gave me a chance to become a head
coach," Pennington added. "I had
to jump at it." Leaving Carver won't
be easy for Pennington.
"I hate to leave Carver because I
had built a lot of relationships with
the coaches and players,"
Pennington said. "But I have to take
advantage of the opportunity that's
l5een given to me."
Pennington, 33, is a native of
See PiNNINOTON on ?3
North sprinter captures regional titles in 100,200
By SAM DAVIS
The Chronicle Sports Editor
Montay Wilds got a measure of
revenge in the Western 4-A
Regional Track Meet at Mount
Tabor last Saturday.
But it wasn't without controver
sy.
Wilds, a senior sprinter on
North Forsyth's track team, fin
ished first in the 100- and 200-meter
dash. In both events he defeated
runners from Dudley and avenged
earlier losses. But in both, he also
came close to having his chance at
this weekend's state championship
taken away.
Wilds cruised to victory in the
100 with a time of 10.4 to hold off
Chris Justice of Dudley, who
recorded a time of 10.5. As he
crossed the finish line. Wilds turned
and said something in Justice's
direction.
"It was just my way of letting off
a little emotion," Wilds said. "I'm
an emotional person and it was just
my way of celebrating."
Wilds was warned that his "cele
bration" could be interpreted as
taunting and might result in dis
qualification if it occurred again.
Later in the meet, after regroup
ing, Wilds captured first place in the
200-meter dash. This time he1
defeated Dudley's Marcus O'Neal
with a time of 21.4. Again, as he
crossed the finish line he turned
toward the Dudley runner - but he
didn't open his mouth.
A complaint was lodged against
Wilds and he was initially disquali
fied from the event and O'Neal was
announced as the winner.
But after Tina Heafner, Wilds'
coach, complained to the games
committee, the ruling was over
turned and Wilds was given the
first-place finish and the berth in the
state meet that goes along with it. *
That victory, combined with his
finish in the 100 capped off an
impressive performance for Wilds.
See NORTH oh B5 ;
Montay Wilds of North Forsyth (right) takos a pook at Oroonsboro
Dudloy's Marcus O'Noal as ho crosses the finish lino of the 200
this past weekend may have heeafl :
the best thing for ids team at it
prepares for the AAU Nationais
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