Class 4-A state outdoor 400 champ McKinley
McNeill of Parkland had over 20 scholarship offers.
McNeill
Graise
Photos by Craig T. GreenJe.
Parkland's Lorenzo Graise expects to improve on his
breakthrough performances from last season.
Parkland quarter-milers are good to go for college
BY CRAIG T. GREENLEE
FOR THE CHRONICLE
Parkland's best 400-meter sprinters
recently realized their dreams of attending
college on a scholarship when they signed
letters of intent last week.
McKinley McNeill, the girls Class 4-A
state outdoor champ, will go to North
Carolina. Lorenzo Graise, the boys' fastest
quarter-miler, has chosen East Carolina.
Both have traveled different paths to
get to where they are now.
McNeill is looking to continue the
winning legacy established by six seniors
from last year's squad who helped
Parkland win four state championships
(two indoors and two outdoors) over the
past two years. Graise, on the other hand,
is the lead performer in a much-improved
boys' program. The focus for the boy's
team is make their mark just like the girls
have in recent seasons.
At UNC, McNeill will reunite with
former Mustangs teammate Katlin
Sherman, who is now a freshman sprinter
for the Tar Heels. "When I made my visit
(to Chapel Hill), I saw that Carolina could
offer me more as a student versus me
being an athlete," said McNeill. "They
combine the two really well. I'm really
excited about going. Katlin has always
been like a big sister to me."
It came as no surprise that Graise
opted for the Pirates. He readily admits
that ECU has always been among his top
choices of schools to attend. "The track
team is strong and it's the same for aca
demics," said Graise, who has a 3.7 grade
point average. "I thank God for how far
He's brought me from, and for my family
and support system."
Aside from being a state champ,
McNeill, was the state indoor runner-up at
500 meters last year, and she placed fifth
at the national outdoor championships in
the 400. McNeill had over 20 college
offers, but chose UNC over a field which
included South Carolina, Notre Dame,
Syracuse, Stanford, Florida State and
Miami (Fla.). In the national outdoor 400
rankings for next spring, she's projected to
be No. 8, according to the NCRunners site.
McNeill took a quantum leap because
of year-round training, which she partici
pated in for the first time last fall. Given
those results, she looks forward to what
the future holds. She understands that the
lessons she learned from last year can take
her to an even level this time around.
"It's important for me that I don't hold
back," said McNeill, who has a 4.4
weighted grade-point average. "That was
a huge issue for me last year. There were
times when I would come off the track and
realize that I wasn't tired at all. So, this
year, I'm going to lay it all out there and
whatever I run, then that's what I run. By
using that philosophy, I'm sure I'll run
great times."
One of McNeill's goals for the outdoor
season is to erase the state record of 52.9
seconds in the open 400. Right now, she's
only .5 seconds away being North
Carolina's fastest ever in the one-lap race.
"The biggest thing about McKinley is
that now she believes in herself," said
Parkland assistant coach Jarrell Elliott,
who works with the team's quarter-milers.
"It's a big difference between believing
you're good and believing you're great.
"There were times when she wasn't
sure if she could compete against the
national elites. But now, she knows that
she's one of the elites and the roles have
changed. Instead of her going after them
(elites), people will be gunning for her.
That's the biggest mindset adjustment that
well have do deal with this season."
As the Mustangs best male track ath
lete, Graise is considered to be the founda
tion for the resurgence of the boys' track
program. Last spring, he placed third in
the Midwest 4-A Regionals with a career
best time of 48.99 seconds.
At the state meet, Graise had a below
par race and finished 12th. Entering the
outdoor season for 2016, he's ranked
fourth in the state in Class 4-A by the
NCRunners website.
Graise is confident that he will emerge
as a viable contender for state titles in the
400 (outdoors) and 500 (indoors). "For
me, there's going to be more weightlifting
and more training, but I know I can do it,"
he said. "Not only am I coming strong in
my final high school season, but I'm going
for state championships."
Based on his development up to now,
Graise's championship vision shouldn't be
viewed as wishful thinking. In his three
years of high school competition, he's
improved his 400 time by an average of
2.8 seconds each season. Whether he's
able to maintain that same rate of progress
remains to be seen. Looking back on pre
vious results, the future looks promising.
"This year I'm looking to break 46 or
47 (seconds) in the 400," Graise said.
Elliott believes that Graise, who trans
ferred from Carver, is just beginning to tap
into his potential as a runner. Given his
mental approach to the sport, coupled with
his desire to excel, Elliott envisions
superlative performances from his top
boy's senior.
"I see Lorenzo being a strong state
(championship) contender and a Parkland
record-holder in his events," said Elliott.
"That will happen as long as he keeps
working hard and develops the way he's
supposed to. Since he had that break-out
season last year, he's learned how to trust
in his training."
Wildcats continue to add talent
BY TEVIN STINSON
THE CHRONICLE
With their inaugural
season drawing near, the
Winston-Salem Wildcats
are visibly getting better.
Last week the team
announced they had come
to contract terms with
linebacker Donnie
Owens.
According to team
representatives, there
were issues with initial
contract negotiations, but
both sides have now
reached an agreement.
Posts on numerous
social media platforms
suggest the team is happy
to have Owens join the
city's first indoor football
team.
The 6'3, 295-pound
Owens is very familiar
? with the city. From 2011
until 2013 he was a team
i captain for Winston
Salem State University,
t Owens was a pivotal part
t of a Rams defense that
: was arguably the best in
the Central
: Intercollegiate Athletic
; Association (CIAA) con
! Terence. During his senior
: season, the run-stopper
from Fayetteville led the
Rams in sacks and was an
All-CIAA selection.
In 2013 Owens was
i also selected to play in
i the NFL Players
? Association Collegiate
, Bowl iaCarson, CA. The
game is designed to give
i college seniors a chance
? 'to show their talents to
. college scouts and coach
es.
a
In limited action,
Owens proved he is a
force to be reckoned with.
He finished the game
with an impressive three
tackles, one sack, and a
forced fumble.
Although he has split
time between linebacker
and defensive line in the
past, Owens is expected
to play linebacker full
time with the Wildcats.
In 2016 the Wildcats
will compete in the
American Indoor
Football (AIF) league and
will play their home
games inside the
Lawrence Joel Coliseum
Annex.
AIF CEO John Morris
said he was proud to
bring the organization to
the Winston-Salem com
munity.
"We are cementing
our footprint in the
South," he continued.
"With this addition to the
league, the AIF blueprint
for success is further
cemented."
According AIF league
officials, other key addi
tions to the team's roster
last week include
Roosevelt Harvin of
Asheville and
Rockshawn McNeil of
Lithonia GA.
The next open tryout
will be held Saturday,
Jan. 9, at the D1 Sports
Training facility located
at 1901 Mooney St. For
more information on the
Wildcats or to pre register
for the tryout call (336)
722-4354 or (336) 582
9440.
WSSU BASKETBALL
WSSU Rams break even
with win, loss in Challenge
SPECIAL TO
THE CHRONICLE
Winston-Salem State University
(WSSU) picked up its first win of the
season with a 75-66 victory in the CE
Gaines Center on campus on the final
day of the CIAA-Mountain East
Challenge on Saturday, Nov. 14.
WSSU had five basketball players
to score in double figures, and outre
bounded the University of Charleston
(West Virginia).
Earlier, the Rams dropped their
season opener, 83-79 to Concord
University in the Challenge.
With the victory, WSSU improves
to 1-1 on the young season, while the
University of Charleston falls to 1-1.
After falling behind 7-2 early, the
WSUS Rams picked things up and
took their first lead of the game, 10-9
on a Carlos Rankins lay in. The game
would go back and forth for several
minutes before the Rams jumped out
to a three points lead at 17-14, with
9:27 left, on a Jerome Simmons
layup.
WSSU surged ahead 27-20 on a
CJ Ford put back with 3:08 to play in
the first half, but the Golden Eagles
came right back and retook the lead
on a made three with 54 seconds on
the clock.
WSSU's Jerome Simmons would
sink two free throws with 15 seconds
to go to give the Rams a 31-30 lead
they would take into the locker room
at the half.
The secono half would play out
much like the first, with the
University of Charleston jumping
back out in front and opening up an
eight point lead with 10:44 left to
play.
That's when WSSU ramped up
their defensive pressure, and began to
chip away at the Golden Eagle advan
tage.
Two free throws and a layup from
Keith Armstrong, three pointers from
Rayvon Harris and Demone Harrison
gave the lead back to the Rams. With
7:50 to play.
Winston-Salem State would go on
a 11-1 run to pull ahead 65-56 with
2:50 to play. It's a lead the Rams
would maintain and stretch out to 12
points at 72-60 with 48 seconds
remaining on two CJ Ford free
throws.
Winston-Salem State's clutch
shooting and free throw shooting
down the stretch sealed the win for
James Wilhelmi and his WSSU
Rams.
WSSU was led in scoring by
Rayvon Harris who scored 15 points
and pulled down seven rebounds. CJ
Ford added 12 points and six
rebounds, and Carlos Rankins also
added 12 points and three rebounds.
Demone Harrison finished with 11
points, and Jerome Simmons chipped
in 10 points and pulled down four
rebounds to go with two blocked
shots. Keith Armstrong scored eight
points and had seven rebounds.
Earlier, Winston-Salem State bat
tled all night long, but could not erase
a 10-point halftime deficit. The Rams
lost, 83-79 to Concord University in
the CIAA-Mountain East Conference
Challenge.
The Concord Mountain Lions of
the Mountain East Conference
L
jumped out early on the WSSU
Rams, 8-2, but another 13-7 run
pushed their lead to 21-9 over the
Rams at the under 10 media timeout.
The Mountain Lions would
increase their lead to 19 points with
6:17 on the clock in the first half, 38
19.
The WSSU Rams would rally in
the final moment of the half, and with
1:17 to play before halftime, and cut
the lead down to nine points at 42-31
on a Demone Harrison free throw. CJ
Ford would score on a layup with 30
seconds left, but Concord would take
a 45-35 lead into halftime.
The second half began with both
teams trading baskets, and the WSSU
Rams could not seem to trim the lead,
but their defensive effort would
increase, and kept them within strik
ing distance.
With 10:21 left to play, WSSU cut
the lead down to just six points at 59
53 after back-to-back baskets from
Jerome Simmons and CJ Ford.
WSSU made a furious late rally
and eventually cut the lead to five at
75-70 on two Demone Harrison free
throws. CJ Ford would get the Rams
closer at 76-72 on a made layup, but
the Mountain Lions would convert
free throws down the stretch to keep
the home standing Rams at bay.
The ftams Demone Harrison got
WSSU to within two points at 81-79.
after making five straight points. But
two free throws from Concord's Rob
Reed with four seconds remaining,
would seal the game for the visiting
team, 83-79.
T