THE
SECTION
Page 9
B
May 3,1990
rnnfprence. District Champ
Onyenyeonwu Victorious
By Michael Roberts
Editor-in-Chief
For the second year in a
row, track star George
Onyeneneonwu has
qualified to compete in ttie
nationals in both the 100 and
200 meter races. Last
weekend George won the
Conference and the District
intheseevents. Inthemeet,
held at Pembroke State,
George ran a time of 10.62
seconds, which is his best
tliisyear, and better than the
national standard. Inthe200
meter, George ran a time of
21.33, which is also bette
than the national standard.
George attributes his succ
ess inthe District meet to the
warm weather. "At most of
the meets this year, the
weather has been cold, and
therefore my times have
been consistently slower.
The weather last weekend
was perfect for me, and if the
meet had been held on a
faster track, my times would
have been much faster," he
said. George also gave credit
for his district wins to the
competition he faced this
year. He commented that he
competed against Division 1
schools for most of the
season. "Once you're on the
track, it doesn't matter where
you come from. But it was
always in my mind that these
were the best, and I had to
run my best to win."
With the exception of the
Duke Classic and the Liberty
Invitational, George finished
first in every meet this
season. At the Liberty
Invitational he finished
second in the 200m, but still
won the 100m. He finished
second in both heats at the
Duke Classic, where he
competed against the likes
of N.C. State, Duke,
University of Southern
California, and other good
Division 1 track schools.
George holds the St.
Andrews records in the
100m, the 200m, and the 4x
100 relay. In this, his senior
season, he is ranked fifth in
the 100m, and eighth in the
200m.
George says his goal now
is to win the nationals. "It
seems like an impossible
goal, but I've worked hard all
season, and I'll continue to
work hard. A national
championship is my goal
because I want to strive to be
the best," he said.
George has been invited
tojointhsNAIA International
Track Team. He is
approximately $700 shy of
the amount needed to realize,
this opportunity. We at the
Lance encourage you to help
George raise the money to
accept the honor.
/
1
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
I
Baseball
Takes Conference
Crown
By Michael Roberts
Editor-In-Chief
The St. Andrews baseball
team, under third year coach
Gary Swanson, has won the
Carolinas Conferende regu
lar season.
The Knights, who lead the
nation in wins,earned a rec
ord of 42-12 overall, and a
fO-2 record in the confer
ence.
As a team, the Knights hit
376, while holding their
opponents to a .226 aver
age. They also set a natio nal
fscord record for stolen
bases with 286. The power
Wting of Chad Lindaman ,
Dave Owens, and Bret Katz,
paced a club that hit 31 home
JJJis, The Knights outscored
eir opponents by nearly a
2-1 margin.
Knights' pitchers had
an overall e.r.a. of 2.66.
Pitchers completed 21
games, and picked off 32
basenjnners. The team also
struck out 350 opposing
batters.
Coach Swanson became
the St. Andrews all-time
winningest coach in victories
and percentage with a 97-39
mark over three years.
The regular season crown
gives the Knights an auto
matic bid into the District
playoffs, which according to
Swanson, was a pre-season
goal. The Knights will com
pete against national power
Elon College, Wingate Col
lege, and High Point College.
The winner will advance to
the area, and the nationals
will be played following the
area playoffs.
Swanson Delivers
By Michael Roberts
Editor-In-Chief
Coach Gary Swanson,
while giving a speech to the
Laurinburg optimist club
made three promises: 1. St.
Andrews baseball would
havea winning record during
his first year, 2. The base-
ballteam would have a na
tional ranking in three years.
3. Theteamwouldmake itto
the College World Series. He
still remembers the chuckles
at his remarks.
True to his word, the
Knights earned a record of
23-17. In the process, the
team broke 41 school rec-
ords.
In his second season. The
Knights earned a national
rank, breaking into the rat
ings at number 25. Swan
son led his team to a 32-12
record, and to one game of a
district playoff birth.
Swanson used the expen-
ence of falling just short of
the playoffs to motivate this
year-steam. The Knights
won the conference regular
season title, lead the nation
in victories, and set a na
tional record for stolen bases.
They have also been ranked
as high as eighth in the na
tion. Swanson takes these
accomplishments in stride.
"Records and rankings are
fine. They're are tribute to
the hard work that has been
putinbythisteam. Butthese
were notourgoalsgoing into
the season. Our goals were
to play well, play for the
conference title, and to pro
ceed Irorr there. And we
want to have fun doing it."
Swanson coached at the
Division I level before com
ing to St. Andrews, a move
that many found strange.
Swanson had taken a less
than mediocre program at
Northern Iowa, at age 26,
and built a team that was
beating the likes of lowas
and Iowa State. Afterbuild-
ing the St. Andrews program
according to his predictions,
rumors have begun to fly
about his coaching status in
the immediate future. "I've
had offers to manage pro
fessionally with the Expos
and the Indians at the "A"
level, but I'm perfectly happy
here. I wouldn't coach at the
Division I level again because
I hate the mentality of the
Division I schools." Swan
son has other reasons to be
content. "What's nnost im
portant to me in my life is my
wife and my baby daughter.
I want my daughter to know
her father, and I want to be
where my wife can be with
me. That's what's most
important."
As Swanson prepares to
take his team Into the district
playoffs and maybe the Col
lege World Series, he can
look into the stands and see
the faces of the very persons
who laughed at his predic
tions two years ago. This is
a sight that he admits gives
him satisfaction.