Indianapolis Recorder, Indianapolis, Marion County, 16 May 1997 — Page 2

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Lawrence Central boys. Pike girls capure Tech Relays tMes

By JIM NELSON Sports Writer If the 30th Annual Arsenal Technical High School Invitational Track and Field meet can be considered the official midterm exams of the track and field seasons, then consider the Pike girls track team and the Lawrence Central boys track team “A” students. Add Lawrence North’s Ruben Carter and the Arlington girls 4x100 meter relay team and the list of track and field honor roll athletes is just about complete. Both Pike and Lawrence Central were able to defend the Tech Invitational titles they won a year ago in much the same manner. The Pike Lady Red Devils won going away 1641/2 points while the Lawrence Central Bears needed an outstanding ef-

fort from every member of the team to once again edge Fort Wayne Northrup, this year by a 153-147 margin. In both cases, it was the emphasis on team that led to the victory for each squad. “We’ve got an excellent team,” said Lawrence Central track coach Mike Holman. “Our kids believe in team.” That belief in team seemed to keep Lawrence Central’s focus on one thing, the team title and for the second year in a row Lawrence Central and Fort Wayne Northrup battled for the Tech Invitational championship. For the second year in a row senior distance runner Aaron Cowper made a big contribution for the Bears. His fifth place finish in the 3,200 was made more impressive by the way he fought off two runners from Lawrence North to hold on to his place and valuable points for his team.

If you have a story suggestion for the Metro Sports Report, please feel free to contact any of our sports staff at 924-5143. JIM NELSON HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS DAMANI DICKERSON HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS JAKE QUERY. COLLEGE SPORTS JAMES M. KEOUGH. PROSPORTS WALTTHOMAS. SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER JOHN CRIDER. SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER DARNELL BASS. SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER

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Lawrence Central has benefitted from tremendous senior leadership this season, and it was that leadership that paid off for the Bears down the stretch. “Being a team champion is more important than being an individual champion,’’ said senior Kem Footman, who anchored the winning 4x400meter relay. Footman added it is the senior leadership has made a big difference for this year’s Lawrence Central team. “The maturity comes from our senior leadership. This is the best senior leadership we’ve ever had. Everybody’s points counts. We just want to get everybody where they need to be June 6.” Lawrence Central also features strong hurdlers in seniors Kenny Beatty and Kenny Franklin. “We are running strong right now, but we could get better,” Franklin said. Beatty added one big advantage is having the opportunity to practice with Franklin. “We’re going to be a little better, I just have to work hard in practice,” he said. Both added the season’s bad weather hasn’t been a problem for them because rain or shine the Bear’s coach still expects them to make it to practice “It hasn’t been a problem for us because we are still practicing,” Beatty said. Holman said his team will get another major test this Thursday at the Marion County meet where they will face the two-time defending state champions from Warren Central and a much improved team from Ben Davis. “They’ve got a good team,” Holman said of Ben Davis. “They spread it around. This is probably their best team in a couple of years. “Whoever comes out of that meet a winner has a good team,” Holman said. “The Marion County meet will go to the best team.” Pike coach Wayne Angel said his Lady Red Devils really responded to the challenge of defending their title. “They produced when we needed it,” Angel said. “They rose to the occasion.” Angel also is convinced his team will continue to show improvement. “We’re going to be fine. We’re going to be ready. We can’t get them hyped every meet,” he said. But the Lady Red Devils are showing a maturity that could have them in the running for a state title, and that position was bolstered by Denise McDonald’s first place finish in the shot put with a throw of 41-41/2, the best in the state this year and distance runner Lauren Price’s major upset of North Central’s Kelly Keene in the 1,600 with a time of 5:16 The Arlington girls 4x100 relay recorded one of the fastest times in the state with a time of 49.3, and the group that calls themselves the “Awesome Foursome” has the potential to break the school record in the event The “Awesome Foursome” consists of freshman Sabrina Hourd, who is the

first leg of the relay, followed by senior Sharell Weatherby, junior Kersheima Burnett and sophomore Shonta Wright For members of the relay team the best is yet to come. “We do our best for each other and for the team,” Hourd said. “We don’t run for ourselves. We run for the team. We push ourselves when we know we have others depending on us.” The other members of the team agree. “The four of us we’re all family now,” Weatherby said. “We have to be a team and a family in order to do our best.” Weatherby adds the efforts she and her teammate Burnett put in over the summer are paying off now. “We’ve been working a lot harder now that we are determined to win. Me and Shema practiced over the summer break. We wanted this,” Weatherby added. Winning the Tech Invitational 4x100 title over Pike and North Central was a big goal for Arlington. ‘We wanted to win that real bad. We knew we could do it,” said Burnett, who is a junior. “I think we have to make a statement because we’re IPS and a lot of people underestimate us.” But with winning also comes additional pressure, but the members of the “Awesome Foursome” are confident they can handle it. “We’ve got to work harder and harder to get to state like we did lastyear,” said sophomore Shonta Wright. Both Wright and Burnett agree the toughest aspect of competing in track and field is the mental part of the sport. “It’s all in the head,” Burnett said. “Everybody’s got the speed. It’s just a matter of who’s got their mind set on who’s going to win. It’s a mind thing.” Her teammate agreed. “You’ve got to have it in your heart. You ’ ve got to know you can do it,” Wright said. The top individual award of the meet for the girls went to Pike’s Tiffany Turner who won the 100 meters in a time of 12.3, the 200 meters in a time of 25.6 and was part of the Pike 4x100 relay team. The top individual award of the meet for the boys went to Lawrence North’s Ruben Carter wh won the 100 meters in a time of 10.4 and tied the Tech Invitational meet record in the 200 meters with a time of 21.3 and he anchored the winning 4x 100 meter relay which won with a time of 42.5. Carter also ran a 47.9 anchor leg of the 4x400meterrelay for the Lawrence North Wildcats. Carter, who has some of the fastest times in the nation this year, said the key to his improvement was running a Jot of 400meter races last year which he said let his, “muscles and his body develop.” Carter also talked about his team’s potential. “They have to know they can compete with any of these boys out here,” Carter said of his teammates. “We have the talent.”

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THE INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER ■ V

FRIDAY, MAY 16,1997