AAAA Central Conference 1994 state track meet

'Ran Out of Gas' at State Track Meet in Conway
Charging Wildcats Capture Conference Title
By Ronald Sitton

Charging Wildcat sprinter Marcus Campbell

Marcus Campbell, the top point-getter at AAAA-Central Conference track meet, wins a preliminary heat for the state 4 X 100 meter relay held in Conway. (Times photo by Ronald Sitton)

   The Charging Wildcats boys track team ran away with the AAAA Central Conference Championship but ran out of gas when it came time for the AAAA State Championship.

   Coach Johnny Talley said the Charging Wildcats expected success.

   "Every since we merged (the two high schools), we've always been in the top two in the conference, won the conference or won the state," he said.

   Though disappointed with the state outcome, Assistant Bill Bowers relished one trophy.

   "The kids just ran out of gas," he said. "We didn't fare well in the state, but we're proud of the AAAA Central Conference Championship."

   The state meet was not a total wash as James Robinson, a junior, qualified for the Meet of Champs by throwing the discus 165'6", which bettered his previous personal best by 10 feet.

Conference Champs

   The boys team scored 177.5 points in the conference meet. Conway placed second with 137 points. Senior Marcus Campbell led the way with 38 points and was the high-point athlete in the meet.

   Talley said he will miss this year's seniors but predicted a regrouping rather than rebuilding effort next year.

   "These seniors have been running for me for three years," Talley said. "Campbell and Anthony Swiney have had more speed than anybody in the state. Next year, we'll be back at the same place. We're going to run."

   Talley praised his assistant coaches, Bowers and Paul Brown, and volunteer coach Randall Bradley. He said they did an "outstanding job."

   In the conference meet:

100 meter dash, Swiney and Campbell finished first (10.59) and second (10.70).
200 meter dash, Campbell won in 21.6 and Swiney took third with 21.95.
400 meter dash, Campbell won with a time of 49.83, while LeAndrew Cranford placed fourth with a time of 50.8 and Dewayne Patton placed fifth with a time of 52.71.
800 meter run, Mike Sanders took third with a 2:07.91, Marcellus Coates placed fourth with a 2:09.20 and Jeffrey Cordell finished fifth with a 2:10.27.
1600 meter run, Sanders won with a 4:53.46, Jeffrey Cordell took second with a 4:55.24 and Mike Sheridan placed fifth with a 5:01.37.
The relay teams won all four relays with the following times: 42.02 in the 4X100 meter relay, 1.29.62 in the 4X200 meter relay, 3.27.33 in the 4X400 meter relay and 8.30.8 in the 4X800 meter relay.
The team swept the top three shot put positions with Kevin Ford throwing 51'9.5", Scott Stephens throwing 51'3" and Dewayne Barbee throwing 48'9.5".
Robinson took first (154'4") and Ford took second (134'9.5") in the discus.
Campbell placed second in the long jump with a 21'10.5" jump and Cranford tied for fifth with a 20'8" jump.

Tired Runners

   Though everyone scored in the conference meet did, that was not the case in the state meet. Talley said the seniors had participated in Prom activities the previous night, which wore them down when the final races ran Saturday night.

   "We did all right. We should have won or been the runner-up. The kids had been out all night before and they got fatigued," Talley said. "It's affected us the last two years like that."

   Next year, the state track meet will be held a week earlier. Talley is one person who won't complain about the change.

   In the state meet:

Robinson placed second in discus with a 165'6".
Stephens placed fifth in the shot put with a 48'2.5".
Campbell placed fifth in the 100 meter dash with a 11.0.
The relay teams finished fifth in the 4X100 meter relay with a 43.0, sixth in the 4X200 meter relay with a 1:31.65 and fifth in the 4X800 meter relay with an 8:23.7.

Juniors expected back next year include Dareen Campbell, Brad Cordell, Jeffery Cordell, James Cross, Dwayne Hime, Anthony Johnson, James Robinson, Michael Sanders, Zavious Smith, Scott Stephens, Corey Tim and Edwin Turner.

Charging Wildcat Sophomore Michelle Jacobs begins her move in the 4 X 800 relay during the state track meet in Conway. (Times photo)

    Sophomores expected back include Elbert Davis, John Ellis, Taurus Mathis, Brent Mitchell and Dwayne Patton.

    Talley predicted a talented group of ninth graders will add depth to next year's Charging Wildcats.

Girls' Track

   In the girls AAAA-Central conference meet, Carolyn Hill finished second in the discus with a throw of 106' and Nikki Bryant finished fifth with a throw of 97'9".

   Michelle Jacobs tied for second in the high jump with a height of 5'2".

   The girls relay teams took fourth in the 4X100 meter relay with a 51.63, fourth in the 4X200 meter relay with a 1:50.99, fourth in the 4X400 meter relay with a 4:24.95, and fourth in the 4X800 meter relay with a 12:06.

   Dominique Savage took fifth in the 200 meter dash with a 26.63.

   No girls placed in the state track meet.
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This story appeared in a May 20, 1993 issue of The North Little Rock Times.