Event by Event Preview - Girls

by Pete Cava

RALEIGH, June 14, 2001 --- Here is an event -by-event look at the girls
events of the adidas Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Friday and Saturday at
North Carolina State University.

100 meters: Erica Whipple (Palm Beach Lakes HS, West Palm Beach,
FL), this year's national indoor high school 60 meter champ, rates as the
pre-meet favorite. Whipple's 11.44 is the nation's second-fastest prep time
this year. Another Floridian, Sanya Richards, (Aquinas HS, Fort Lauderdale,
FL), comes in at 11.59 and can't be overlooked. Richards took third at the
2000 championships. A couple of Californians check in with solid credentials: Angel
Perkins (Gahr HS, Cerritos, CA) has a season best of 11.45 and Allyson Felix
(Los Angeles Baptist HS, Sepulveda, CA) has gone 11.53 this year. Felix
pulled off a sprint double at the Arcadia (Calif.) meet in April.
Other contenders include Marshevet Hooker (Southwest HS, San Antonio, TX),
the Texas 5A title this year with a time of 11.51 and 2000 fourth-place
finisher Lauryn Williams (Rochester, PA, HS).

200 meters: National prep leader Angel Perkins (Gahr HS, Cerritos, CA),
hoping for a sprint double this year, has 22.85 speed. National indoor prep 200m
runnerup Allyson Felix (Los Angeles Baptist HS, Sepulveda, CA) is a 23.31 performer,
while national indoor winner Erica Whipple (Palm Beach Lakes HS, West Palm Beach,
FL) has run 23.36 outdoors this year. Other to watch: Marshevet Hooker (Southwest HS, San Antonio, TX),
this year's Texas 5A furlong champ; Lauryn Williams (Rochester, PA, HS); Danielle Whaley
(Richland NE HS, Columbia, SC), Juanita Broaddus (William Penn HS,
Philadelphia, PA) and Shana Cox (Holy Trinity HS, Hicksville, NY).

400 meters: Here's a wide-open field, led by 2000 runnerup Tawana Watkins
(John F. Kennedy HS, Paterson, NJ). Watkins' main competition should come
from Texas 4A champion Jerrika Chapple (Lancaster, TX, HS), a sophomore who has
lowered her personal best to 53.63 this season; Shavonne Macklin (Beaumont
HS, Cleveland Heights, OH), Christina Smith (William Penn HS, Philadelphia,
PA) and Antoinette Gorham, (Roosevelt HS, Greenbelt, MD).

800 meters: The best qualifying mark, 2:08.52, belongs to Shannon
Rowbury (Sacred Heart HS, San Francisco, CA). Rowbury, a junior, is this year's
Arcadia champ. Arcadia runnerup Kassi Anderson (Provo, UT, HS), a 2:08.71
performer this season, should contend along with Theresa Feldkamp (Steele HS,
Amherst, OH), the indoor nationals runnerup with a 2001 outdoor best of
2:10.05; Megan Radermacher (Klein, TX, HS) and Andrea Austin, Boyd Anderson
(Lauderdale Lakes, FL). There's an outside chance the U.S. prep leader (2:07.81) Stacey
Livingston (Boys and Girls HS, Brooklyn, NY) will enter. But she's still
uncertain due to a heavy relay schedule at the meet.

Mile: Defending champion Alicia Craig (Campbell County HS, Gillette,
WY) returns, along with last year's third-placer, Erin Donohue (Haddonfield, NJ,
HS). At the indoor scholastic championships last March, Donohue and Craig
finished one-two in the 2-mile. Donohue, this year's Penn Relays prep champ,
and Craig, the fastest prep 1500m runner in 2000, will renew their rivalry in
Raleigh. Wisconsin state champ Brooke Novak (Kaukauna, WI, HS) should put Craig
and Donohue to the test. Last year's fourth-placer, Novak is the latest
blue-chip middle distance prospect from the Badger State. She says she's after the national
mile record (4:35.24 by Californian Polly Plumer in 1982). Novak's 1600m
best this year converts to a 4:44.8 mile. Donohue, Craig and Novak highlight an ensemble cast that should include
2000 2-mile champ Anita Siraki (Hoover HS, Glendale, CA); Colleen Taylor
(Ursuline, Wilmington, DE), runnerup to Donohue at Penn; and Melissa Donais (Phillips
Academy, Andover, MA).

2000m steeplechase: Top entries in this burgeoning event --- still
not part of the high school program in most states --- are Erin Demchko (Pearl River, NY,
HS), Alexis Lake, (Horseheads, NY, HS) and Liz Gesel, Central (Manchester,
NH, HS).

2-mile: Defending champ Anita Siraki (Hoover HS, Glendale, CA) returns.
Siraki's converted best of 10:15.19 makes her the No. 3 all-time prep. She's
up against 2000 runnerup Alicia Craig (Campbell County HS, Gillette, Wyo.);
indoor runnerup Alison Tubbs (Enumclaw, WA, HS), Maria Cicero (York HS,
Elmhurst, IL), Erica Odlaug (Deerfield, IL, HS), Molly Huddle (Notre Dame,
Elmira, NY), Natasha Roetter (Lexington, MA, HS) and Michelle Wale (Pine
Bush, NY, HS).

100m hurdles: No clear favorite here. Top entries include Arcadia
runnerup Ginnie Powell (Rainier Beach HS, Seattle, WA), a 13.69 performer this season;
Keosha Sanders (Brooke Point HS, Stafford, VA), the runnerup in the 60m
hurdles at this year's indoor nationals; Shanna Pickett (Morgan Park HS,
Chicago, IL) and Carylle Decruise (Northwestern HS, Miami, FL).
Fast-improving Candace Stone (Collinwood HS, Cleveland, OH) could break
through here. She won the Ohio state title in 14.04 in cold, rainy weather
with a stiff headwind.

400m hurdles: Tiffany Ross (Northwestern HS, Miami, FL), last year's
second place finisher, is back and she means business! Ross, Florida's 1A 300m
hurdles champ, has a 2001 400m hurdles best of 60.27. Other notables are
Ross's main competition appears to be 2000 third-placer Tawana Watkins (John
F. Kennedy HS, Paterson, NJ), Ebony Ramos (Hackensack, NJ, HS), Sherian Byam
(Paul Robeson HS, Brooklyn, NY) and Shauna Smith (Sheridan, WY, HS).

4x100m relay: North HS (Riverside, Calif.) comes in as the defending
champs and their 2001 best of 45.36 is an improvement on last year's winning time of
45.89. The Californians won the Arcadia title in April. Other early
notables are Reagan HS (Austin, TX), the Texas 4A winners, Illinois 2A
champion Morgan Park (Chicago, IL) and Paul Robeson HS (Brooklyn, NY).

4x200m relay: North HS (Riverside, CA) came in second a year ago,
and Texas 4A champion Reagan HS (Austin, TX) boasts a time of 1:37.27 this
year. Add Lakewood (N.J.) HS to the field, along with Boyd Anderson
(Lauderdale Lakes, FL), Morgan Park HS (Chicago, IL), Northwestern HS (Miami,
FL), William Penn (Philadelphia, PA), Roosevelt HS (Greenbelt, MD), Paul
Robeson HS (Brooklyn, NY), Proviso West HS (Maywood, IL), Willingboro (NJ) HS
and Collinwood HS (Cleveland, OH).

4x400m relay: William Penn HS (Philadelphia, PA) checks in at 3:40.67,
followed by North HS (Riverside, CA) -- last year's runnerup squad --- with
3:41.04 and Boys and Girls HS (Brooklyn, NY) at 3:41.35. The Philadelphians
and Brooklynites finished one-two at indoor nationals last March. The
California quarter took third at Arcadia. Other worth watching: Morgan Park HS (Chicago, IL), Trenton (NJ)
Central HS, Reagan HS (Austin, TX), Northwestern HS (Miami, FL), Bethel HS (Hampton, VA)
and a pair of Maryland powerhouses, Laurel HS and Eleanor Roosevelt HS
(Greenbelt, MD).

4x800m relay: Boys and Girls HS (Brooklyn, NY) won this year's
indoor title and they come to Raleigh with the year's best outdoor mark, a high school
record time of 8:52.84 at the Penn Relays. The Boys and Girls squad's main
competition includes the always potent Rockford (MI) HS squad, West HS (Iowa
City, IA), Iowa City (IA) HS, Bellport HS (Brookhaven, NY), Voorhees (NJ) HS,
Beaumont HS (Cleveland Heights, OH) and Bronxville (NY) HS.
Rockford, a relays powerhouse, doesn't have a time but could easily
dip under the 9-minute mark.

4xMile relay: Powerful Rockford (MI) HS won last year's title with a
national record performance, and won this year's indoor title with the fifth-fastest
undercover time in history. Their 20:14.89 last month tops the current high
school list, and their goal is to run under 20 --- a time no high school team
has ever approached. Also among the first to sign up was Boys and Girls HS
(Brooklyn, NY). The Brooklyn squad has a best of 21:09.3 this year.
Other notables: Voorhees (NJ), Carmel (IN) HS and Iowa City (IA) HS.

Sprint medley relay: A tough race to forecast, since this race isn't
contested regularly. Most entries will be teams that have been put together
in the past few weeks. Boyd Anderson (Lauderdale Lakes, FL), Trenton (NJ)
Central, William Penn (Philadelphia, PA) and Bay Shore (NY) HS should
contend.

Distance medley relay: Possibly the best race of the meet!
Defending champion Rockford (MI) HS returns. The Michiganders posted the
history's fifth-fastest time in last year's triumph. At this year's indoor
championshiops, Rockford bested Boys and Girls HS (Brooklyn, NY). This
outdoor season, however, the girls from Brooklyn top the national prep list
with a time of 11:53.64 (their winning time at the Penn Relays) to 11:58.6
for Rockford. Not to be overlooked are teams from Central HS (Manchester, NH) ---
last year's runnerup team --- West HS (Iowa City, IA), Bellport HS (Brookhaven, NY),
Carmel (IN), Archbishop Pendergast (Philadelphia, PA), Gunn HS (Palo Alto,
CA), Bronxville (NY) HS, Bromfield HS (Harvard, MA), Marquette HS
(Chesterfield, MO), Hoover HS (Glendale, CA) and a pair of teams from New Jersey, Voorhees HS and Red Bank
HS.

High jump: Seniors dominated last year's race, leaving the field
wide open this time around. Fueling the competition are Indiana State champ Emily Loomis
(Bishop Luers HS, Fort Wayne, IN), with a season best 5-11.25; junior
Chauntae Howard (North HS, Riverside, CA), this year's Texas Relays prep
winner; indoor prep champ Sheena Gordon (Mc Dowell HS, Erie, PA); Bonnie
Meekins (Oakton, Vienna, VA) and Sara Jane Baker (Matawan, MI).

Pole vault: Olympic champ Stacy Dragila has helped turn the women's
vault into the hottest event in track and field. That excitement filters
down to the high school level, where five girls have cleared 13-feet or
better this outdoor season. Four are coming to Raleigh.
They are Emily Tharpe (Mc Dowell HS, Erie, PA) at 13-2.5; Lacy Janson
(Cardinal Mooney HS, Sarasota, FL), with a best of 13-2; Jamie Kolar (Poly
HS, Long Beach, CA) and Melissa Astete (Birmingham HS, Van Nuys, CA) who have
gone 13-0. And that's just outdoors! Indoors, Samantha Shepard (Weston, MA, HS)
vaulted 13-3.75; Stacie Manuel (Willmar, MN) cleared 13-1.75 and Molly Lederman (New
Jewish School, Waltham, MA) went 13-1. Shepard and Lederman took the top two spots at indoor nationals.
Outdoors, Astete was the Arcadia and Mt SAC prep winner. Kolar finished behind Astete
at Mt. Sac. Kolar took third behind Shepard and Lederman at the Penn Relays.
Christi Lehman (Hesston, KS, HS), Lindsay Bourne (Joplin, MO, HS),
Jenny Green, (Central Catholic HS, Grand Island, NE) and Rachel Viau (Arroyo
Grande, CA, HS) round out a stellar field.

Long jump: Sophomore sprint sensation Marshevet Hooker (Southwest,
San Antonio, TX) is a 20-1.75 LJer this season. She took first at the Texas
Relays and the Texas 5A championships. Cassie Richards (Winchester-Thurston
HS, Pittsburgh, PA), a 19-11.5 performer, is entered, along with Arcadia
winner Michelle Sanford (Woodbridge HS, Irvine, CA), the ubiquitous Sheena
Gordon (Mc Dowell HS, Erie, PA), Chinela Davis (North Rockland HS, Thiells,
NY), Shauna-Lee Williams (Mt. Vernon, NY) and Janae Young (River Ridge,
Auburn, WA).

Triple jump: Indoor champ Sheena Gordon (Mc Dowell HS, Erie, PA)
heads to Raleigh looking for a sweep. The Pennsylvania 3A champ has a 42-3.5 mark
this season. Tiffany Ross (Northwestern HS, Miami, FL) weighs in with a 40-4
measurement. Chauntae Howard (North HS, Riverside, CA) and Michelle Sanford
(Woodbridge HS, Irvine, CA) will contend.

Shot put: The top qualifying mark, 50-1, belongs to sophomore Liz
Podominick (Lakeville, MN, HS). That heave made Podominick, only a sophomore, the
Minnesota state record holder. Indoor runnerup Lindsay Neuberger (Cox HS, Virginia
Beach, VA) continues to improve, upping her career best to 49-4.5 this
season. Also on board: Nicole Kendrick (Lancaster, OH, HS), Jackie Hudgins
(Hightstown, NJ, HS), Tiffany Evans (Woodbridge, VA, HS) and Amarachi Ukebam
(Marquette, MO, HS).

Discus throw: Amarachi Ukabam (Marquette HS, Chesterfield, MO), last
year's second-place finisher, will try a shot/discus double. She's a Missouri state
champ and the national prep leader at 163-6. Michelle Peguignot (Arroyo
Grande, CA) is a 162-10 performer this year. Sophomore Billie Jo Grant
(Arroyo Grande, CA, HS) is this year's Mt. SAC winner. Johvonne Hernandez
(Port Isabel, TX, HS), Beth Mallory (Ashland, OH, HS) and Nicole Kendrick
(Lancaster, OH) could surprise.

Hammer throw: Kate Johnston (Warwick, RI, HS) is the class of the
field. Johnston, the defending champ, leads the U.S. prep list with a 189-3.
Another notable early entry is fellow Rhode Islander Christina Bizon (Toll
Gate HS, Warwick, RI). Bizon, fifth here a year ago, has a 2001 best of
165-5.

Javelin throw: That's no mistake; the Erin Donohue (Haddofield, NJ,
HS) is the same Erin Donohue from the mile. The versatile Donohue took
second here a year ago in one of the more unusual doubles in meet history.

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