 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Ready for takeoff
By JAMAL THALJI © St. Petersburg Times, published April 5, 2001 NEW PORT RICHEY -- Ridgewood girls track coach Sue Vien took one look at the 5-foot sophomore who wanted to run the 100-meter high hurdles and couldn't believe what she was hearing. Jessica Penokie wants to run the hurdles? Please. "I kind of laughed at her," Vien said. "I mean, the hurdles? Look at her, she can't run the hurdles, she's 5-foot-nothing. She said, 'Please, please let me do it,' and she wouldn't let up. "She said, 'I know I can do this,' and she did." In fact, she won that very race at a River Ridge meet two years ago. Ever since, Penokie has been one of the top hurdlers in the county. That is no small feat considering the level of talent and skill that will be on display in the girls hurdle races at today's Sunshine Athletic Conference meet at Gulf's Des Little Stadium. Hudson's Erica Schultz, Pasco's Jessica Robinson, Ridgewood's Jen Hayes and Penokie will be vying to finish in the top two and earn all-conference honors. So far, their battles have been some of the most exciting in the county. Today's race should be no different, especially since it's their last against each other with Penokie, Schultz and Robinson being seniors. Which is why they all want to win this one. Bad. "I think it's just the fact that we're all seniors this year and we all want it," Penokie said. "We want to be the top hurdler in the county." Having all these great athletes in the same race can only benefit them all, Robinson said. "Yes, because if you have more competition it pushes you harder to run faster," she said, "and nothing can go wrong with technique. Speed is everything." It will be hard to top the drama of last season's race. Pasco's seed sheets were faxed in after the Gulf front office had closed. Without access to her results, the coaches seeded Robinson in her own heat. It was a difficult position for any sprinter to excel in without the competition to push her. Hudson's Schultz won the race with a time of 16.45 seconds, yet Robinson managed to finish second in 16.50. Penokie was third in 16.68. Cobras track coach Keith Taylor said Schultz's win was hard-earned after months of preparation. "It was her own desire and determination to do well," he said. "Last year, she worked extremely hard and got her steps down. We videotaped her and she looked at everything in her form as far as getting her lead leg down and getting her trail leg in. "She just had a great determination to succeed." But this season, Schultz has been hampered by a pulled groin muscle which has kept her from running her best times. She hasn't defeated Penokie or Hayes this season. But none of them have faced Robinson this season, either. So the door could be opening for a new champion. Lewis said his hurdler, Robinson, is ready to take off after a frustrating post-season last year. "She's a very focused person," Lewis said. "She'll do whatever needs to be done, no matter the competition." Lewis said Robinson is also determined to succeed after last season's travails. After the conference mix-up, two weeks later a starter mistakenly disqualified Robinson from a hurdle race in the regional meet. Those incidents drive her still to this day. "I think you'll see a different Jessica Robinson step onto the track (today) and from here on out," Lewis said. The Rams, however, enter the race with the best times and extra incentive to win: to help Ridgewood win its school-record 13th conference title. Said Vien: "You wouldn't want to lose it and be the one to break tradition, would you?" SUNSHINE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE MEETWHO: Gulf, Hudson, Land O'Lakes, Mitchell, Pasco, Ridgewood, River Ridge, Wesley Chapel, Zephyrhills WHERE: Gulf's Des Little Stadium WHEN: The 4x800-meter relay begins today at 12:30 p.m.; the field events start at 1; an all-comers 800 and mile begin at 2:30 and 3. AT STAKE: The top two finishers in each event earn all-conference honors; the top eight place-winners receive ribbons. OUTLOOK: Unless the bus gets lost, the Ridgewood girls should easily win the program's 13th conference title and fourth since 1997 thanks to the Rams' talent and depth -- Jessica Penokie (pole vault, 100 and 300 hurdles); Nancy Edwards (high, long, triple jumps); Shawna Luikart (high jump); and Lizzy Leigh (1,600, 3,200) -- in nearly every event. River Ridge is strong enough to sew up second place thanks to Jessica Verga (100, 200, 400, long and triple jumps), Emily Ollivier (discus, shot put) and Mellisa Tuccio (3,200). The real drama will be in the boys division, where Ridgewood will try to defend its title from River Ridge. Jim Vitale (3,200) returns to give the Rams a much-needed boost. But the Royal Knights are primed with John Gilmore (100, 200, 4x100), Mike Brock (pole vault) and Richard Eagly (400). A thin but talented Pasco squad will make its first appearance in a major meet with Jessica Robinson (100, 300 hurdles), Ben Alford (pole vault), Keymo Pearson (high jump), Donnie Woods (discus, shot put) and Robert Beauvais (100, 200).
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From today's Pasco Times |
