 |
||||||||
 |
||||||||
|
||||||||
|
Royal Knight quietly routs the competition
By JAMAL THALJI © St. Petersburg Times, published April 26, 2001 NEW PORT RICHEY -- Melissa Tuccio doesn't talk the talk. She just walks the walk. The River Ridge standout enters today's Class 4A, District 5 meet at Wharton undefeated in the 3,200 meters. In a year's time, she has cut more than a minute off of her time and quietly dominated the event locally, winning the Sunshine Athletic Conference title and turning back all challengers from the North Suncoast. And she has done it with nary a word spoken. "She's very quiet," River Ridge coach Dave Heywood said. "She won't say a word to anybody." Her best time last year was 12 minutes, 54 seconds. This year, it's 11:47, and her best might be yet to come. So far, Tuccio hasn't even been tested. It could happen today or at next week's regional meet. It would definitely happen at the state meet. Tuccio has improved in leaps and bounds from last season and from the start of this one to now. Heywood said he wonders how much better she can be when she finally has a close race. "She's gone from 12:05 down to about 11:47 this season," he said. "It doesn't sound like a lot, but it really is. "I don't want to say she hasn't been tested, but she's never had a finish where it's two girls fighting it out in the last 100. She's been 30 seconds ahead of everybody. Hopefully, she'll be pushed this week and on into the regional." Tuccio said she is wary of any race she enters. "I just try my best," she said. "Anybody can have a good day, and anybody can have a bad day. So I never look at it like nobody can catch me. A lot of these girls are real good." Tuccio's success is very simple: She has put in the miles. More than 30 miles a week, actually. "She had a successful cross country season," Heywood said. "But I think she's even stronger now than when she ran cross country. She's putting in the miles. She realizes that sometimes practice isn't enough. You have to go home and run again, and you have to run on weekends, too." Heywood said he believes a time in the low 11:40s will be enough for Tuccio to advance to state. Tuccio herself admits she is both excited and a bit apprehensive about competing against somebody other than herself from here on out. But she's ready. "It makes me nervous, but I think it will be fun," she said. "I want to see if I can do better. I want to see what my best time will be."
 © 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111 
|
From today's Pasco Times |
