Netters:
I certainly don;t want to put any jinx on them, but the double
twin 1600R team of Winslow Twp has to be the "winter book" favorite for the
Penn Relays next year.
Not only does it have two 3:12+ race sbehind it this year with an
all-junior lineup, but there is no certainty that this unique lineup will
hold up next spring.
An all-sophomore (2002 style) lineup recently won the AAU JO
intermediate title at 3:23.79 and one of its number, Reuben McCoy. took the
IH in 53.04. Certainly, McCoy will be a challenger for a spot on the first
team next spring, so may one or two of his classmates. (Winslow also had a
frosh team that ran around 3:32 last spring.
If victory does come at Penn, it will be simply a matter of justice
for coach Russ Bates, who has coached at this school (formerly Edgdwood HS)
for some 25 years. Back in 1984, he had a team that should have won, but had
its third runner literally "mugged" in the exchange zone. Lee Jerkins was
even smaller than Edgewood anchor Dennis Mitchell and he was suroounded by a
bunch of big dues (American and Jamaican). As the runners jockeyed for
position, Jerkins was simply picked up and thrown into the infield. He was a
solid 48 low leg and with Dennis on the anchor (he ran 46.3), Egdoewood
would have been a shoo-in Later that year, the Eagles ran a state record of
3:11+ on the same track at the Delaware Valley MC. It lasted as a SR until
Camden broke 3:10 at the 2001 Nationals.
Edgewood also had a quick second string team that year which saw
plenty of action. How much the second (and third) teams will get to run this
year is another question. Since that time (and since 1981 when Plainfield
had two sub 3:20 teams, one a Penn winner anchore by Jphn Marshall), a
peculiar rule has come into place (often violated, however) which forbids a
school to have two relay entries in any varsity meet---even at two places on
the same day. The rule was aimed not at relay teams, but at the CBA
cross-country teams which I ranked 1st and 4th one year in the late 80s.
Ed Grant
