Track & 路Field Preview
All Eyes
On Moscow Just like in swimming, gymnastics and wrestling, the high school track and field stars of today could very well be America's hopes for more glory in the Moscow Olympics. By Jack Shepard
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OM THE SUPERB quality of underclassmen in high school track during the 1976 season, 1977 should be a most thrilling and competitive one. Recordwise it is doubtful that the coming season can. appreach the 28 record performances produced by the stimulus of an Olympic year, but still, records are a distinct_ possibility in the 440, high hurdles, high jump, long jump and 880 and mile relays. There is also a chance that the two-mile and sixmile/10,000 meter records could topple. The performers mentioned below are those expected to top the 1977 lists based upon their 1976 performances. SPRINTS
Dwayne Evans, Johnny Jones and Houston tvlcTear, three ofprepdom's best ever sprinters have graduated, leaving the field wide open, but with thirteen at 9.5 and ten at 21.3 or quicker returning, there should be a number of 9.3 and sub-21.0 clockings. Possibly the nation's best will be Cyril Wyatt (Oakridge, Orlando, Fla.). Cyril, the state 220 champ and 100 runnerup, plus an Atlanta Classic 100 title, had bests of 9.4, 10.3m, 21.2 and a 20.7 relay leg. His top challengers should be James Fields (New Bern, N.C.) off 9.4, 21.5 and 48.1 performances, Rich Edwards (New Britain, Conn.) with 9.5, l0.3rn and 21.1 credentials, Ron Nelson (Rockledge, Fla.) at 9.5 (9.2w) and 21.2 and junior Carl Williams 路 (Columbia, West Columbia, Tex.) at 9.5 (9.2w) and 21.3. Other top stars should be Dave Russell (Henry, San Diego, Calif.) at 9.5, 21.1, Jerome Deal (Aberdeen, Md.) at 21.0, junior Michael Miller (Northern, Flint, Mich.) off his soph record equalling 2l.l and soph Barry Dixon (Mann, Gary, Ind.) who clocked a windy 9.3 as a frosh. Returning with 9.5 or 21.5 or better credentials are Mike Bonin (New Iberia, La.), Joe Delaney (Haughton, La.), Cornell Garrett (North, Evansville, Ind.), Bennett Long (Franklin, Philadelphia, Pa.), Leroy Love (Pahokee, Fla.), Walter McCoy (Seabreeze, Daytona Beach, Fla.), Greg Moore (Franklin, Philadelphia, Pa.), Steve Skinner (Jackson, Cambria Heights, N.Y.), Dennis Smalls (Bayshore, Bradenton, Fla.), David Smith (St. Gerard's,_San Antonio, Tex.), Steve Strother (New Rochelle, N.Y.), junior Henry Williams (Lawton, Okla.) and Charles Young (Temple; Tex.). PREP I FEBRUARY-MARCH 1977
Still others to watch will be路 Nino Archer (Tarboro, N.C.), junior Mike Carter (Sandia, Albuquerque, N.M.), soph Morris Cole (Garey, Pomona, Calif.), junior Ted Davis (Williams, Houston, Tex.), Billy Duncan (Manual, Kansas City, Mo.), Dennis Dunn (Highland, Ind.), Floyd Eddings (Ganesha, Pomona, Calif.), junior Phillip Epps (Atlanta, Tex.), AI Horne (Phoebus, Hampton, Va.), junior Carl Hudson (South, Plantation, Fla.), Leonard Scott (South, Wichita, Kans,), junior S_teve Sly (East, Kansas City, Mo.) and junior Cedric Warren (Great Bridge, Va.). _
440 YARD DASH
Three of the top six performers from 1976 return and there is an excellent chance the national record will return to Ohio after a nineteen year absence. In 1958 Dave Mills put the record at 46.6. This season when Jeff Walker (North, Akron) and Antone Blair (Alliance) get together the record could be a second faster. Last路 season Blair, the state champ as a frosh and junior, had 9.6, 21.0, 46.9 efforts and a 2-1 edge over Walker who clocked 9.5w, 21.3 (20.9w) and46.2. The latter, a junior class record, moves Jeff to third on the all-time list. At the National Junior ASU meet Blair placed fifth with a 46.6m effort, just one spot behind Colorado's state champ, Larry Goldston (FountainFt. Carson, Fountain), who zipped 46.3m. No other returnees were below 47.8, but crowded at 47.8-47.9 were Mike Guon (Great Falls, Mont.), AI Horne (Phoebus, Hampton, Va.), Bennett Long (Franklin, Philadelphia, Pa.), Walter McCoy (Seabreeze, Daytona Beach, Fla.), David Shepard (Brazos port, Tex.) and Vince Skillings (Derry, Pa.). Other known returnees under 48.5 are Tim Chambers (Santa Monica, Calif.) Dan Fortune (Ritenour, Overland, Mo.), Sammie Sims (Estacado, Lubbock, Tex.), ~nthony Tufariello (Hewlett, N.Y.) and junior William Contee (Woodson, Washington, D.C.). 880 YARD RUN
Top prospects for sub-1:50 efforts this season are state runnerup Chris Heroux (Maine North, Des Plaines, Ill.) off his 1:51.3 and junior William Contee (Woodson, Washington, D.C.) off a superb 1:50.8m as a soph. These two will be pushed by a crowd of 1:52 to 1:53 per-
formers like Dan Ayoub (Central, Peoria, Ill.), Kevin Byrne (Catholic, Paramus, N.J.), junior Robb Gomez (Boca Ciega, Gulfport, Fla.), Earl Hill (Bucholz, Gainesville, Fla.) and Richard Sale (Osbourn Park, Manassas, Va.). Between 1:53 and 1:54 is the large crowd of Chuck Brown (Sullivan East, Bluff City, Tenn.), Bob Bundy (Mead, Wash.), junior Greg Francis (Yucaipa, Calif.), Eddie Hodges (Statesboro, Ga.), Fred Hubbard (Chester, Pa.), Larry Kirk (Bishop Ludden, Syracuse, N.Y.), McCloud (Englewood, Chicago, Ill.), John Tuttle (Alfred-Almond, Almond, N.Y.), Greg Wade (North Fulton, Atlanta, .Ga.) and Kevin Young (Mt.. Olive, N.J.). MILE RUN
The graduation of the likes of Thorn Hunt, Rick .Kumm and Rudy Chapa has left a large void in this event, but with 21 returning under 4:15 there should be a number who get into the 4:06 to 4:08 range. Illinois and New York will see. the most action as Illinois has the two fastest returnees in Bob Hicks (Sandburg, Orland Park) and junior Todd McAllister (Deerfield) who were second (4:09.2) and third (4: 10.2) at state. New York has champ Dave O'Conor (Valley Central, Montgomery) at 4:10.8 and runnerup Steve Francis (Arlington, Poughkeepsie) at 4:11.2. Distance phenom Bill McChesney (South, Eugene, Ore.) uses this event as a change of pace and it produced a 4:10.6 last season. Best in California should be Dave Daniels (San Gorgonio, San Bernardino) off a 4:11.9 and a superb 9:10.8 steeplechase last summer which moved him to third all-time in that event. The other sub-4: 12 performer is Joe Weston (South, Plantation, Fla.) at 4:11.3.Those returnees between 4:12 and 4:14 are Jim Van Blunk (Pennsbury, Fairless Hills, Pa.), Kevin Byrne (Paramus, Catholie, N.J.), junior Rob Carney (Burnsville, Minn.), Joel Hope (Alta Lorna, Calif.), Roger Jones (Ramsey, N.J.), junior Sal Peralta (Santa Fe, Santa Fe Springs, Calif.) and John Tuttle (Alfred-Almond, Almond, N.Y.). Those 4:14 to 4: IS returnees are Chuck Brown (Sullivan East, Bluff City, Tenn.), Tom Carnien (Sewanhaka, Floral. Park, N.Y.), James Green (Forest Brook,.Houston, Tex.), Daniel Henderson (Druid Hills, continued
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