By GUY LORANGER gjl@herald-sun.com; 419-6669
             The Herald-Sun
             Sunday, March 31, 2002
             Final Edition
             Sports Section
             Page D12

             When N.C. Central track and field coach Michael Lawson started this high-school
             meet 10 years ago, he had a dream of it some day growing into a "mini Penn
             Relays."

             That dream looked as close as it's ever been to a reality Saturday.

             Thirty-five powerhouse track teams and 503 athletes from up and down the East
             Coast converged on the NCCU campus for the 10th Lee Calhoun Invitational - the
             largest, and arguably most competitive, field in its history.

             "I couldn't have asked for anything better," Lawson said.

             Under ideal weather conditions, N.C. Central's rubberized track saw seven meet
             records broken, including a new standard in the 1,600-meter run set by Jordan's
             Kate Merrill.

             The sophomore clocked 5 minutes, 16.73 seconds for first place - more than 13
             seconds faster than runner-up Alicia Valtin of Western Harnett, the defending state
             3-A champ.

             The time was six seconds slower than Merrill's best time this season, but it still was
             good enough for the fourth fastest time recorded in the state this spring.

             Four other girls' records were established: High Point Andrews' Sheena Dawkins in
             the long jump (19 feet, 3 inches), Southeast Raleigh's Sharonda Johnson in the
             triple jump (39-05 1/2), Trenton (N.J.) senior Nicola Wilson in the shot put
             (43-081/4) and club-team runner India Ransom in the 100-meter dash (12.15).

             In boys' events, records were set by Suitland (Va.) runner Timethy Riley in the 400
             hurdles (54.77), Trenton's

             800 relay squad (1:28.13) and Southeast Raleigh's 1,600 relay team (3:19.94),
             when the Cougars edged Suitland by less than a second at the finish line.

             Merrill's teammate, Demetria Powell, added a second medal for the Falcons by
             capturing the 400-meter hurdles in 1:04.83.

             It wasn't her best race, Powell said, but it was a competitive one and interesting to
             see how she stacked up against out-of-state hurdlers.

             "I just focused on how I ran," said Powell, who finished second in the state 4-A
             300-meter hurdles last year as a freshman. "All I know is that if I let my guard
             down, they'll beat me. I can't ever get complacent."

             Hillside, the state 3-A girls' runner-up to High Point Andrews last season, saw its
             young team leave the Invitational with one medal and a ton of momentum for the
             rest of the season.

             Hornets freshman Atir Carter captured the high jump (5-02 1/2), and sophomore
             teammate Anene Wynn (4-09) placed fifth.

             Hillside's lone senior, Marissa Parker, came in third in the shot put (32-05 3/4), while
             freshman Camile Morman placed second in the long jump behind Dawkins'
             record-setting leap with an 18-07 - the No. 2 distance in the state this season and
             the top 3-A result.

             The Hornets also left with a pair of third-place relay finishes - the 400 (53.37) and
             3,200 (10:14.82, the state's top 3-A time this season).

             "This meet's a good building block for us," said Coach Bob Hill, whose Hornets
             placed fourth at last week's Times-News Classic at Burlington Cummings. "With each
             meet like this, we're getting better and developing some leadership.

             "We get to see where we're going, what direction, and it's looking good for us."

             The day saw a fair outing for Hillside's boys' relay teams - the Hornets were third in
             the distance medley (11:28.95), third in the 1,600 sprint medley (4:38.64) and fifth
             in the 3,200 relay (8:46.72) - while Southern's 800 relay squad found motivation for
             its next showdown with North Forsyth at the 3-A Mideast Regionals.

             North Forsyth (1:29.88) edged the Spartans by a tenth of a second in a battle for
             second place behind winner Trenton's record-setting time.

             "We weren't as strong as we've been," said anchor James Bacon, who helped
             Southern's 800 relay team posted the state's top 3-A time - 1:29.78 - during last
             week's Times-News Classic."We'll put it to rest when we see them at regionals."

             Two Spartans managed top-five finishes - Mickey Williams (fourth in long jump,
             20-10.5) and Tony Lassiter (fifth in 100 dash, 11.52) - and Durham Academy's Eddie
             Riefkohl placed second in the discus behind Cary's Zack Woolum with a throw of
             137-01.

             "There's nothing like competing against the best, and I guess we're up there," said
             Southern's Jo'Relle Deleston, third leg on the 800 relay. "It kind of let us know our
             potential."

             After the meet, Lawson and former N.C. Central coach Dr. Leroy T. Walker - college
             coach of the meet's namesake, two-time Olympic medalist Lee Calhoun - met with
             coaches and promised to work on improvements for next year's meet.

             One newcomer, Oxon Hill of Maryland, left impressed.

             "Any time you have a fast track and the right teams like this one, then you have all
             the makings of a great meet," said assistant coach Thomas Destry, whose Clippers
             won the Maryland 4-A indoor title this winter. "We'll be back."