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Locke Gets It Done On Track, In Classroom

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By BILL WARD

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 20, 2008

TAMPA After his performance at last year's Class 4A state championships, everyone knew Dentarius Locke was a gifted sprinter.

As a sophomore, he had won a bronze medal in the 100-meter dash, a silver medal as anchor runner in the 4x100 relay and finished the meet with a seventh-place medal in the 200. Those accomplishments also helped him win The Tampa Tribune's Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year award.

What most people didn't know was Locke was on the verge of academic ineligibility at Riverview High. Of course, he, his coaches and parents realized it. But it took a drastic decision to do something about.
Locke didn't want to part ways with his friends and coaches at Riverview, but he and his parents eventually decided he needed a change. He would leave his mother's home in Riverview and move in with his father in Tampa, where he would enroll at Chamberlain.

"It was real hard leaving those dudes at Riverview and my mom," Locke said. "You saw what we did in the 4x100. We were going to be the top team coming back. But I was just too immature and lazy at Riverview. If I had stayed there, I'm pretty sure I wouldn't have been running this year."

After enrolling at Chamberlain late last spring, Locke knew he had to improve his grades in a hurry. He signed up for summer school classes at King High and for online courses. Under the guidance of Chiefs track coach Hansford Johnson, as well as his club team coach, Gary Watson of the Tampa Trailblazers, Locke soon had his grades up and his times down.

By the end of the fall, Locke was eligible once again. But he was still taking extra classes at Chamberlain. While most students were taking six or seven classes a day, Locke was enrolled in eight or more.

"It was hard - believe me," Locke said. "But what's kept me focused is the track. I knew if I wanted to run track, I had to get things done in the classroom, especially if I wanted to run in college."
Locke began the 2008 track season right where he left off last year - near the top of the state. But he wanted the gold medal, so he concentrated more on the technical aspects of his sprinting, endurance and weight training. By the end of the regular season, Locke was ready for his assault on the 4A state championship at 100 and 200 meters.

He blew through the competition at both the district and regional level. And at state, his only hiccup in the 100 was some loose blocks in the qualifying round. After sorting out that issue, Locke won the 100 in convincing style - against the usual standout runners from Miami - in a time of 10.72 seconds.

In the 200 state finals, Locke turned in his fourth consecutive lifetime best with a 21.02, taking second to the nation's prep leader in the event, Miami Southridge's Brandon O'Connor, who went 20.82. Locke's time ranks No. 4 in the nation this season.

For turning around his act in the classroom, winning a 4A sprint state crown and turning in times that rank him among national leaders, Locke earns The Tampa Tribune's Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year award for the second straight time. If he keeps going this direction, he could make it three straight titles, as did former Wharton girls track star Teona Rodgers, now running for Florida State.

BOYS TRACK FIRST TEAM

High jump: Anthony Hill, Sr., Blake

Long jump and triple jumps: Darrell Young, Sr., Jefferson; LaVaughn King, Jr., Tampa Bay Tech

Throws: Antonio Hayes, Sr., Tampa Bay Tech; Jamie Van Pelt, Sr., Plant

Pole vault: Trent Wiseman, So., Freedom

4x800 relay: Jesuit (Michael McEnany, Logan Trimble, Carson Holton, Connor Revord)

Hurdles: Jeremy Tillman, Sr., Brandon; Jeremy Deering, So., Leto

Sprints: Dentarius Locke, Jr., Chamberlain; Lindsey Lamar, Jr., Hillsborough; Lovell Jackson, Sr., Plant

4x100 relay: Hillsborough (Allonzo Williams, Terrence Mitchell, Marc Thomas, Lindsey Lamar)

400: Mark Williams, Sr., Hillsborough

800: John Mitchell, Jr., Durant

Distances: Connor Revord, Jr., Jesuit; Richard Blake, Sr., Berkeley Prep; Derek Wehunt, Jr., Sickles

4x400 relay: Hillsborough (Dan Mosquera, Mark Williams, Terrence Mitchell, Colby Walden)

Coach of the Year: Joe Sipp, Hillsborough

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