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Pasco's Vaughns to miss postseason
By JAMAL THALJI, Times Staff Writer
DADE CITY -- It took 10 days for the bad news to finally arrive for LaShawn Vaughns: her junior season as Pasco's preeminent track athlete is over. Vaughns, who seriously injured her left knee April 11 in the long jump pit at the Sunshine Athletic Conference championships, will miss Thursday's Class 2A, District 9 meet at Wesley Chapel. That ends any chance of the Pirate returning to state for a third consecutive season. But more bad news could be on the way. Vaughns still doesn't know the results of an MRI taken four days after she injured her knee. After examinations by three doctors, the diagnosis is still a bad knee sprain. The injury has kept her on crutches and her out of school until today. But if there is ligament damage, there would be a lengthier recovery and perhaps surgery. Vaughns hopes to learn the results of her MRI on Thursday. Until then, she'll continue to keep it elevated, keep it iced, and keep a positive attitude. "I need to heal and just relax," Vaughns said. "I'm disappointed, but it happens to the best. All I have to do is get through it and take care of it and make it back next year and do what I didn't do this year. "I'm taking care of this leg and staying strong. I'm not letting myself get down. I know I can let myself get down if I want to. I'm trying to think of the positive things." Coach Raven Lewis is pleased with Vaughns' positive approach. "She's cool with it," Lewis said. "That's good, because you've got to pick the fruit and burn the rest." Lewis said they hoped for the best when the swelling in her knee dropped considerably after she injured it. "But then when she tried to put pressure on her leg it was still bothering her," Lewis said. "We knew then it was a little more serious than what it appeared to be. "But that's okay. I'd rather she be competing healthy then go out and run around injured. I know if she could have her way, she would go out there and try. Instead she needs to just rest and get ready for next year." Lewis hopes Vaughns will be healthy enough to compete in AAU meets this summer. In three years she has established herself as one of Pasco County's elite athletes. She has won countless regular-season honors but the postseason has vexed her. Last year rain split the SAC meet into two days; Vaughns won the county title in the 100 as a sophomore but could not make the second day to compete in her four other events. This year at the SAC she was to again compete in five events, but was injured in her first event, the long jump. Vaughns qualified for four events at the 2002 Class 2A meet: the long jump, 100, 200 and 400. As a freshman she made it to state in the 100. But Vaughns has yet to medal at state. Vaughns will be at Thursday's meet to support her teammates. But without her, the Pirates will suffer in the standings. Lewis said, though, that Vaughns' teammates are rallying in her absence. "They're disappointed but they're ready to go on without her," Lewis said. "They know what they have to do. Amanda Newsome has had to step up all season and she's going to have to step up even more now. "Kim Borregard has been praying with (Vaughns) on the phone. It's been real good as far as brining the team even closer together." But as for those lost ribbons, Lewis said: "You can't make up LaShawn's points."
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