By Ed Farrell

Herald Assistant Sports Editor

Imagine, for a moment, Wilmington High’s boys track and field team minus incomparable Chris Burns. Sound far-fetched? It’s not. Just ask current coach J.R. McFarland.

“If we need some sound advice, I can call on Ray Cebula,” McFarland recently related.

Some of the best advice Cebula supplied McFarland was more of an ultimatum issued to Burns four years ago while Cebula served as the Hounds’ head coach:

“Chris wasn’t going to come out as a ninth-grader,” recalled McFarland, then the girls’ team head coach. “And I think, from what I understand, Ray was pretty emphatic and told him, ‘You come out, no ifs, ands or buts about it.’ ”

Four years later, Burns is bound for the University of Pittsburgh to continue his education and football careers. But first, however, he will lead the area aggregation into this weekend’s PIAA Track & Field Championships.

The annual 2-day extravaganza commences 9 a.m. at Shippensburg University’s Seth Grove Stadium.

Burns’ 3-sport scholastic career climaxes this weekend when he will make his 4th consecutive appearance on the statewide stage. He has a full workload ahead, including the long jump — in which he placed 3rd last spring — the 100-meter dash, and as part of the Greyhounds’ 4x1 relay team.

Though first and foremost he’s intent on earning his Pitt degree in education, Burns, not boastfully, makes no pretense his long-range ambition is to play in the NFL. And McFarland recalled,

“I remember Chris, this year, running into Ray and telling him, ‘Hey, thanks a lot for making me run track and field, ’cause it really helped me in football.’ ”

And before he puts on the pads for the Panthers come August, Burns wants to culminate his scholastic career in the proper fashion. He and the Hounds hammered the District 10 Class AA competition last weekend, and between him and top-seeded teammates Paul Yohman (shot put) and Ryan Bell (javelin), as well as thrower Josh Falvo, sprinters Forrest Minteer and Nick Riggall and his kid brother and relay mate Derrick, the Hounds could howl from the top of the medals platform come Saturday afternoon.

“I’m going to states in three events, so I’ve been fortunate, you know? God really blessed me, and I just work hard ... ” Burns recently related.

During the past 2 Greyhouds’ gridiron seasons Burns burst for 3,552 yards and 63 touchdowns, carrying the ball 431 times. He also played defense for coach Terry Verrelli’s teams, and then seamlessly transitioned to the hoops hardwood.