Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 3, 1994 TAG: 9406030037
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
"To watch them come as far as they have is amazing," he said.
(This was before the players drenched him with Gatorade). Thursday at Walrond Park, the Highlanders (15-0) disposed of Northampton, capturing the Group A state championship for the third consecutive year. But this year was somewhat of a surprise, because Glenvar lost five of its top six players from last year's championship squad.
Only junior co-captain Nick Varney, the two-time singles state champion who plays No. l, was a starter on the 1993 Glenvar team that defeated George Mason 6-3 for the state crown. This year, the Highlanders top six included two freshmen, a sophomore, and three juniors.
Against Northampton (11-3) Glenvar won five out of the six singles matches, clinching the team title before the three doubles matches were played.
Varney, who was knocked out of singles and doubles championship brackets on Thursday, came back to upend Mike Salvatore, an exchange student from Italy, 6-3, 5-7, 6-2.
"The most important thing is our team," Varney said. "Singles and doubles come afterwards."
Glenvar's Josh Williamson (No. 2) and Tommy Lesperance (No. 6) defeated their opponents in straight sets. Varney, Glenn Hambrick (No. 4), and Travis Lam (No. 5) took three sets to record their wins.
Glenvar's only loss in the singles play came at No. 3, as Will Massey beat Daniel Webb 6-2, 6-1. `[Massey] was a backboard," Webb said. "Everything I hit came back at me. I couldn't figure out what to do with him."
Lawrence scouted Northampton, a school from the Eastern shore, when the Yellow Jackets upset George Mason in Wednesday's semifinal match. "I thought coming in, our best chances [of winning] were Nos. 1, 2, 5, and 6," Lawrence said. "Anything else would be a bonus."
Hambrick's match proved to be pivotal. After losing the first set to Marion Long 6-3, Hambrick rebounded to win two 6-4 sets. Theirs was the final singles match to finish, and the outcome assured Glenvar of victory.
"Every point is a big one in a state final," Hambrick said. "I just tried to keep the ball in play and not lose it myself."
Northampton swept the doubles competition, as Glenvar played several reserves.
Northampton coach Robert Eames has coached the Yellow Jackets for 10 seasons. This was the first time his team had advanced to the state tournament. "We're just glad to be here," he said.
"Franklin is normally the dominant team in our district," Eames said, explaining that only three schools in his district fielded competitive teams.
"We put together an exhibition schedule against the best public and private schools we could find," Eames said.
Northampton's Salvatore played for the singles title, falling to Clarke County's Patrick Bartlett, 6-3, 6-0. Bartlett eliminated Varney 6-4, 7-5 on Wednesday.
Bartlett and teammate Josh Kerr-Holbert also won the doubles title, downing Salvatore and Nat Jones 6-3, 6-3.
by CNB