Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 11, 1995 TAG: 9506120033
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The William Byrd pitcher is Timesland's player of the year for the second consecutive spring. She shares top honors with her coach, Billy Meador.
Doupnik is one of three Terriers named to the All-Timesland first team. The others are infielder-pitcher Tamasa Adams and infielder Carrie Doupnik, Tracy's younger sister.
Lord Botetourt and Cave Spring are the only other schools with more than one player on the first team. Botetourt's junior battery of Jessica Thompson and Teresa Snodgrass is joined by Cave Spring outfielder Ellen Jamison and designated hitter Joy Marraccini.
The rest of the infield is James River's Angie Sink, Floyd County's Sonya Hylton and Glenvar's Kristy Robinson. The other outfielder is Liberty's Lisa Carr, and the utility player is Michelle King.
Tracy Doupnik was the pitcher who finally turned off the lights in tournament play for Rustburg's Katie Phillips. The Red Devils' pitcher had won 21 consecutive tournament games and two Group AA titles before Doupnik beat her 2-1 in the Region III championship game.
``It was great,'' said Doupnik, who has signed to play softball at Carson-Newman in Jefferson City, Tenn. ``All year we kind of knew we could do it. We had to prove it to everyone else and ourselves.''
The fun ended for Doupnik and Byrd on Thursday, when the Terriers were handed their first loss of the season, a 1-0 heartbreaker at Richlands in a Group AA semifinal. The Blue Tornado had beaten Rustburg and Phillips by the same score in the first round of state play, and Byrd pounded Virginia High School 6-3 behind Doupnik.
``I was surprised'' to be named player of the year again, Doupnik said. ``There's a lot of talent in the Roanoke Valley. Tamasa was playing well all year, but I do get most of the publicity. Sometimes I feel badly that people make me the star and talk to me all the time because I'm a pitcher, so I just try to be a spokeswoman'' for the team.
``I wasn't the least bit surprised that she repeated,'' Meador said. ``In the second half of the season, she's been a dominant pitcher, allowing less than a run per game.''
Doupnik hit .386 to beat out Adams for top honors. Adams was Byrd's best hitter and made only two errors in handling more than 60 chances at shortstop.
Meador, like Doupnik, was humble in being named for softball's top honor in Timesland.
``I'm just glad for the kids, because they've worked hard,'' he said. ``Coach of the year is something that you have nothing to do with.
``We have some very good kids who have come and will come from our recreation program. That's the key. They keep sending us players who are ready. I shouldn't get credit. I'm just reaping the rewards from the efforts of other people.''
Two of last year's first-team choices are on the second team. Glenvar's Amy Layman had another good year pitching, but her record wasn't as strong with a less-experienced team. Cave Spring's Kari Whitney also had a strong season, but dropped to the second team because of stronger competition this year in the outfield.
The team of the future might be Lord Botetourt. The Cavaliers will welcome back the battery of Thompson and Snodgrass, which carried them to a Region III semifinal against Rustburg, and a young hitting phenom, second-team infielder Aimee Bird.
Floyd County had a strong offense, but its best all-around player was Hylton, who impressed with her defense as much as her bat. Ditto James River's Sink, a third baseman who made it virtually impossible for opponents to bunt.
Carr didn't have quite the year in stolen bases that she did in 1994, with seven fewer at 34. Still, that was good enough to lead Timesland.
King was a player who got little glory while playing for a losing team, but she put up some of the best all-around hitting numbers to go with strong pitching that was marred only by the losing record.
Robinson was the standout at Glenvar, which was hurt by injuries and defections that kept the Highlanders from making their usual Group A tournament appearance.
Jamison is on a team noted for hitting, but she also was a great defensive outfielder on a senior-dominated squad.
Carrie Doupnik, a freshman, already is a polished player. Like her sister, she will take a turn at pitching in the future.
by CNB