THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, June 24, 1994 TAG: 9406220140
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 18 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER AND JOHN GORDON, STAFF WRITERS
DATELINE: 940624 LENGTH: Medium
Western Branch lefthander Jimmy Anderson, who had an 8-0 regular-season, was chosen as the most valuable player by the district's eight coaches.
{REST} Anderson is one of four holdovers from the 1993 team. Also repeating were Indian River first baseman Shawn O'dell, Western Branch outfielder Donald ``Dre'' Bly and Great Bridge outfielder Rufus Hinton.
Two players moved up from last year's second unit - Western Branch pitcher Leigh Phelps and Deep Creek's Keion Smith, chosen as an outfielder a year ago and as a shortstop this season.
The district's two region qualifiers, regular-season champion Great Bridge and runner-up Western Branch, dominated the 14-player team with nine selections. Western Branch placed five and Great Bridge landed four.
Two Wilson players and one each from Indian River, Churchland and Deep Creek rounded out the team.
Anderson, Phelps (6-3) and Great Bridge's Mike Cuddyer (7-0) form a mound corps that struck out 243 batters in 154 innings.
Anderson whiffed 139 in 65 innings. Anderson, a senior, had an earned run average of 0.11. Phelps, also a senior, posted an 0.46 ERA. Cuddyer, only a freshman, had a 2.28 earned run average.
A junior, Western Branch's Nick Ardagna won the catching spot with a .375 batting average and excellent work behind the plate. He threw out 14 would-be base stealers.
Indian River's O'dell, a senior, repeated at first base by hitting .407 and slamming six home runs. Western Branch's Jason Howell was chosen at second base after hitting .393 and driving in 20 runs.
Great Bridge's Zach Younce, only a sophomore, gained the third base slot with a .300 batting average. He scored 16 runs.
At shortstop Deep Creek's Smith batted .455, had 30 base hits and stole 10 bases.
Four outfielders were picked with Churchland's Aaron Bailey, a sophomore, and Wilson's Vernon Carney, a senior, joining holdovers Bly and Hinton.
Bailey batted .400 and Carney hit at a .378 clip. Carney also stole 12 bases. Hinton, hitting .318, drove in 21 runs and stole 14 bases. The fleet Bly stole 22 bases while batting .391.
Great Bridge's David Ellyson, chosen as a second-team pitcher, earned the designated hitter position on the first team with a .386 batting average. He drove in 16 runs.
Wilson's Dontray Smith, who pitched and played at two infield spots, was the utility selection. Smith batted .366 and stole a dozen bases. He had four mound wins and was chosen as a second-team pitcher.
The second unit includes two players who made last year's first team - Oscar Smith outfielder Justin Freeman and Wilson shortstop William Herndon, who was picked as first-team utilityman last season.
Great Bridge's Martin Oliver, whose Wildcats won the regular-season championship, was chosen as coach of the year.
by CNB