THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, August 28, 1994 TAG: 9408260294
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 79 lines
IN COACHING THREE consecutive Eastern Region championship teams, Stuart Holland has had to deal with his share of tense players heaping pressure upon themselves.
So this year's bunch offers a delightful change of pace.
Perennial state title contender Cox High will start two freshmen and a sophomore this season. Half their starting lineup can't drive yet, but they are expected to drive the Falcons to yet another championship.
``That is a problem,'' Holland laughed. ``Half the guys can't get to practice without a ride.''
The newcomers bring enough talent, however, that Holland would volunteer to carpool if necessary.
Sophomore Matthew Paulson, the cousin of former First Colonial state champion Carl Paulson, and freshmen Darren Alexander and Ryan Roebuck are already regularly shooting in the 70s.
Blended with four capable juniors - Troy Cummings, Kevin Murphy, Ryan Marks and Eric Crocker - the Falcons have more than enough talent to put together a capable six-man team.
``I'm really tickled about the younger kids,'' Holland said. ``They come around after the front nine and instead of grousing about how bad they're playing, they say, `Coach, I'll do better on the back nine, you watch.' ''
With the addition of Ocean Lakes in the Beach District, some school zone lines have been redrawn. While Cox retained the Broad Bay Country Club area, which sends a slew of golfers to Cox, the school also picked up much of the residential area surrounding Cavalier Country Club and some of the Oceanfront.
``That could help us,'' Holland admitted. ``There are a lot of good golfers in that area.''
The Falcons have already posted match scores of 302 and 300, an average of 75 per player, and the team's most challenging matches are still a month away.
Cox's schedule is backloaded with the district's challengers: The Falcons visit Kempsville Sept. 20, meet Kellam at Bow Creek on Sept. 22 and play First Colonial Sept. 28. The Beach District championships are slated for Oct. 3-4.
Kempsville appears to be the most logical challenger.
The Chiefs start senior Nathan Mitchum, sophomore Brian Richards and juniors Steve Savage, Chad Slowick, Jeff Kristofak and Gjert Hammersland.
Hammersland is a Norwegian exchange student with a ``really decent swing. He'll help us,'' said Kempsville coach Doug Paschall. ``If we shoot our best and Cox is off a little, we can beat them.''
Another team contender is Kellam, led by junior Adam Dixon. Seniors Travis Fredrick and Tripp Taylor, juniors Bryan Measel and Nick Haszko and freshmen Adam Nielson and Josh Fentress give the Knights more than enough depth to contend for a regional berth.
The Beach District sends three teams to the Eastern Region playoffs.
First Colonial's top seven include six juniors - Brian Horan, Mike Schiller, Matt Ingham, Matt Foster, Ryan Beshany and Richard Graves - and senior John Myers.
``I think we can play with Cox if we're not playing at Broad Bay,'' said First Colonial coach Leo Anthony. ``Some of those Cox kids live at that golf course.''
Nearly every other team in the district is peppered with youth and would have to make major improvements to challenge for the team title.
But almost every school has at least one quality individual.
Tallwood senior Jack Shick, Ocean Lakes senior Chad Wilson, Salem freshman Kevin Miller and sophomore Josh Viohl, Princess Anne junior Nathan Barba, and Bayside freshmen Ryan Garland and David White could all be in contention for individual regional berths at season's end.
Shick lost last year's Beach District individual title to Cox's J.T. Quinter on the third playoff hole. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by PETER D. SUNDBERG
Junior Troy Cummings is a top golfer for Cox High School.
From left are sophomore Matthew Paulson and freshmen Darren
Alexander and Ryan Roebuck.
by CNB