THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 8, 1994 TAG: 9409080625
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C7 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 77 lines
Rebuilding? The boys soccer teams at Norfolk Christian and Norfolk Collegiate don't seem to know the meaning of the word.
The two Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools heavyweights meet Friday at 4 p.m. at the Jewish Community Center in Norfolk. And while there will be plenty of new faces in each lineup, early indications are that both teams are poised to retain their customary roles as league powers.
The two-time TCIS tournament champion Ambassadors graduated nine seniors, led by first-team All-Tidewater pick Nathan Hatcher. But all they did last weekend was shut out all five opponents in winning the 16-team Shenandoah Valley Christian Academy Labor Day Invitational.
The TCIS regular-season champion Oaks lost 11 seniors from last year, including All-Tidewater second-teamer Mark Grissom. Half of this year's 16 Oaks played on the junior varsity in 1993. But that didn't stop them from shocking league favorite Hampton Roads Academy in the season opener.
The Oaks won both regular-season meetings between the two teams last year, but were stunned by eighth-seeded Cape Henry in the first round of the TCIS tournament. The Ambassadors struggled early, then caught fire.
This year, the Ambassadors have been led by Shenandoah tournament MVP Josh Crouse (three goals and an assist in the tournament) and all-tourney picks Derek Finlen, Mark Elliott and Peter Nichols.
Keeper Jeff Oelrich, regaining top form after a knee injury during the summer, and defender John Scott stood out for Norfolk Collegiate in the victory over HRA. Scott shut down HRA's Matt Neely, the league scoring champ last season.
But the Oaks will be hurt by the loss of hard-luck Ross Kantor, who twisted his knee in the HRA game and will likely miss the rest of the season.
Last year he scored five goals in his first four games before breaking his arm.
KEE TO VICTORY: Willie Kee, brother of Hampton Roads Hurricanes soccer player Alex Kee, has been named co-head soccer coach at Norfolk Collegiate. He'll also be head coach of Kecoughtan's boys soccer team in the spring. Kee formerly was an assistant coach at Virginia Wesleyan College and Christopher Newport University.
CROSS TRAINING: The cross-country season kicks off in earnest Saturday with two big meets which combined will feature as many as 40 teams.
The Catholic Invitational, which dates back to the mid-1970s, will be held at Mount Trashmore in Virginia Beach. As of Wednesday, approximately 20 teams had entered, including most of the Beach District. Action begins at 9:30 a.m. with the junior varsity girls race. The varsity girls run at 10:50 a.m.; the varsity boys at 11:30 a.m.
``This meet is traditionally like a gauge for the rest of the season,'' new Catholic coach Don Kirkman said.
Meanwhile, Great Bridge High School will be the site for the Southeastern District Invitational beginning at 9 a.m.
Six of the top 10 boys runners and three of the top 10 girls in The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's area polls are expected to compete.
``This will show who's done anything over the summer,'' said race organizer and Great Bridge coach Steve Sawyer. ``But we'll be basically running a team race, trying to pull our fourth, fifth and sixth runners through.
``We're not going to go bonkers over the individuals.''
HOCKEY TOURNEY: The first Salem Invitational field hockey tournament featuring eight teams from the Beach District and TCIS will be held Friday and Saturday at Salem High.
Salem, Bayside, Kellam, Cape Henry Collegiate, Princess Anne, Tallwood, Nansemond-Suffolk Academy and Green Run will play in a round-robin format with teams netting points for victories to determine a champion.
Competition begins Friday with two games at 2:30 p.m., followed by two more at 4 p.m. Action resumes at 8 a.m. Saturday, with the last two games scheduled for 4:30 p.m.
MONEY BAGS: Deep Creek golf coach Richard Cox recruited seven area businesses to purchase new golf bags for his top six players and himself. The purple and white bags cost $75 each and will have the names of the business inscripted on them.
``The bags are beautiful and the kids love them,'' Cox said. by CNB