THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 29, 1994 TAG: 9409290597
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C9 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
The low turnout of players and sparse fan support for Eastern District girls volleyball appears to validate the decision to keep the first-year squads out of the Eastern Region tournament.
Only the Southeastern and Beach Districts will compete for the regional title.
``I think we made the right decision,'' Lake Taylor athletic director Bert Harrell said. ``We didn't think they were ready for that kind of competition, although it seems like Maury might be able to compete with some of the other schools.
``But we didn't send out any surveys or anything about (having girls volleyball teams). We just started it up. We needed some time to gauge the interest and make sure everyone could field a full team.''
According to Granby coach Joanie Murphy, players throughout the league have improved significantly since practices began in August. But without a core of players already familiar with the sport, the league's coaches are doing more teaching than coaching.
``Serving and passing are the main skills that need to be executed,'' Murphy said. ``Everybody has good servers, but the consistency isn't there yet.''
Murphy said each team has 10-15 players. The crowds have consisted mostly of parents, students and faculty members.
Eastern District teams will compete in the region tournament beginning next season and will also schedule out-of-district games.
This year's Eastern Region tournament will be held Nov. 8 at Tallwood High. Only the champion will advance to the Group AAA state tournament at Manchester. Next year, the top two region teams will advance to the state tournament.
WE HARDLY KNEW YE: Joe Boone, the former Poquoson wrestling coach who accepted the Granby head job this summer, has resigned to continue his education and get certified as a teacher, Comets' athletic director Marty Bechtol said.
Boone was a three-time state wrestling champion for the Comets during the 1960s.
John Ceminara, also from Poquoson, will take over the Granby wrestling program. Ceminara was the head football coach for the Islanders last year, and is currently a Granby football assistant.
BIG RACE: Every runner in The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star's cross-country poll will be in the field Saturday for the 32nd annual William and Mary Invitational, an event featuring more than 2,500 runners.
Unfortunately, some of the area's best won't go head-to-head. For example, Norfolk Academy's Biren Roy, ranked first in the area, will be in the boys C race, but No. 2 Eric Adams of Great Bridge, No. 3 Zac Halm of First Colonial, No. 4 Mike Donnelly of Great Bridge and No. 5 Billy Edwards of Tallwood will all run in the boys A race.
Sixth-ranked Matt Morgan and No. 7 Dan Daugherty will square off in the boys B event.
The girls race also has three divisions. Top-ranked Meredith Turnage of Western Branch will run in the A race and and No. 2 Jamie Cornish of Kellam in the B race.
The invitational will be held on the Eastern State Hospital grounds in Williamsburg. The first race kicks off at 8:45 a.m.; the final run starts at 1:30 p.m.
DOWN TO THE WIRE: With the first district tournament less than two weeks away, the girls tennis playoff picture has pretty much taken shape.
Booker T. Washington can clinch the Eastern District tennis title today with a victory at Norview, while First Colonial (Beach District) and Great Bridge (Southeastern), both undefeated in league play, are on track to lock up their respective titles.
In the races for second place, today's Cox-Kempsville winner has the inside track at the Beach, and the Oct. 6 Granby-Maury match should decide second place in the Eastern. Runner-up in the Southeastern District has come down to a battle between Churchland and surprising Deep Creek.
The Eastern Region tournament begins Oct. 17-18 at the sites of the district champions. The matchups: Beach champion vs. Southeastern runner-up; Beach runner-up vs. Southeastern champion; Eastern runner-up vs. Peninsula champion and Peninsula runner-up vs. Eastern champion.
The semifinals (Oct. 21) and final (Oct. 22) will be played at Owl Creek Municipal Tennis Center in Virginia Beach. by CNB