THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 20, 1994 TAG: 9410200419
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA
SOURCE: BY PAUL SOUTH, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: MANTEO LENGTH: Medium: 84 lines
They have nicknames like ``The Smasher,'' ``No Mercy,'' ``In Your Face'' and ``Prime Time,'' monikers that public address announcer Eric Pruitt milks for all they're worth, and yet the players are given to winks and smiles.
As a team they have a record of 23-0, but even with an undefeated season that would bring most clubs the lead story on sports pages, they are virtual unknowns.
They talk junk. They have a bit of a swagger. Yet when asked questions, they respond politely: ``Yes sir.'' ``No sir.'' ``Thank you, sir.''
And they may be the best high school sports team on the Outer Banks.
The Manteo High School Lady Redskins Wednesday night moved one step closer to the Class 2A State Volleyball championship with an opening-round 15-11, 14-16, 15-3, 15-1 win over East Carteret High School.
They made it look easy in the final two games of the match, scoring 15 unanswered points in game four to advance to the second round against the winner of the Lewisburg-Edenton match. Lewisburg was last year's state runner-up.
Wednesday, the Lady Redskins played in front of about 300 fans. Most nights, however, crowds average about 75, mostly parents and school friends.
Asked if the small turnout and limited media attention bothered his club, Coach Benny O'Neal said``I'm sure it does. The last game (against Currituck) we had a good crowd. Usually, we have about a quarter of what was here tonight. but I guess the record, and the fact that it was the state playoffs brought some more folks out.''
Leah Midgett, the team's junior setter, conceded that ``it bothers me. But the thing is, we know we're good, and the other teams know we're good, and that's what counts.''
``We'' may well be the operative word when it comes to the Lady Redskins. This year's edition is part of a tradition that has claimed six straight conference crowns.
``A lot of us have been playing together since the sixth grade,'' Midgett said. ``We all like each other and we like playing together.''
Junior Heather Daniels has drawn a lot of notice on the Redskin squad. A two-time all conference pick, Daniels has drawn the attention of college scouts. But this is no one-girl show.
``We've got three seniors - Corey Scott, Kristen Seawell and Courtney Mann - and they give us a lot of leadership,'' said O'Neal. ``There is a real good camaraderie on this team. They all get along real well. That's the reason we've been as successful as we have.''
O'Neal also gives credit to his predecessors at Manteo, who developed a winning program.
``Dan Corbin and Stu Sterine built this program over the years,'' he said. ``I can't come in here as a first-year coach and take credit for this program. They laid the foundation for what we've done.''
Despite the Lady Redskins' perfect run, O'Neal is not ready to relax. The road to a state championship is filled with land mines. Manteo's big hitters like Daniels and Samantha Buchanan must step to the forefront.
``We haven't played a team with strong hitters,'' O'Neal said. ``Usually, we've been the stronger offensive team. But that will change when we get to the second round. We're going to have to continue to work together on consistency, and take that to the floor.''
O'Neal said, however, that girls' volleyball in the eastern part of the state is on the rise.
``Traditionally, we have not been as strong in the east as have the central and western parts of the state. But we're getting there.''
Manteo's success in volleyball has drawn the admiration of O'Neal's coaching colleagues. Pruitt, who announces the girls' volley games and coaches boys' junior varsity basketball, is one of the team's biggest fans.
``I've never seen a team with togetherness like that,'' he said.
Asked what crowds at Manteo's gym would be like if a boys' team were 23-0 and riding the crest of six consecutive conference crowns, he replied:
``If I were 23-0? . . . Oooh, man.''
Though bigger crowds would be nice, empty seats don't dampen the Lady Redskins' confidence or enthusiasm. In fact, only O'Neal's chewing gum got a real workout Wednesday.
Leah Midgett put it simply: ``We talk a lot of junk, but we can back it up.''
But the real secret to Manteo's success may be something simple, something television lights and newspaper ink and sold-out houses can't buy. Midgett, introduced as ``from downtown Wanchese,'' reveals it with a winner's smile.
``We love this game.'' by CNB