THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, October 21, 1994 TAG: 9410190169
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 52 lines
Two of the finest offensive soccer players ever at Churchland High School are sparking the defense for Virginia Wesleyan's undefeated team.
Virginia Wesleyan is ranked No. 2 nationally among Division III schools. The Marlins are 13-0-1.
A pair of sophomores from Churchland, Dwain Ayres and Che Clark, are starters for the Marlins. Ayres is a sweeper. Clark plays left back.
At Churchland Ayres was the Southeastern District's all-time leading scorer with 94 goals. He was an All-Tidewater kicker in football.
In his junior year as a midfielder, Clark led the Southeastern District in assists in 1992 with 18. In his senior year he scored six goals, had six assists and was generally regarded as the district's premier player.
Ayres accepted a grant to Delaware Tech and transferred to Virginia Wesleyan, winning a starting sweeper job after the season started this year. Clark is a second-year starter for the Marlins.
``Both are key players for us,'' said Virginia Wesleyan coach Sonny Travis. ``The team needs often dictate where players are used and they have filled our needs on defense.
``We have scorers,'' added Travis. ``We have outscored the teams we have played, 69-6. Jim Hickling has 17 goals. Evan Whitson has 16. Mike Duffy has 14. And the school record is only 21.''
Travis calls this team ``my best.''
``We have had more talent,'' said the coach. ``But when you put it all together there are no weaknesses on this squad. And the chemistry is good.''
Travis rates Ayres as ``definitely one of the best sweepers in the ODAC Conference.''
``He anchors our defense,'' said Travis. ``He is strong in the air and has excellent techniques. And he is deceptively fast.''
Ayres won his starting position in the fifth game of the year with a strong performance in the second half of the team's lone non-victory, a 1-1 deadlock with Mary Washington.
``Che has good speed and jumps well,'' Travis pointed out. ``He played club ball as a back.
``We also like the way he can attack, too. He scored five goals last year. This season he doesn't have any goals but he has three assists. And we put him in on restarts.''
Travis feels the offensive achievements in high school by Ayres and Clark have attributed to their success as defensive players.
``It has helped them understand what needs to be done on defense,'' he said. by CNB