The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, November 27, 1994              TAG: 9411240276
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON    PAGE: 35   EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR 
                                             LENGTH: Long  :  136 lines

THE RECORDS FELL IN A GREAT COX SEASON UNEQUALED 6TH STATE TITLE IN ROW PUTS FALCONS WITH GRANBY'S DYNASTY; MILLER, HALE TOPS.

THE COX FIELD HOCKEY team became one of the winningest high school programs in national history last weekend.

Cox set and tied a pair of national records, moved into higher rankings in several other categories, and solidified its position as the best program in Virginia.

At the Group AAA state tournament at Vienna's Oakton High in Northern Virginia, Cox became the first high school team to win six straight state titles. With nine overall victories since Virginia began its tournament in 1977, Cox tied Stowe (Vt.) with the most state field hockey victories overall.

The lists - according to the National High School Sports Record Book - go on.

Cox remains fourth on all-time list for consecutive victories with 58 - a string that was broken in last year's Beach District tournament championship in a penalty-strokes shootout with Green Run.

The current winning streak stands at 26 in a row.

You want more? The Falcons will give it to you.

With an offensive output of 107 goals this season, Cox moved into ninth place for most goals scored in a season.

Cox allowed only three goals all season.

With her individual output of 50 goals this season and 97 for her career, junior forward Kim Miller cemented her position as the leading scorer in state history and jumped into a tie for fifth nationally for a single season. She is nine goals shy of moving into the top 10 for a high school career.

Teammate Kirsty Hale, playing in her final high school season, is the second-leading scorer in a state season and career with her respective totals of 42 and 88.

Nancy Fowlkes, the winningest coach in state history, moved into sixth place nationally with 268 career victories.

And while a majority of the talk is deservedly about Cox, Bayside deserves considerable credit for making it to the state final with the Falcons.

Losing a 3-0 decision to a team with the accomplishments of the Falcons is nothing to cry about.

Cox and Bayside also strengthened the Beach District's reputation as the top league in the state.

Since the Virginia High School League changed the playoff format to include two teams from each of the four regions five years ago, Beach teams have met in the state final four times.

There can be not doubt - the Cox field hockey team is the most dominating are high school athletic squad since the old Granby wrestling teams.

When the final whistle of the season blew and the Falcons went into what has become a traditional celebration, Hale and Fowlkes sought out each other and embraced for what seemed like hours.

Both shed tears of joy.

Fowlkes has called Hale her greatest all-around player ever. After 22 years of coaching and considering the teams she's had, that is a powerful statement.

For Hale, it was a scene of closure, the end of something great. Sure, she has basketball and soccer left to go, but field hockey is the sport where her dedication and work ethic is paralleled by none.

``Anyone would die for an opportunity to play on a team like this,'' she said. ``It's just been great. For three years, I've given this team everything I have. I'm just so glad we've come out as well as we have.''

Picking one particular game from the 21 played this season was a difficult task for the Falcons.

But the state semifinal victory over McLean was one that reassured the Falcons of just what kind of team they are.

While Cox had been scored on twice during the regular season - both times the opponent taking a short-lived 1-0 lead - the Falcons had come back strong and dominated play the remainder of the game.

But in the semifinal, McLean scored early and held its 1-0 lead at halftime. While Cox was getting some opportunities, they weren't the kind that the Falcons had become known for.

The fact that it was about 50 degrees, windy and raining and the field was sloppy as a pigpen didn't aid the Falcons ball-control game.

Keeper Kim Iman - who hates with a passion to be scored on - said that day brought out the rarest of emotions for the Falcons - uncertainty.

``When they scored, it was like oh, no, wait a minute here,'' Iman said. ``And it took us some time to get back on track. They had all those fans screaming and yelling and we just wanted it so bad, that we were trying too hard to win.

``Then coach Fowlkes took that time out and from there on out, it was like bang, bang, bang. We were going to do anything to win that game because we wanted it so bad.''

Part of the problem was McLean keeper Jennifer Robb - daughter of U.S. Senator Chuck Robb.

McLean had survived an overtime shootout in its quarterfinal victory and Robb was teeming with self-confidence.

While McLean held sway, Robb made seven saves that took the life out of Cox, and the northern Virginia team kept the initiative for the first five minutes of the second half.

But Cox got on the board with 22 minutes left when Miller scored on a tap-in after Robb stopped point-blank shots by Hale and Miller.

Five minutes, Miller scored again off a penalty corner and a Hale feed and the Falcons took a 2-1 victory.

During both games, Chuck Robb watched from outside the fence, not wanting to draw any attention away from his daughter's efforts.

Robb looked pale and tired from the tensions of a hard-fought, and often very ugly, election campaign.

``I guess I'm just a typical . . . well, father,'' Robb said, entering the complex to congratulate McLean after its quarterfinal victory. ``It's hard to watch her go through things like this shootout. It's very hard on a keeper. But she's a tough kid and she can handle it.''

Miller is the queen of the ball, and will be next year too.

She naturally found herself in the thick of celebration, drawing the a close the most successful individual season in state history. She hugged teammates and fans, wiping tears of joy from her face.

She still has another season to go, and without Hale, the brunt of the burden will rest on her shoulders.

But she wasn't thinking about that. She was relishing the moment.

``I got an assist and that was a goal,'' she said. ``It was much better than scoring and it was great to get Brianne (Baylor) a score. We wanted to get Kirsty a goal, but they were marking her and me real tight.

``This team, this championship, it all means so much to me.''

And just for the sake of memory, it's all been notched in the state and national record books. ILLUSTRATION: Photos by RALPH FITZGERALD

Cox's Brianne Baylor celebrates with Kim Miller after scoring the

third and final goal in the Falcons' 3-0 state championship victory

over Bayside.

Photos by RALPH FITZGERALD

Cox's Kim Miller, left, congratuates goal keeper Kim Iman, who

allowed only three goals all season.

ABOVE: Cox's Katie McDonald gets aggressive as she keeps her

opponent at bay and her eye on the loose ball.

RIGHT: Bayside goalie Jen Walter turns away a shot on goal by Cox.

by CNB