THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, December 30, 1994 TAG: 9412280172
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 100 lines
ONE MAN'S OPINION of the top 10 Portsmouth sports happenings in 1994:
1. Eastern Amateur golf tournament - Portsmouth's Steve Liebler returned home to play in the Eastern at Elizabeth Manor for the first time since he won the tournament in 1981. Just a month earlier, Liebler, the University of South Carolina golf coach, had regained his amateur status after 4 1/2 years on the PGA tour and a dozen years as a pro.
Liebler posted rounds of 68-67-71-70 for a 72-hole total of 4-under-par 276 to win the 38th annual Eastern.
Said the 35-year-old Liebler: ``The first win was the hardest. But I think this one means more to me because it shows I can still play golf.''
2. National championship for local athlete - Wilson's LaTasha Colander captured the 200-meters crown in the National Scholastic Indoor Track and Field Championship.
She posted a time of 24.30.
Shortly afterward, the state's premier distaff hurdler/sprinter announced she was accepting a full scholarship to the University of North Carolina.
3. Portsmouth Invitational Tournament - Askia Jones of Kansas State was chosen as the most valuable player in the 42nd annual PIT at the Churchland High School gym. He led Bill Lewis Chevrolet to a 110-99 victory over Sales Systems Ltd. in the nationally televised (ESPN) championship game.
The PIT drew such players as All-American Melvin Booker of Missouri; Atlantic Coast Conference stars Cornel Parker of Virginia and Marty Clark of Duke; Kwane Morton, the nation's leading scorer and the Division II player of the year from Clarion, Pa.; and John Pierce of Lipscomb University, who became college basketball's all-time leading career scorer this past season.
Jones scored 61 points and had 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 4 steals in the PIT. He set a tournament record by hitting 13 of 18 3-point attempts.
The son of longtime NBA star Wali Jones, Askia was no stranger to the area. He lived in Virginia Beach from the age of 2 through 9.
For the second year in a row, the MVP in the PIT was not drafted by the pros. However, Jones signed later with Milwaukee and is now on the Bucks' injured reserve list.
4. Youth bowler named All-American - Kendra Allen of Portsmouth was chosen to be on the Major Girls All-America duckpin bowling team. The 18-year-old Allen, a graduate of Wilson and a freshman at Tidewater Community College, earned the honor by carrying a 126 average.
It was the highest in the nation for a Major Division girls (16-21) bowler.
``She has more ability than anyone I have ever coached,'' said Raymond Askew, coach of the Victory Youth League in which she competed.
5. City Amateur Golf Tournament - J.P. Leigh, a native of Portsmouth and a resident of Chesapeake, captured the 67th annual Commerce Bank Portsmouth City Amateur golf championship with a 36-hole 151, taking a one-shot victory over Troy Ferris of Virginia Beach and Jeff Shield of the Eastern Shore.
It was the 12th city title for Leigh.
``To be truthful,'' said Leigh, ``I was rooting for Jeff to win it. He hasn't won it before, and he played very well. I thought he deserved to win.''
6. Portsmouth Sports Club Jamboree - The 48th annual jamboree was headlined by Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer, and Donald Hundley was honored as the city's Sportsman of the Year.
Wilson's LaTasha Colander and Norcom's Terry Ricks were recognized as the city's outstanding high school athletes.
7. Churchland-Norcom football game - The season opener drew the largest paid gate ever at Churchland Stadium, and the standing-room-only audience watched Norcom rally for three touchdowns in the final 5 1/2 minutes to pull out a 27-19 victory.
8. Virginia Sports Hall of Fame induction - Nellie Catlett, Weenie Miller, Lou Plummer, Jim Coates, Sonny Wade and Hugh Stephens became the newest additions in the state sports shrine.
This boosted those inducted to 142.
A sellout crowd exceeding 400 at the Holiday Inn-Portside watched as James Madison athletic director Dean Ehlers accepted the gavel as the new president of the VSHF.
9. Local boxers win state titles - Portsmouth's Anthony Pope was awarded the Bill Brennan Trophy as the outstanding fighter in the Open division of the Virginia State Amateur boxing tournament.
Pope, a 165-pounder, was one of three boxers from the Portsmouth Athletic Club to win state crowns. Super heavyweight Alrick Lassiter was chosen as the top fighter in the novice division, receiving the Joe Bowers Trophy. James Eddy was the city's other champion, taking the 165-pound novice title.
Shortly afterward, Daryl Cherry won the state pro welterweight title, knocking out Kimara Davis of Richmond in the first round of a scheduled 10-rounder.
10. Crawford Bay Crew Classic - George Washington University took top honors, winning the men's heavyweight varsity race and capturing the William P. Murray Cup in the fourth annual Crawford Bay Crew Classic off Portside.
One race had to be delayed when a large freighter escorted by tugs came up the river. Officials also hurried to finish the competition before a Shell Oil tanker had to get underway. ILLUSTRATION: File photos
Portsmouth's Steve Liebler, a golf coach at the University of South
Carolina, returned home to win the Eastern Amateur golf tournament.
Kwane Morton, the Division II player of the year, in action during
the PIT.
by CNB