THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, March 16, 1995 TAG: 9503160526
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY DENISE MICHAUX, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 54 lines
You don't spend most of the season ranked No. 1 in the state and expect nobody to notice.
And you don't top the 100-point mark six times, most recently in the Region I championship game, and do it quietly.
The word is out on Nansemond River, and for one coach this scenario seems very familiar.
``Back in '92 when they won, everybody said that was the best team they had ever seen,'' Northside head coach Bill Pope said of Nansemond River. ``I'm starting to hear that again.''
Pope should know. It was against his Northside team that the Warriors scored a single-game tournament record 97 points in the state final. The Warriors' 244 points in three games also was a record.
``We beat Harold Deane's Matoaca team to get to the final,'' Pope said. ``Then we ran into Nansemond River. They were something.''
Northside is making its fourth trip in five years to the final four, and there is potential for a rematch with Nansemond River.
Nansemond River meets Region III runner-up Liberty-Bedford in the first semifinal game Friday at 1 p.m. at Liberty University. Region III champ Northside will face Region II champion Caroline in the second game at 2:45.
Northside's 20-7 record is a bit deceiving: All but two of the losses came against Group AAA schools.
The Vikings claimed the regular-season district title in a playoff game against '94 state champion Salem, which ousted the Vikings in the semifinals last season and went on to defeat Louisa - the team that bumped the Warriors out.
Northside likes to spread the wealth, with three starters averaging in double figures and one player off the bench who has bettered more than 12 in tournament play.
``It wasn't until the 18th game of the season that we had someone score more than 20,'' Pope said.
Four players hit double figures in Northside's first-round win over Christiansburg.
Guards Ben Peete (13.8) and Justin Porterfield (12.1) are the Vikings top guns, with forward Maurice Garrison (10.6) providing solid support.
TEAM LEADER: Caroline often uses eight to 10 players, but there is no doubt who the Cavaliers depend on to get the job done.
Junior guard Damian Woolfolk averages 18.2 points per game and leads the team in every category.
``Woolfolk could average well over 20 points, but he spreads it around. He leads the team in assists, too,'' Caroline coach Reginald Underwood said. by CNB