THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, March 22, 1995 TAG: 9503220546
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 73 lines
The spring sports season begins in earnest Friday with 52 events throughout South Hampton Roads.
Here's a look at some of the marquee events:
KICKING OFF: Cox, Kempsville and First Colonial, state title contenders in girls soccer, will get a look at what they're up against Friday and Saturday when some of Virginia's top teams invade.
On Friday, First Colonial is host to Northern Region power Robinson at 6:30 p.m. and Kempsville is host to Woodbridge at 7 p.m. All except Kempsville were in the Group AAA state tournament last year.
On Saturday at 10 a.m., Kempsville gets Robinson, while First Colonial entertains Woodbridge in a rematch of last year's Group AAA state semifinals won by Woodbridge in overtime, 1-0.
``I've always believed that the higher the competition, the better you become,'' Patriots coach Janet Rowlands said.
Also on Friday, the Falcons will host the ninth annual Cox Kickoff Classic. The event debuted as a single game between Cox and Annandale, but is now an eight-team, two-day tournament.
Teams participating this year: Cox, Maury, Salem, Annandale, Lake Braddock, West Potomac, South Lakes and W.T. Woodson.
Games will be played at noon and 4 p.m. Friday and 9 a.m. and 2 p.m. (championship) Saturday.
The Falcons, featuring all-stater Kirsty Hale and minus only one starter from a year ago, hope to use this tournament as a springboard to a district title.
``We definitely have the edge this year,'' Cox coach Terri Sawyer said.
SUN, BUT NO FUN: The Nansemond-Suffolk baseball players spent six days last week in Del Ray, Fla., but they didn't spend much time sightseeing. First-year coach Bill Harris put the Saints through a crash course in baseball fundamentals with two-a-day workouts that had the players on the field up to six hours a day.
The players held up well, however, and Harris has returned with a glittering scouting report: ``Very good team speed, strong defense, deep pitching staff and a lot of punch from the first five hitters.''
Perhaps more importantly, while most teams will try to play their way into top form, the Saints are ready.
``That was the goal,'' Harris said.
Isle of Wight will get the first crack at Nansemond-Suffolk when the Chargers travel to Suffolk today at 4 p.m.
BIG RUN: Virtually all area teams will participate in Saturday's Conn-Madden Relays at Todd Stadium in Newport News. The event, the second big meet of the year following last week's Hampton Relays, will include more than 5,000 high school runners from throughout Virginia and North Carolina.
The all-relay event format lets coaches mix and match personnel and allows runners to compete in a low-pressure situation, said Wilson's John Crute.
It also gives the athletes an early workout at Todd Stadium, which will be the site of the Eastern Region and Group AAA state meets.
Competition begins Friday at 3:30 p.m. and resumes Saturday at 8:30 a.m.
TOO GOOD: Norfolk Academy always has a strong tennis team, but this year the Bulldogs may be even stronger.
Consider: Michael Duquette reached the final of a national 14s tournament recently, knocking off two nationally ranked players. Monday, in a scrimmage against Kempsville, Duquette played fifth singles.
``He's going to have to challenge his way up (to get) higher,'' Norfolk Academy coach Mike Horstman said.
The defending TCIS champion Bulldogs graduated two league champions but could be even stronger this year with the addition of Duquette and Woodberry Forest transfer Alex Johnston.
Horstman said Duquette could eventually play as high as No. 3, but he'll be hard-pressed to unseat older brother Bryan or Alan Johnson.
The Bulldogs will play a Hampton Roads Academy Friday at 3 p.m. by CNB