THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 27, 1995 TAG: 9504260151
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 78 lines
After several anxious moments, it appears Lakeland and Nansemond River, schools that have made no secret of their desire to remain at the Group AA level in athletics, will have their wishes granted for at least the next five years.
The Virginia High School League, during a March meeting, rejected a motion to consider ninth-graders in its enrollment figures for classifying schools. Had the measure been adopted, the two Suffolk public schools, both of which have large freshman classes, would have had too many students to remain in Group AA, according to Nansemond River assistant principal Kevin Alston.
Currently, schools with 1,000 or more students in grades 10-12 are considered Group AAA schools. The Suffolk schools each have less than 950 students in these grades, according to the VHSL. The proposal would have made schools with 1,300 students in grades 9-12 play in the state's highest classification.
Prior to the VHSL meeting, Nansemond River officials expressed concern over losing their AA status. Their concerns heightened when, in a straw vote by classification, both Group AAA and Group AA schools voted in favor of the measure.
``I thought we were goners,'' Nansemond River athletic director Phil Braswell said.
Opinions changed, however, after discussion about the ramifications of the proposal. According to Alston, if ninth-graders were included in classification enrollment figures, several Group AA schools would be driven up a notch, while other AA schools would be forced down.
``Group AA would be gutted,'' Alston said.
The measure was voted down the following day, much to the relief of Alston and his ilk.
``It's better to be a big fish in a small pond than a small fish in a big pond,'' Alston said.
Prior to the vote, the two Suffolk schools were expecting one more year in the Bay Rivers District, then a move to either the Group AAA Southeastern District or, in a worst-case scenario, the Norfolk-based Eastern District in 1996-97.
Classifications are reconsidered every two years. The last time it happened was prior to the 1994-95 season, when Tabb moved from the Bay Rivers to the Group AAA Peninsula District.
Now, Lakeland and Nansemond River, given their normal rate of growth, are almost certain to remain under the 1,000-student cutoff in 1996-97.
Furthermore, Alston said the VHSL is also strongly considering moving the date when it takes its student count from September to March. Both schools lose several students over the course of a year, so taking the count at the end of the year would reflect an even lower enrollment for the Suffolk schools.
``We'll be in Group AA for the next three years at least, and probably the next five,'' Alston said.
Proponents of Lakeland and Nansemond River moving up in classification have pointed to the schools' nice fit into the Southeastern District - and the addition of natural rivals like Western Branch and Churchland - and the higher profile it would bring.
In addition, Lakeland and particularly Nansemond River have held their own against Group AAA teams in limited matchups. With the departure of Tabb, Nansemond River has emerged as the Bay Rivers District's most dominant team, capturing the state basketball title and several district crowns.
But Alston said schools that make the jump too soon often wind up crippling their athletic program. He cited the case of Suffolk High, which years ago remained in Group AA with just over 200 students to maintain its rivalries with the three other Suffolk public schools.
``They lost over 50 straight games in football,'' Alston said. ``One year, they got beat by Franklin, 89-0. Another year, only 18 kids came out for the team. Finally, they went to (Group) A and started having some success. The program started to grow again.
``We've seen what can happen,'' continued Alston, who went on to coach football at Suffolk High after it became a Group A school. ``One day, we'll compete with (Group AAA schools). But right now, we're not ready.'' by CNB