THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 7, 1995 TAG: 9505060097
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 21 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
BECAUSE OF THE strength of the Norfolk Academy boys tennis team, some public school squads have shied away from taking on the Bulldogs. But when it comes to playing their archrivals, the Nansemond-Suffolk Academy Saints don't have a bashful bone in their bodies.
``My kids really want to play them,'' NSA coach Ray Carson said, in reference to Tuesday's 4 p.m. match at Norfolk Academy. The match will in all likelihood decide the TCIS regular-season title. ``They've really been pointing towards this, and I think we can play with them.''
Whether the Saints (14-3 overall, 6-0 in the TCIS) can beat them is another question. The two teams have been head-and-shoulders above the rest of the league for several years.
At press time, both teams were unbeaten in the TCIS. Nansemond-Suffolk played Norfolk Collegiate on Thursday, while Norfolk Academy took on Walsingham Friday.
But even before those matches, both coaches seemed certain that the Norfolk Academy-NSA match would decide the league title.
``The showdown for the TCIS will be Tuesday,'' Norfolk Academy coach Mike Horstman said. ``That's the way it's going to go down.''
The Saints certainly have a tough assignment. NSA hasn't produced a victory over Norfolk Academy since 1987. Furthermore, this year's edition of the Bulldogs is particularly strong. Their No. 4 player, Michael Duquette, is ranked in the top 10 in the country in the boys 14s. And he didn't even play last Saturday, when Norfolk Academy upended perennial state powerhouse Woodberry Forest, 5-4.
But injuries could hamper the Bulldogs Tuesday. Duquette injured his back during a tournament last week and is questionable for the NSA match. Second singles player Alan Johnston is also suffering from a back injury. Horstman expected both to take the court against NSA, but each could be a bit rusty. A week's layoff is significant to a player who's used to working out every day.
The pivotal match for the Saints is at No. 1 singles, where NSA's Craig Rice renews his rivalry with Bryan Duquette. The two have met many times in junior tournaments (Carson said Rice probably has a winning record in the series).
Rice, a sophomore, has had perhaps the finest season of any player in the league. The No. 1 singles runner-up from a year ago has gone 16-1 overall, is unbeaten in the TCIS and has won all of his matches in straight sets, including a 6-3, 6-0 whipping of Hampton Roads Academy's tough Jonathan Chou Wednesday. Earlier this year, Rice also romped over defending TCIS No. 1 singles champion Brad Schloss of Norfolk Collegiate.
The rest of the NSA lineup: sophomore Davey Slack at No. 2, senior Josh Pretlow at No. 3, senior Chris Pond at No. 4, junior J.M. Nemish at No. 5 and junior Lee Holland at No. 6.
The Saints will need at least one and probably two victories from this group, along with a Rice win, to keep the match on the line for the doubles.
``Doubles is where we're going to really have to do well,'' Carson said.
Unfortunately for the Saints, the Bulldogs pride themselves on their quality doubles teams. Nansemond-Suffolk will counter with the teams of Rice and Pretlow, Pond and Slack, and Nemish and Lee Cross.
``In all honesty, we're probably going to have to play really well and have them not quite be up to par in order to win,'' Carson said. ``But anything can happen, and I know my guys will be up for this.''
Still, while a loss would mean the end of NSA's regular-season title hopes, it wouldn't mean the end of the world. The Saints will get another crack at the Bulldogs Friday, when the TCIS tournament kicks off on NSA's six new courts.
If nothing else, Tuesday's match will serve as an excellent tuneup for the conference tournament, Carson said.
``Having Norfolk Academy as the last match, playing that kind of competition really gets us ready for the tournament,'' he said. by CNB