THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 10, 1995 TAG: 9505100590
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY RICH RADFORD, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: VIRGINIA BEACH LENGTH: Medium: 75 lines
The Eastern Region placed the weight of a possible redistricting squarely on the shoulders of the Peninsula District on Tuesday, giving the Peninsula until October to agree to regional scheduling or face the alternative.
Pushed to act by an Eastern District starving for football and basketball opponents, regional chairman Raymond Hale said he would seek a majority vote from the region's principals in the next month to begin forming a district realignment committee.
The districts that could be affected include the Eastern, Beach, Peninsula and Southeastern. The region held a special meeting at the Days Inn on Tuesday to discuss the options.
Hale, principal of Churchland High, said the region's board voted unanimously to ``poll the schools in the region on the establishment of a realignment committee. . . . The district chairs will poll principals in their districts, and we expect a response by June 1.''
If Hale receives the necessary majority vote - he added that he expects to - then an eight-member realignment committee will be formed, with two principals from each district sitting on the committee. One would be chosen by Hale, the other by the district.
The Eastern District, the region's smallest district with only five teams, has felt the pinch recently of the growth of the other districts.
The Peninsula District, with 11 schools, can play an insulated regular-season schedule, needing no out-of-district games to reach its football or basketball scheduling limits.
The Beach District, with 10 schools, is approaching that situation.
The Southeastern District, with eight schools, has been able to give the Eastern District the most help in scheduling non-district games.
The Southeastern District promised more help in basketball Tuesday, offering the Eastern District four games from each of its eight teams. The Beach District offered two games from each of its 10 schools.
``We are prepared to play a 16-game district basketball schedule,'' Kempsville principal Lou Tonelson said. The district will play two games fewer than the current home-and-away round robin.
``We will work with the Eastern District to put together acceptable basketball schedules,'' Hale said.
With the Eastern District's eight regular-season district games, that means each of the district's five teams will be guaranteed at least 18 games, leaving them two or three to schedule on their own. According to Maury boys basketball coach Jack Baker, it was a welcome offer.
``Some of us had to go to private schools to fill out our schedules and some of us didn't fill out our schedules,'' Baker said. ``It's been difficult the last few years. Very few of us have played the Beach or the Peninsula.''
A semi-regional football schedule - the Peninsula did not take part - was in place last season and will be used again this fall.
As for the 1996-97 and 1997-98 seasons, Hale indicated it was time for the Peninsula District to share the responsibility of scheduling games with the Eastern District.
``At the June 5 regional meeting, we will get a report on where we are,'' Hale said. ``Then we will begin considering possibilities for realignment and redistricting so we aren't dead in the water (come October). If we decide on regional scheduling in October, then we will dissolve the (realignment) committee. But we will try to settle our own problems.''
If not, the Virginia High School League's Redistricting and Reclassification Committee could be called in.
Phoebus principal Clayton Washington indicated that the Peninsula was beginning to soften its stance against regional scheduling and could comply before October, adding that the size of the Peninsula District could shrink next year. Tabb High might drop from Group AAA to Group AA.
``I think the possibilities are very good,'' Washington said. ``I got a good feeling from my group (Monday). Certainly, we don't want to redistrict.'' by CNB