THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, December 14, 1995 TAG: 9512130104
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PATTI WALSH, COMPASS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
DESPITE THE GRADUATION of many of its top swimmers from last season, Norfolk Academy is favored to win the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools boys and girls swimming crowns - again.
The Bulldogs lost All-American Bess Frank to Princeton, but coach Jay Leach expects the girls who were behind the scenes last season to come into the limelight.
Norfolk Collegiate could make a run with freshman Melanie Stein, who was named the TCIS' most valuable swimmer as a seventh-grader. Also expected to compete for individual honors are Norfolk Christian's Heather Land and Cape Henry's Emily Medley.
In the boys race, Cape Henry's Jimmy Fry, an ODAC swimmer, should be tough to beat. Norfolk Academy's already rich lineup got richer with the addition of Chris Twycross, a foreign exchange student who is also a member of the South African national team.
A team-by-team look at the TCIS:
NORFOLK ACADEMY Coach: Jay Leach.
Returning swimmers: Dana Schafer, Sr., butterfly/freestyle; Cary Savage, Sr., freestyle; Tricia Voyer, Jr., freestyle; Lizzy Rice, So., freestyle; Lauren Alder, Jr., breaststroke; Christina Burley, So., IM/freestyle; Merrick Michaels, So., freestyle; Molly Seesoms, So., butterfly/freestyle; Maya Corneille, Sr., diver; Kentey White, Sr., back; Chip Cutchins, Sr., backstroke/freestyle; Teddy Rice, Sr., breaststroke/freestyle; Tim Finein, Sr., freestyle; Bo Williams, Sr., freestyle; Robert Wyckoff, Jr., breaststroke; Gary Savage, So., backstroke/freestyle; Dustin Walters, So., freestyle/breaststroke/IM; Estan Woodard, So., diver.; Deepak Thomas, So., breaststroke.
Top newcomers: Gretchen Fox, So., diver; Allison Cutchins, 8th-grader, backstroke/freestyle; Sarah Michaels, 8th-grader, freestyle; Andrea O'Ryan, 8th-grader, freestyle/IM; Leslie Burlage, 8th-grader, diver; Chris Twycross, foreign exchange student, backstroke/freestyle; Seth Jacobson, 8th-grader, freestyle/IM.
Outlook: Leach says both the boys and girls teams are young but have potential for growth. Twycross, a member of the South African national team, should add depth to the boys team. The girls who were behind the scenes during last year's successful season should come into their own this year.
CAPE HENRY
Coach: Penny Smith (1st year).
Returning swimmers: Emily Medley, Jr., butterfly/IM; Stacey Crain, Jr., freestyle; Jimmy Fry, Jr., butterfly/IM; Joe Allen, Jr., backstroke/freestyle.
Top newcomers: Carl Medley, 8th-grader, breaststroke; Josh Haislip, Fr., freestyle; Mark Dancigers, Fr., backstroke.
Outlook: The Dolphins are inexperienced but have a wealth of young swimmers who should only get stronger as the season progresses.
NORFOLK COLLEGIATE
Coach: Kathy Woodington (1st year).
Returning swimmers: Melanie Stein, Fr., backstroke/freestyle; Keith Kline, Sr., butterfly/freestyle; Lindsey Carney, Fr., IM; David Craft, Sr., freestyle/ backstroke; Marc Gauthier, So., breaststroke.
Top newcomers: None mentioned.
Outlook: The Oaks return a strong class of swimmers after only one senior graduated from last year's team. Stein, only a freshman, is one of the league's top competitors and should lead the girls.
CATHOLIC
Coach: John O'Hara.
Returning swimmers: Nat Falcone, Sr., butterfly; James Stull, Jr., all strokes; Dana Harmeyer, Sr., all strokes; Bernard Canepa, So., freestyle; Charles Lewandowski, Jr., breaststroke; Steve Mahoney, Jr., backstroke; Teresa Jeannette, Jr., backstroke, Jamie Stewart, So., freestyle; Kim Holdcraft, Jr., all strokes; Carmelita Soloman, Jr., freestyle.
Top newcomers: Brianne Hurley, Fr., all strokes; Drijana Rampone, Fr., all strokes; Lindsey O'Conner, Fr., all strokes; Matt Kren, Fr., all strokes; Dan McConagle, Fr., all strokes.
Outlook: The Crusaders are young and must develop depth in order to challenge.
NORFOLK CHRISTIAN Coach: Deborah Pearsall (2nd year).
Returning swimmers: Heather Land, Sr., breaststroke; Hope Ward, butterfly; Holly Seltzer, backstroke; Lee McMath, So., IM/breaststroke; Matt Rawls, 8th-grader, butterfly/backstroke; Darren Grovatt, backstroke.
Top newcomers: Emily Mason, Fr., freestyle/ backstroke; Adam Alphin, So., butterfly/freestyle.
Outlook: The Ambassador girls graduated three swimmers and lost two more to moves. They're young, but Land, a U.S.S. Team swimmer, should provide the Ambassadors with needed leadership. The boys return eight swimmers and Pearsall says they're dedicated to excellence and hard work. by CNB