THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 28, 1996 TAG: 9601260240
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
DATELINE: ISLE OF WIGHT LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
AS HIS SCHOOL'S all-time leading passer in football, its leading scorer in basketball this season and a two-time first team All-Virginia Commonwealth Conference baseball player, Richard Spady is accustomed to individual success in sports.
And with a 4.0 grade point average and recent acceptance to the University of Virginia, the Isle of Wight Academy senior is used to success in the classroom.
But Spady is learning about something new this year - team success.
``I've gotten my honors in the past,'' said Spady, ``but those are team sports. The goal is to try to win a championship.''
Isle of Wight began accomplishing its goals a few months ago, when the Chargers made the private school state football playoffs for the first time in Spady's three years of playing varsity.
Now, Isle of Wight's basketball team, led by Spady at point guard, is ranked No. 5 in the Division II state poll with a 14-2 record before Friday's game against No. 9 Tidewater Academy.
``Before this year, I've never even had a winning season in basketball or football,'' said Spady, whose most successful season came when he helped the Chargers baseball team reach a state semifinal last year. ``That's been a big motivation to try to do well and win a (state or district) championship (as a senior).''
Spady didn't play like he needed any motivation before this year.
In three varsity seasons as the Chargers' starting quarterback, Spady passed for 4,134 yards and 29 touchdowns. As a junior, his 1,689 yards broke the school's single-season record, while his 17 scoring tosses tied the school mark. He also led the basketball team with 14.4 points and five assists per game and hit .345 with 20 stolen bases as a second baseman on the baseball team.
``Richard has always done the best in any activity,'' said Chargers basketball coach Benny Vaughan. ``If you're used to giving your top effort, it will carry over. Richard formed those habits long ago.''
Spady, who finished his senior football season with 1,076 passing yards, has been a major reason for the Chargers' turnaround in basketball so far this season. He leads Isle of Wight, which finished 12-12 last year, with 15.1 points and nearly six assists per game.
``Richard's the go-to guy on the floor,'' said Frankie Brown, one of five Chargers seniors. ``When we get in trouble, he pulls us together. If he isn't high scorer, he has eight or nine assists. He's still the guy.''
Spady said Isle of Wight's seniors - himself, Brown, Dwayne Hall, Charlie Miller and Ursulus Day - are what have made the most difference in basketball this season.
``Most of us have known each other since sixth grade and played together so long,'' said Spady, whose favorite sport is basketball. ``We went to summer camp and started talking about how much better we could be (this year). Our confidence has just risen and continued to grow.''
Spady said this year's basketball team has a good chance of making him part of a district or state championship team for the first time.
``I'm really excited about this basketball team,'' Spady said. ``It's really coming together and I really think we've got a shot to win some titles.''
Although he has enjoyed success at Isle of Wight, the 5-foot-10 Spady is realistic about his chances of playing basketball at Virginia, where he was accepted under early admission standards.
``I don't know if I can play at that level,'' said Spady, who is undecided on a field of study. ``After this season's over, seeing how well the team does and how well I do, I'll just have to think about it. If I want to try out for the basketball team I'll have to work all summer and try to make the commitment to walk on.''
If Spady does try to become a walk-on at Virginia, commitment will be nothing new to him. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Multi-talented Richard Spady is the go-to guy for No. 5 Isle of
Wight Academy.
by CNB