The Virginian-Pilot
                             THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT 
              Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: Sunday, February 11, 1996              TAG: 9602110271
SECTION: SPORTS                   PAGE: C10  EDITION: FINAL 
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, STAFF WRITER 
DATELINE: NORFOLK                            LENGTH: Short :   40 lines

N. ACADEMY BOYS TAKE TCIS SWIM TITLE THE HAMPTON ROADS ACADEMY GIRLS ALSO WON, WITH 10 FIRST-PLACE FINISHES.

The Norfolk Academy boys took five first place finishes and the Hampton Roads Academy girls had 10 to win the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools swim meet at Norfolk Academy on Saturday.

The Bulldogs won their 12th straight conference title by scoring 455 points in rolling past Hampton Roads (267), Cape Henry (261) and Catholic (220). The Navigators girls scored 472 points to outlast Norfolk Academy (406), Walsingham (207) and Norfolk Collegiate (200).

All-American Chip Cutchins finished first in the 100-yard freestyle, second in the 100 backstroke and was on the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays to lead the Norfolk Academy boys. Dustin Walters (200 individual medley) and Robert Wykcoff (100 breast stroke) added first places for the Bulldogs.

``We were real focused here today,'' said Norfolk Academy coach Rick Leach, whose boys team is the defending state champion. ``They were all swimming up to their ability, and some of the kids really stepped up.''

Other area boys first place finishers were: Cape Henry's Jimmy Fry (200 free and 100 fly), Catholic's James Stull (500 free) and Norfolk Collegiate's Keith Kline (100 backstroke).

Area standouts in the girls competition included Norfolk Collegiate's Melanie Stein (first in the 100 backstroke and second in the 200 individual medley), Norfolk Academy's Lizzy Rice (second in the 200 freestyle and third in the 500 free) and Norfolk Christian's Heather Land (second in the 100 breast stroke).

Fry and Natalie Griffith of Hampton Roads were named Most Outstanding Swimmers.

Each team advances to the Virginia State Independent Schools Swimming and Diving Championships Feb. 16 and 17 at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham. by CNB