THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, April 18, 1996 TAG: 9604160144
SECTION: NORFOLK COMPASS PAGE: 23 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Long : 160 lines
THE COACH PROPHESIED. The players produced.
So if smiles could talk, the one worn by Norfolk Collegiate's Micki Campbell would sweetly but confidently intone, ``I told you so.''
One can debate how much credit is due a coach who returns all six starters from a second-place team for predicting victory over a champion (Nansemond-Suffolk) that lost five of its top six. Then again, most coaches, even those blessed with formidable talent, won't bother offering championship predictions before a season begins.
Campbell launched into her ``We're No. 1'' theme before last season ended.
``We'll be the team to beat next year,'' she boasted before the 1995 TCIS tournament.
Campbell didn't back down from her prediction in March, and the Oaks have made sure she hasn't had to by ripping off nine straight victories. And while seven of the nine haven't counted in the conference standings, the Oaks have beaten all legitimate title contenders and seem assured of a first-place finish.
Nansemond-Suffolk has won or tied for the conference title nine straight years, but they started their season with just one returner. That player, No. 1 Michelle Grover, subsequently quit to devote more time to tournaments. There's still some good young talent at N-SA, but the Saints' reign atop the TCIS appears over.
In fact, Norfolk Collegiate's sternest test has come from Norfolk Academy, which upended N-SA in its season opener and fell, 5-4, to the Oaks Friday.
Breakdown of TCIS teams:
NORFOLK COLLEGIATE
Key players: Kimbrough Mauney, So.; Carol Baker, Jr.; Karen Reina, So.; Melissa Balaban, 8th-grader; Harper Meredith, Jr.; Jayne Goldwasser, 8th-grader.
Preseason outlook: With all returning starters, the Oaks appear to have all the ingredients - talent, depth and experience among them - to end Nansemond-Suffolk's reign as conference champs.
Update: Have been every bit as good as advertised.
NORFOLK ACADEMY
Key players: Gina Black, 8th-grader; Sarah Michaels, 8th-grader; Beth Finch, Jr.; Eva Szentpetery, Sr.; Michelle Wong, Jr.; Jessica Sperling, So.
Preseason outlook: Shaky. Bulldogs graduated their top two players, then lost two other starters - seniors Cary Savage and Catherine Ware - for the season with knee injuries sustained while playing basketball.
Update: Players have made the gloomy preseason forecast look silly by roaring into second place and coming within a match of upending frontrunner N-SA.
NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK
Key players: Kelly Walls, 8th-grader; Robin Lindner, Sr.; Susan Eitelman, Jr.; Sarah Huber, Sr.; Ginna Brewbaker, 8th-grader.
Preseason outlook: A talented group of newcomers will still give the Saints one of the best teams in the TCIS. But N-SA's string of conference titles is in jeopardy. Coach Ginger Owen traditionally puts no pressure on her players to live up to the Saints' past successes, a trait that figures to be particularly important given the youth of this group.
Update: The loss of Michelle Grover, the TCIS No. 2 singles champion a year ago who quit the team a few matches into the season to concentrate on tournaments, certainly hurt. But a 5-1 season-opening loss - with Grover - to Norfolk Academy, showed the Saints were going to have trouble defending their title regardless. Still a quality team, however.
CATHOLIC
Key players: Erin Newsome, Sr.; Stephanie Harris, Sr.; Michelle Phillips, So.; Marjorie Mendoza, So.
Preseason outlook: Top player Newsome is a four-year starter and Harris, Phillips and Mendoze each have at least a year's experience. No one else has played many matches, though, meaning the Crusaders could be hard-pressed to match last year's record.
Update: The lack of experience contributed to Catholic's 1-4 start. But the Crusaders have gotten strong play from Mendoza, who has compiled a winning record despite moving up from No. 6 to No. 3.
NORFOLK CHRISTIAN
Key players: April Megginson, Sr.; Gretchen Cooper, Sr.; Ginny Coleman, Sr.; Amy Perkinson, Sr.; Amy Floyd, Sr.; Veronica Atamanchuk, So.
Preseason outlook: Megginson, the team's top player for the fourth straight year and the third-place finisher in last year's TCIS tournament, heads an experienced, relatively deep cast.
Update: A tough early schedule has obscured some quality play, particularly from Megginson, Cooper and Perkinson.
CAPE HENRY
Key players: Jessica Zaganczyk, Sr.; Ginny McGraw, Sr.; Lisa Teroino, Sr.; Mackenzie Snyder, So.; Lisa Ashinoff, Fr.; Emily Byrne, 8th-grader.
Preseason forecast: The return of Zaganczyk, a nationally ranked player and two-time TCIS champ who sat out last season, is an obvious boost to a team that features five returning starters. The addition of Byrne should also help the bottom of the order.
Update: As expected, the Dolphins have been dramatically improved from last year's 3-11 campaign. Boys tennis
You've got Nansemond-Suffolk, which is led by the state 16s champion, young but experienced Norfolk Collegiate and talented sleeper Norfolk Christian.
Yes, the battle for second place should be exciting. First place? Not nearly as exciting. Norfolk Academy has won the conference crown in 10 of the past 11 seasons. And nothing that's happened so far has given anyone reason to believe the Bulldogs won't soon make it 11 for 12.
Breakdown of TCIS teams:
NORFOLK ACADEMY
Key players: Mike Duquette, Fr.; Alan Johnson, Sr.; Ravi Manickavasagar, Sr.; Chris Duquette, So.
Preseason forecast: Although not quite as deep as a year ago, when they went 16-0 and had nationally ranked Mike Duquette playing No. 4, the Bulldogs appear far and away the class of the TCIS again. Johnson - a lefty whose unorthodox strokes make him an opponent's worst nightmare - Manickavasagar and Chris Duquette all won TCIS titles in '95 and had a combined singles record of 44-2.
Update: A 6-3 loss to Woodberry Forest hurt the Bulldogs' chances of defending their Virginia Prep League title, but Norfolk Academy looks to have more than enough to maintain control of the TCIS. Regional and national tournaments have kept Mike Duquette out of the lineup for most the Bulldogs' early schedule.
NANSEMOND-SUFFOLK
Key players: Craig Rice, Jr.; Davey Slack, Jr.; J.M. Nemish, So.; Lee Holland, Sr.; Ross Morgan, Sr.; Lee Cross, Jr.
Preseason outlook: Rice, who won both the TCIS singles and Virginia 16s titles last year, will lead what figures to be one of the top three teams in South Hampton Roads. Four starters from last year's 17-3 team return, and in Holland, Morgan and Cross, Carson will have experienced upperclassmen manning the 4-6 positions.
Update: The Saints lost two of their first three matches, but appear to have regained form with Friday's 5-4 victory over Norfolk Collegiate. N-SA will get its shot at Norfolk Academy Thursday in Suffolk.
NORFOLK COLLEGIATE
Key players: Glenn Benson, So.; Rad Davenport, 8th-grader; Noah Stockton, Jr.; William Karangelen, Jr.; Jody Balaban, Jr.; Jose Garate, Fr.
Preseason forecast: Young but talented group poised to improve upon last year's third-place finish. Benson, a starter since 7th grade (37-5 career record) and the conference's No. 2 singles champ last season, takes over the No. 1 slot.
Update: Oaks won their first four matches, then dropped three in a row - to Norfolk Academy, Kempsville and Nansemond-Suffolk - as the schedule got tougher. Improved play from No. 2 Stockton could be necessary for the Oaks to remain in contention for second place.
CATHOLIC
Key players: John Ronquillo, Jr.; Dana Harmeyer, Sr.; Eric Van Kleef, Sr.; John Ronquillo, Fr.; Sebastian Oehninger, Jr.; Nelson Arrelland, Jr.
Preseason outlook: The return of four starters from last year's 8-7 squad and no significant drop in ability between the top four players had coach Bill Ellis expecting improvement.
Update: Although the Crusaders won just two of their first five matches, Ellis has seen enough to upgrade his outlook from potential challenger to legitimate contender for second place. Harmeyer, thought to be potentially vulnerable at No. 2, won three of his first four matches in the second slot.
NORFOLK CHRISTIAN
Key players: Matt Mostiller, Sr.; Justin Griffin, So.
Preseason forecast: A lack of punch in the top half of the lineup should make things difficult for the Ambassadors. Mostiller is a fine talent but could still struggle in a league loaded with quality No. 1 players.
Update: Rainouts limited the Saints to just two matches over the first three weeks. Ambassadors still appear to be a good team in a very good league. by CNB