THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 2, 1996 TAG: 9605010118
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 72 lines
FRANKLIN'S PLAYERS are all fast enough to get around the tennis courts. What remains to be seen is whether they'll be able to get to the tennis court fast enough for the Bay Rivers District tournament.
Most of the Bronco tennis players play in the school band, which is scheduled to make a trip to Toronto May 10-13 for the Blossom Festival. The problem is that the district singles and doubles tennis tournament is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. May 13 and the school band is not due to return until 8:30 a.m. Players not on the court for the tournament at 9 a.m. must default.
Assuming the bus completes the 16 1/2-hour trip on time, that leaves the Franklin players just enough time to make the 25-minute dash from Franklin to Suffolk.
``It's going to be close,'' said girls Broncos girls coach Mary Lilley, whose whole team is in the band. ``My girls already know to have their uniforms on with they get off that bus.''
Even so, any glitch throwing that bus as little as six minutes behind schedule could freeze the Broncos out of the postseason.
``I'm not worried,'' said boys player Matt Baynard said. ``We'll make it.''
Baynard's determination is understandable, since, at least in the minds of the Franklin players, there isn't anything else to play for. Only the top two teams advance to the Region I tournament and, after both Bronco teams lost to York and Poquoson, Franklin almost certainly won't be one of them.
For the girls team, the reality of the team not qualifying for regionals has been easier to take. After losing four-year stalwarts Winston Forbes and Traci Shirley to graduation, the Broncos were tagged as a rebuilding team.
But the boys team, stocked with experience, talent and as much depth as any squad in South Hampton Roads, wanted more. A 9-0 throttling of Group AAA Churchland last month only heightened expectations.
Unfortunately for the Broncos, in York and Poquoson, they play in a league that features arguably the top two Group AA teams in the state. Franklin fell at Poquoson 7-2 April 16, then went down to York 8-1 last Tuesday.
``Those were some tough teams, and they handled us pretty good,'' Baynard said.
A rare bright spot was the play of Thomas Dale Ritter, the Broncos' No. 6 player who won in singles against both powerhouses and remains unbeaten.
The losses to York and Poquoson notwithstanding, Franklin has still proven itself as a quality team. The Broncos are ranked only eighth in the South Hampton Roads poll, but that's more a reflection of the team not getting to compete against other ranked teams than the Broncos' real ability. Churchland coach Steven Liles said Franklin would probably win the Group AAA Southeastern District; in other words, he thinks they're better than No. 6 Great Bridge.
Franklin coach Michael Carter takes it one step further.
``I think we could beat anyone on there except maybe (No. 1) Cox,'' the coach said.
The city of Franklin has carved out a strong niche on the local tennis scene, developing players through the local YMCA and its two indoor courts. Most of Franklin players receive in-season training in the fundamentals. During Wednesday's practice, while Lilley worked with one group of players, another group was in the YMCA taking a clinic from pro Richard Makepeace.
``We've got a lot of talented young people,'' Lilley said of a group that includes No. 4 freshman Amy Slaton and No. 6 sophomore Erin Turner. ``We're down a little now, but we're coming back.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Franklin High player Matt Baynard warms up before a recent match
against York.
by CNB