THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, May 29, 1996 TAG: 9605290539
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C5 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 45 lines
The top teams from the powerful Central Region toppled the Eastern Region's best Tuesday in the Group AAA state boys tennis quarterfinals.
Douglas Freeman, the Central's No. 2 team, eliminated Eastern champion Cox 5-1 at Centre Court in Newport News. It was the Falcons' first loss in 13 matches.
Meanwhile, Tallwood's Lions were fed to the lions, as defending state champion Mills Godwin cruised past the Eastern runners-up 9-0 in Richmond for its 36th straight victory.
Tuesday's winners advance to the state semifinals to be held Friday at 1 p.m. at Virginia Beach's Owl Creek Municipal Tennis Center. Douglas Freeman (8-4) will play Robinson or E.C. Glass. Mills Godwin (17-0) will face Yorktown or Woodbridge.
The final is scheduled for Saturday at 10 a.m. at Owl Creek.
Tuesday's results accurately reflected the balance of power in Virginia boys tennis. Douglas Freeman is a three-time state champion; Mills Godwin has taken two of the last three state crowns and is the odds-on favorite to collect another this weekend.
Eastern teams have gone without a state title since 1983 (Kempsville).
``Around here, you kind of just have to keep hitting the ball and the other guy will wind up making a mistake,'' Cox coach Leon Hoots said. ``But Central Region guys, you really have to go out and beat them.''
Only Nathan Shanks was able to do that Tuesday. Despite having to serve underhanded because of a shoulder injury, the Falcons' junior used his exceptional all-court skills to take out Douglas Freeman's Tappan August 6-4, 6-4 at No. 2 singles.
``Nathan put on a clinic out there,'' Hoots said.
But the only other spot where the Falcons seriously challenged was at No. 1, where Douglas Freeman's Jay Bruner needed three sets to defeat Cox' Ryan Davidson. Davidson is the Eastern Region singles champion; Bruner failed to reach the Central Region singles final.
Mills Godwin had even less trouble with Tallwood, as the Eagles surrendered only six games in the six singles matches. The Lions were making their first state tournament appearance.
The Lions were more competitive at No. 1 doubles, where Ramel and Ryan Bautista battled before falling 6-4, 6-2 to Ian Boettcher and Aljosa Piric, the Eagles' top two players. by CNB