THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, June 1, 1996 TAG: 9606010364
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: FAIRFAX LENGTH: 64 lines
Kempsville's bid to become the Group AAA boys soccer team of the 1990s fell short Friday with a 1-0 state semifinal loss to Clover Hill.
After Cox won the state title in 1990, the Chiefs won back-to-back championships in 1991 and 1992. And with a lineup that features three Olympic Development Program national age group players, Kempsville featured one of the most talented lineups in the state tournament.
With all but one of those players being underclassmen, Kempsville's appearance in the state final four pointed to a potential third state title in six years.
On Friday, the Chiefs met a team of giant-killers.
Clover Hill began the tournament with a 4-1 quarterfinal crushing of Hylton - the top team in the country according to USA Today. Hylton had won titles in 1993 and '94.
The Cavaliers' victory over Hylton was the biggest in school history and had thems feeling more than a little invincible heading into Friday's match with Kempsville (15-4-1).
``I think that's a good assessment,'' Kempsville coach Kevin Denson said. ``They could have looked at it two ways - that was either their championship or it made them feel unbeatable.''
It appeared to be the latter.
The Central Region champion (17-2) consistently beat the Chiefs to the ball.
``We've got some good athletes,'' Clover Hill coach Mike Anderson said. ``Kempsville has some extremely skilled players, but we're playing very well right now. And the win over Hylton absolutely gave us all the confidence in the world.''
Michael Jaeger exhibited that state of mind, scoring from a nearly impossible angle eight minutes into the second half for what turned out to be the game-winner.
``My defender cut down the angle just right,'' Kempsville keeper Brian Richards said. ``And he put it in the only place he could have beat me. I was just inches away from getting that ball.''
As it was, the shot glanced off Richards' fingertips and into the net for a 1-0 lead.
The Cavaliers appeared to score again with 11 minutes remaining, when Brian Roberson sent a corner kick in front of the goal and James Bonniwell headed it to the crossbar - where it bounced straight down just inches in front of the goal line.
At that point, Kempsville began to press, eventually getting off two desperation shots from long range.
``Once we got down a goal, I think we panicked a little bit,'' Denson said. ``And (Jaeger) did a tremendous job for them. We didn't play poorly, but we didn't play good enough for a state semifinal,'' Denson said.
Clover Hill will face Northern champion Woodbridge (16-1-2) in today's 4 p.m. final. The Vikings defeated Fairfax 2-0 to advance. ILLUSTRATION: GROUP AAA STATE SOCCER
Clover Hill 1, Kempsville 0
MIKE HEFFNER
The Virginian-Pilot
Kempsville's Derrick Lawyer, right, goes up in an air battle with
Clover Hill's James Bonniwell in the Cavaliers' 1-0 win. by CNB