THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, July 7, 1996 TAG: 9607040247
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Sports
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 57 lines
JEROME RICKS and Wayne Briggs say they don't get much attention playing sports at Group A Windsor High School. College coaches pay a lot more mind to Group AA and AAA schools, say the two seniors.
``Coaches think that triple-A schools are supposed to be better,'' said Briggs.
Added Ricks, ``We don't get seen that much. You don't hear much about Windsor because it's a small school.''
This week, the two Dukes standouts will get a chance to be on the same field as athletes from Group AA and AAA schools when they play in the Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star Games in Hampton. Ricks was chosen for baseball, while Briggs was named to the football team.
``I'll use this game to showcase my talents and show we can play with the big guys,'' said Briggs, who plans to attend Hargrave Military Academy next year.
``It's a privilege,'' said Ricks, who signed with Norfolk State. ``I wasn't sure I'd get recognized. . . . I'm not going to try to do anything spectacular. I'll just play hard and play my game.''
Briggs set school records in single-season and career rushing touchdowns this year, gaining 2,319 yards and scoring 36 touchdowns. Ricks batted .458 with eight home runs and 24 RBIs for the Dukes baseball team.
Southampton's William Brown, Surry's Jason Brown and Sussex Central's Vauron Delks will join Briggs in the football game, which is Thursday at 7:30 p.m. at Darling Stadium.
Brown led the Bay Rivers in regular season touchdowns and finished with 1,323 yards on 223 carries for an 11-1 Indians team.
Grayson Craun of Nansemond River was also tabbed to play in the baseball game, Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at War Memorial Stadium. Craun helped lead the Nansemond River baseball team to the Group AA state championship game, where it lost 7-2 to Virginia High. He went 6-1 with a 1.26 ERA with 63 strike outs in 49 innings during the regular season.
Heather Behrends of Nansemond River and Sussex Central's Denise Reagan are scheduled to play in the softball all-star game Wednesday at 2 p.m. at Briarcliffe.
Behrends was a first team All-Bay Rivers and Region I selection and hit a 0.17 ERA and was named Tri-Rivers District player of the year for the second straight season.
Nansemond River's Montoria Valentine, Southampton's Shawn Tann and Lakeland's John Ricks were picked for the boys basketball game, Monday at 8:30 p.m. at Hampton Coliseum.
Valentine, the Region I player of the year, and Ricks led their teams to the Group AA final four, while Tann scored more than 20 points per game for the Indians. ILLUSTRATION: File photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Southampton's William Brown (42) will play in the Virginia High
School Coaches Association All-Star football game. by CNB