THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Wednesday, September 11, 1996 TAG: 9609100130
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 12 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: BEACH DISTRICT BOYS VOLLEYBALL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 130 lines
COACH BRUCE STEWART has set a lofty goal for his Cox boys volleyball team.
A Beach District title? An Eastern Region crown?
Try state championship!
``That is our goal,'' he said. ``To be the state champion.''
It's not a pipe dream or an unrealistic ambition. Cox compiled a 16-2 record a year ago and finished second in the district and region tournaments. Four starters are back and there are some solid new additions.
Says Stewart: ``We have an excellent team with more depth than we have ever had.''
But if the Falcons are to prevail, they're going to have to get by First Colonial. The Patriots already struck the first blow for district supremacy by winning the Clover Hill Invitational last weekend, beating Cox in the title game 15-12, 15-11.
First Colonial, 15-3 in the district and 16-4 overall last year, also has four returning starters. The Patriots have also acquired the premier player in the district from last year. Senior Kevin Jones transferred in from Tallwood.
``We are very tall, very experienced and very deep,'' said First Colonial coach Mark Lottinville. ``If we stay injury free, we should be very tough.''
However, Tallwood may have something to say about all of this.
Tallwood not only won the Beach District crown last year but went on to capture the Eastern Region title.
The transfer of Jones will be a blow to the defending champs. And Tallwood has only one starter back. However, coach Ken Shibuya says the Lions will roar again.
``This team has quite a few good prospects ready to jump in,'' said Shibuya. ``We may experience growing pains in the early going but with some hard work and game experience, we expect to challenge for the district title.''
Western Branch and Great Bridge appear the most formidable teams in the Southeastern District. Granby rates the edge in the Eastern District.
A capsule look at the Beach District teams in predicted order of finish:
FIRST COLONIAL
None of the teams can match the 1-2 outside hitting punch of the Patriots.
Jones joins close friend Andy Jaeckle and the two are serving as co-captains.
The 6-5 Jones, an outside hitter, had over 100 kills for Tallwood. Jones and Jaeckle have played Junior Olympic volleyball together for several years and the two seniors are considering attending the same college upon graduation next June.
Also returning for First Colonial are starters Dave Hills, Brian Kollar and Cam Land.
COX
Seniors Adam Dierstein, Owen Matter and Eryck Lamagna and junior Josh Zuidema are holdover starters.
A balanced group, including Tom Lamoureau, Chris Topham, Jason Zuidema, Jeff Alberts and Ian Caskill, provide the Falcons with overall strength.
``Three of our starting seniors have been on my team since they were ninth-graders,'' said Stewart. Alberts is a transfer from Catholic. Caskill is a 6-9 sophomore who has never played volleyball before.
TALLWOOD
Eric McDevitt, an outside hitter and setter, is the only returning starter. He's a senior.
Most of the starters will be seniors, including Eric Smith, Jason Letscher, Nick Santasiere and Bob Soules.
Sophomore Brendan Rooney is a promising newcomer.
KELLAM
The Knights are reloading and have only three starters back.
The returning players are seniors Jeremy Clardy and Jeremy McLendon and sophomore Matthew Kent.
``We're looking at a lot of new faces and in a rebuilding process,'' says third-year coach Chuck Burr.
PRINCESS ANNE
The Cavaliers have a new head coach in Jerry Rafal. ``And a new system and new attitude,'' says Rafal.
Princess Anne was 6-10 last season. Rafal is hoping the Cavs will be more competitive.
Holdover starters are seniors Kevin Culver, John Peeler, Keith Bailey and Scott Kittleson and junior Andre Corpuz. Also back are brothers Michael Do and Stephen Do and both are probable starters.
GREEN RUN
Coach Robert Hale says his Stallions ``lost a lot of firepower from last year's team but with a strong core of returners that know the system, we should be more consistent this year.''
He's hoping to raise last year's 7-11 record into a winning mark.
The team captain is William Stein, a four-year starter who played Junior Olympics the past two years and was also captain of the JO team this past season. He was named to the All-Old Dominion region team.
Senior James Oaks, juniors Daniel Mackey and T.J. Taylor and sophomore Mike Oaks are top returnees. Andy Smith, a senior, and Quy Huyn, a sophomore, are the best of the newcomers.
KEMPSVILLE
Dan Barrows is coaching the girls volleyball team this year and David Early has moved over from Tallwood to take the reins at Kempsville.
Three players are back from last year's 11-7 team - senior Scott Rockel, junior Daniel Pinto and sophomore Matt Rogers. At 6-6, Pinto provides good height for the Chiefs. He's a middle hitter. Rockel and Rogers are outside hitters.
``Right now we have a ways to go,'' said Early. ``But we have only three seniors on the squad.''
OCEAN LAKES
Three seniors and a junior return from last year's 4-14 team. The holdovers are Chad McAdoo, Mike Salonga, Christian Corpuz and junior Mike Albeser.
Good prospects include seniors Occasio Gee, Rob Crampton and Rob Brooks, junior Richard Dennis, sophomores Mike Wheeler and Scott Easley and freshmen Chad Bellinger and Ryan Panton. Salonga, Albeser and Bellinger are defensive specialists.
SALEM
Inheriting a winless team from a year ago, first-year coach coach Donna Roman hopes the return of four starters will help a building program.
The team has a lack of height but Roman is looking for strong defensive play.
Holdovers Merwyn Dolor and Tom Paulo are co-captains and will provide senior leadership. Junior Steve Ciesrelski is another returnee and a Junior Olympic player.
Other key performers are Kevin Robertson, Alan Aranas, Mike Dial, Kevin Butler, Daniel Applegate and Jeff Newby. Sophomore Preston Morieyhun won a letter as a freshman.
BAYSIDE
The Marlins also have a new head coach, Russ Cunningham. Bayside won once in 18 outings last year.
David Pennoa, a senior, is the only returning starter.
``David will be a left side hitter and primary passer,'' said Cunningham. ``He has excellent all-around skills.
``It will be a reorganizational year for us.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photo by TODD SPENCER
Tallwood senior starter Jason Letscher misfires on this attempted
kill in the Lions' nondistrict victory over Chesapeake's new Hickory
High last week. by CNB