THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, October 10, 1996 TAG: 9610090208
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 17 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SUFFOLK LENGTH: 123 lines
ALL YEAR LONG, and maybe even into next season, the comparisons will be made.
How did Lakeland do today? I told you Nansemond River couldn't hang with Indian River! Those teams aren't good enough to play Group AAA.
Yet to the surprise of many - which does not include Lakeland and Nansemond River administrators and students - the former Bay Rivers District competitors have held their own so far in Southeastern District play.
Yes, the Nansemond River football team is being pushed around, and both boys volleyball teams are struggling. However, the first district tournament championship has gone to Nansemond River's golf team. And Lakeland's girls tennis team won the regular season title with Nansemond River tying for second.
About the only negative is the accomplishments in golf and tennis will be lost in the significant spotlight shined on football.
``The first sport everyone eyes is football,'' Lakeland football coach and athletic director Edward Smither said. ``Fortunately, we've done OK so far.''
The same cannot be said at Nansemond River.
``All schools go through their peaks and valleys,'' athletic director Phil Braswell said. ``We've been fortunate in the past to have great athletes. Right now, we just don't have as many.''
Here's a look at what the Warriors and Cavaliers have done in their first month of AAA, with records through Oct. 6.
THE GOOD
Lakeland girls tennis: Even with all the friction involving realignment, the Cavaliers, ranked No. 3 in South Hampton Roads, managed to conquer the Southeastern district this season.
Many girls at both Lakeland and Nansemond River found themselves playing fewer sports than they had in the past.
Tennis, volleyball and field hockey are all played in the fall in the Southeastern instead of being spread throughout the year like the Bay Rivers. However, Anne Bender's third-ranked squad stayed focused and motivated en route to a 7-0 season.
No. 2 singles player Lisa Allmond went undefeated. No. 1 Dawn Harrell's only loss came to Hickory's Jessica Strickler, believed to be the best player in the district.
The district individual tournament began on Tuesday and the Eastern Region tournament starts Monday.
Nansemond River girls tennis: The eighth-ranked Warriors (6-2) defeated Hickory last week as part of a three-way playoff to determine the district's second berth in the Eastern Region tournament. Nansemond River was due to play Great Bridge for the region berth on Monday, but the match was rained out and rescheduled for Oct. 14 at 3:30 p.m. at Deep Creek.
The Warriors' No. 2 doubles team win by Rebecca Sherard and Lindsay Duke was the deciding point in the 5-4 victory against Hickory.
Nansemond River golf: Junior Shaun Robertson won medalist honors by posting a 78-80-158 as the Warriors (323-334-657) won the district tournament last week. Teammate Evan Spivey finished second (81-80-161).
For Robertson and the Warriors, the accomplishments serve as three-peats. This is the third straight year Robertson has advanced to his district's regional tournament. And this is also the third consecutive year the Warriors, who finished second in the regular season, won either a regular season or district title.
Nansemond River field hockey: The No. 5 Warriors (6-1), like Lakeland, are playing against Chesapeake schools that are playing field hockey for the first time.
Led by a host of talented players, the Warriors have pounded district foes, including 14-0 victories over Indian River, 10-0 over Western Branch, and 8-0 over Deep Creek.
Nansemond River's lone defeat was a 3-2 loss to former Bay Rivers foe, Tabb, in overtime.
Lakeland football: Despite a 40-19 pounding to Western Branch last week, the unranked Cavaliers, previously ranked as high as sixth in South Hampton Roads, have been impressive.
Lakeland (4-1) allowed only 13 points in its first four games and had two straight shutouts prior to the Western Branch game.
Running back Travis Rawls, a reserve last season, has carried the Cavalier offense. He has gained 806 yards and has scored nine touchdowns.
The defense has been led by Darius Bryant and Phoenix Long.
THE SURVIVING
Lakeland field hockey: The ninth-ranked Cavaliers have had a more difficult time this season than Nansemond River, going 4-0 in the district but just 5-3 overall.
Despite losing nine players to graduation and a couple more to tennis, Lakeland has been led by seniors Det Rae Winslow and Jennifer Jones.
Lakeland golf: Scott White shot 82-89-171 to qualify for the regional tournament as the Cavaliers finished fifth (363-375-738) in the district tournament.
Nansemond River girls volleyball: Angie Gatling and Kelly Savage have been among the bright spots as the Warriors got off to a 4-2 start in district play.
Lakeland cross country: The boys have started 4-3 in what coach David Wessel calls a rebuilding year. Janet Chapman, who was all-Bay Rivers and all-region last season, runs independently since Wessel could not field a girls team.
THE STRUGGLING
Nansemond River football: The Warriors (1-4) have served as scrimmage material for their new foes in Group AAA.
Having been pounded 63-0 by No. 2 Indian River, the season gets no easier as Nansemond River still must face top-ranked Deep Creek, No. 6 Western Branch and Lakeland, for the second time this season.
Lakeland girls volleyball: A lack of experience is the issue as Lakeland has struggled to a 3-5 start.
Lakeland boys volleyball: Coach Bob Lippiatt has had a bigger challenge than winning a match. The first year and winless (0-5) in the district, the Cavaliers' problem has been filling a team, playing with as few as eight players early on.
Nansemond River boys volleyball: Kurt Kreassig has gotten more than enough support from the student body - 21 players - but his team is just 1-5 in the district in its inaugural season of playing the sport.
Nansemond River cross country: Both the boys and girls teams have struggled to 0-3 starts. The Warriors only have 12 runners combined for the whole program. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN
Nansemond River junior Shaun Robertson was the medalist as the
Warriors won the Southeastern District golf tournament.
Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Lakeland's No. 2 girls tennis player, Lisa Allmond, went undefeated
as the Cavaliers won the Southeastern District regular season. by CNB