THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, February 7, 1997 TAG: 9702060155
SECTION: VIRGINIA BEACH BEACON PAGE: 16 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY LEE TOLLIVER, BEACON SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: 89 lines
THE COX GYMNASTICS team has once again won the Beach District title in the name of consistency.
A fourth-of-a-point victory over Kellam Monday secured the championship and an undefeated season for the Falcons.
Cox has been a district, region and state powerhouse since the sport became a Virginia High School League competition in 1972, placing second in the Group AAA meet six times - including the last two state meets.
But only once has the Falcons' lineup featured a ``franchise player.'' Kim Lewis won the state individual all-around title in 1983.
Cox has been successful with lineups featuring good gymnasts who regularly hit their routines.
That was again the case this season, as Lana Pinera, Britt Moore, Lucy Fisher, Ginna Kelly, Amber Fizer and several others proved steady throughout.
Cox finished the regular season with the highest team total (144.5) of any team in South Hampton Roads.
The Falcons will need more of the same as they attempt to defend their Beach District and Eastern Region titles. The Beach meet is Saturday at Cox, beginning at 10 a.m. The region competition is the following Saturday at Warwick High on the Peninsula.
Coach Melody Hartranft thinks her team is right where it should be at this point of the season.
``We have some minor injuries and we still haven't peaked just yet,'' she said. ``I think they'll come around in the next week or two.''
Pinera, a senior who has been with the team for four years, feels the minor problems can be worked out in time for the upcoming meets.
``We had a few mistakes (against Kellam) but those are easily fixed,'' she said. ``We just need to do a few more routines in practice.''
Stiff competition: The district meet will likely be a battle between Cox, Kellam and Salem - with Kempsville possibly figuring in the mix.
The Falcons, Knights and Sun Devils all appear to be at their best just in time for postseason competition - all three scoring their highest team totals of the year in the season finale.
``I'm very pleased with how things are going right now,'' said Salem coach Wendy Wolf. ``It's going to be a great meet, I'm sure. The girls are focused and they have been working hard.
``It's going to be pretty high-pressure. You've got three teams scoring 140s, which is incredible. And only two teams get to advance. All these kids want it real bad right now.''
Davania Roberts and Kit Johnson have been leading the way, with strong support from Maria Eisenbraun, Summey Savage and several others. Johnson set a new area season high of 9.7 in the vault in Monday's meet.
``We're ready for districts, but I think a lot of people are,'' said Roberts, a senior. ``Especially all the seniors. This is our last time.
``Our team has really come together at the right time and we want to make it to regionals.''
Talk about just in time: Defending Group AAA state all-around champion Brooke Sawyer of Kellam returned to competition just last week.
The senior suffered a severe left ankle sprain Dec. 16.
``I'm not back at full strength just yet and it hurts when I compete,'' she said. ``And I haven't been practicing, so it's hard to jump back in this late in the season. I'm struggling.''
Sawyer tied for top all-around honors with teammate Michelle Alexander in Monday's meet, but her total of 37.2 was a point shy of the state record she tied in last year's region meet.
``Two weeks isn't much time to get ready,'' she said. ``But I'm going to be working much harder this week. I'm going to try my best to be at full strength by Saturday.''
Follow the leader: Unfortunately for Kellam, the Knights seemed to have followed Sawyer's lead. The team that won the state title in 1994 was plagued by injuries throughout.
Kim Russell tore her ACL and is out for good. Theresa Polizzi injured her back; although she's back in the lineup, isn't at full strength.
``We've had more than our fair share of injuries,'' Sawyer said.
But things seem to be improving.
``It's been tough, yes,'' coach Debi Strausbaugh said. ``But we've risen to the occasion. We're just going to have to work a little harder in the next couple of weeks, do more routines and stick our landings.''
Although confident, Strausbaugh is cautious.
``Only two teams will advance from Saturday's meet and there are three teams, I think, that can win those spots,'' she said. ``It's going to be a dog fight, for sure.
``We had several falls this week (against Cox) and if there was a meet this time of year to have falls, this was it. We can't afford the same kinds of mistakes on Saturday.'' ILLUSTRATION: File photo
Kellam's Brooke Sawyer has returned to competition after an ankle
sprain.
KEYWORDS: HIGH SCHOOL GYMNASTICS