DATE: Sunday, November 16, 1997             TAG: 9711140243

SECTION: CHESAPEAKE CLIPPER      PAGE: 19   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY JAMES C. BLACK, STAFF WRITER 

                                            LENGTH:   54 lines

GREENBRIER STAR CLASSMATES NOW FLIP-FLOPPING INTO FAVORITE SPORTS

Friends Katie Sherwood and Matt Backens played for struggling teams but experienced individual success this season for Greenbrier Christian.

Sherwood reached the 1,000th-career point plateau this season and made second-team All-TCIS in girls basketball. Backens had 78 kills and 148 assists and made the boys volleyball all-conference squad.

Sherwood, who became the school's first 1,000-point scorer, had 21 points against Norfolk Christian to reach the milestone. The game was stopped after her record basket and Sherwood was presented a plaque by the athletic director Ed Bailey, roses and balloons by her parents and given the game ball afterwards. However, the whole scene was a little embarrassing to Sherwood.

``I don't like being put on the spot like that,'' said Sherwood, whose team finished 5-14.

She collected 1,034 career points in just three seasons on the varsity team.

Backens had a less than momentous season with the volleyball team.

Greenbrier went 9-6 this season and lost in the first round of the TCIS tournament to Catholic. The Gators were 17-0 during the 1996 season.

``The conference got a lot better,'' Backens said. ``Every other team was awesome.''

Now, the two seniors will flip-flop seasons and play their favorite sports, respectively.

Sherwood goes into this volleyball season as a two-time TCIS player of the year. She played Junior Olympic volleyball for Coastal Virginia the past two seasons and will join the Richmond Volleyball Club this year.

A 4.0 student and ranked sixth in her class, Sherwood is being recruited by William and Mary, Radford, Alabama, Maryland, Virginia, Ohio University and some smaller schools.

Backens will rejoin the basketball team and try to help the squad improve on its third-place finish in the conference next season.

Though not recruited, Backens is interested in continuing his volleyball career if he goes to a college with a men's volleyball program.

Backens, a 4.08 student and third in his class, is also interested in Virginia and William and Mary.

Gator teammates Keagan Broussard and Andy McGlothlin were named second team All-TCIS in boys volleyball. ILLUSTRATION: Photos

Sherwood

Backens

Graphic

ALL TCIS

[For a copy of ALL TCIS, please see microfilm.]

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