Lady Gators Change League Affiliation; Win Championship
The Hampton Roads Lady Gators started the year by finding a new home, as the women’s football team realigned itself by joining the United States Women’s Football League.
At the time, team owner Katisha Simpkins said, "The USWFL is a smaller league with great competition geared towards smaller teams. The owners are great people and I appreciate that they are allowing us to show our talents in their league."
The move immediately proved to be successful. After an inaugural campaign which ended with a 2-6 record in the Women’s Football Association, the Gators caught fire in mid-season and reversed its first season record with a 6-2 mark and a playoff berth.
In their playoff opener, the Gators defeated the Fayetteville Fierce. And in the Division 3 (Ironwoman) Championship. The Gators overcame an early deficit and beat the Tri-Cities Thunder 20-14. The Thunder had scored early in the second half to take a 14-8 lead, but Keonna Rheubottom knotted the score with her second rushing touchdown with just over five minutes remaining in regulation.
However, Kenya Wilkerson (four of eight, 90 yards, six carries, 70 yards. TD) was injured on the Gators’ next possession, forcing offensive coordinator Michael Smith to insert Meghan Bradford into the offense at quarterback. To complete the adjustment, the Gators changed to a spread offense and the move paid off as Bradford connected with Ja’Quaria Barnes for the 80-yard game-winning score.
Chantry, Samaha Help Set Track Relay WR
In March, Williamsburg’s Steve Chantry, who had recovered from a calcified Achilles tendon and perforated colon, won four gold medals and ran a leg of a world record relay at the Masters Indoor Championships.
After a four-year period of nagging injuries, Chantry, 62, said, “I had pretty much decided to forego any more track training and racing, and just concentrate on easy distance and have fun in local road races.”
However, his health returned to form sooner than expected, and within six months, he had built his distance base to the point of running 60 miles per week, which made the possibility of high-level track competition a reality again.
At Indoor Nationals, Chantry won the 3000 meters on Friday, lapping all of the runners on the 200-meter oval, except for the runner-up, who finished 12 seconds behind. He also won the 1500 in 4:52.
Later in the day, Chantry, along with three other runners including Williamsburg’s Rick Samaha, combined to run a world record time for the men’s 60-plus 4-by-800 meter relay. Chantry’s anchor leg of 2:25.1 helped the quartet to a 9:50.90 time, which broke the existing world record (9:55.96), set by the Shore Athletic Club of New York, by just over five seconds. Samaha’s split of 2:25.3 was second-fastest among the winning foursome.
Road Racing Returns to Jamestown Island
With the first-ever Democracy Dash 10K taking place in April, a tradition that started in 1691 was renewed – road racing on Jamestown Island.
The Democracy Dash will serve as the final leg of the newly installed Historic Triangle Triple Crown, joining the Yorktown 10K and Williamsburg’s Duke of Gloucester (DOG) Street Challenge 5K run, which are both held two weeks apart in April.
In the late 17th century, then-Virginia Governor Francis Nicholson held foot races, along with other sporting competitions, on Jamestown Island. Nicholson’s competitions marked the first recorded organized and official sporting events in the English New World. With a 327-year legacy to protect, it is noteworthy that there will now be races in all three cities of the Historic Triangle.
Coast Guard Blue Dolphins Score at States
At Virginia Swimming Inc.'s (VSI) Senior Championships, CGBD took first place overall in the Medium Team Category, with the Women's team capturing first and the Men's team third overall. Standout swimmers were Danika Katzer with two Virginia Swimming titles in 100 and 200-meter breaststrokes, Kade Younger in the 100 backstroke, and Chris Verastek earning a title in the 100 breaststroke. Katzer, Morgan Miller, Jacqueline Tinneny, Alex Slayton, and Chelsea Marstellar comprised five relays that broke eight CGBD team records.
At the VSI's 2018 Age Group Championships, CGBD again captured first place overall in the Medium Team Category. Clayton Whetstine came away with three Virginia Swimming titles in 200 and 400 individual medley (IM) and 200-meter backstroke. Laura Gaffney won the 200 backstroke. Brooke-Lynn Clark placed first, winning the 400 IM, while Ian Rodgers won the 11-12-year-old 200 butterfly, breaking another CGBD team record with the win.
CGBD had fantastic representation at the Virginia Swimming Awards Event. Carter Whetstine (11-year-olds), Kyleigh Tankard (13-year-olds) and Katzer (17-18-year-olds) were all recognized as VSI Swimmers of the Year. This accomplishment is the highest honor for individual swimmers presented by VSI.
PSC Winners
Dr. William R. Harvey and Paul S. Trible, Jr., the presidents of Hampton and Christopher Newport Universities, shared the Herbert Morewitz Sports Person of the Year award at the 69th Annual Peninsula Sports Club Awards, held in July.
Long-time Daily Press sports writer Marty O’Brien received the Bob Moskowitz Media Award, while Gene Thompson was honored with the Sports Person Emeritus Award. Belinda Langston, athletic specialist with over 40 years of experience in Newport News Public Schools, won the Charles Karmosky Award.
Menchville and Jamestown high schools captured the Julian Rice and Red Simpson awards, given annually to the most successful athletic programs in the Peninsula and Bay Rivers conferences.
Jamestown’s All-American volleyball player, Emma Schriner, won the Betsy Thomas Outstanding High School Female Athlete, and Patrick McCormick, four-time state champion wrestler from Poquoson, won the Julie Conn Outstanding Male Athlete award.
The Thad Madden award was presented to seven recipients – Quanisha Bruce, Lisa Dillard-Hanks, Allen Iverson, Yvette Lewis, Francena McCorory, Bev Vaughan, Jr., and Keith Witherspoon.
Kermit Buggs, Troy Fullwood and Bill Nettles earned special achievement awards. In 2017, Nettles announced his 1,000th football game, at Todd Stadium.
The PSC also awarded ten $1,000 scholarships to Peninsula student-athletes.
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