Holiday Basketball Recap - Tabb, Gloucester Win Prelim Games at BayPort Tourney

YORK – Gloucester earned its first victory of the year, defeating Poquoson 59-39 to set up a championship showdown with the host Tigers at the Bayport Credit Union Holiday Tournament, which began last night at Tabb High. The championship game will tip-off at 7:30, preceded by the consolation matchup between York and Poquoson at 6.

GLOUCESTER 59, POQUOSON 39

Poquoson (2-6) got off to a disastrous start, as Gloucester scored the game’s first 11 points. With 2:16 left in the first period, the Islanders finally lit the scoreboard as forward Brody McDevitt connected on a turnaround jumper from near the top of the key.

Down 18-4 in the middle of the second, Poquoson caught fire. A J.D. Costulis three pointer from the left wing was followed two possessions later by his floater through the lane as the Islanders went on an 11-3 run to shrink the Duke lead to 21-15. Gloucester led 25-19 at the half.

The Dukes started to pull away in the third quarter. A pair of lay-ups by Jordan Wilson, the second coming after a teammate’s steal, pushed the Gloucester lead to 34-21.

Poquoson got as close as 10 after a Costulis lay-up off a steal closed the margin to 44-34 with 4:50 remaining. But John Patterson’s lay-in drew a foul, and the senior guard converted the classic three-point play to extend the lead back to 13. Allah Armstead’s four free throws in the game’s final minute sealed the victory for Gloucester (1-6).

Costulis led the Islanders with 14 points, while Wilson (10) was the only Duke in double figures.

Gloucester  14, 11, 14, 20 -- 59

Poquoson      4, 15, 8, 12 -- 39

GLOUCESTER (1-6): May 6, Cooke 9, Spencer 5, Cho 2, Patterson 6, Wilson 10, Nunn 6, Fortner 5, Womble 3, Early 1, Armstead 6  Totals 17 23-39 57.

POQUOSON (2-6): Costulis 14, Schuhart 10, Taylor 5, McDevitt 7, Young 3. Totals 14 9-19 39.

3-point goals: Gloucester 2 (Cooke, Fortner). Poquoson 2 (Costulis, Schuhart)

TABB 66, YORK 51

Jalen Jordan was the hot hand for Tabb in the first half. His lay-in off of Jalin Pearson’s backward pass on the fast break gave the Tigers an early 8-2 lead. The Falcons closed to 12-9, but freshman guard Joby Jansen buried a pair of three-pointers, which helped Tabb to secure an 18-11 first quarter advantage.

The Falcons battled back, and Rayvon Patrick’s short pull-up jumper cut the margin to 20-17 with 5:20 left in the first half. But Jordan (18 first-half points) kept the visitors at bay, scoring in a variety of ways, including a windmill layup, which started with his rebound under the basket. Falcon point guard Josh McFadden kept the hosts honest with 11 points of his own, but the Tigers entered halftime with a 32-25 advantage.

Jordan soared over a sea of bodies in the middle to put back Pearson’s missed shot, and his follow shot gave the Tigers a 43-30 edge midway through the third quarter. With the lead extended to 47-32 and 2:44 remaining in the third, Tabb coach Doug Baggett pulled his starters and inserted a lineup with Evan Glass, Alex Brown, Myles Ross, Patrick Myatt and Arthur Smith. The quintet only scored one point in the remainder of the period, but only allowed one to York, earning them more time on the court.

In the fourth, Smith scored six of his seven points, while Myatt drained a pair of three-pointers as the Tigers maintained their 15-point lead for the rest of the game.

“They run the offense better than the starters,” said Baggett of his second team. “I have no problem  putting them in. They pass the ball well, and don’t turn the ball over. I wish I had been able to put them in more in the first half.”

York  11, 14, 8, 18 -- 51

Tabb  18, 14, 16, 18 -- 66    

YORK (0-8): McFadden 14, Patrick 11, Kimrey 7, Simmons 2, Thomas 2, Nanartowich 5, Lofton 2, Christian 8.  Totals 18 13-19 51.

TABB (4-4):  T. Jackson 4, K. Brown 4, Jansen 11, Ross 2, Myatt 6, Pearson 6, Jordan 22, Hunter 2, Cooper 2, A. Smith 7. Totals 23 15-18 66.

3-point goals: York 2 (McFadden, Nanartowich)), Tabb 5 (Jansen 3, Myatt 2).

For the fourth straight year, the Tabb tournament, sponsored by Bayport Credit Union, is dedicated to the memory of Dale Lucado. Lucado, a friend of Tiger coach Doug Baggett's, was a captain on the 1967 Newport News High School Typhoon football team. In 1971, he broke his neck while making a tackle during an alumni football game against Hampton High, and Lucado became a quadriplegic from the accident. However, his community involvement and infectious positive spirit became an inspiration to many young athletes on the Peninsula. Lucado died in February 2012, and in his name, all tournament proceeds are donated to the scholarship fund of the Boys and Girls Club.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

NN's Diallo and Galeski Win World Karate Medals for Axsom Team

From Wednesday's Daily Press - 12/23/2015

Both Amadou Diallo and Austin Galeski found karate by accident.

For Diallo, it was four years ago when a flyer in his classroom led the middle schooler to seek out John Axsom’s dojo on Warwick Blvd.

“I had missed football season and was looking for something to do after school,” said the now 17-year old Warwick High junior.

For Galeski, the decision to join Axsom’s school was fueled by a different motive.

“He (Axsom) was my favorite teacher at Hines (Middle),” said the 18-year old, who just completed his first semester at Hampden-Sydney College after graduation from Menchville High last June. Laughing, Galeski adds, “In fact, he was the only “A” I got in seventh grade. The way he teaches connects with me. I had no interest in martial arts, but figured it would be a good way to stay connected. I started just to hang out with Axsom two or three nights a week.”

Regardless of their humble introductions to martial arts, the pair have become disciples of the discipline, and recently earned international acclaim as Diallo won a gold medal, and Galeski, a silver, at the United World Karate Championships, held in mid-October at the Bonifika Arena in Koper, Slovenia.

In all, the AAU/USA team, which consisted of 26 members, brought home 20 medals – 10 gold, four silver and six bronze. Diallo also won a bronze as part of a three-man team in team kumite.

It was Diallo’s gold medal performance that had sensei Axsom, a 5^th degree black belt with twenty years of teaching experience, in awe.

“The person who wins (a bout) usually wins by half a point, or one point. Amadou blanked the national champion of Romania 6-0. It was the most amazing thing I’ve ever seen and I’ve been at this for a long time.”

However, the road to gold was not without its moments of doubt. Diallo competed in the 80-kilo Cadet (15-17 year old) division, and received a bye in the first round.

But, leading into the second round, before his opening match, Diallo got an eyeful of his first opponent.

“I remember telling my teammates – this guy is fast! I was scared to death,” said the first-degree black belt, who is eligible for his second-degree test next month. But, Axsom told me, “do what you did to get here.”

Even the teacher admitted, “Going in, that guy was better.”

But Diallo won his opening match, and with the second round out of the way, Diallo got an early jump on his semifinal round opponent, leading 4-1. But the lead was short lived, as his foe came back to tie the match and force a sudden death overtime.

How nerve wracking was the overtime? Says Axsom, “I was more nervous.” Fortunately, Diallo quickly scored the match ending point to earn a championship berth.

Galeski, who earlier in 2015 was the male karate recipient of the Joel Ferrell award at the AAU Junior Olympic Games for his athletic ability and sportsmanship, also faced adversity during his week in Slovenia.

Competing in kumite (sparring), Galeski was disqualified for an illegal move. While unintentional, the move did break the collarbone of his opponent.

“It took a big toll on me, because some people thought I had done it on purpose. But the coaches sat me down and told me to prepare for kata, because that would be all I was doing – so do my best,” said the second-degree black belt.

In fact, while Galeski had trained for weapons competition, there was no such event at Worlds. But kata (pronounced kaa taa), is a set of predetermined moves against invisible opponents. And while it resembles shadow boxing, kata requires precision, power, speed, timing, and as Axsom likes to point out, “even breathing is scored.”

In short, Galeski needed to develop a short memory and put his focus on the next event.

It was Galeski’s focus that led him to the medal stand, a skill that he learned from Axsom, but further honed while training on two separate weeklong occasions with a Grandmaster in Naha, Okinawa, Japan.

To accomplish such remarkable feats in a short time of training amazes the instructor.

“Most members of the national team started at eight to 10 years old,” noted Axsom. “Amadou and Austin started at about 13, so they had the least experience. When they made the (World) team – that was my gold medal. I thought that if we came back with one (medal), I would have been ecstatic. The fact that they came out with that many blew my mind. They just killed it.”

Added Diallo, “We were the rookies.”

Axsom was not the only person to take notice. Shortly after arriving back in the States, the Virginia AAU presented Amadou and Galeski with championship rings to denote their achievement. Thinking back of the experience, Diallo recalls, “Everybody was nice to me. And after winning the gold, other competitors came up and wanted pictures with me.”

Even Galeski found a positive aspect from his disqualification, getting the opportunity to communicate with the opponent whom he had injured, something Axsom called a “spirit of unity.”

While the Axsom Martial Arts team competes in four to six tournaments per year (mostly AAU and Junior Olympic matches), both Amadou and Galeski have qualified for the Junior World Championships, which will be held in Dublin, Ireland next June. While Amadou will surely compete, Galeski is less certain as his school schedule in Farmville has curtailed his ability to train.

“Fortunately, there is an aerobics room at Hampden-Sydney where a few of us can get in and workout two or three times a week. But I’m not able to train as much as I want. Maybe I’ll be able to find time when summer break starts in May.”

Axsom Martial Arts is located in the Warwick Village shopping center at 11006 Warwick Blvd. in Newport News. Their contact number is 223-9944.

Highland Springs Moves On To 5A State Final; Beats Indian River 35-10

Congratulations to Highland Springs, who captured the 5A State crown today in Charlottesville. Here's how they earned the right to play -- as captured by my wife Elizabeth for Recruit757.com last weekend.

Water is a common factor for the region surrounding both high schools.  On Saturday, the fall line was a road to the state championship game.

Indian River is in Chesapeake, near the Great Dismal Swamp and surrounded by the Elizabeth River, a tributary of the James River.  Highland Springs, a suburb of Richmond, was founded by a Bostonian during the Civil War.  The natural springs from the regional climate convinced Edmund Read and his family to settle in our Commonwealth, giving the area a new name and inspiration.

Saturday’s game was equivalent to a geography-inspired lesson from the beginning to its end.    After the loss, Indian River traveled home south and east.  Highland Springs will make the final trip to Charlottesville representing 5A South against Stone Bridge.

An idea for the game summary came to mind during the drive from Hampton Roads into Highland Springs.  This full-time geographic educator immediately welcomed a content-specific word for the 5A East matchup between the Indian River Braves and Highland Springs Springers.  Instead of boring the sports enthusiast with the academic specifics, the key of a fall line is a river, a body of water that converges.  Fall lines consist of hard rocks, slopes and waterfalls making it difficult for vessels to safely navigate.

Highland Springs’ (12-1) only defeat was to Hermitage, their first game during regular season.  Coach Loren Johnson had an explosive arsenal of both offensive and defensive players.  Indian River’s playbook included coverage for Springers running back D.J. Anderson and wide receiver Greg Dortch.   The Springers offense averaged 42 points during the regular season and also in the post-season.

Indian River (11-2) arrived at Highland Springs’ Victor W. Kreiter Stadium as the visitor, surrounded by a sea of Springer black and gold fans who tailgated hours before the game.    The Springers’ fan base was so certain it was their game, until the Braves’ number four appeared on the field.  Indian River supporters soon followed and filled the stadium.   Tavante Beckett, linebacker, at 6’1” and 235 lbs. entered , then, Jaquan Yulee, linebacker.  Number 2, at 6’2 and 245 lbs.

As the teams tossed spirals, fans noticed the sheer size and speed of Indian River’s defensive line.   Nervous chuckles and furious Google searches about Coach Ferebee’s Braves on phones commenced.   Other names were mentioned in a whisper, along with their height.  It was focused on quarterback Tyre Givers-Wilson (6’3) and running back Tyain Smith (6’0).   It was concluded that if a team eliminated Mike Smith’s Hampton Crabbers from championship contention, the team possessed a powerful run-pass game and a strong defense.

Tyain Smith successfully scored a Braves touchdown in the second quarter.

Afterwards, Indian River was outplayed and outmatched by the Springers defense.   The home team continued to dominate for yardage and points until game’s end.    Greg Dortch caught 10 passes for over 200 yards and three touchdowns for Highland Springs. Juwan Carter completed 17 of 25 passes for 200 yards and three touchdowns.   Indian River managed only 200 total yards in Saturday’s matchup, while the Springers had 375 yards of offense.

The final score for the 5A South Final was Highland Springs 35 and Indian River 10.   The Braves of Chesapeake should hold their heads with pride and accept praise from the 757 Football fan base for an exciting, action-packed 2015 season with an outstanding 11-3 record.   The Springers, even more gracious in victory, acknowledged the heart, passion, and talent of Coach Glenwood Ferebee and his remarkable players seconds after the game ended.  Highland Springs will now prepare for the 5A Championship game in Charlottesville Saturday, December 12.

FINAL:  Highland Springs: 35, Indian River 10.  

The "Wall's" Peninsula Game of the Week - Magna Vista Knocks off Phoebus 28-23 in 3A State Semis

Ok, it's not the same game that I previewed on Friday. However, I received an e-mail from The Roanoke Times asking if I would be interested in covering this game on behalf of their Magna Vista readers. My wife Elizabeth ended up covering the Highland Springs-Indian River game for Recruit757.com, and I may run her article in a few days.

Special thanks to Sam Mizelle of Recruit757.com (and many other places, including The Associated Press!) for lending her photographic talents to this article. Sam took pictures at Darling Stadium on Saturday and was gracious enough to offer a few for this recap. Keep an eye out for her, Sam caught some remarkable shots!

Shoalin McGuire runs for several of his 93 yards in Magna
Vista's 28-23 win over Phoebus last Saturday.
(Photo by Sam Mizelle)

HAMPTON – Magna Vista earned a berth to its second straight 3A state championship, but not before surviving a near implosion in the fourth quarter, as they opened up a 28-0 lead early in the third quarter, then held on for a 28-23 win against Phoebus on Saturday at Darling Stadium.

With the win, the Warriors will play the winner of the Lord Botetourt-Hopewell game, played on Saturday afternoon.

Jacqez Hairston’s second rushing touchdown of the game, from 12 yards out, gave the Warriors a convincing 28-0 lead midway through the third quarter of a game they had completely dominated up to that point. In the first half, the Warriors totaled 304 yards to 28 for Phoebus, while the Magna Vista defense held the Phantoms to one first down.

But the Peninsula District runner-up fought back valiantly in the game’s final 19 minutes. Justin Wright found Elijah Nelson on a 10-yard passing touchdown to put Phoebus on the board. After an Aaron Branch interception of a Shoalin McGuire pass, Jaylen Holloway plowed through the middle for a one-yard score, closing the margin to 28-14.

On the ensuing kickoff, the Phantoms kicked a lobber, which landed at the Magna Vista 20, then bounced toward the goal line, where it was picked up by Traveon Redd. However, the Phoebus defense converged on Redd, and tackled him in the end zone for a safety, giving the Phantoms two more points, and the ball, which ended up at the Warrior 38 after a long return..

Elijah Nelson's two touchdown catches were not enough to
help the Phantoms win their 3A state semifinal against
Magna Vista last Saturday. (Photo by Sam Mizelle)

Now minutes into the fourth quarter, Wright found Nelson again, this time all alone in the front right of the end zone as they took advantage of a breakdown in the Magna Vista defense. The 23-yard score closed the gap to a one-possession lead of 28-23, with ten minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. In all, the Phantoms 23 points were scored in just over a six-minute stretch.

Another Phoebus interception, this one by Andre Smith, gave the Phantoms the ball at their own 29, with five minutes left to play. However, the hosts could only muster nine yards on ten plays (they earned a first down on a Magna Vista pass interference call), and Wright’s 4^th-and-16 pass sailed over his target’s head, sealing the win for the Warriors.

“We knew that we were facing a tough team,” said coach Joe Favero. “We won the field position in the first half, but they won in the second. We kept giving them great field position, and short fields.” In fact, Phoebus only gained 169 yards in the game, while the Warriors tallied 439.

The Warriors received the ball first and immediately put their hurry-up offense to work. Their first drive stalled after ten plays and 57 yards, as McGuire fell short of the first down mark, running on fourth-and-two from the Phoebus 22.

After Phoebus failed to gain a first down and punted, Magna Vista caught fire. On the first play, Redd caught a reverse, found room down the right sideline, veered inside and darted toward the right pylon of the goal line, which he almost reached before being knocked out at the 2. Three plays later, McGuire called his own number and bulled into the end zone from three yards out.

Jacquez Hairston was the key on the next drive. Hairston’s 19-yard run put the ball from midfield to the 31, while his second 19-yard run was a break through the middle. After faking out a pair of safeties, Hairston dashed into the end zone, to give the Warriors a two-touchdown lead. For the day, Hairston gained 135 yards on 23 carries.

Working from the pistol, McGuire swept to the left and into the end zone from seven yards out. The senior ran for two touchdowns. While completing 10 of 18 passes for 149 yards. But it was his three interceptions that kept Phoebus in the game until their final drive.

MAGNA VISTA (12-2) -  14, 7, 7, 0 --28

PHOEBUS (12-2)  -            0, 0, 7,  16 -- 23         

First quarter

MV – McGuire 3 run (Eanes kick)

MV – Hairston 19 run (Eames kick)

Second quarter

MV – McGuire 7 run (Eames kick)

Third quarter

MV – Hairston 12 run (Eames kick)

P – Nelson 10 pass from Wright (Tonkins kick)

Fourth quarter

P – Holloway 1 run (Tonkins kick)

P – Safety (Returner tackled in end zone)

P – Nelson 23 pass from Wright (Tonkins kick)

         MV   PHOE

First downs;    22, 11

Rushes-yards;  46-290, 33-86

Passing yards;   149, 83

Comp-att-int;   10-18-3, 7-20-0

Penalties-yards; 4-45, 4-45

Punts-avg;      0-0, 7-37

Fumbles-lost;   1-1, 0-0

The "Wall's" TIDEWATER Playoff Game of the Week - Indian River Travels To Richmond To Meet Highland Springs in 5A State Semis

My wife Elizabeth will be covering this game for Recruit757.com. Check out @recruit757 for game updates.

5A South Region Finals - Indian River (11-2) vs. Highland Springs (12-1), Saturday, 1:00 PM

Where - Victor W. Kreiter Stadium, Highland Springs High School, 15 S. Oak Ave., Highland Springs, VA 23075 (off Rte. 33 – E. Nine Mile Rd, accessible from I-64.)

Next Opponent - The winner will play the winner of the 5A North championship game, Stone Bridge (9-4) vs. Tuscarora (13-0), next weekend in the 5A State Championship game, held at Scott Stadium (University of Virginia)

For the Braves from Chesapeake, beating top-seeded Hampton 21-17 last week merely served as the first step of three toward winning the 5A state championship. Next on deck for Indian River are the Springers of Highland Springs, who earned the distinction of becoming the best team in Richmond by virtue of their 42-35 victory over previously top-ranked Hermitage in last week’s 5A South Conference 11/12 final.

By defeating Hermitage, the Springers avenged their only season loss, a 21-20 heartbreaker to the Panthers in the season opener. Highland Springs is on a hot streak, with 12 straight wins, but the Springers have given up 69 points in the last two games, meaning that Indian River should be able to find chinks in the defensive armor of their opponent.

Meeting Highland Springs

The Springers, coached by Loren Johnson, entered this season looking to fill several key spots from the 2014 team, which went 11-1, losing 25-23 to eventual state champion L.C. Bird in the 5A South semifinals. They were successful, and after the opening game loss, quickly found their collective stride. Indian River will face a tough task in beating Highland Springs, particularly on the road, and 100 miles from their home base.

The team is on a mission, having been the victim of hard luck on several occasions on their quest for an elusive state championship. Since 1970, they have been to two championship games, but lost both by close margins. In 1978, the Bob Hardage-led Annandale Atoms nipped the Springers 14-13 for the AAA championship, while in 1989, it was Alexandria’s West Potomac Wolverines  that squeaked by Highland Springs 17-14 to triumph in the AAA-Division 6 final.

Offense – The Springers may have the most explosive offensive unit in the 5A South region, averaging 41.7 points in three playoff games. Junior quarterback Juwan Carter was the highest rated signal caller in Richmond this season, completing 63.5 percent of his passes for over 1,500 yards and 18 TD’s. He only completed 66 passes during the regular season, but 60 of them went to a pair of speedy receivers. Greg Dortch is only 5’9”, but showed blazing speed while catching 34 balls for 802 yards. K’Von Wallace also averaged over 20 yards per catch with 26 receptions for 535 yards. Dortch is a Division I prospect while Wallace has committed to Cincinnati.

D.J. Anderson leads the Springer running attack. Anderson rushed for over 950 yards and eight yards per carry during the regular season. Against Hermitage, he added 124 more. Tackle Mekhi Becton (6-7, 310 lbs.) anchors a sturdy offensive line.

Defense – The Springers defensive unit has become a bit of a paradox lately. Like the offense, they started the season as an inexperienced group, but quickly jelled. During the regular season, the Springers pitched five shutouts, including four in a row during October when Hanover, Lee-Davis, Henrico and Patrick Henry failed to score on successive weeks.

However, in playoff wins against Lee-Davis and Hermitage, the defense allowed 34, and then 35 points. While giving up 8.7 points per game during the regular season, they have allowed 27.3 ppg. in three playoff games. Good teams can score on Highland Springs and the key for Indian River on Saturday will be figuring out how to reach the end zone regularly.

How Can Indian River Win? – The challenge is well defined for Coach Glenwood Ferebee and his Braves. The offense, led by quarterback Tyre Givers-Wilson, will need to shake up the Springer defense and not allow them to find the comfort zone that kept opposing teams scoreless for most of October.

On defense, the Braves will need to slow down the receiving tandem of Dortch and Wallace, while applying pressure to Juwan Carter so that he cannot find a passing rhythm – one which achieved a 23-yard per completion average and astronomical 17.3%  touchdown-to-passing attempt ratio in 2015.

Braves on Offense – Working in the favor of Indian River is that they have a big running back, a big quarterback, and a receiver who can keep the Highland Springs secondary honest.

The Brave attack focuses on Tyain Smith, the 6-2, 205 lb. running back who transferred from Great Bridge and immediately bolstered the Indian River running game. Smith finished the regular season with 1,175 yards and 11 touchdowns on the ground, but in the mold of John Riggins, he is elevating his game for the playoffs. Against Hampton, Smith pushed for 130 yards, but 110 came in the second half as the Braves looked to control the ball.

Handing him the ball will be Tyre Givers-Wilson. Wilson got off to a sluggish start in the opening game against Bethel, a 14-8 drudge match, but at 6-4 and 220 pounds, Givers-Wilson possesses the size, arm and speed of a college quarterback. Fortunately, for his teammates, the rest of Givers-Wilson’s season went better, and he finished the regular campaign with over 1,400 passing yards and 20 touchdowns.

Many of those passes went to leading receiver Kyren Best. Best grabbed 31 balls for just over 500 yards and 11 scores. He will have help from Devon Hunter and Jonathan Griffin, both of whom caught touchdown passes in the Hampton game.

Braves on Defense – Very few words are needed; in fact, four can sum up what Highland Springs has to look forward to on Saturday.

Jaquan Yulee. Tavante Beckett. They are the showcase players for a defense that allowed just over ten points a game during the regular season, and have held Bethel, Kecoughtan and Hampton to seven, seven and 17.

Yulee will be playing for Nick Saban at Alabama next year, but #2 will still be counted on for big plays against the Springer offense, one that has notched 550 points in 13 games. Beckett is slightly less well known, but it was his forced fumble and recovery that sealed the victory against the Crabbers last week.

Outlook – Two keys here. Can Highland Springs, and its 42-point per game offense, be held in check? Indian River will need to hold the Springers under 28 to win this game. Second, which Springer defense is the real deal – the one that recorded five shutouts in the first ten games, or the one that has given up 69 points over the past two weekends? If the Braves can score 35 points, it may be a fun ride back to Chesapeake on Saturday.