HS Football: Newport News Doubleheader at Todd Stadium Friday, Sept. 4th

In Thursday's high school football action, Hampton, led by coach Mike Smith, won its 800th game as a program, shutting out Denbigh 38-0. With the win, the Crabbers become only the 10th American high school team to reach the 800-win plateau. Here's the link to the game summary, as provided by Kate Yanchulis of the Daily Press.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/highschool/dp-spt-hampton-denbigh-20150903-story.html

In the game previewed here yesterday, Tabb managed to keep up with Hopewell for three quarters, before the Blue Devils ran away with a 49-20 victory. Here's Marty O'Brien's story.

http://www.dailypress.com/sports/highschool/dp-spt-brd-gamer-0904-20150903-story.html

I'm covering a pair of games for the DP at Todd Stadium tonight. Here's a preview that I wrote for recruit757.com.     

http://www.recruit757.com/todd-stadium-doubleheader-highlights-friday-schedule/

Heritage (0-1) vs. Warwick (1-0), 5 p.m.

Heritage Coach George Massenburg hopes for a better result this Friday (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)

The Peninsula District will get its season underway this weekend, including a key doubleheader of Newport News schools at Todd Stadium on Friday night.

In the first game, Warwick will play host to the Heritage Hurricanes.

For Heritage, fresh off an 11-2 season, a collective short memory may be their best remedy after a 54-0 drubbing at the hands of last year’s 4A state champion Lake Taylor. Few things went right for the Hurricanes last Friday. The team was outgained 370-68 in total yardage, while completing only two of 16 passes. The offense was further stalled with four turnovers (two interceptions and two fumbles).

However, Heritage retained many of its key players from last season, and will remain a force within the Peninsula District. Junior quarterback Jeremiah Boyd begins his third year as the starter, and he has help in the backfield, namely in the form of last year’s leading rusher Tra’Sean Shackleford (103 carries, 709 yards, 6.8 avg., 4 TD’s). Omar Martin (86 carries, 525 yards, 6.1 avg.) is also back, and Boyd is known for possessing fleet feet, giving the Canes a triple threat on the run.

Tyquan Baucom, a transfer from New Bern, NC, has been playing middle linebacker and should help to shore up a defense that will get better as the season progresses.

Nevertheless, the Raiders (2-8 in 2014) look to be better than the team that lost 43-6 to Heritage last year, a fact that was evidenced in their 27-18 win over Granby last week. In that game, Warwick overcame 11 penalties to build up a 21-6 lead in the fourth quarter.

Demonte Good led the ground attack for Warwick, tallying 147 yards on 23 carries, with a pair of touchdowns. Not bad for a converted wide receiver. On the defensive side, end Malik Harris will lead a team that returns eight starters, but will have to continue a speedy maturation process to avoid giving up over 30 points per game like it did in ’14.

Coach Corey Hairston has other reasons to be pleased with the progress of his team. While young last season, many of his players gained valuable experience from playing a full schedule and will reap the benefits this year.

Heritage will be hungry for a week after last week’s devastation, but this year’s margin of victory will probably be nowhere near the 37-point spread from 2014. Something along the lines of 35-21 in favor of Heritage looks more reasonable.

Woodside (0-1) vs. Menchville (0-1), 8 p.m.

In the second game, Woodside (7-4 in 2014) will face Menchville, a team coming off successive 1-9 seasons, and now coached by Ray Savage.

Woodside should win the fictitious award for toughest Week 1 test among Peninsula teams. The Wolverines opened their season with a six ½-hour bus ride to Rock Hill, SC, where they clashed with 2013 state champion Northwestern. Although Woodside “hung around” and were only trailing 26-17 in the third quarter, the hosts pulled away for a 47-23 victory.

After the game, Coach Danny Dodson told a South Carolina newspaper, “We played our tails off and got beat by a real good football team. That’s why we wanted to play them.”

There were positive signs for Woodside, such as converting 22 first downs, eight more than their opponent. Looking ahead to this season, Dodson brings back key members of a high-powered offense that averaged 33.3 points a game last year.

With L.J. Taylor’s transfer to Denbigh, Tyhier Tyler regains his spot as the starting quarterback, a role he played for the first nine games of 2014 before a season-ending injury put him on the sidelines. Tyler ran for 119 yards and two TD’s against Northwestern. Tamir Walker, a 1,000-yard rusher in 2014 added 99 yards of rushing against Northwestern and will compliment an offensive trifecta that includes Demetri Banks. Last year, Woodside could score early and often, as shown against Gloucester when they scored touchdowns on each of their first three offensive plays.

The Monarchs had a tough time in their opener, scoring the initial touchdown against Nansemond River, but then giving up 53 unanswered points en route to a rough loss. However, looking toward the future, Savage is trying to lay the groundwork for a team that has not enjoyed postseason success for 22 years.

For this year, he needs to look no further than his living room to see the key to his defense. Ray Savage Jr., a 6-2, 206 lb. linebacker, who has been drawing college interest, will lead the Monarchs. On offense, Savage can rely on returning QB A.J. Wyatt, as well as senior running back Malik Dixon, who led the team with 488 rushing yards last year.

Woodside won this game 49-0 last year, and the only difference on Friday could be a score or two from the Monarchs.

Tabb High Faces Early Test in Thursday Opener Against Hopewell

From Recruit757.com. Marty O'Brien will be covering the game for the Daily Press and you can catch his updates @MartyOBrienDP as well as HRVarsity.com. 

Hopewell (0-0) vs. Tabb (0-0) at Bailey Field, Yorktown 7:00 p.m. Thursday

Tabb QB Alec Kurek (Photo: Andy Hilton/recruit757)

The Tabb Tigers will open their regular season on Thursday with a tough non-conference opponent in the Hopewell Blue Devils, from just southeast of Richmond.

Hopewell finished 5-7 in their Central District last fall, but figure to be greatly improved for 2015 with the return of 16 starters. Quarterback Cameren Hill threw for 13 TD’s (against 13 interceptions) and 1,317 yards as a sophomore in 2014. At 5’9″ and 165 pounds, he’s small for a QB, but will be helped by a large offensive line, and complimented by his own nimble legs. Victor Figueroa (Sr.-FB) and Anthony Crawford should get the lion’s share of the carries at running back now that Darrell Taylor and Matt Trevilian have graduated. And the defense should be bolstered with the return of DE Jarey Allen and CB Ronnie Moore, who will join a quartet of three-year starters.

Tabb, with Matt Lawson returning for his 12th season, finished 7-4 last year as a 4A South school, and should benefit from a drop to 3A competition. But Lawson’s objective this season will be more about rebuilding and stabilizing his young Tiger squad. Still, there is some talent returning to Yorktown.

Quarterback Alec Kurek will be at the center of the Tiger attack. The QB threw for over 1,000 yards and a dozen touchdowns last year, but more importantly, finished the regular season strongly. Senior Nick Hunter will move from WR (23 catches, six TD’s in 2014) to running back in order to provide experience and ability to the running game, and Rodney Haggins, a 5’8″, 175 lb. junior will join Kurek and Hunter in the backfield. Haggins’ 145-yard rushing effort against Bruton (a 28-0 win) last fall gave Lawson an idea of the youngster’s talent as a tailback. Zach Schiele (6’1″, 250) should anchor both sides of the line, but the defense will have to gel quickly as only a pair of starters return.

In all, it looks like an uphill battle for Tabb at home. The offense should be able to score a couple of touchdowns, but the defense could face problems unless they are able to make big plays early and often. If the Tigers can gather a couple of key turnovers from their defense, they can leave Bailey Field with an opening game win.

The "Wall's" Peninsula Football Game of the Week - Indian River 14, Bethel 8

Bethel tailback DeAndre Gillis (#22) led the Bruins in
rushing last night with 72 yards in a 14-8 loss to I
Indian River.

The high school football season opened last night, and my first assignment was to cover an up-and-coming Indian River HS team from Chesapeake, which traveled across the water to square off with the Bethel Bruins of Hampton. I had the Braves favored by a couple of touchdowns, and was surprised to see Bethel playing aggressive defense and holding Indian River to one first down and negative four yards for the entire first half, while building an 8-0 lead.

However, through social media and a pair of eyes on the field, I learned that Indian River had suspended 13 players for this matchup. The fact that they won 14-8 was a testament to the rest of the team that found a way to win by overcoming adversity. But Bethel, 5-6 last year, looked decent in its first game for Coach Beverley. The defense, which gave up 29 points per game last year, was stingy and held the Braves to just 15 rushing yards (on 28 carries), and a mere 122 total yards. New quarterback Navarro Price showed a strong arm, and the offense will take shape as he finds more ways to include T.J Chisley in the mix. DeAndre Gillis (20 carries, 72 yards) is developing into the go-to back for Bethel, and Janaz Jordan (10 for 30) could become a fine complimentary player.

Here's my preview, which was posted on recruit757.com Friday morning.

xxx

The Bethel Bruins have made the switch from 6A to 5A (PenSouth Conference 10) and will open their 2015 campaign tonight with a 7 PM home game at Darling Stadium. This is the good news for football fans of the Hampton school.

Here’s the not-as-good news — they will continue to play a full schedule against nine other Peninsula District teams, and their opening opponent, Indian River of the Southeastern District, is ranked third in the initial Recruit757.com Southside poll. Also, with the addition of some talented transfers, the Braves will be arguably better than the squad that finished last season with an 8-4 record and a playoff win.

While the Bruins’ first task is daunting, head coach William Beverley is happy to have at least decided on his starting quarterback, the one he hopes will improve on the .500 mark (10-10) that Bethel has posted over the past two regular seasons.

However, as of Friday morning, Beverley had yet to make a public announcement on his starter, who was selected on Monday or Tuesday, allowing for several full practices with the team. Lekendrell Lowther and Navarro Price were the two contenders for the opportunity to replace Beau Morgan as the signal caller. Regardless of which one wins the starting job, he will have at least one weapon on offense, in the form of wideout T.C. Chisley, a versatile athlete, who was given the task of replacing Darrell Brown, last season’s deep threat. Chisley could also see time at quarterback if either Lowther or Price struggles in the first half.

Running back Quinton Lee is also gone from Bethel, but Beverley hopes that the combination of Janaz Jordan and DeAndre Gillis will be able to keep the Bruin backfield in motion. Offensive lineman Daquan Silver (6’5”, 303 lbs.) should help to create open spaces for both runners. Robert Viney, a 6’4”, 310 pound transfer from Fork Union and last season’s All-Conference player Korey Ricks (6’0”, 290) will help to give Bethel a formidable force up front.

The trio of Silver, Viney and Ricks will also provide stability on the defensive line, but the Bruins will need to improve on last year’s mark of giving up 29 points per game if they harbor any hopes of gaining extended post-season play.

On the other side of the field, while Bethel is quickly filling its roster gaps, the Braves did a fine job at reloading, with a huge boost from players who starred at other schools last year.  Linebacker Tavante Beckett transferred from Oscar Smith and should be a solid addition to a mid-defensive core, which already features a standout in linebacker Jaquan Yulee. Beckett’s new teammate Kevin Staton, made the move from Great Bridge, and at 6’6” and 330 pounds, will be tough to move on the offensive and defensive lines, a fact that may have helped running back Tyain Smith make the decision to join Staton in transferring from Great Bridge to Indian River. Omar Butler, a transfer from I. C. Norcom, should also help the Braves on the defensive side of the ball.

Indian River is also returning several key players on offense. Along with transfer Smith, the Braves have a bonafide quarterback in Tyre Givers-Wilson, a 6’4”, 210 lb. senior, as well as wide receiver Devon Hunter (6’3, 210, Jr.), a pair of college sized players who should help the offense light up the scoreboard.

However, Coach Glenwood Ferebee, in his second year at the Chesapeake school, has set a high standard for his team this year, with Southeastern District, 5A South region, and state titles all in his sights. After the team’s scrimmage against Tallwood, Ferebee told Recruit757, “(We) keep pressing. You gotta get better every week.” adding that while his team intends to take the season one week at a time, the objective will be to peak at the end of the year.

Ferebee impressed with his team’s collective effort in its final scrimmage against Tallwood, while Bethel gave up several long drives in its matchup against Landstown last Thursday.

On paper, it looks like the Bruins may be overmatched by a couple of touchdowns. However, if Bethel can keep the game close, Beverley hopes to rely on one more secret weapon, kicker John Vassilakopoulos, who he found on the Bruin soccer team.

IAAF World Track Championships - Bolt Wins Round One - Nips Gatlin by .01 Second in 100 Meters

Today, Thursday, Bolt made it 2-for-2, taking the 200-meter championship with a blazing 19.55, more incredible because he slowed down for the final 15 meters. Gatlin was again second, in 19.74.


Round 1 was a race for the ages. Fighting off the rust that accompanied an injury from two years ago, Jamaica's Usain Bolt held off an early-leaning Justin Gatlin to capture the world 100-meter title last Saturday evening.

The margin of victory was .01 seconds (9.79 to 9.80), but to the naked eye, the race looked like a tie.


Watching the race, I had a number of thoughts and feelings racing through my head. This was the most highly anticipated track race in years. At face value, it held enough drama. In lane 7 was Gatlin, the 33-year old who has been running his fastest ever times this season, and held a 28-race unbeaten streak which had stretched over two years.

Two lanes over was Bolt, the eight-time world champion and winner of six Olympic gold medals. Two months ago, I made a Facebook post pointing out that Bolt's best season times of 10.12 in the 100 and 20.18 in the 200 through June, were mere hundredths of a second better than Noah Lyles, a junior from T.C. Williams --- HIGH SCHOOL! -- in my hometown of Alexandria, VA. Through the summer, the man who reinvented the bow and arrow shooting pose would take until the end of July to dip under ten seconds for the 100-meters. Rumors of his demise were imminent, and Gatlin looked to become the new sheriff in town.

Funny thing with Bolt is that he always shows up when the lights are brightest, and Saturday was no exception. He overcame a rough start in the semifinals to find his drive phase and win from seventh place. In the finals, his start was better, but he still had to catch Gatlin with his last three strides to win at the tape. Sensing the 6'5" Bolt at his side, Gatlin tried to over-compensate at the very end, a move that made him lean five meters too soon, and allowed the Jamaican to win at the last step.

In spite of the fantastic race, the event was overshadowed with cries that the sprinting duel was a show of "good versus evil," and that the future of athletics hung in the balance. Many in the sports and social media world like to jump on the bandwagon of people who decry Gatlin as a "two-time" drug cheat. In fact, his first "offense" was overturned because the foreign substance in question was adderall, a prescription medicine that Gatlin had been taking since age nine for a diagnosed Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) condition. He did serve a four-year suspension for the second offense, but denies intentional wrongdoing, and has passed 59 drug tests since returning to track in 2010. 

In fact, a revealing article by Alan Abrahamson, best-selling author and founder of 3 Wire Sports (www.3wiresports.com), may shed some more light on this subject -- a light that gets cast in the direction of Trevor Graham, Gatlin's former trainer, and shows Graham's possible history of deception, especially since he was a key player in the BALCO scandal. Here is Abrahamson's article link:

http://www.3wiresports.com/2015/08/20/justin-gatlin-and-a-run-for-redemption/

For those who are simply interested in track, there is great news. Bolt and Gatlin will most likely square off again two more times this week - in the open 200, and as anchors of their country's 4x100 meter relay.

Thomas Nelson CC Launches Athletic Program with Baseball SIgnings

With a dozen strokes of the pen, the Thomas Nelson athletic program was formally launched last Friday, as twelve (of 14) baseball players signed their letter-of-intent to play for the Gators during the upcoming 2015-16 fall and spring seasons.

The Espada Room at TNCC before Friday's letter-of-intent
signing event

The ceremony, held in the Espana Room of Moore Hall, marked the first time since its opening in 1967 that Thomas Nelson held an event to introduce a new class of student-athletes.

“Today really is a special day for Thomas Nelson Community College,” noted Dr. Daniel Lufkin, vice-president for student affairs. “Many years from now, you will be able to say that I was in the pioneering class that started student athletics at TNCC.”

However, Dr. Lufkin also reminded the student-athletes of the responsibility that comes with their new commitment.

“As student-athletes, you will be held to a higher standard. You are setting the standard of Thomas Nelson athletes for years to come, at the local and national levels.”

One by one, Perry Woods, public address announcer for the Apprentice School and baseball’s Peninsula Pilots, introduced each athlete. As the player reached the front, he was directed to a table where he signed a letter-of-intent and was given a TNCC pen, as well as a Gator baseball cap. After the signings, coach Chad Smith presented a brief slideshow, which featured all 14 signees.

For many of the new Gator players, just having the opportunity to continue playing a game they love was the reason they signed on with Thomas Nelson.

“It’s awesome! I’m excited,” exclaimed Dylan Bartells, a Grafton HS graduate of 2013 who waited two years for the opportunity to play organized baseball again.

“I’m excited that I’ll be able to go to school and still play,” said Michael Ivers, a 2015 graduate of Deep Creek HS, who will be playing third base for the Gators. Former high school teammate Corey Barker agreed.

“I love playing baseball. I thought that my career might be over. But, Coach Smith came to see us at the (VHSL) regional tournament and asked if I wanted to play for Thomas Nelson. I was sure he was kidding because I thought, they don’t have a team.”

With Friday’s signings, and the addition of several players from last year’s club squad, now they do.

2015-16 Student-Athlete Baseball Recruits

Angel Colon – Green Run HS (’14)

Brett Hogge – Mathews HS (’15)

Chris Phillips – Summit Christian Academy (’15)

Christian Rivera – Hampton Roads Academy (’15)

Corey Barker – Deep Creek HS (’15)

Devin Williams – Smithfield HS (’15)

Dylan Bartells – Grafton HS (’13)

Glen Warren – Bethel HS (’15)

Kristin Hurst – Phoebus HS (’15)

Michael Ivers – Deep Creek HS (’15)

Robbie Edwards – Kecoughtan HS (’15)

Taylor Woolard – Lancaster HS (’15)

Travis Hargrave – Bethel HS (’15)

Willie Fernald – Mathews HS (’15)

Thomas Nelson to Enter NJCAA in 2015-2016, Hosting Signing Day Ceremony Aug. 14

(From official press release)

HAMPTON, Va. -- With the inclusion of baseball, Thomas Nelson Community College will take its first steps into National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) competition in spring 2016.

Coached by Chad Smith, the Thomas Nelson CC Gators
baseball squad will begin play in the National Junior
College Athletic Association (NJCAA) next spring.

Coached by Chad Smith, the Thomas Nelson Gators have operated as a club baseball team to date, but will move to the NJCAA’s Region 10, Division III next year.  Acknowledging its new NJCAA membership, the College will host Signing Day Ceremony on Friday, Aug. 14 at 2 p.m. in  Moore Hall’s Espada  Room at the Hampton campus.    

Smith said the Gators will welcome 12 new players to the squad.  The recruit class includes athletes from Hampton, Chesapeake and Mathews.

He said the upcoming season promises to be highly competitive. The team has a tentative 34-game schedule in place, followed by the Region X Tournament, which will take place May 14-15 at Dan Daniel Park in Danville, Va.   In its home opener on Feb. 27, the team faces Maryland’s Montgomery College at Heritage High School in Newport News, Va.  Other opponents include Southside Virginia Community College, Maryland’s Prince Georges Community College and the Apprentice School.

Region 10 opponents will include Rockingham and Danville community colleges.  The winner of the Region X tournament will compete against the champion from Region 20 to determine a single District D champion, which will compete in the NJCAA World Series.

Smith said Thomas Nelson’s transition to the NJCAA is a great benefit as it raises the College’s profile as well as that of student athletes.  The NJCAA recently made national news as 10 of its former baseball players, including Albert Pujois (MCC-Maple Woods-Missouri) and Bryce Harper (Southern Nevada) participated in the 86^th MLB All-Star Game in Cincinnati.

For more information about the Aug. 14 Signing Day event or to RSVP, contact Smith at 757-825-2887.

Lolo Jones' Comment About Ronda Rousey Almost Backfires..Should She Be Surprised?

For some strange reason, I got a kick out of this one.

http://espn.go.com/espn/story/_/page/instantawesome-LoloJonesRondaRousey-150803/lolo-jones-joked-last-least-minute-ronda-rousey


It started out innocently enough. After watching Ronda Rousey destroy her latest opponent in 34  seconds, hurdler Lolo Jones took to her Twitter to post the following:

Lolo Jones 

✔@lolojones

How much are these chicks paid to get knocked out in seconds? I cant fight but I'll prolong it and run circles for least a minute #UFC190

1:39 AM - 2 Aug 2015

Lolo Jones (top) said that she could possibly last a minute in the
Octagon against undefeated UFC women's bantamweight champ
Ronda Rousey. While the comment was made as a joke, Jones
caught a tidal wave of cyberheat for the comment. Was it deserved?

This was obviously typed out as a joke. Jones is a world-class athlete. She almost won a gold medal in the 100-meter Olympic hurdles in 2008 (she tripped over the last hurdle while leading) and even made the 2012 Winter Olympic bobsled team, and summer team (4th in 100-meter hurdles) But she's not known as a martial artist or boxer.

While many laughed along with the joke on

early Sunday morning, the tone took a downward turn as the sun rose on Sunday.

The overwhelming cry was "How DARE she even think such a thing?"

The story got funny when Jones got back online, this time on her Facebook account. To paraphrase, she posted the tweet along with an article from Sportsnation. Her message was essentially -- I had to ban countless people (from Facebook)..it happens all the time..maybe now people will understand the constant battle I fight against the media... etc..etc..etc.. The accompanying Sportsnation article (link below) noted that indeed the comment was a joke and people should not be taking it so seriously.

(http://www.sbnation.com/lookit/2015/8/2/9087701/no-lolo-jones-didnt-say-she-could-last-a-minute-with-ronda-rousey-ufc-twitter)

Sportsnation is right. The tweet was funny. But Lolo Jones shouldn't be surprised by this reaction, and the fact that she complained on a public forum shows either a touch of naivete or a heavy dose of vanity. "Poor me!!"

After all, Lolo is the best known female in American track and field, unless we are now counting Caitlyn Jenner. While she has competed well, and done many good works off of the track, it is also true that she is very media conscious. For good reason, Jones had no problem embracing the media back when they first found favor with her. And why not? She's genuine, and in journalistic terms "has a good story," one which includes the poverty and homelessness that preceded her athletic accomplishments.

But she has also modeled for magazines, danced (for a week) with the Stars, been featured in a hour long documentary, and shown up boldly at every camera sweep at a track meet. Jones' popularity has made her a divisive figure in track. While she is the most popular female track star, she has also never won an Olympic medal. The fact that she was "oh-so-close" in 2008 is tragic, but true.

Not to fault Lolo. She looks like a model, carries herself well and continues to run strongly enough to compete in hurdle races around the world. Granted, a new crop of athletes have started their takeover. Here is the current world top-5 for the women's 100-meter hurdles for 2015.

1	Sharika NELVIS	12.34	USA
2	Jasmin STOWERS	12.35	USA
3	Dawn HARPER NELSON	12.48	USA
4	Kendra HARRISON	12.50	USA
5	Queen HARRISON	12.52	USA

In fairness, Dawn Harper-Nelson, and Queen Harrison have enough flair and pizzazz to stand out in a crowd. They also dominate many camera angles.

But only Lolo could post a tweet at 1:30 on Sunday morning an have it on the front page of Yahoo within 12 hours.

And she should know that.

Don't Want to Earn a GED? Consider the Career Readiness Certificate

            Maintaining a balance between learning and working, the WorkKeys and Career Readiness Certificate (CRC) programs have been used as a means of helping students obtain the core learning and skills needed to obtain meaningful employment in a career field. American College Testing (ACT), best known for giving a college entrance exam, oversees the program.

               According to its website, WorkKeys is a job skills assessment system that helps employers select, hire, train, develop, and retain a high-performance workforce. Their series of tests measures foundational and soft skills and offers specialized assessments to target institutional needs. (ACT website, 2015) It is used in community colleges, career centers, as well as in the Department of Corrections as part of its adult education program. Locally, Thomas Nelson Community College in Hampton, Virginia is one of the schools that offer this program.

But ACT has expanded far beyond the scope of simply testing pre-college students. As part of 

ACT's Work Readiness System, the ACT WorkKeys program has helped millions of people in high 

schools, colleges, professional associations, businesses, and government agencies build their skills to 

increase global competitiveness and develop successful career pathways. Completing the ACT 

WorkKeys assessments in Applied Mathematics, Locating Information, and Reading for Information 

can lead to earning ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate (ACT NCRC), a credential earned 

by over 2.3 million people to date, across the United States. Students may earn a platinum, gold, 

silver or bronze certificate, which can be taken to a future employer to prove work readiness.