For Poquoson, Virginia Duals is a Hometown Affair

For the fourth straight year, I was asked by the DAILY PRESS to help with coverage of the Virginia Duals, one of the premier wrestling events on the East Coast, and one which just happens to be held in nearby Hampton Coliseum. There are a couple of reasons why I like this gig. First, it's a big deal locally, and in some regions of the U.S., as high school and college teams come in from all over the country, some from as far away as Nevada and Arizona. The paper devotes a lot of space and resources to the event, and as many as eight reporters, editors and photographers will contribute to the collective cause.


The other reason I've liked the Duals is no secret. The food is awesome. So, when given a choice to present a feature topic, I went with the hometown flavor of the meet, featuring the three schools who have competed in most (or in Poquoson's case, all) of the 35 Duals. It gave me a chance to thank the people who generally cause me to gain a few pounds each Duals weekend.

Original version of story which ran in DAILY PRESS sports, January 11, 2015.



In many respects, the Virginia Duals is a family affair. There are constants within the competition that friends, fans and competitors can always rely on.

As the Duals turn 35 this year, Poquoson can lay a claim as the home team, one that has been there to celebrate every year. Among the high schools, it is the only one who can claim to have competed in every event.

After all, it’s their show.

“The Duals started with a bunch of Poquoson people,” says Islander coach Eric Decker, himself a native of Binghamton, NY. “The proceeds from the meet go to fund the PWA (Peninsula Wrestling Association), and that money is used to fund the wrestlers when we go to meets in North Dakota and such.

As a unit, the Poquoson contingent is a large and tight one. Insiders know that one of the best features with working at the Duals is the quality of the food in the hospitality room. Feeding the masses requires a large coordinated effort, one that involves spreading a series of dishes out every two hours to match the breaks between matches. The Poquoson parents and children, dozens of them, cook, serve and clean.

It would seem that such a large and a formal association, such as a Poquoson athletic booster club, would underwrite such a massive undertaking.

Lynn Dunagan laughs at the concept. Between rounds of serving the workers lined up on a stage eight feet above and along the sideline, Dunagan freely admits, “We’re just a bunch of parents who have been doing this for years.”

And the continuity of kitchen workers comes from the Bull Island tradition. Names such as Graham, McCormick and Hennessy denote that a new generation of Islander grapplers (and their parents) is now leading the team. When Poquoson wrestles at the Duals, the kitchen empties out.

Although the hospitality room is a sea of Islander Maroon and Gold, some Tabb parent shirts are visible as bowls of chowder and deep dishes of spaghetti and potato salad get lined up and knocked down.

In the end, as it has been since the Duals inception in 1971, the undertaking of maintaining such a large meet has been a group effort, and one which has focused on three schools – the host Poquoson, Tabb, and Gloucester. The Tigers (33) and Dukes (29) stand among the teams with the most Duals appearances. And it’s for good reason.

Gloucester coach Ricky Pierce can attest to that.

“I wrestled for Ferguson (High) back in the day,” says Pierce, hedging before admitting that the time period in question is “sometime in the 1990’s.” We had a Virginia Duals club, and after the season ended, around March, we’d get together and wrestle as a team. We had people from Tabb and Poquoson… they came from all over. It was a freestyle Greco-Roman team and a good way for guys to stay competitive in the offseason.”

The Duals club would later be given a formal name, and the Poquoson Wrestling Association was born.

All of the teams have enjoyed success at the Duals. Since the event started its current format of three high school divisions in 1996, Tabb has won two Black and Blue championships (1996, 2000), while Gloucester has earned two berths in the Division finals (1996, 2004).

Poquoson (career Duals mark of 58-49) has enjoyed more recent success, winning last year’s Black and Blue championship, a win that, by rule, forced them to upgrade to the American High School Division this year.

Tabb and Gloucester have had a harder time earning wins at the Duals, but both teams enjoy successful moments each year and have not embarrassed themselves. Given the high level of competition, Tabb’s 39-54 record and Gloucester’s 28-48 career Duals records show competitiveness.

Tabb coach Doug Roper explained the draw of the Duals.

“Our kids walk in (to Hampton Coliseum) and they’re a little in awe. The colleges are here, and a lot of our alumni show up. It started as a local thing, but now it’s expanded and more teams from out of the area are here. But, even if we lose, you hope as a coach that they will see something that will motivate them to work out harder – to go to the weight room and put in more effort.”

Twenty years ago, Jason Bryant skipped school on a Friday to attend the Duals, and he’s been hooked ever since. Now a print and broadcast journalist, one who has turned his passion into a media business, he has also recognized subtle changes.

Says Bryant, “Nothing drastic has changed, but it has grown. Since I started coming here, we’ve gone from six, to eight and now ten mats. And before, a lot of the high school matches were planned in advance. The colleges were always bracketed, but high schools could come and see how they would do against teams they might see later in the season.”

On Saturday, two of the Old Guard schools squared off as Poquoson drew Gloucester in a consolation semifinal. The match was close through the 145-lb. match, but a 21-point run by Poquoson opened up a sizable lead and the Islanders won 50-27. Afterwards, the teams shook hands and went their separate ways. For now.

Decker explained why. “Greg Todd (Gloucester assistant) helps me coach with the PWA.” We have a good-natured competition with Gloucester. Ricky’s a fun guy to compete against. But he is competitive.”

And who knows? They might compete against each other again next year.



IWA's Vaughan's Nudging Toward 600th HS Basketball Win

Honestly, I'm feeling bad for Coach Benny Vaughan of Isle of Wight Academy, but better that I'm not bugging him right now. About five weeks ago, I was given a potential assignment from Lynn Burke, our community sports editor at the Daily Press. The message was -- Coach Vaughan started the same year I did with the Daily Press - 1971. He has 598 wins, and is about to get 600.

The Isle of Wight Academy boys
team warms up before a recent
game against StoneBridge.
A win would have given coach
Benny Vaughan his 600th win.
At the time, the Chargers were 2-4, and getting ready for a three game tournament at Peninsula Catholic, which is not terribly far from home. They lost the first and won the second, putting the tally at 599. However, they lost the third and have been on a tailspin, now sporting a 3-13 record. Surely, his players are feeling some pressure, so I was happy to file this article and move on. The team will get the win, and soon. It will be a great act to honor a great educator and coach.

Unedited version of article which appeared in Daily Press sports section - Jan. 10, 2015


For the past 44 years, Isle of Wight Academy’s Benjamin Vaughan has built a reputation based on excellence. As he stood on the sidelines in the gym at StoneBridge School on Thursday evening, the veteran educator projected the look of his scholarly role in a brown suit with matching tie and loafers. While maintaining a genteel demeanor, Vaughan has been successful in all phases of academia, whether serving as a teacher, guidance counselor, or the position he has held for the past 25 years, school headmaster.

But Vaughan has also carved out a unique career in the 39 years he has served as the boys basketball coach at IWA, and just one evening after Tabb coach Doug Baggett earned his 500th basketball victory, “Benny” Vaughan aimed to raise the ante, going for career victory #600, as his squad squared off against the host Cavaliers in a Metro Conference matchup.

For the Chargers, it has been a long struggle to get the historic win for their coach. After beginning the season 2-4, they stumbled into Thursday’s contest with a 3-11 record (1-5 Metro), making the last two wins of this adventure a tough ride. And on this night, they would fall behind 51-40 in the game’s last five minutes, then valiantly fight back before dropping a 59-57 decision.

But the journey has been well worth it, because it has given the longtime coach an opportunity to reflect on his past and appreciate the present. He shows little resistance when he states that he has no plans to try and reach 700 wins. Over the past three weeks, Vaughan has been quick to note that “every win we have this year has been a challenge,” but even quicker to credit his colleagues and opponents.

Reflecting over his long career, Vaughan relishes the early days. “We still have basketball alumni from the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s that come to our games. He rattles off four names – Wendy Williams, Michael King, Everette Scott and Steve Chambliss as being on the team for IWA’s first ever win. “I have coached many second generation players, including the sons of Williams and King. Many of our former players still feel connected to the school and to IWA basketball.”

He also talked of his relationship with Baggett. “He’s a good coach. I don’t know him really well, but we worked together at a CNU camp a couple of years ago.” 

In another ironic twist, the historic win almost came against one of Vaughan’s contemporaries, Cavalier coach R. Cal Woolard. With a smile, he noted that “he’s older than me, but it just goes to show that we’ve been at it for a while.”

A couple of sentences later, with the IWA girls team putting the finishing touches on a 52-27 victory, he added, “Chris (Hooper, the IWA girls coach) has done a great job with this team, acknowledging their 6-5 (3-2 Metro) record after Thursday’s victory.

Before leaving to join his team, Vaughan pointed out “they (StoneBridge) played very well in their last game. Their guard, Caleb Dawkins, is the son of (former Duke guard) Andre Dawkins. He’s really good for an eighth grader.”

Ironically, it was two key free throws by Dawkins that helped seal the win for StoneBridge. The Cavaliers, smaller than IWA, proved to be too quick as Dawkins and Shaun Faulk got ahead of many transitions to set up easy lay-ups, and drove through the lane with authority to set up other scores. Combined with Terrick Philpot’s four bullets from the three-point range, even center Bryce Casey’s 33 points were not enough to counter the StoneBridge offensive attack.

The journey for IWA and Coach Benny Vaughan will continue tonight in Smithfield as the Chargers host Alliance Christian.




Full Place Results From Santa Slam -- Newport News Warriors Overtake Great Bridge and Poquoson

Over 200 wrestlers took part in Sunday’s Santa Slam, held at Woodside High. The event, which drew grapplers from as far away as Ohio, was sponsored by the Newport News Warriors and was open to athletes in three different categories – Pee Wee (K-2nd grade), Elementary (3-5) and Intermediate (6-8).

The host Warriors, behind the strength of four Pee-Wee titles from Gabe Izzo (46-47 lb.), Carmine McDaniel (55-59), Christian Corbin (73-86) and Troy Solomon (94-107), won the team competition with 298.5 points. Great Bridge placed second with 199.5, and  Poquoson took third with 198.5.

2014 Santa Slam Tournament Results 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 36-40

1st Place - Kameron Harrell of Raider Nation                                   
2nd Place - Skiles Burkhead of Kellam Mat Rats 
3rd Place - Kaiden Sutton of Great Bridge 
4th Place - Justice Collins of Great Bridge 
5th Place - Wade Burroughs of Newport News Warriors 



PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 41-42 


1st Place - Logan Keesee of Poquoson 

2nd Place - Brayden Bunting of Poquoson 

3rd Place - Gavin Dewitt of Smithfield Wrestling Club 

4th Place - James Cravey of Newport News Warriors 

5th Place - Tyson Solomona of Newport News Warriors 
6th Place - Aiden Layman of Newport News Warriors

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 43-45 

1st Place - Manley Nalls of Team Cobra 
2nd Place - Camden Yonamine of Ocean Lakes 
3rd Place - Aiden Kehoe of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Alex Ebersole of Newport News Warriors 
5th Place - Kai Smith of Newport News Warriors 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 46-47 

1st Place - Gabe Izzo of Newport News Warriors 
2nd Place - Keegan Webb of Poquoson 
3rd Place - Dralon Wooley of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Evan Zimmerman of Guerrilla 
5th Place - Corey Skay of Guerrilla 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 48-49 

1st Place - Darryl Hawkins of Ocean Lakes 
2nd Place - Issac Drummond of Williamsburg 
3rd Place - Caden Stokes of Guerrilla 
4th Place - Brayden Muniz of Williamsburg 
5th Place - Gage Gibson of Raider Nation 
6th Place - Landon Peck of Newport News Warriors 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 50 

1st Place - Jackson Fitzpatrick of Poquoson 
2nd Place - Isaiah Barringer of Williamsburg 
3rd Place - Roman Izzo of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Cooper Coleman of Williamsburg 
5th Place - Kodiak Kehoe of Newport News Warriors 
6th Place - Stone Wagner of Kellam Mat Rats 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 51-52 

1st Place - Jarod Goodson of Poquoson 
2nd Place - Fisher Plessinger of Guerrilla 
3rd Place - Bryson Floyd of Fort Lee 
4th Place - Levi Knight of Poquoson 
5th Place - Josiah Turner of Individual 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 52.6-54 

1st Place - Mason Deas of Poquoson 
2nd Place - James Miller of Pin 2 Win 
3rd Place - Zephariah Palicious of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Tyler Hawkey of Guerrilla 
5th Place - Everett Tennant of Newport News Warriors

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 55-59 

1st Place - Carmine McDaniel of Newport News Warriors 
2nd Place - Joshua Ray of Newport News Warriors 
3rd Place - Diontrae Barkers of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Clyton Smith of Guerrilla 
5th Place - John Mattox of Guerrilla 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 61-65 

1st Place - Isaiah Elliott of Williamsburg 
2nd Place - Caleb Wood of Poquoson 
3rd Place - Treavyon Ellison of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Owen Bates of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
5th Place - Brayden Agnese of Poquoson 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 73-86

1st Place - Christian Corbin of Newport News Warriors
2nd Place - Aj DiMiceli of Ocean Lakes 

PEE WEE (K-2nd) - 94-107 

1st Place - Troy Solomona of Newport News Warriors 
2nd Place - Jr Jones of Guerrilla 
3rd Place - Juan Gayden of Newport News Warriors 

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 50.0-54.0

1st Place - Jase Roberts of Williamsburg 
2nd Place - Carson Ashe of Raider Nation 
3rd Place - Jordyn Anderson of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - William Mattox of Guerrilla 
5th Place - Ethan Dewitt of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
6th Place - Cayden Floyd of Fort Lee 

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 56.0-58.6 

1st Place - Shamar Sutton of Great Bridge 
2nd Place - Jacob Dooley of Great Bridge 
3rd Place - Ashton Withrow of Poquoson 
4th Place - David Rhoads of Newport News Warriors 
5th Place - Shane Reimann of Newport News Warriors 
6th Place - Jalen Flores of Newport News Warriors

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 59.0-61.0 

1st Place - Austin Pollard of Powerhouse 2nd Place - Brady Norris of Raider Nation
3rd Place - Cedric Griffin of Newport News Warriors
4th Place - Ashland Rasmussen of Great Bridge 
5th Place - Carter Chapin of Raider Nation 
6th Place - Ray Artega of Great Bridge

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 61.2-64.0 

1st Place - Owen Rawls of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
2nd Place - Zack Lake of Guerrilla 
3rd Place - Zack Smith of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
4th Place - Matthew Wornom of Poquoson 
5th Place - Corey Fazekas of Great Bridge 
6th Place - Jeremiah Palicious of Newport News Warriors 

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 65.6-70.8 

1st Place - Carson Hicks of Raider Nation 
2nd Place - Jayden Bryant of Great Bridge 
3rd Place - Tyler Reimann of Newport News Warriors
4th Place - Sharrod Taylor of Newport News Warriors
5th Place - William Marsh of Great Bridge 
6th Place - Hunter Roche of Kellam Mat Rats

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 72.0-77.50 

1st Place - Joseph Chiappazzi of Poquoson 
2nd Place - Max Martin of Great Bridge 
3rd Place - Zachary Ray, Jr. of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Parker Gourley of Great Bridge 

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 79.0-81.70 

1st Place - Brooks Coleman of Williamsburg 
2nd Place - Marlon Lawson of Newport News Warriors 
3rd Place - Jack McAdoo of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
4th Place - Caleb Hogge of Raider Nation 
5th Place - Julianna Burkett-Erice of Rangers Wrestling Club 
6th Place - John Turner of Individual 

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 83.0-88.2 

1st Place - William Fay of SWYC 
2nd Place - Josh Seaton of Guerrilla 
3rd Place - Cole Richardson of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Connar Ellison of Newport News Warriors 
5th Place - Seth Murphy of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
6th Place - Casen Shifflett of Newport News Warriors 

Elementary (3rd-5th) - 92.0-98.60 

1st Place - Shane Shirley of Powerhouse 
2nd Place - Cameryn Heath of Great Bridge 
3rd Place - Bryan Hunt of Newport News Warriors 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 62.0-67.0

1st Place - Karon Smith of Newport News Warriors 
2nd Place - Carson Hicks of Raider Nation 
3rd Place - Jack Creamer of Rangers Wrestling Club 
4th Place - Trevon Gray of Newport News Warriors 
5th Place - Jacob Seale of Raider Nation 
6th Place - Evan Malanson of Smithfield Wrestling Club

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 70.5-76.0 

1st Place - Josh Whitow of Great Bridge 
2nd Place - Jamey Saunders of Poquoson 
3rd Place - Evan Rawls of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
4th Place - Damon Tenney of Raider Nation

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 80.0-84.1 

1st Place - Temonte Gray of Newport News Warriors 
2nd Place - Bradyn Waddell of Raider Nation 
3rd Place - Hayden Head of Raider Nation 
4th Place - Hunter Edwards of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
5th Place - Dan Coffey of Great Bridge 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 85.0-90.9 

1st Place - Riley Starcher of Great Bridge 
2nd Place - Harrison Smith of Great Bridge 
3rd Place - David Reid of Raider Nation

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 93.0-98.8 

1st Place - Kolby Allred of Great Bridge 
2nd Place - Gannon Jones of Pin 2 Win 
3rd Place - Josh Lake of Guerrilla 
4th Place - Ethan Bates of Smithfield Wrestling Club 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 101.0-107.0 

1st Place - Jackson Desaulniers of Smithfield Wrestling Club 
2nd Place - D`Angelo Wilson of Newport News Warriors 
3rd Place - Caleb Filicko of Williamsburg 
4th Place - Jessienna Burkett-Erice of Rangers Wrestling Club 
5th Place - Kieran O`Dell of Bandits 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 109.0-114.8

1st Place - Chris O`Brien of Great Bridge
2nd Place - Darryl Patrick of Individual 
3rd Place - Traigan Bealer of Newport News Warriors 
4th Place - Kieran O`Dell of Bandits 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 115.0-121.0 

1st Place - Luke Grubbs of Poquoson 
2nd Place - Keyel Halls of Raider Nation 
3rd Place - Christian Shoemaker of Great Bridge 
4th Place - Finn O`Dell of Bandits 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 129.0-136 

1st Place - Robert Creamer of Rangers Wrestling Club 
2nd Place - Turner Johnson of Williamsburg 
3rd Place - Finn O`Dell of Bandits 
4th Place - Braden Akers of Great Bridge 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 137.0-144.7 

1st Place - Carson Yogi of Amelia County 
2nd Place - Donte Collins of Newport News Warriors 
3rd Place - Samantha Ellis of Newport News Warriors 

MIDDLE SCHOOL (6th-8th) - 148.0-159.0 

1st Place - Cameron Holt of Great Bridge 
2nd Place - Corbin Ansarob of Great Bridge 
3rd Place - Douglas Pruim of Guerrilla 




Yes Virginia, I'm Still On The Wall; Southeastern (Wrestling) Slam Tomorrow 12/28 at Woodside

These past six weeks have been a whirlwind. Between thirteen consecutive weekends of covering high school and college football games, the completion of classes at William and Mary, the launching of our book, Christmas, and a series of tests for my students at DOC, there has been little room to do much of anything else. Unfortunately, after the middle of November, this wall bore the brunt of most my extracurricular activity; hence, I haven't posted in six weeks.

Get up and get busy!! Happy Holidays!
Oh yeah, Happy Holidays!!!!

I am happy to report that this will be changing soon. 2015 is already priming to be a game changer, and in future weeks I'll be happily explaining the reasons why. There are a couple of things I shouldn't talk about yet. But, others are open for conversation. Obviously (as if the hundred or so reminders didn't give you a clue) "Life Treats You.." is alive and kicking. We got out just in time for the holidays, and last Saturday's book launch went very well. There is a lot of work to be done. D'Shawn, Derrick Jamison (who did an awesome job with the cover!) and I met this afternoon to start the process of getting the book on Amazon and Kindle. Barnes and Noble is on the way, as well as some other outlets. And now that we have identified some editing and printing mistakes, we're going to get the minor bumps and scrapes out of the way before starting another printing run. Fortunately, our first run of 200 books is almost sold out.

Tomorrow, I will be visiting the Southeastern Virginia Santa Slam. It's a youth wrestling tournament co-hosted by the Newport News Warriors team and the directorate duo of Corey Beckner and Oliver
Southeastern Santa Slam - Sunday, December 28th at
Woodside High School in Newport News
Walmon. We just saw Oliver last weekend with the Adidas 757 All-Star Football Game, and that event is going to be a keeper. Almost 3,000 fans showed up to ODU's Powhatan Field on a cold, blustery Christmas shopping day to see the Peninsula guys lose a 7-6 nailbiter to the team from Southside. That event will gain momentum, and I wouldn't be surprised to see the attendance double next year. Anyhow, here's a blurb about tomorrow's match:

"The 2nd Annual Santa Slam is Back!!! December 28, 2014 at Woodside High School! Exceeding the 328 that attended last year!! See you there and please share on your page!!"





I'll be visiting the tournament tomorrow and providing some results on this site come Monday. I promise to be back in a regular swing in 2015, with the intention of having a post ready for every Monday. On tap for next week is the Tabb H.S. Holiday Basketball Tournament in Yorktown, VA on Monday and Tuesday, and then the inevitable 600th coaching win for Isle of Wight's Benny Vaughan, a story I have been following for three weeks now, as the Chargers have hit a mild slump and holiday break. Coach Vaughn, who pulls double duty as the school's headmaster, is on #599, and they will start up the schedule again on January 8th against Stonebridge School in Chesapeake.


"Life Treats You the Way You Treat It" -- Book Finished!!!!


Available at 

www.dshawnwright.com. 

The book IS finished! We will have the launch party this Saturday at Body By D Gym in Yorktown from 2-5 PM. Stay tuned for ordering details, but the plan is to be available on Amazon by next week. Thank you all again for your support.


Please bear with me. Because I am spending a great deal of my "free" time editing and formatting the book, there wasn't really time to write a post this week. BUT, for next week, I'd like to highlight something quite important to me -- that is, the progress of the girls cross-country team at Menchville. I coached the Monarch girls two years ago, and am thrilled to see their progress, which culminated in a 9th place finish at the 5A state meet a couple of weeks ago! Stay tuned for that story.

We are getting there. Today, I'll be meeting with D'Shawn Wright and going over some of the final adjustments. In my case, this means finishing one more profile (of the seven which will be featured) while awaiting some information to complete the seventh and final one.

This week, I'll be in the process of editing and alignment. In other words, putting the chapters together. The book isn't long, about 32,000 words, but the idea is to format it as something that can be carried around. Anyhow, I am aiming to present the final product to D'Shawn for a final read through just before Thanksgiving.





Peninsula Catholic Boys, Girls XC Win "Triple Crown" of Championships

The term “Triple Crown” is utilized to signify a rare and extraordinary accomplishment of some honorable measure. In the sporting world, we tend to interject these two words to categorize the achievement of a “once-in-a-generation” horse or a powerful baseball player who is adept enough to lead his league in batting average as well as home runs and runs batted in.



Triple Crown is not associated with teams quite as often as individuals, and Three-Peat looks to be the more popular term for a team which wins three titles in a row. Regardless of which moniker we use for the feat, it is still befitting of any team which glides into rarefied air when they complete a championship trifecta.
The girls team from PC with Coach Susan Bender (far right)
after defeating 36 other teams to capture the
VISAA Division II championship for the 3rd straight year



It’s even more amazing when two teams from the same sport at the same school dare to dream of earning this distinction.



But, as the Virginia Independent Schools (VIS) cross-country championships got under way on Friday afternoon over the rolling hills of Woodberry Forest High in Orange, VA, Peninsula Catholic entered both boys and girls teams who had completed two-thirds of the act. By winning the Virginia State Catholic and TCIS championships in the past two weeks, only a swift 5,000-meter run by 14 individuals (seven runners from both the boys and girls teams count in the scoring, although ten may compete) separated the Knights from their date with destiny.

And succeed they did!The girls won their fourth straight championship and both teams completed a triple crown sweep by winning the Virginia State Catholic meet, the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools (TCIS) meet and the Virginia Independent School meet. It is believed to be the first time in history that one school has fielded two teams that swept all meets.

The PC boys team placed seven out of the top 22 runners. The Knights finished with 38 points, outdistancing runner-up Veritas (58) of Richmond. Williamsburg's Walsingham Academy was fourth.

Peninsula Catholic’s Max Weidman, as expected, led the way for the Knights, placing third in 18:41.21 seconds. Teammate Collin White was fourth, and Walsingham’s Jack Grimson finished fifth. Freshman Andrew Via was seventh.

Martine Hunnicutt, the Lady Knights ace all season, led PC’s girls with a fourth-place finish in 20:25.85, while Julia MacMasters finished ninth.

Here is the box score, as it read on HR Varsity (hrvarsity.com) yesterday.

BOYS
Team scoring: 1, Peninsula Catholic 38. 2, Veritas (Richmond) 58. Others: 4, Walsingham Academy 227. 

Individuals: 1, Clikeman, Veritas, 17:42.24. 

Peninsula-area runners in top 25: 3, Weidman, Peninsula Catholic, 18:14.21. 4, White, Peninsula Catholic, 18:22.19. 5, Grimson, Walsingham, 18:26.66. 7, Via, Peninsula Catholic, 18:34.28. 11, Khalsa, Peninsula Catholic, 18:42.16. 13, Gustke, Peninsula Catholic, 18:46.65. 17, Taleghani, Peninsula Catholic, 19:49.39. 22, Keegan, Peninsula Catholic, 19:00.35.

GIRLS
Team scoring: 1, Peninsula Catholic 82. 2, Walsingham Academy 112. 

Individuals: 1, Lewis, Veritas (Richmond) 19:38.45. 

Peninsula runners in top 25: 4, Hunnicutt, Peninsula Catholic, 20:25.85. 5, Mann, Walsingham, 20:51.63. 8, Kinney, Walsingham, 21:17.97. 9, MacMasters, Peninsula Catholic, 21:18.43. 12, Theurer, Peninsula Catholic, 21:36.43. 18, Riggs, Walsingham, 21:47.70.

And here's an unedited (not better) version of the article I wrote for the Daily Press, which appeared in yesterday's sports. The official version can be found at:




In the VIS meet alone, it had been seven years since a boys and girls team swept the team titles, with Covenant from Charlottesville taking both trophies home for the Division II classification in 2007.



PC also ran in the D-2 category, but only because of school size (under 161 students per gender), not ability. According to the latest statewide Milestat.com rankings, the Knight boys are ranked second among all independent schools, just behind Trinity Episcopal, while the girls stand in third overall behind traditional D-1 powerhouses St. Catherine’s and Bishop O’Connell.



But there’s always room for a scare, even for the girls team, which has won the past two VIS Division II crowns and completed the triple crown last year.



“(Going into the TCIS meet) Norfolk Academy was looking tougher each week. We knew they were going to be hard to beat. And we hadn’t faced Walsingham at all, so it was hard to say how we would fare against them,” said girls coach Susan Bender.



As it turned out, the scare from Norfolk Academy (a VISAA Division I team) was real. The Lady Knights won with 39 points, but NA was close behind with 48. Walsingham placed third with 69.



Martine Hunnicutt, the Daily Press cross-country athlete of the year from 2012, has paced the team in both races. She won the State Catholic race at Newport News Park with a time of 19:48, then dropped 25 seconds the following week to place second to Nansemond-Suffolk Academy’s Chandler Bergeron at the TCIS meet, also run at Newport News Park.


Hunnicutt’s improvement over one week has been indicative of each runner’s individual growth over the course of the season.


“I think we have all surprised ourselves by how much every single member of the team has improved their times,” said the senior team captain.


Not to be outdone, the boys team, led by Coach Mike
Pilola, also won the State Catholic, TCIS and VA
Independent School (Div. 2) titles in 2014
Emily Theurer and sophomore Julia MacMasters also placed in the top seven at both meets to earn first-team State Catholic and TCIS honors. To win on Friday, the Lady Knights will also have to rely on their depth in the fourth through seventh slots, as the cross-country scoring system (lowest score wins) is unique in that the fourth and fifth best runners can help a team more than the fastest runners as long as they place high in the standings. A core of runners will look to help box out opposing harriers, including Grace Miner, Abby TAnko, Emily Bennick, Maria Mummert and Jessica Luff.


Junior Max Weidman has led the boys team for the duration of the fall season. Weidman placed second in both the State Catholic (16:26) and TCIS (16:24) meets, followed to the finish both times by teammates Troy Gustke, Collin White and Ryan Duregger. For their efforts, Gustke and White earned first-team honors for both the VSC and TCIS, while Duregger, Guru Bandaa Khalsa, Eric Taleghani made the second team. Freshman Andrew Via (10th in TCIS) also earned second team honors.


Previous to Friday's meet, boys coach Mike Pilola looked at the significance of the moment, noting that “it would be tremendous  for both teams to accomplish something this significant in the same year.”


Reflecting after the TCIS meet, Bender added, “It is an even greater blessing when the Peninsula Catholic boys and girls accomplish these goals together.”





Adidas 757 All-Star HS Football Game Prepares for December 20th Kickoff

Attention to all Hampton Roads high school senior football players:


Craig Spruill is looking for you!


Well, maybe not all of you. But as the Adidas 757 All-Star Football Game prepares for its inaugural kickoff on December 20th, Spruill is happy to share that there is still some room on the rosters for what looks to be a high-octane game and an annual highlight of the Peninsula and Southside high school football seasons.

“Right now, were at about 30-35 players who have confirmed,” says Spruill, the event’s director. But even as the online announcement, found on the game website at www.adidas757game.com states, there is room for 70 players on the rosters.

But the slots are filling up quickly, and the list is turning into a Who’s Who of Hampton Roads high school gridiron stars.  Phoebus’ Harry Lewis, who recently committed to Virginia Tech is on the list. So is Bethel QB Beau Morgan, Ocean Lakes guard Hudson Dunaway, and Hickory tight end (and U. VA commit) Richard Burney Jr.

But this game is about diversity, and one may play for any high school team to accept an invitation. Spruill’s wish list of players encompasses Peninsula, Southside, private schools and Bay Rivers District teams.

On a grander scale, the event is all about helping the community.

To kick off the series of events leading up to the game, four game participants, Ben DeBastiani of Indian River; Menchville’s Xavier Keys, Blake LaRussa from Bishop Sullivan Catholic, and Landstown’s Eric Magwood, paid a visit to the Norfolk CHKD last Saturday, where they spent an early afternoon spending time, playing games and presenting toys to local youths.

The toys were sponsored by Walmart and reflect the heavy corporate backing for the event. With the impetus of sponsorship director Oliver Walmon, at least a dozen businesses have thrown their backing into the event. One, Buffalo Wild Wings, will host a pre-game dinner for the players and families.

But in the spirit of its mission to encourage community involvement, social responsibility and academic excellence, there will be more to the Adidias757 than football. First Advantage Credit Union will host a Financial Literary Workshop on the day before the game.

Says Spruill, “our players will be going to college next year, and we want them to be prepared for their personal financial responsibilities. First Advantage will be teaching them about the importance of credit scores, personal budgeting, and other areas.”

While the Hampton Roads community is sure to benefit from the game, it is also a unique opportunity for players to test their mettle against the cream of the local crop. In the past, the few outlets for high school senior players have included spring combines and the Virginia High School Coaches All-Star Game, which has been held in July. For the borderline college prospect, the December date might be crucial.

“We wanted to play the game while the kids are still in fairly good football shape,” added Spruill.

And given the nature of college scholarships, an opportunity to excel in December may allow colleges to find a few more scholarship athletes before their allotment of athletic money runs out.

That’s why so many schools are interested in being involved with the game.

Says Walmon, “We have commitments from the University of Connecticut, U. VA, Virginia Tech, ODU, Norfolk State – really, just about every college team around here wants to see this game.”

(L to R): Blake LaRussa, Bishop Sullivan; Ben DeBastiani, Indian River; Craig Spruill; Eric Magwood, Landstown; Xavier Keys, Menchville — at CHKDNorfolk.

There is one problem. NCAA rules allow Division II and III coaches to physically attend the event, but for BCS and FCS (Division I) coaches, the perimeter of Powhatan Field (the game site in Norfolk, and ODU’s home field) is off limits.

Spruill found a solution to that problem.

“We will be broadcasting the game on Huddle (www.hudl.com) and hopefully get some time with Cox Cable, so that the Division I coaches can watch the game on TV.”


For more information on attending or playing in the game, please visit the website. You can also log in to the game’s Facebook page by searching “Adidas 757 All-Star Football Game”