07 STAB LAX PUTS TOGETHER A STORIED RUN
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07 STAB LAx PuTS ToGeTher A SToried run
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x’s and o’s
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DOWN THE STRETCH CHS’ Watkins finishes up track career
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TWO FOR THE ROAD Goochland, Madison load up for playoffs
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CHIP OFF THE SHOULDER STAB wins first state title since 2009
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GAME TIME Albemarle boys lax tops Brooke Point
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STAYING EVEN KEELED Covenant twins set great example
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vol 6. issue 18 :: June 1, 2015
Madison softball and Goochland baseball head into the final two weeks of the season. page 07
S TA F F Bart Isley, Creative Director Bob Isley, Infrastructure Director Ryan Yemen, Creative Editor O N T H E COV E R Madison’s Megan Shifflett and Mariann Smith M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T Local sports are the lifeblood of every community in America, and we’re here to reach beyond the basics and give compelling accounts about Central Virginia athletes to our readers. CO N TAC T U S [ e ] info@scrimmageplay.com [ p ] 434-249-2032
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PREGAME
Precious cargo Covenant’s Drew Gaffney protects the ball in the Eagles’ state championship bout with Virginia Episcopal. Covenant won 10-6 to secure its second straight VISAA Division 2 title. It was an unbelievably succesful tournament for the local private schools with St. Anne’s-Belfield winning a Division 1 championship. It’s the first time both have won since 2008. To read about STAB's run turn to page 13 and to learn more about Covenant's Gaffney flip over to page 22. ✖ (Photo by Bart Isley)
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Orthopedics
First Quarter
One last meet
Black Knights’ standout ready to go out with a bang By Liz Keller
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CHS’ Watkins plans to put a bow on her track career at the VHSL championship. (Ashley Thornton)
{ PRIMETIME } Watkins’ times at the Region 4A North meet on May 28th.
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nglish historian James Anthony Froude once said “You cannot dream yourself into a character — you must hammer and forge yourself one.” Taylor Watkins knows that road to success.
Watkins, a senior, has carved out quite a name for herself during her four years on Charlottesville High School’s track team. With the VHSL 4A Outdoor Championships looming, the fleet-footed runner is excited to wrap up her high school career and is looking forward to the future. “It’s been four years and I’m ready to move to the next level,” said Watkins after completing a trio of wins (100, 200 and 400 meters) at the Conference 23 Championships. “I want to be able to walk off after the 400 and not be tired anymore. I’m sad because it’s almost all over. But at the same time, I’ve done a lot in high school and come so far. It’s not over, I’m going on to college, so that is really exciting.” She repeated that trio of victories in the Region 4A North meet, setting two meet records in 200 and 400 in the process. Watkins signed back in the fall with Virginia Commonwealth University and she said the decision was simple for her. “I went on the visit and I automatically knew,” said Watkins of her visit to VCU’s campus. “It was so great, I love the school, I love the diversity and the team all seemed so close, like a family, and that’s really important to me.” Watkins has undoubtedly established her place in the CHS record books. The ultraversatile athlete, whose strongest event is the 400, finished as the runner-up in the 500 meters in the VHSL Group 4A Indoor meet last year and was third in the 300. In 2013, she was
the champion in the 400 in the VHSL State Outdoor Championships and finished second in the 200. Watkins may have not used a hammer, just hard work, but she forged out a career that is not only impressive in numbers, but is a visual display of the epitome of versatility. “Going out and doing the 100, I know there’s things I need to work on, like my start. That is hard, but it’s ultimately what’s made me a well-rounded athlete by doing a lot out there,” Watkins added. “Mentally, I just look at it at it and I’m like, go out and ‘just do your best’. It’s my senior year and I’ve learned that it’s just best to know that you’ve done your conditioning and just try your hardest. If you don’t win that day, it’s fine. But as long as I’ve tried my hardest, I know I’m fine.” At VCU, Watkins will join a program on the rise coached by Jon Riley. The women’s team won the school’s first indoor Atlantic-10 title this year and followed that up with a secondplace showing at the A-10 outdoor championships earlier this month. “I’m just super excited and I give it all to my coaches, I thank them so much,” Watkins said. “I’m happy I’m going this far for Coach [Curtis] Elder. He’s going to be so proud and I know he’s smiling down on me. I think that my coaches have brought me so far and I can’t wait for them to come [watch me] at VCU.” If history has taught us anything about Watkins, she will do whatever it takes to take her game to another level. ✖
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College Update
We’ve gone digital But you can have it in print too!
Albemarle almunus finishes up first year at CNU By Ryan Yemen He started out of the bullpen before becoming a dominant starter for Albemarle coach Jimmy Bibb during his junior year. In that role, Joe Burris was close to unhittable during his last two years as a Patriot. As a senior in 2013, he posted a 0.84 earned run average and tallied 95 strikeouts over a span of 65 innings. As a result he collected quite a few awards including the Commonwealth District Player of the Year as well as Scrimmage Play’s baseball player of the year. Burris originally signed to play for Virginia Tech but after red-shirting his freshman year in 2014, he transferred to Christopher Newport University. He wasted little time making his collegiate debut in 2015, earning a start on February 6th against Lynchburg College, the first of eight games he started all season. On the year, the redshirt freshman threw a total of 27.2 innings. He struck out 24 batters while walking just 13 batters. Burris also did not surrender a single homerun on the year. In the first week of April, Burris had his best game of the season where he picked up his first
win in a 7-inning effort where he gave up just two hits, struck out six and did not give up an earned run. While Burris had his struggles in March, the lefty finished up in April on a solid note. He went at least four innings in his last three starts and gave up a total of just four walks and a combined seven earned runs over that 16.1 inning stretch. The Captains finished up the year at 16-14 with team that featured just five seniors. Of the 36 members that made up the CNU roster, 22 of them were sophomores or younger which should set the table nicely for the Captains going forward. Four of those seniors were pitchers including starter Adam Emerson. The Captains will be needing a lot more of what Burris delivered at the end of 2015 next year. After finishing up the year, Burris returned to Charlottesville where he helped Bibb by pitching batting practice to the Patriots. With a year of starting experience under his belt, look for Burris to try and replicate the progress he made in high school. If he does, the Captains will be in excellent shape going forward. ✖
BELOW » Former Albemarle ace Joe Burris threw 27.1 innings as a freshman at Christopher Newport University. (CNU sports infortmaion)
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TWO FOR THE ROAD
YEMEN N A Y R & R E L L E STORY BY LIZ K RY & BART ISLEY BER PHOTOS BY JOHN
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The road is long and ardous when you are trying to compete for a state championship in both baseball and softball. It is matter of having the pitching depth, balance in the order offensively and then experience on defense. In both sports, consistency is the model for winning, but that’is also much easier said than done. For a pair of VHSL Group 2A schools, the time is ripe. The Goochland baseball team and the Madison County softball squad have all the elements that make up a legitimate contender. With the Region 2A East tournament coming up for both schools, the question looms large. Can either of these experienced programs succesfully navigate their way through to the final week of the season?
Determination, drive and focus are not just abstract concepts, they’re the integral characteristics of what it means to be successful in athletics. Fittingly, they are etched into the minds of each and every member of the Goochland High School baseball team and also the attributes that the Bulldogs, which wrapped up their regular season by winning nine straight games, live by. Now, the senior-laden squad has its sights set on advancing deep into the postseason. “Last year we lost a lot of close games that we shouldn’t have lost,” Goochland coach Wes Farkas said. “And this year they put it on themselves to make it right and play at a level that we’re capable of. Only losing two guys from last year’s team and a lot of veteran leadership, and that will to win is very contagious.” The 2015 version of the Bulldogs has improved by leaps and bounds from last season’s 13-10 campaign, compiling an 18-2 record. Aside from a one-run loss at Nottoway and non-conference loss to Benedictine, the Bulldogs coasted through the regular season before winning a Conference 34 championship.
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Above, Scott Carter scores in the Conference 34 semifinals
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Nobody tries to come out and do more than what their job is. We all know what we’are supposed to do. _ Alexander
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In fact, seven of their last ten regular season wins were by 10 runs or more. According to Cory Alexander, the team’s leadoff hitter and co-captain with Joe Cutchins, it all starts with senior leadership. “This year we have eight seniors, last year we had two. Everybody steps up when someone isn’t playing their best, so we have multiple people that are able to fill those positions,” said Alexander, a center fielder who is batting .375 this season. “Nobody tries to come out and do more than what their job is. We all know what we are supposed to do.” Pitching has been a key for Goochland, as five of those wins were shutouts. The Bulldogs have plenty of arms to choose from, starting with their No. 1 starter, Coleman Duty. The junior lefthander has compiled a 6-0 record with a blistering 0.95 earned-run average, while his counterpart, Tanner Bradshaw, has been equally successful, posting a 5-1 record with a 0.43 ERA. Nick Norman is 3-0 in nine appearances with a 1.81 ERA. The staff combines to have an impressive 1.80 team ERA. “I think that’s going to be the difference maker [in the playoffs] — who can pitch the best,” said Cutchins. “Coleman of course has pitched lights out. Nick’s pitched good and so has Tanner. Everybody’s putting in the time and it’s really paying off.” In the team’s regular-season finale against longtime rival Randolph-Henry, Goochland used five pitchers, including Duty, Cutchins, Chase Doczi, Matt Ashley and Nick Norman. Cutchins earned the win in his first appearance since returning from a broken wrist, which he suffered in the season-opener. “We’re trying to get them tournament ready and we started with Coleman because we wanted him to be fresh and Joe got some action out there — he’s coming off an injury and we’re trying to get him back on the mound and see what he’s got,” Farkas said. “Chase is one of those guys who eats the middle innings for us to bridge the gap and Nick is kind of settling into that closer role — he’s a really good lefty, good control, good command. He’s stepped up as our No. 3 guy.” The team’s offense is equally adept. Reid Chenault, a multitalented junior who plays shortstop, is batting .463 and leads the team with 27 RBI and a pair of home runs. Junior Scott Carter, the team’s No. 3 batter, has belted four home runs and 19 RBI with a .455 batting average. The speedy Alexander has hit six doubles on the year and has scored 22 runs. “Hitting this year has been one of our strongest points and it wasn’t that way last year,” Farkas said. “Across the board on any given night, any one of these guys can show up and contribute, which is a strength for us. You can just see the confidence, the hunger.” That attitude has no doubt been contagious, especially as the Bulldogs gear up for the Region 2A East tournament. “We’re looking forward to [the playoffs] and have high expectations to where we’ll end up this year,” Alexander said. “This is a team that has a lot of determination and everyone wants the same goal.” Solid pitching, timely hitting, along with sound defense have given the Bulldogs the perfect recipe for success. Not to mention a core group of eight seniors who are prepared to carry the load. And as the Duke Blue Devils carried the mantra of “Eight is Enough” all the way to the national basketball title, the Bulldogs can only hope that motto, as it pertains to their seniors, is enough to help them secure a region crown. ✖
ACADEMIC EDGE
S P O N S O R E D
B Y
H A R G R AV E
M I L I TA R Y
A C A D E M Y
MONTICELLO’S DREW WOLANSKI
Drew Wolanski played for four years for the Monticello boys soccer team. This year he was elected as the team’s captain. With his help, Monticello was able to make big improvements from the start of the season up until the end. His effort on the field was never questioned, and as such, he’s going to be missed. “Drew has played his heart out for Monticello soccer over the past four years,” said Monticello coach Adam Southall. “He’s been a leader among his peers, a work horse on the field, and someone we’ve come to rely on to steady us when situations get rough on the field. Kids look up to him and respect him as a student, athlete, and leader.” Of course a lot of that respect comes from the fact that Wolanski has it all together. While he played at a high level on the field, his academics took precedent over all things. Wolanksi sports a 4.667 grade point average. That allowed him to have the pick of his litter on the collegiate level and so this fall he applied toVirginia Tech this fall to study engineering where he was accepted. While he’ll be missed at Monticello, he won’t be alone as one of his fellow teammates, Cameron Smith will also be in the engineering school at Tech this fall. That’s a lot of brains for one soccer program.
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Madison celebrates its Bull Run District championship
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Honestly I think that has helped because now the whole team is involved defensively _ Breeden
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There’s a different vibe to this Madison County softball team. There’s an air of levity to this group that was missing in previous seasons. Yes there’s a sense of urgency still, especially with six seniors on this squad, some of whom have been starters since their freshman year like Bailey Colvin. That part is not lost on this group, but what is different than prior years is just how well glued together this team is. “This team sets the bar so high, expects so much but we’ve got a ton of teamwork going on this year,” Colvin said. “We’ve got a ton of standout players, there’s not just one person, we’re getting the whole team to play together.” Last year the Mountaineers cruised through their regular season, winning 16 of their 17 games and going perfect through the Bull Run District. However, it was a short lived postseason as they fell 2-1 in the Conference 35 semifinals against Luray — the same team responsible for the lone regular season loss. For a team that played for a state title the year before, it was quite a bit of a shock to have the playoffs over so early. The biggest difference for Madison now aside from the improved team chemisty has been the change in the circle. Junior Megan Shifflet answered the call to fill the substantial void left by Lauren Seale — a 3-year starter who graduated last spring before moving on to play at Eastern Mennonite University. “Everyone said we wouldn’t be back because we lost such a great pitcher,” Yowell said. “I told the team it doesn’t matter what people say, it’s not something we said to ourselves. We get to decide how good we are.” Shifflett’s stuff is a change of pace in terms of velocity, but she has great movement on her pitches and an exceptional changeup. That paired with an excellent and experienced defense behind her has allowed Madison to take the approach of playing the odds rather than simply praying for strikeouts left and right. “Megan’s doing a really good job,” Yowell said. “She’s got that excellent change up, drop curve and stuff like that. So I tell her to hit her spots and mix (up the speed), don’t get consistent, move it around a lot.” Shifflett sports a four to one strikeout to walk ratio coming into the Region 2A East tournament. She’s averaging four strikeouts per contest, so she can still get herself out of a jam if she has to, but her 0.91 earned run average is proof that pitching difficult stuff to square up and allowing the defense to play behind is a winning strategy. It’s also had some positive side effects. “Honestly I think that has helped because now the whole team is involved defensively,” said junior catcher Samantha Breeden. “We’ve developed stronger bonds because we’re always backing each other up, picking each other up. We’re not hanging our heads after a bad play any more.” Madison has always had the talent offensively, it’s just disappeared at inopportune times in the past. This year though, the Mountaineers are as good from top to bottom in the order as they ever have been. As such, the spotlight isn’t squarely resting on Shifflett’s performance. This season, the Mountaineers have proven they can overcome deficits and post big numbers in big games — the biggest of which so far came against Clarke County in the Conference 35 semifinal where Madison was able break open a close game at 3-2 going into the third to a 7-3 victory and secure a Region 2A bid. When it comes to the offense, the Mountaineers have plenty of balance with Colvin, Shifflett, Breeden and Kaley Aylor all with at least
22 RBI or better. Carrington Frazier sports a .417 average and Sam Atwell hits .373 and leads the team in runs with 38. The evenness in terms of hitting is so deep that 10 different Mountaineers sport batting averages over .350 and eight of them are the regular starters. “It doesn’t matter if it’s one through nine up there or someone off the bench,” Breeden said. “Seriously, we’ve got pop coming off the bench. If you have that, you’re going to come out on top in a lot of situations.” So with a slightly different attitude and approach, the Mountaineers will head to Buffalo Gap on Monday June 1 for its Region 2A quartefinal. From there this team will look to make the march towards their goal of making the state tournament again. “This team has jelled better than most of the other (previous teams),” Yowell said. “There’s no controversy with them. They all get along. And those that aren’t playing are supporting the ones that are. That’s what it takes to win ball games.” This is a senior class that’s played in the last game of the season before. In two of the last three years this core group has made the state final four. That said, win or lose this week, one thing that’s abundantly clear is this team has learned an awful lot from last year. Progress is progress. For a program that’s won as much has Madison has over the years, that progress means a lot. ✖
Sam Atwell slides into third against Central Woodstock
TEAM SPOTLIGHT LOUISA COUNTY BASEBALL The Louisa County baseball team had more on its mind than just its matchup with Charlottesville in the Conference 23 quarterfinals on Memorial Day. The Lions wanted to pay tribute to the all the those who paid the ultimate price on the holiday and did so by putting together a fundraiser to purchase new uniforms with a patriotic flair. Well done Louisa! Your tip of the hat did not go unnoticed.
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CHIP OFF THE SHOULDER
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STORY AND PHOTOS BY BART ISLEY
ST. ANNE’S-BELFIELD boys lacrosse has a lot of the kind of problems that every programs wants to have. They’ve got a deep talent pool, so finding playing time and opportunities for all that talent is a challenge. They play a high-end schedule that puts that talent to the test. But one challenge stands above those. At STAB, six years without a state championship starts to feel like a long time. Which is why this year’s championship run was so sweet for the Saints.
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“The program has always been strong, (retired former coach) Doug Tarring did a phenomenal job,” said STAB coach Bo Perriello. “For us, this is where we feel the program needs to be, competing in the championship game.” Going into the 2015 postseason, at first glance this year’s edition of the Saints seemed a not-so-likely candidate to end that streak too. It’s hard to call a program that’s won seven state championships an underdog, but that’s exactly what they were. After a regular season without a lot of signature wins and a host of one-goal losses, the Saints entered the state tournament as the No. 6 seed, forcing them into a first round game against Cape Henry. Perhaps even more defeating, the Saints were coming off a frustrating performance against the tournament’s top-seed Collegiate a 13-7 loss to the Cougars on the road that was in part caused by winning just a couple of faceoffs. So how did they do it? How did a team that came into the tournament with very little momentum suddenly get hot and make a run all the way to the VISAA Division I championship? How did they flip the switch? It starts with a group of seniors that seemed to suddenly find their stride at the right time. There was also Austin Park at FOGO, Rob Schotta at longstick midfielder, Lee Parkhill at shortstick defensive midfield, plus Dickinson-bound Brodie Phillips and Rhodesbound Lang McNeely in the mix in the midfield in a variety of roles. Each made an impact in their own way. Park bounced back from a brutal showing against Collegiate and held his own against some of the toughest faceoff guys in the state. Schotta made play after play, including a pair of big forced turnovers early in both the state semifinal and the final that set the tone for how STAB played in both contests. McNeely, Phillips and Parkhill all came up big in key situations too, with Phillips scoring a critical goal in the state semifinal. And then there was Eric Buhle in the cage. Saying Buhle found his stride completely understates it. Against Paul VI in the regular season, the team that STAB upset in the state semifinals, Buhle, a Richmond-bound star, couldn’t buy a save down the stretch. In turn, Paul VI stormed back from a five-goal deficit to win in overtime. Buhle turned that script completely on its head in the playoff run. “He played absolutely amazing,” Robertson said. “It just motivated us to do even better, I don’t want to let Eric down because he’s playing his heart out. And if I’m not doing the same I’m letting him down.” He was as close to perfect as a goalie can be in the title game, making 14 saves and holding St. Christopher’s
STAB attackman Phillip Robertson
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“THERE’S NO WAY WE’RE GOING TO LOSE THIS GAME IF HE KEEPS STOPPING THE BALL LIKE THAT.” — PERRIELLO 15 :: @scrimmageplay
to just a single goal. In the three final rounds of the state tournament he surrendered just eight total goals. That’s less than two goals per game. He was flat out, off-thecharts good, the definition of a hot keeper, the exact person that you want in the playoffs. “Really today was just exceptional,” said STAB coach Bo Perriello right after the title game. “At some point I turned to one of my coaches in the late third quarter and said ‘there’s no way we’re going to lose this game if he keeps stopping the ball like that.’ He was just phenomenal, he seemed to be seeing everything.” Buhle also did that with a re-tooled defense with first year starters Gideon Elron, Pierce Bower and Kareem Johnson carrying the load at close defense. While Schotta and Parkhill provided experienced hands, that new group had to grow up. “(Early on in the season) we were trying to figure out who we wanted to go in and where,” Schotta said. “I’m just so amazed and impressed at how we’ve come so far.” Beyond those seniors, the Saints also had an offensive group that had yet to really click on all cylinders, but is immensely talented. Joe Robertson and Jack Schultz are both dynamic scorers and both made a huge impact on the tournament. Schultz poured it in against Cape Henry in the first round game. Robertson had two goals and an assist against stingy Paul VI. Then there was Phillip Robertson, who showed savvy well beyond his years as a junior. Nursing an abdominal injury throughout the playoffs, Phillip saved himself for the title game, serving as a table setter and decoy throughout the run while Schultz and his brother Joe carried the load. By the time the title game rolled around, opponents were sleeping on him a little. He unleashed a five-goal performance against St. Christopher’s in the championship game even after straining the injury early in the contest. “He’s been our leader all year, whether it’s through scoring or running the offense, he runs the show for us,” Perriello said. But those are all just the parts. The nuts and bolts of the operation. This team was quite a bit more than that. Despite the fact that the Saints’ six-seed was probably fair considering everything that befell them during the regular season, STAB seemed to take it as an insult. The proverbial chip on their shoulder. But a chip is only what you make of it, and the Saints started to wear it as a badge of honor. When Paul VI players reminded them of their spot in the hierarchy, STAB set out to show them that it didn’t mean much at all. Game after game they made the seeding look way off with a sterling road win against St. Stephen’s & St. Agnes in the quarterfinals and the dominance in Richmond capped by that 11-1 shocker of a blowout against St. Christopher’s. See it is hard to call the Saints underdogs. Especially when they play like that. ✖
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uliet Karnes wasn’t sure about the plans the William Monroe girls soccer staff had in mind for her as a sophomore. In fact she had a pretty strong recation to assistant coach Von Ward’s idea of moving her to center midfield from center defense. ¶ “I was like ‘What, no, don’t put me there, that’s so scary’,” Karnes said. “It’s a lot of pressure being in the midfield, it’s a lot of connecting back and forth with the defense and the forwards, I was really nervous about it.” ¶ Karnes made the move forward where she orchestrates the defense and controls the Dragons’ efforts to possess the ball and keep it in their offensive half. Karnes is a tall, tireless presence in the midfield and she’s got a variety of responsibilities. She needs to win 50/50 balls in the air and move it back to the Dragons’ forwards while also squelching fastbreak opportunities for the opposition. At times she even needs to move up and help facilitate the attack. “I like being in control and controlling where the ball is going to go and I like knowing that I get to (start) the runs and be creative,” Karnes said. The fact that Karnes has grown into the role well enough to earn first team All-Bull Run District honors is a microcosm of what’s happened to the entire Monroe girls soccer program over the last few years under head coach John Burks. Helping Karnes’ development -- which also got a boost from her playing with SOCA in the travel ranks -- and other similar moves, adjustments and the development of an offseason program, has taken the Dragons from a largely directionless program to a Bull Run District title contender. The development of the offseason Greene Futbol Club and the maturity of the current junior class has made a huge impact. That’s also happened in part because Monroe isn’t afraid to mess with a good thing to try and find something better. Take what they’ve done this season with junior captain Rachel DeMasters. DeMasters has already had a tremendous career as a table-setter for Monroe, and actually holds the VHSL record for career assists, an incredible feat for a player who still has a year to go in her high school career. This season though, the Dragons needed to find some more scoring punch for the offense and apparently there are no sacred cows when you’re trying to take the next step. “At the beginning of the season I started playing attacking center-mid and that was fun,” DeMasters said. “We don’t really have that many attacking players on our team, so I think coach wanted to push me forward as another option. ” So they started moving DeMasters around,
and she’s exploded for a bevy of goals, including a four-goal outing in the Dragons’ Conference 28 quarterfinal blowout of Skyline. “It was a good change for me, I started scoring more goals and it was just a good transition,” DeMasters said. DeMasters gives that Dragons that needed dynamic presence at the top of the formation, someone who can create and finish when the wins or the defense help facilitate runs. She also has a nice complement at the top of the formation in the feisty Kinsey McInturff, who often refuses to give up on any ball that’s coming through the box. “People were on (Rachel), so we’ve moved around trying to get people off of her,” Burks said. “And then set plays, she just makes it happen.” The Dragons, however, have been built with a focus on defense. Over the last three years, the now-junior class and the squad’s lone senior Brooke Baker have become more adept at playing team defense. In front of Meredith McCorkle in net, sophomore Ariana Mills (who was shifted up into the midfield more late in the year), Elizabeth Tibbets and Kristin Manz along with Baker are limiting
“As a program we’ve built from the defense up and so each year we’ve made our defense better.” chances and forcing the opposition into the shots they want them to take. “As a program we’ve built from the defense up and so each year we’ve made our defense better,” said Karnes, who plays a big role in that defense from the holding midfield slot. “We started learning how to defend the game, then getting more midfield and attacking and now we’re focused on the forwards getting in play.” While Monroe’s journey ended again in the Conference 28 semifinals, everyone but Baker is back next season, and it’s a year they’ve been building toward. A year that this impressive group could vault themselves to the next level. They’ll have to do it without Burks, who’s moving out of the state, but they’ll be trying to do it with a lot of familiar faces. “We’ve really built ourselves as a team and working together and really being friends,” Karnes said. “I think that really helps us to want to be on the field together and work well.” With solid chemistry, a lot of the pieces are in place for a big-time 2016. Now it’s up to the Dragons to capitalize. ✖ Monroe defender Brooke Baker was the Dragons’ only senior on a roster full of underclassmen.
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Game Time Albemarle 9, Brooke Point 7 By Luke Nadkarni
Albemarle’s Justin Moran attacks against Brooke Point. (David Baladan)
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The Albemarle boys lacrosse team has made its living on an intense, attackoriented brand of lacrosse to take control of games early and pull away from their opponents, leading to blowout victories. So when they went into the second quarter trailing 1-0 to visiting Brooke Point in the 5A North/West Group Final, you couldn’t blame the Patriots for being a little flustered. Fortunately for AHS, they managed to wrestle the lead away from the Black Hawks during the second frame, then opened the third quarter on a run and never trailed again in a 9-7 victory. “We’ve actually been a pretty good team at the start of most quarters,” AHS head coach Dave King said. “It was different. I wouldn’t say the kids didn’t respond, but they were hesitant. They weren’t being aggressive.” The Patriots got three goals from Justin Peck, who finally put the Patriots on the board at 5:24 in the second quarter, and two from Justin Moran, whose tally with 2:40 left in the game gave Albemarle its most comfortable lead at 9-5. “We didn’t really know what [Brooke Point] was like coming in, we didn’t have a scouting report,” Peck said. “But I think once we saw how they were playing, we got a little more comfortable.” Brooke Point refused to go quietly, however, as Orlando Levins answered with a goal 14 seconds later and then fed Ryan Scott with 1:37 left to cut the lead in half and inject some worry into the Patriot faithful. Things got even more tense with 1:22 left
when Albemarle was whistled for a penalty, but the Black Hawks threw an errant pass out of bounds before even getting a look at the net. They never threatened after that, and Albemarle took home the group crown, meaning it will host the loser of the AtleeDouglas Freeman game Tuesday at 7:30. Brooke Point will travel to that game’s winner. “That last couple minutes, we kinda lost focus and started looking forward,” Albemarle goalie Kyle Seago said. “But then we came back, rallied, focused and got back on defense.” Both teams started slowly, but Scott put the Black Hawks on the board first, beating Seago on an extra-man opportunity with 8:16 to go in the first. But Brooke Point would not score again for nearly 17 minutes when he tied the score at 2 with 3:32 to go before halftime. Two minutes later, Cameron Green put Albemarle in front for good when grounded a shot into the net to give the Patriots a 3-2 lead at the half. That was the beginning of a 4-0 Albemarle run spanning the halves, featuring goals by Peck, Ian Davis and Garrett Smith. Another Peck tally was sandwiched by two Brooke Point goals, the latter coming when Seago fumbled the ball and Jack Monahan scooped it up and tossed it into the net. Levins scored barely a minute into the fourth quarter, but that was as close as the Black Hawks would get. For the game, Seago netted 12 saves while Brooke Point’s Mike Beutel had eight. Albemarle scooped up 37 ground balls to Brooke Point’s 26 but the Black Hawks held a 13-6 advantage in faceoffs. ✖
See a photograph you like? Defensive stand Warriors goalie has more than one trick | By Ryan Yemen
At Scrimmage Play we pride ourselves on offering the best possible graphics Two years ago the Western Albemarle boys to Shin, who doubles as a Junior National Judo soccer team get was fueled its underclassmen medalist, we can our byhands on, in both our but has developed into one of the with sophomores and freshman bearing the area’s most versatile goalkeepers. magazine as well as at our website at brunt of the work load. The netminder has shown he’s capable of Now two years later, forwards Aaron Myers making big saves, particularly in the team’s www.scrimmageplay.com and Alex Nolet, as well as senior defender two ties. In the first game of the season, Tom Rogers are all in their senior seasons and looking to earn a Region II bid, something that Orange County snatched away from them in the Jefferson District semifinals last season. After the first month of play, the Warriors seem to have the defensive side of the equation figured out and junior goalkeeper Kai Shin is a big part of that. Before Western went on its spring break, none of its four opponents were able to score more than once, a testament to the team’s play in the middle of the field, but also a nod
Shin endured wave after wave of Albemarle attack, but stood tall and showed no rust in the 1-1- tie. But while Shin’s on the field because he can make stops, his strong leg has also been of great use as he’s able to easily clear the zone but also spark fast breaks all by himself. The Warriors averaged a little over two goals per contest before the break, but if that average starts to increase, don’t be surprised if it’s because of Shin’s ability to contribute to the transition game. ✖
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Western Albemarle’s Kai Shin hauls in a shot during his team’s 1-1 tie with Albemarle that kicked off the soccer season for both squads. (Frank Crocker)
Success stories begin here.
Success Story: Marquis Haynes Sometimes persistence is the key. Marquis Haynes didn’t let adversity get the best of him. The Jacksonville, Florida native took an interesting path to land at Ole Miss after his days at University Christian School were over in 2013. The 6-foot-3-inch 225 pounder was a three star recruit coming out of high school, but he needed time at a post graduate school to help properly prepare him for college. Haynes came to Fork Union in the fall of 2013 to do just that with an offer from North Carolina already in hand, but only improved his recruiting profile by racking up 16 sacks, nine forced fumbles and an interception while playing under John Shuman’s vaunted PG program. After becoming a full qualifier academically, Haynes was dealt a blow with the Tar Heels denying him acceptance into the school. But in a strange twist, it opened another door as Ole Miss quickly got word that one of the prospects they had been pursuing was
suddenly available. In December of 2013, the Rebels and Haynes made it official. Haynes enrolled at Ole Miss for the spring 2014 semester, allowing him to practice with the team while also getting a head start on his academics. The results speak for themselves. This fall as a true freshman, Haynes helped Ole Miss put together a 9-4 season. With Haynes unexpectedly leading the way, the Rebels held opponents to just 16 points per game giving them the best scoring defense in the country. Haynes earned All-American honors with his seven and half sacks, nine tackles for a loss, three forced fumbles and a fumble recovery. Maybe this wasn’t the path that Marquis Haynes thought he’d have when he finished up high school, but not all journeys are set in stone. Its this one that has shown him the keys to success, and what matters most on that road.
Fork Union Military Academy is the leading Christian military boarding school for boys in grades 6 - 12 and PG. www.forkunion.com — 1-800-GO-2-FUMA
Overtime
Speaking the truth Covenant’s Gaffney twins thrive on openness
A
t least twice this season in critical moments and probably in numerous other spots, Covenant’s Drew Gaffney got advice from his twin brother Jay Gaffney. Once he didn’t ask for it. Another time he solicited it. Both times, it made a big difference for Drew, and in turn, Covenant’s boys lacrosse team. The time he did ask for it was in the state title game, when Drew had struggled to score against a stingy Virginia Episcopal squad, a position he wasn’t in much over the last two years as the two-time VIC and VISAA player of the year. “Going into the fourth quarter, Drew looked at me and said ‘what do I do man, I can’t score’,” Jay said. “I said ‘challenge them again, change planes.’ Next (possession) I’m screaming ‘change planes, change planes,’ he bounces it, changes planes and scores.” That was good advice and it helped in the moment lift the Eagles to a different level. But it’s the time Drew didn’t ask for it where both showed incredible maturity. Going into the Western Albemarle game, Covenant’s regular season finale, the Eagles seemed to be in search of a signature win, something they could hang their hat on going into the postseason. It had the feel and look of a rivalry game, and the Gaffneys in particular prepared like it was, throwing early in the morning on Saturday with the game looming that night. “Last year we had so many guys coming into this game trying to do it themselves and I was one of those guys,” Drew said. “Jay said to me (that) morning ‘we’re going to win tonight if we play team ball.’ And it was a direct hit at me. And I was like, ‘you know what, you’re right’.” Jay was being a good brother and an even better teammate at that moment. On the flip side, Drew was a good enough teammate and brother to accept the criticism and turn it into action. That night Drew didn’t force his shot, but he poured in six goals to ignite Covenant. That doesn’t happen if he gets defensive and frustrated with his brother calling him out. It doesn’t happen if he assumes the superiority of his own perspective over his brother’s advice. It doesn’t happen if he doesn’t show some willingness to self-assess and to discern the point Jay was making. I’ve developed a pretty thick skin when it comes to criticism from readers or people I don’t know. When you write about sports, people are going to find ways to disagree with a lot of things you write. But when it comes from someone who’s close to you, it closes the distance down. Drew can’t lean on the fact that Jay doesn’t know enough about him or understand the situation well enough to make that kind of comment. They’re twins, there’s no distance. That’s always been tougher for me to handle than an angry reader or an internet commenter, because when it’s someone close, there’s always a kernel of truth even if the person isn’t totally on point. You often trust those people on a lot of different issues, you respect their opinion on some level or in some arena. And they know you well, and that can make that criticism or truth more pointed, a direct shot to the ego. That level of intimate counsel often causes me to get defensive. I think we’re all sort of concerned on some level that someone close to us will see us at our worst, they’ll see
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“I’m screaming ‘change planes, change planes,’ he bounces it, changes planes and scores.” us as some sort of fraud. “It’s tough when you challenge someone… sometimes they come at you with a little bit of bite,” Jay said. Watching what Jay and Drew were able to do though, to hold each other accountable and not get defensive in those two situations though makes me want to do a better job of being open to counsel from those close to me. If two guys in the heat of a run to a state title can accept and dole out that kind of loaded, potentially volatile criticism and not come unraveled, I should be able to too. That’s a part of being a good teammate and it’s a big part of being a good family member or friend. It’s a big part of making yourself and those around you better, helping them reach their potential and enjoying their glory rather than only worrying about yourself. ✖
Bart Isley,
CRE ATIVE DIRECTOR
back talk »
Have you seen constructive criticism in sports? Contact Bart: bart@scrimmageplay.com
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