Central Region | Archive | June, 2007

Alumni: Jonathan Lewis

Posted on 30 June 2007 by .

Alumni: Jonathan Lewis

Varina product ready for second NFL season
by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports

The NFL is business. Big business.

No one knew that more coming out of Virginia Tech than Jonathan Lewis. He was prepared for it. So he thought.

“It was just football. You’ve gotta dedicate your time to football,” said Lewis of the one thing that surprised him his rookie season with the Arizona Cardinals in 2006. “It’s a lot of self-motivation. It’s all the glitz and glamour. But once you realize it’s still football, it’s still a game, it’s still like [recreation] ball … You’ve still gotta go out there and make the play.”

And the sixth round pick is ready to make plenty of them starting at Arizona training camp in late July.

Lewis, a 6-1, 288-pounder, has worked himself into the two-deep rotation at defensive tackle after a solid OTA (Organized Training Activites) season.

Now the former Varina High star is ready to make more of an impact after appearing in four of 16 games last season for the 5-11 Cardinals.
Jonathan Lewis
“I guess my first year went all right for a rookie,” Lewis said. “I really wanted myself to play more. Now I know some things to look for. I thought I had a good OTA. During training camp and preseason hopefully I can stay in that rotation and get a lot of valuable playing time for the Cardinals.”

Speaking of playing time, Lewis believes the NFL will continue to be packed with Richmonders, especially former Blue Devils like himself.

Lewis and Michael Robinson of the San Francisco 49ers are former Blue Devils in the league.

There are several other former Varina High or Varina recreation stars currently playing well at the college level, including Victor “Macho” Harris of Highland Springs (Va. Tech cornerback) and Alan-Michael Cash of Varina High (N.C. State DE). Not to mention Varina’s sensational Class of 2007.

“We’re going to have a lot of guys going into the league from Varina Rec,” Lewis said.

And all of the other organizations as well.

Four former Central Region standouts entered the league this offseason in Hermitage’s Fontel Mines (Chicago, TE), L.C. Bird’s Jason Snelling (Atlanta, RB), Highland Springs’ Noland Burchette (Atlanta, DE) and George Wythe’s Jesse Pellot-Rosa (N.Y. Jets, WR).

“The opportunity is here,” Lewis said. “The opportunity is now.”


Varina Alum Jonathan Lewis, 6/30/07
Varina Alum Jonathan Lewis

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Women’s Basketball Summer League

Posted on 29 June 2007 by redwan123.

Women’s League On The Way

ASSIST Spearheads Female League
Pretty soon the women can lace ’em up, too.

ASSIST president William Duron Carter and women coordinator Derick Copeland have organized a women’s basketball summer league for high school, college and professional players.

Play begins July 11 at Chesterfield Community High School. Interested parties can register for the NCAA-Sanctioned league Monday, July 2 at Chesterfield Community at 5 p.m.

“I’ve never seen a Pro-Am summer league for the girls,” Carter said. “I always see it for the guys. It is a lot of talent in the area for the girls and we need them to showcase their talent in the summer. I feel this can have the potential to have a great turnout.”

For more information contact Copeland at 397-1624 or Carter at 397-3261 or wcarter@assiststudentathletes.com.
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Lou Anderson FB Camp

Posted on 28 June 2007 by redwan123.

Lou Anderson FB Camp
by Stephen M. Lewis
Content Editor

Along with summertime heat comes summertime freedom for school-aged children and teenagers.

Lou Anderson‘s aim? To fill that time with as much positive interaction as possible.


“It gives them something to think about,” Anderson said. “As long as we’re doing things that are positive, you never know. You can save kids.”

Save a week next summer as the Lou Anderson Football Camp looks to become a big staple in Richmond. The second annual event had 75 campers in its first year, and got 120 children and teenagers to participate in the four-day camp this year.

Boys from age 6-15 were welcomed at the event that ended Thursday at University of Richmond Stadium.

“Regardless of what neighborhood these kids come from, we want to enhance their ability to perform,” said Anderson, who coached football for 30 years at Maggie Walker, John Marshall, Thomas Jefferson and Armstrong before ending his career with an 11-year stint at Virginia State.
Lou Anderson coached football at various levels for 41 years.
Speaking of the Trojans, Virginia State football coach Andrew Faison was one of Thursday’s guest speakers.

Faison took over once Anderson retired.

“To have it in a stadium like this, it’s a good atmosphere, a good environment for the kids,” Faison said. “I think coach Anderson did a good job spearheading this. My hats off to him and the coaches and parents who listened to coach.”

John Marshall football coach Marvin Bridges and Huguenot track and field coach Robert Evans, among many other Richmond Recreation and Parks workers and volunteers, like Raymond Layton, helped the camp’s success.

Each camper received a T-shirt, a trophy and a certificate for participation.

But maybe none of the campers play at a level where Anderson and Faison coached. But that’s not the point.

“[Coach Anderson] knows that life goes on,” Faison said. “We have to
make sure we train these kids to grow up and be good citizens.”


Virginia State FB Coach Andrew Faison
Virginia State coach Andrew Faison addresses the campers.

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Youth Movement

Posted on 26 June 2007 by redwan123.

Youth Movement

ASSIST To Field Youngest Tri-City Team
by Stephen M. Lewis
Content Editor

ASSIST Student Athletes is sponsoring one of the six teams in the Tri-City Summer League that begins Tuesday at John Marshall High School at 6 p.m.

Most, if not all of the names, should ring a bell as the teams features players not even two years out of high school.

Tray Okoth is one. Okoth was the Central Region player of the year in the 2005-06 season and spent last season at Cleveland State Community College.

The squad features eight 2007 graduates, six of them all-district performers, including Manchester’s Earl Gee, who is still unsigned at this point.

Gee, a 5-10 point guard, averaged 22 points per game for the Lancers, earning second-team All-Metro honors.

“I feel this will be a good experience for the student-athletes from ASSIST,” said William Duron Carter, Founder of ASSIST. “This will be an opportunity for these guys to go up against profressional players night in and night out. We are the youngest team in the league, so we have to run those older guys.”
Tray Okoth
Below is ASSIST’s roster that includes many players that the organization helped to get in school:

Anthony Sally (Chest. Comm. HS), Motlow CC (Tenn.)
Chris Washington (James River), Va. State
Tray Okoth (Henrico), Cleveland State CC
Aaron Mitchell (Matoaca), Manattee CC (Fla.)
Rocky Patterson (Varina), Christopher Newport
Earl Gee (Manchester), undecided
Edward Young, Rockingham CC
Philip Pandak (St. Christopher’s), The Citadel
Greg Grant (Huguenot), Manattee CC (Fla.)
Norris Gaskins (Varina), U.Va.-Wise
Lenny Daniels (Armstrong/G. Wythe), Coffeyville CC (Kansas)
Calvin Lee (Matoaca), Allegheny CC (Md.)
Desmone Dickerson (Henrico), Essex CC (NJ)
T.J. Granger (Thomas Jefferson), Fayetteville State

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Giving Back

Posted on 23 June 2007 by redwan123.

Giving Back

Former Stars Help Future Stars
by Stephen M. Lewis
Content Editor

About 60 young football players are receiving a crash course in everything that surrounds football at the Central Virginia All Pro Football Camp, held at Varina Recreation Saturday and Sunday (June 23-24) from 8 a.m.-5 p.m.

The 10-14-year-olds are going through combine-like drills, such as the 40-yard dash and the broad jump, catching and throwing passes and learning defensive skills throughout the two-day camp.

It pleases Kendall Short, president of CVAP (www.centralvaallpro.com).

“I saw that once they reached the high-school level, if they didn’t have a father that played high school football, or their father lacked the skills or their father was not in their lives, by the time they got to high school they were under prepared,” said Short, who has two children participating in the camp, Phillip Short, 13, and Robert Archer, also 13. “So I saw a need to get them in the right form and unlearn those bad behaviors before they get ingrained.”

Varina assistant coach and Glen Lea recreation coach Robert Scott heads up a star-studded staff that includes numerous former All-Metro players and current college and high school players.

“Guys are just giving back,” said Scott, who said CVAP had 30 players signed up but had 30 walk-ins. “We just wanted to do a little something on this side of town and get the kids in football mode. And make sure they have their fundamentals before football starts.”

Then Scott brought out the heavyweights to prove to the campers that the hard work pays off.

Jonathan Lewis, now with the Arizona Cardinals, and Virginia Tech’s Macho Harris, both addressed the campers during a morning break.

Both Lewis and Harris played football for Varina’s recreation program. Lewis starred at Varina High; Harris at Highland Springs.
Former Varina High star and current Arizona Cardinal Jonathan Lewis (center) gave autographs after giving a motivational speech during a break.
“Ya’ll have the perfect opportunity right here,” Lewis said to the campers. Lewis is also a former Virginia Tech star. “You are the future. But the future is not handed to you. You’ve got to work for it.”

Lewis and several other Varina Recreation graduates have as roughly 30 players from its program have or are playing in Division I football programs – Lewis, Harris, Michael Robinson (Penn State, San Francisco 49ers) and Brandon Minor (Michigan) to name a very few.

Another is Jeff Smith, a former Varina player now at Norfolk State. Smith helped at one of the stations.

“He went from being cut at Varina his freshman year, to getting a full
ride,” Scott said to the campers. “He worked his **** off to get where
he is.”

So did Lewis.

And he held no punches, holding true to CVAP’s motto – “Giving Back One Child At A Time.”

“I
don’t want to burst nobody’s bubble,” Lewis quipped. “But you can
multiply ya’ll into 64,000 kids. You know how many people out of 64,000
will go to the NFL? One.

“So the key is being a successful person.”


Jonathan Lewis, 6/23/07
Lewis addresses the campers.

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Huguenot’s Grant Commits

Posted on 22 June 2007 by redwan123.

Huguenot’s Grant Commits
by Stephen M. Lewis
Content Editor

Second-team All-Metro selection Greg Grant has committed to Manatee Community College, a top-flight junior-college squad in Florida, 30 minutes out of Tampa.

Grant averaged 15 points per game for the Falcons, the Dominion District champs and a Central Region semifinalist.

The 6-7 forward/center joins Matoaca guard Aaron Mitchell as a Manattee commit.

Grant was also an all-district first-team pick.
Greg Grant

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Metzger Back To L-D

Posted on 19 June 2007 by .

Metzger Back To Lee-Davis

Former L-D Star Returns From Hanover

Isn??t that a Tripp?

Former Lee-Davis star athlete Tripp Metzger is headed back to his alma mater to coach basketball.
The 26-year-old Metzger, who has spent the past three seasons as a varsity assistant
at Hanover, among other coaching positions, takes over for Bob Rodgers.

The Confederates finished 3-19 in 2006 and haven??t
posted a Capital District win since beating Hanover in its inaugural season in
2003-04. To say the L-D program has fallen on tough times is an understatement.

The Confederates haven??t made the Central Region
tournament since 1998, Metzger??s junior campaign.

??I want to get that L-D Pride back in
the gym,? Metzger said. ??Guys are going to be hustling, diving for
loose balls and just doing the little things to be competitive in games. Hard
work and dedication are two of the main components of my philosophy. I
want these guys to buy into these two components and know they have a chance
each and every night. My coaching staff is going to work hard in
preparation and our dedication and commitment to returning the program to
a competitive team, which is our main focus. 

??Returning to my old school is quite an honor. There
is always that L-D Pride that resides inside of an L-D graduate, and I want to
make sure these guys know how that feels when they graduate and can look back
on their L-D basketball careers and be proud of the effort they put forth.?

Metzger
starred in basketball and baseball, leading L-D to the state championship as a
pitcher in 1997.
Metzger

Metzger, the son of Clyde Metzger, a former Highland Springs baseball and football
coach, pitched four years for Longwood, graduating in 2003.

He??d been at Hanover ever since as a Health/P.E.
teacher until his dream came true.

??We are looking forward to the opportunity to be
competitive in the basketball strong Capital District,? said Metzger, ??and just
making sure we are working hard and staying committed to the re-building and
laying of the foundation and pride for future L-D teams.?
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Deep Run Double-Dip

Posted on 18 June 2007 by redwan123.

Deep Run Double-Dip

McGuire and Odell Nab Honor

Deep Run may have been the state
runner-up, but they were first in terms of awards.

Deep Run’s Deck McGuire (above) and Wildcats coach Grant Odell
were chosen the state baseball player of the year and coach of the year,
respectively, by the Virginia High School Coaches Association.

Austin Stadler, of state champion James River, was a first-team outfielder.
Dinwiddie’s Josh Cox (second base) and Matoaca’s Mike Cheatham
(third base) also earned first-team honors.

First team: Pitchers ?? Deck McGuire, Deep Run, Sr.; Jason Farley, James Madison, Sr.; Catcher
?? Sean McCauley, Osbourn, Sr.; First base ?? Armon Moniri, Madison, Sr.; Second
base ?? Josh Cox, Dinwiddie, Sr.; Third
base ?? Mike Cheatham, Matoaca, Sr.; Shortstop
?? D.J. Fitzgerald, Ocean Lakes, Sr.; Outfielders ?? Austin Stadler, James River, Jr.; Tyler Mann, Princess Anne, Sr.;
Mickey White, Albemarle, Sr.; Utility ?? Matt Shoemaker, Menchville, Sr.; DH ??
Keith Werman, Oakton, Jr.

Player of the year: Deck McGuire,
Deep Run

Coach of the year: Grant Odell,
Deep Run

Second team: Pitchers ?? Justin Wright, Forest
Park, Sr.; Cameron Roth, Denbigh, Sr.; Catcher ?? Seth Williams, Edison, Sr.; First
base ?? Chris Baker, Deep Creek, Sr.; Second base ?? Drew Wilkinson, Cox, Jr.; Third
base ?? Brian Smith, Madison, Sr.; Shortstop ?? Rich Conlon, Madison, Sr.;
Outfielders ?? Jacob Morley, Woodson, Jr.; Jarrett Parker, Colonial Forge, Sr.;
Mike Walters, Osbourn, Sr.; Utility ?? Ronnie
Shaban, Cosby, Jr.; DH ?? Brian Vines, Albemarle, Sr.
Grant Odell
Honorable mention: Brett Howell, Osbourn, Sr.; Neil
Ramirez, Kempsville, Sr.; Austin
Stadler, James River, Jr.; Sean Chitsaz, Lake Braddock, Sr.; Catcher ??
Justin Topping, Nansemond River, Sr.; Jake
Lowery, Cosby, Jr.; Justin Bagbey, Halifax, Jr.; Kyle Stanley, Patrick Henry, So.; Second base ?? Ben Calacci,
Herndon, Sr.; Andrew Lippert, GW-Danville, Sr.; Third base ?? Chris McDougal,
Denbigh, Jr.; Jake Meyers, Woodbridge, Jr.; Shortstop ?? Brett Entz, Deep Run, Sr.; David Herbeck, Battlefield, Sr.; Outfielders
?? Chad Heflin, Dinwiddie, Sr.; Brooks Martin, Deep Run, Jr.; Shawn
Sizemore, Menchville, Jr.; Ty Morrison, Great Bridge, Jr.; Sterling Sams,
Madison, Sr.; Wells Guthrie, Robinson, Sr.; Utility ?? Foster Dunnigan, Langley,
Jr.; George Piccirulli, Osbourn Park, Jr.; DH ?? Deck McGuire, Deep Run, Sr.; Bryant Liberta, Menchville, Sr.
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Rice Shines Bright

Posted on 16 June 2007 by redwan123.

Rice Shines Bright

BC Standout Star Of Stars
by Stephen M. Lewis
Content Editor

Tyrese Rice was the star of stars Saturday evening.

Boston College’s standout point guard registered 37 points to lead Richmond Alumni over Tri-Cities Alumni 110-106 in the Second Annual Nick Burd Benefit Game at Matoaca High School.

Richmond, full of Burd’s former AAU teammates, trailed most of the first half until Rice led a comeback with nice slashes to the basket, cutting a nine-point deficit to two at the half, 55-53.

It was more of the same as Richmond took control of the second half, but Trey Mines (Virginia State) drilled back-to-back 3-pointers to give Tri-Cities a 73-70 lead with 15:00 to go.

That’s when someone took over.

“It was real good. The game was fun,” former Prince George star Reggie Williams
(20 points), now at Virginia Military Institute, said. “It kind of got
opened up by somebody at one point, but I’m not going to say any names.”

Well, it was Rice. The former L.C. Bird star hit back-to-back
3-pointers for a 84-79 lead, barking at the crowd after his second hit.

He drilled another trey seconds later to put Richmond ahead by
six, before finishing an old-fashioned three-point play for a 90-81
lead with 8:40 on the clock.
Tyrese Rice (left) put in 37 points to pace Richmond Alumni.
Richmond led by 11 on a layup from Scott Grable (10 points) four minutes later.

Williams drove Tri-Cities within six with 3:00 left before Rice ended their hopes with a two-handed jam and an alley-oop slam from former Bird teammate and two-time slam dunk champion Shamar Acuay.

But everyone’s performance was all for Burd, the former Matoaca basketball star who was paralyzed from the chest down in a car accident nearly two years ago.

His ongoing battle to walk again continues at Woodrow Wilson Clinic, where in just two weeks Burd sees progress.
Nick Burd (24) was the honorary sixth-man for Team Richmond, who took their second straight victory over Tri-Cities.
“Nick’s the greatest kid,” said Chris Harris, a former teammate of Burd’s for three years in AAU play. Harris is now at Navy. “He’s handled this whole thing so positively. I haven’t seen some of these guys in years. I love to do it.”

Said Williams of Burd, who was headed to VMI to play with Williams: “He was a real good player. He was solid. He hustled. He gave [Matoaca] what they needed.”

And Burd’s friends gave him what he needed – support.

“It’s crazy to me, all the love I’m getting. All the love my homies are
showing me,” Burd said. “They’re just doing so good. I’m super proud of
them.

“And they still come back for a weekend and chill with their boy.”

Richmond Alumni 53 57 – 110

Tri-Cities Alumni 55 51 – 106

Richmond: Reid Augst (UNC Asheville, Benedictine) 4, Scott
Grable (Elon, P. Henry) 10, John Hannah (Florida State) 0, Chris Harris
(Navy, Benedictine) 9, Brett James (Elon, M. Godwin) 5, Tyrese Rice
(Boston College, L.C. Bird) 37, Drew Shiembob (St. Christopher’s) 7,
D.J. Short (Queens Charlotte, Clover Hill) 0, Shamar Acuay (L.C. Bird)
4, Donald Johnson 22, Calvin Brothers 8, Travis Ponton 0.


Nick Burd, Benefit Game, 6/16/07
Nick Burd
Tri-Cities:
Montino Williams (Chowan, Hopewell) 0, Brad Byerson (Va. Union, T.
Dale) 19, Steve Wilson (Clarke College) 4, Brandon Byerson (Va. Union,
T. Dale) 5, Trey Mines (Va. State, T. Dale) 11, Darius Robinson 2,
David Wright (Mt. Olive) 1, Terrell Crockett (Va. State, Prince George)
21, Dario Walker (Norfolk St. football, Matoaca) 0, Ricardo Lipscomb
(Hartford, Matoaca) 3, Shawn Harris (Va. Tech, Matoaca) 10, Calvin Lee
(Allegheny, Matoaca) 0, Reggie Williams (VMI, Prince George) 20, Tarail
Jones (Hopewell) 1, Mark Wilson (Hopewell) 0.
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Ballin’ 4 Burd

Posted on 14 June 2007 by redwan123.

Ballin’ 4 Burd

Annual Event Returns
by Stephen M. Lewis
Content Editor

The Second Annual Ballin’ 4 Burd Benefit Game will take place Saturday, June 16
at Matoaca High School.

The dunk contest and 3-point shootout kick things off at
6 p.m., and the game is set to begin at 7 p.m. The doors open at 5 p.m. and tickets are $10.

Former L.C. Bird star Tyrese
Rice, now Boston College’s starting point guard, is set to participate, among a
host of other former area stars.

The game is in the honor of former Matoaca star
athlete Nick Burd, who is battling back from a car accident that took away his
walking ability.

He is the older brother of Kris Burd, the all-everything wide
receiver headed to the University of Virginia this fall.

Burd’s mother, Terry, said that Nick is doing well and has entered into a rehab program that should have Nick taking care of himself in the near future.
Burd (24) was a standout basketball player for the Warriors. He was set to play for VMI before his unfortunate accident.

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