Central Region | Archive | January, 2009

Records as of Sunday, Jan. 25
Current STANDINGS HERE!
All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
Team (Record, Prev. Rank): This week’s schedule

1. Cosby (14-1, 1): vs. No. 10 Monacan (Tuesday); at James River (Thursday)

2. Thomas Dale (14-1, 2): vs. Matoaca (Tuesday); at Dinwiddie (Thursday)

3. Mills Godwin (15-1, 3): at Hermitage (Friday, 6 p.m.)

4. Atlee (14-3, 5): at Hanover (Friday, 5:45)

5. L.C. Bird (10-5, 4): vs. Midlothian (Tuesday); at G. Wythe (Thursday)

6. Huguenot (12-3, 6): vs. G. Wtyhe (Tuesday, 4); at No. 10 Monacan (Thursday)

7. Manchester (11-4, 9): vs. George Wythe (Tuesday); at Meadowbrook (Wednesday); at No. 10 Monacan (Thursday)

8. Hanover (10-4, 8): vs. Maggie Walker (Tuesday); vs. P. Henry (Thursday); No. 4 Atlee (Friday, 5:45)

9. Henrico (14-4, 7): No games

10. Monacan (9-7, 10): at No. 1 Cosby (Tuesday); vs. No. 6 Huguenot (Thursday)

* Local coaches and the DigitalSports staff vote on the poll.

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BASKETBALL SCOREBOARD
MONDAY, JANUARY 26

BOYS
No. 5 L.C. Bird 78, No. 8 Meadowbrook 67
Benedictine 92, Clover Hill 53
Lee-Davis 76, Patrick Henry 57
* Lee-Davis ends a nine-game losing streak behind 17 points from point guard Chris Cook.
Manchester 63, Matoaca 56
Prince George 65, Sussex Central 57 (OT)
Thomas Dale 64, James River 53

GIRLS
No. 5 L.C. Bird 47, Meadowbrook 37
No. 7 Manchester 52, Matoaca 40
Patrick Henry 85, Lee-Davis 48

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Records as of Sunday, Jan. 25
Current STANDINGS HERE!
All games at 7:30 p.m. unless noted
Team (Record, Previous Rank): This week’s schedule

1. Petersburg (16-0, 1): at No. 8 Meadowbrook (Wednesday); vs. Matoaca (Friday)

2. Douglas Freeman (15-2, 2): at Deep Run (Friday)

3. Highland Springs (14-2, 3): vs. Varina (Friday); vs. Huguenot (Saturday, 2:30)

4. John Marshall (14-2, 4): vs. P. Henry (Tuesday, 5); at Tucker (Friday); vs. Dematha (Saturday, Slamfest, 8)

5. L.C. Bird (13-1, 5): at Midlothian (Wednesday); vs. George Wythe (Friday)

6. Huguenot (12-2, 6): at G. Wythe (Wednesday, 4); vs. Monacan (Friday, 5); at No. 3 H. Springs (Saturday, 2:30)

7. Hopewell (10-5, 7): vs. Prince George (Wednesday); at Colonial Heights (Friday)

8. Meadowbrook (10-4, 8): vs. Petersburg (Wednesday); vs. Prince George (Friday)

9. Mills Godwin (10-6, 9): at Hermitage (Friday)

10. Varina (10-7, NR): at No. 3 H. Springs (Friday)

Other receiving votes: Matoaca (8-7, NR)

* Local coaches and the DigitalSports staff vote on the poll.

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A pipeline is forming from Highland Springs to the University of Delaware.

The Blue Hens recently picked up a commitment from Highland Springs linebacker Carl Smith, its third football commitment from the Springers in three seasons.

Two years ago, Highland Springs valedictorian and linebacker Andrew Harrison made his way to Delaware. Last year, all-DigitalSports pick and cornerback Marcus Burley chose the Blue Hens.

Now it’s Smith’s turn to join the CAA school.

“I’ve got two big brothers coming from Highland Springs,” Smith said. “They’ve got a great business program. They’ve got an established football program. I really like that a lot.”

Smith is a hard-hitting, 6-1, 200-pounder that showed flashes of brilliance as a junior, and followed up with a good senior season, choosing the Blue Hens over Elon and Youngstown State.

He’s already on the road to improvement to make an immediate impact on the football field.

“Right now it’s speed, speed, speed,” said Smith, who is participating in indoor track and will also do outdoor track. “When I go to college I can always get bigger.”

The pipeline from HS to UD just got bigger.

– Stephen M. Lewis

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by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com

In the 2007-08 season, Jeri Mask was a layup line all-star.

His dunks and picture perfect jumpshot were impressive, but he never got meaningful floor time for Highland Springs.

A year later, he’s a huge contributor. Saturday afternoon he came off the bench to pour in 23 points, his jersey number, as the No. 3 Springers topped eighth-ranked Meadowbrook 60-51.

“I knew he could shoot, but I’ve never seen him get hot like that,” Meadowbrook coach Ksaan Brown said.

After a sluggish first quarter for both teams, Mask ignited the Springers, scoring 10 points in the quarter on an array of jumpshots.

But the Monarchs stayed close as Sterling Martin (13 points) and Doug Brewer (12) started finding the hole to keep the Springer lead at six, 30-24 at the break.

HS started getting its hands in passing lanes, creating many of Meadowbrook’s 17 turnovers in the third period. It enabled the Springers to hold a 42-33 lead with 3:00 to go in the third quarter.

That’s when things got interesting.

Three technical fouls were handed out in the next five minutes of game time, slowing down what was becoming a quick-paced game.

Meadowbrook took advantage of Highland Springs’ first tech, trimming the lead to 44-42 at the end of the third period.

Monarchs coach Ksaan Brown then received a technical foul after a non-foul call, as Mask knocked in two free throws for a 50-42 advantage with 6:07 left.

Only seconds later, Highland Springs point guard Xavier Parham received his second technical foul of the game, a huge blow to a Springer team already down guards Jarvis Threatt (broken left foot) and Aaron Hodnett (disciplinary).

It bolstered Meadowbrook as it slice HS’ lead to 50-48 on Brewer’s reverse finish.

But from then on Highland Springs outscored Meadowbrook 10-3 as Mask moved into more of a ballhandling role to close the door, accounting for eight of the points.

“I think in any situation is shows that Highland Springs can adapt,” Springers coach George Lancaster said. “I’ve been hard on Jeri. I think that the talent is there, so I can’t just let him go through the motions.”

Mask went through the motions in warmups last year, he’s ready to play this season, and play well.

Highland Springs 12 18 14 16 – 60
Meadowbrook      5  19 18   9 – 51
Highland Springs (14-2): Parham 3, Lewis 0, Young 17, Mask 23, Judon 2, Williams 2, Hopkins 4, Reed 9, McClaine 0. Totals: 23 14-20 60.
Meadowbrook (10-4): Martin 13, Aiken 0, Brewer 12, Davis 4, Tucker 1, Coble 7, Simmons 7, Daily 5, Denard 2. Totals: 17 14-25 51. 3-point goals: Martin 2, Coble.

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Height: 5-10    Age: 17

Performance: Scott sank 10 3-pointers en route to 36 points as Petersburg topped Prince George on Friday. Scott also scored 14 points with four treys against Colonial Heights on Wednesday, and had 15 points and three more against Highland Springs Saturday.

If the Central Region was the NBA, what player would you be: [Golden State’s] Monta Ellis, minus the high-flying dunking and stuff.”

When did you know you were in a zone: “Maybe around the fourth one. After I missed the first one I let a couple of more go. They went in, no rim. I pretty much knew I was going to be in the zone from there.”

On coach Lawson: “I’ve watched coach Lawson mature as a coach. Every year he’s even better. You see our record’s gotten better. Smart guy, he has the personnel every year but he also knows how to coach his personnel. Coach Lawson really stuck it out last year. He’s the best coach I’ve played for and I’ve played for some pretty good coaches.”

If you had one wish: “Win a state championship.”

Toughest opponent: “It wasn’t even a real game. It was a scrimmage. David Brown from Huguenot. He matched my quickness on the defensive end and the offensive end.”

Recruiting: “I’m looking at Winston-Salem State, VMI, a couple of D-II schools. Definitely more phone calls and more mail than last year. I’ll definitely be playing somewhere next season.”

Biggest difference between this year’s team and last year’s: Definitely the depth. We’re way more deep, and way more athletic this year. We have at least five players that can do it on the offensive end any night.”

Funniest teammate: “A freshman, Frank Mason. He’s tough, he has all the tools he just needs to stay humble. He actually jokes too much, but whatever he says, even if he’s trying to be serious, it’s funny. He’s a goofy guy.”

Best dunker on the team: “No. 20, Chris Evans. They go at it at practice, the last 20 minutes. He’ll do something to make them sit down, like throw it off the backboard and windmill it or something. That’s something no one else can do.”

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by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com

The rivalry is alive and getting well.

Henrico and John Marshall are what JM coach Frank Threatts calls “a rock throw away” from each other, and the basketball contest the two put on Wednesday evening didn’t disappoint as JM took a 71-62 victory over the Warriors.

A great rivalry needs two great teams, and it’s been a while since both Henrico and John Marshall were top-5 worthy. JM is, ranked fourth in the DigitalSports Top 10.

A youthful Henrico squad just fell out of the poll after a loss to Capital District rival Varina.

Despite a 5 p.m. start, JM’s gymnasium was still loaded with fans itching to see the 30 players who share the same habitat battle.

“It’s a real big rivalry. We’re only five minutes away from each other,” Henrico’s star sophomore Trey Davis said. “We needed a win. We were trying to come out here and be real aggressive. Some things didn’t go our way but we fought hard. We’ll keep learning.”

Perhaps its Davis and JM’s junior Travis McKie that has the rivalry about to begin to thrive on the hardwood once again.

The Division I prospects both guarded each other at times, with Davis scoring a game-high 25 points and McKie putting in a cool 17 as his better supporting cast stepped forward to keep Henrico at bay.

“It was real fun,” Davis said. “They got the win so I guess he got the advantage tonight.”

Added JM point guard Randall Ward: “It was really exciting for me personally. As a team I think it was just a big a game, if not just a little bit lower, than when we played Huguenot. The whole day I couldn’t wait to come in here and play them. It was pretty big for me.”

Henrico tried to pull the big upset, and maybe could have had a shot if not for the beginning of the third period and a portion of the fourth.

JM forced its will upon the Warriors, going on an 11-2 run to push its lead to 39-25.

Maurice Johnson had six of his 18 points in the bolt, tearing the paint up inside against the smaller Warriors.

But Vance Harmon‘s crew battled back to trail by five, 45-40 at the end of the third as Kris Walden (10 points) had two three-point plays.

Down six with six minutes to go, here came another JM take off. This time it was a 12-2 spurt led by Quantae Cooley, who scored six of his team-high 19 points.

Five of the field goals in the run were in the paint off of offense, or on fastbreaks off of turnovers.

“I keep telling our kids they don’t know how close they are to breaking through,” Harmon said. “It’s that one rebound, that one stop to get us over the hump.”

And to make that rivalry that much more compelling.

Henrico           11 12 17 22 – 62
John Marshall 13 15 17 26 – 71
Henrico (10-6): Walden 10, T. Davis 25, Harrison 4, B. Davis 0, Burston 2, Carter 2, Wells 3, Zavelsky 13, Thorpe 3. Totals: 22 14-19 62. 3-point goals: T. Davis 3, Wells.
John Marshall (13-2): Ward 13, Johnson 18, Cooley 19, Mangum 0, Johnson 0, Clark 2, McKie 17, Brown 0, Braxton 2. Totals: 28 12-22 71. 3-point goals: Ward, Cooley, McKie.

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Height: 6-0    Year: Senior   Age: 17

Performance: Coward registered 27 points and 11 rebounds as Hanover stopped No. 6 Henrico. She had 15 points, 10 rebounds, four steals, three assists and three blocks in a win over Varina, and also scored eight points and six boards in only six minutes of action versus Armstrong.

Toughest opponent: “It’s Randall [Ward] and myself. As far as him staying on me. He’s good to talk to but he doesn’t let me slack at all. I guess I need it.” Ward doubles as John Marshall’s star point guard and Coward’s boyfriend.

One thing that most don’t know about you: “I can’t swim. I gave up a few months ago.”

Favorite thing to do other than basketball: “Hang with my friends.”

Funniest teammate: “Moriah Douglas. She’s just unpredictable, I can’t explain it.”

On Hanover coach Kevin Brooks: “He’s a great coach. It’s never really been hard to get along with him. Last year he was on me about getting better. It’s the same thing this year.”

On commitment to Longwood: “The coaching staff was really awesome. They were really nice. They told me just like it is. They were straight up with me, where I stood. The girls were really nice when I stayed. It was really a family atmosphere. It was really comfortable being down there.”

Position she’ll play: “More of like a four.”

What she’s improving on: “My ball handling and my outside shooting. It’s gotten way better than it was.”

Overcoming finger injury: “I was sick the beginning of the season, my finger was fine. It hasn’t really affected me anymore.”

If you had one wish: “I kind of want to start my high school career over. I think I would’ve handle it differently if I knew what I was capable of doing. I would’ve started working harder earlier.”

If she could meet one person: “Barack Obama, that would be awesome.”

On brother Lamarr Decordova being an assistant coach for rival Atlee: “He’s a traitor. It’ll be good because two of my best friends play on their team. It should be an intense game. I’m really excited about it.”

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