Central Region | Archive | May, 2009

Softball, 5/30/09: Royals win first title since 1979

Posted on 31 May 2009 by .

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

A picture is worth a 1,000 words. But this video of Prince George’s clinching out is worth a few as well.

Look at pitcher Lauren Vinson, No. 13.

Tired, exhausted, fatigued, worn out, she was all of it, having no energy to celebrate Prince George’s first Central Region softball crown since 1979.

Rightfully so. Vinson pitched 21 innings – 14 in a 2-1 semifinal win over Cosby earlier in the semifinal (she scored the winning run), seven in a 3-2 title clincher over Atlee – Saturday, with 18 total strikeouts.

The sun beat her forest green and black uniform to a pulp, so much that she had to get cold towels draped over her body during the championship game.

She told coaches to get Maggie Roberts warmed up in case, but there’s was no way Vinson wouldn’t finish the game for longtime coach Pat Waguespack.

“I’m used to the whole one-game routine,” said Vinson, a travel softball standout who can throw double-digit innings with ease then. “Getting your rest, two or three days between. It was just a lot to handle.”

Katie Christopher handled an Atlee pitch in the sixth and sent it to right. An error allowed the ball to roll to the wall and Christopher rolled to third.

Pinch-runner Adrianna Cook scored minutes later on Aidan O’Hare‘s groundout as Prince George led 2-1 in the top of the sixth inning.

Then Atlee first baseman Randi Farrar got a hold of a Vinson offering, hitting a solo home run to tie the contest at 2.

PG responded quickly as Ashley Lowe hit a blooper to right. Pinch runner Charmaine Thweatt came in and immediately reached second on a passed ball.

Vinson hit a shot to second that was handled, but overthrown to first allowing the speedy Thweatt to score the game-winner, as the Raiders had six errors at Hanover High.

“I’m always put in at the last minute to get the extra run,” Thweatt said. “So it made me feel better.”

Let’s hope Vinson feels better. The sensational junior couldn’t really remember much from the semifinal win after the contest.

No matter, her performance speaks for itself.

Prince George will host Northern Region runner-up Centreville Tuesday in the state Group AAA quarterfinals. Atlee will visit Northern champ South County.

Title Game

Prince George 010 001 1 – 3 7 0

Atlee             100 001 0 – 2 5 6
Vinson and Lowe; Holte, Jenkins and Keyes. L: Jenkins.

Semifinals
Prince George 000 010 000 000 01 – 2  8 3
Cosby            100 000 000 000 00 – 1 10 2
Vinson and Lowe; Higbie, Sweat (6) and Hall. L: Sweat.

Midlothian 001 000 0 – 1 4 1
Atlee       200 100 x –   3 4 1
Townsend and Edmunds; Jenkins and Keyes.

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Baseball, 5/30/09: 13 is lucky for Hanover

Posted on 31 May 2009 by .

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

Number 13 is probably not the best for baseball players, usually the most superstitious athletes.

Except Laine Denton and Hanover.

The outstanding second baseman dons No. 13 and led a 13-run rally as Hanover defeated Deep Run 14-6 Saturday in the Central Region baseball final at the immaculate RF&P Park.

Denton finished 3 for 4 with two RBI and a big solo HR in the second inning that made it 4-1.

“Then we were still in a little bit of trouble,” Denton said. “It was still 4-1. We started hitting the ball and I guess things kind of happened.”

Deep Run wasn’t done pounding the baseball yet.

With two home runs already from Jake Snyder (two-run shot, first inning) and Tyler Benson (solo, second inning), Seth Greene had an RBI single in the third and R.C. Orlan followed with one of his three hits to provide a 6-1 lead.

Then, as Deep Run coach Grant Odell put it, the second half of the contest started.

Austin Erb scored as Deep Run catcher Snyder hit Denton trying to pick him off at second. An error allowed Denton to score from third, 6-3 Deep Run.

Bryson Kemler got an RBI without using the bat, walking with the pads loaded, Deep Run 6-4. Then Beau Flinchum and Kemler scored on a weird play as the ball got away twice from Deep Run.

All of a sudden a five-spot was up in the bottom of the fourth to tie the game at 6. Brand new ballgame.

Erb came up in the next inning a blasted a solo shot to give Hanover a 7-6 lead. But the Hawks would put up seven more runs as Deep Run struggled with walks and errors.

Justin Thorn had three RBI, Thornton Glazebrook hit a HR to make up for his base-running blunder and Flinchum had an RBI to end the scoring.

“This is the best lineup I’ve ever been a part of,” Denton said.

Added Hanover coach Charlie Dragum: “This team doesn’t quit. I was probably more concerned than they were. They can hit and they do. Every game they’ve come out and swung the bat in this tournament. Swung with authority. Not little singles, they’re popping balls into gaps and hitting a lot of home runs.

“You’re never out of a game when you have the offensive capabilities we have this year.”

Hanover will host Northern Region runner-up Lake Braddock Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the state Group AAA quarterfinals, while Deep Run will visit Northern Region champ West Springfield.

Deep Run 311 100 0 –  6 10 4
Hanover   010 526 X – 14 15 0
Beightol, Renick (4), Benson (4), Griffith (6), Bruce (6), McGuire (6) and Snyder; Erb, Kane (4), Thorne (5).
Records: Deep Run (14-9); Hanover (21-1)

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Region playoffs, 5/30/09

Posted on 30 May 2009 by .

Central Region brackets


Baseball
Quarterfinals, Tuesday, May 26
Mills Godwin 4, Cosby 3
Hanover 6, Matoaca 1
Deep Run 2, Manchester 0 (11 innings)
* The region favorite Lancers fall.
Thomas Dale 6, Lee-Davis 5
* Taylor Britt had the game-winning single for the Knights. MORE from this game coming!

(at RF&P Park)
Semifinals, FRIDAY, May 29
Hanover 11, Mills Godwin 7
* Highlights here!!!
Deep Run 5, Thomas Dale 3
* Recap here!

Final, SATURDAY, May 30
Hanover 14, Deep Run 6
* Coverage HERE!

Softball
Quarterfinals, Tuesday, May 26
Midlothian 1, Deep Run 0
Atlee 3, Thomas Dale 2
* Lacey Waldrop threw a no-hitter, but the Raiders took advantage of Knight errors.
Cosby 2, Mills Godwin 0
Prince George 1, Lee-Davis 0

Semifinals, SATURDAY, May 30
Atlee 3, Midlothian 1
Prince George 2, Cosby 1 (14 innings)

Final, SATURDAY, May 30
Prince George 3, Atlee 2
* Coverage here!


Boys Soccer
Quarterfinals, Tuesday, May 26
Mills Godwin 2, Midlothian 0
* Highlights here!

Matoaca 2, Lee-Davis 1
Cosby 3, Deep Run 0
Atlee 1, Thomas Dale 0
* MORE on this game HERE!

(at Cosby H.S.)
Semifinals, Thursday, May 28
Mills Godwin 8, Matoaca 0
Cosby 1, Atlee 0

Final, Friday, May 29
Cosby 2, Mills Godwin 0

Girls Soccer
Quarterfinals, Tuesday, May 26
Midlothian 2, Deep Run 1
Atlee 4, Prince George 0
Mills Godwin 1, Cosby 0
Thomas Dale 3, Hanover 0
* MORE on this game HERE!

(at Cosby)
Semifinals, Wednesday, May 27
Atlee 2, Midlothian 1
Godwin 2, Thomas Dale 1 (3 OTs)

Final, Friday, May 29
Mills Godwin 1, Atlee 0
* Sarah Bellotti scores another late goal for Godwin. Recap here!

State Group AAA Tennis


Boys Tennis
State Quarterfinals, Tuesday, May 26
Deep Run d. Thomas Jefferson S&T
Mills Godwin 5, Robinson 2

Semifinals, Huntington Park (Newport News), Friday, May 29
Deep Run 5, Princess Anne 0
Mills Godwin 5, Frank Cox 0

Final, Huntington Park (Newport News), Saturday, May 30
Mills Godwin 5, Deep Run 2

Girls Tennis
State Quarterfinals, Tuesday, May 26
Thomas Jefferson S&T d. Deep Run
Mills Godwin 5, George Marshall 2

Semifinals, Huntington Park (Newport News), Friday, May 29

Mills Godwin 5, Frank Cox 0
* It is the Eagles’ eighth straight state final berth as they look for their sixth crown in eight tries.

Final, Huntington Park (Newport News), Saturday, May 30
Mills Godwin 5, TJ S&T 2

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Baseball, 5/29/09: Hanover, Deep Run to state tournament

Posted on 29 May 2009 by .

by Derek “Big D” Nash
DigitalSports Correspondent

In the first of two Central Region baseball semifinals, the Hanover Hawks defeated the Mills Godwin Eagles 11-7.

After a 90-minute rain delay both teams finally took the field.

Hanover (21-1) wasted no time knocking out a pair of two run homers for an early 4-0 lead, the first by Jake Mayers, the second from Laine Denton.

Godwin struck back to cut the lead 4-2, but after that the teams just exchanged runs here and there throughout the contest.
 
Godwin (18-5) going into the bottom of the sixth was down 11-4 before putting a 3-spot on the scoreboard to cut the lead to 11-7, but relief pitcher Mayers, who is the normal ace, put an end to the Godwin comeback.

Three of Godwin’s five losses came to the Hawks this season. The other scores in the regular season were 3-2 and 6-5.
 
Hanover will make its second trip to the state tournament. But the Hawks will first face Deep Run in the region final Saturday at 1 p.m. back at RF&P Park.

The Wildcats ousted Thomas Dale 5-3 behind pitchers Seth Greene and R.C. Orlan. Greene was credited the win and UNC-bound Orlan picked up the save in the contest that didn’t begin until 10 p.m.
 
In a first inning where the Knights would probably like to have back, Deep Run scored three runs on a two-out rally.

Knights starting pitcher freshman Gabe Togna loaded the bases with two outs giving up a walk, hit by pitch and another walk. Togna then walked the next batter to push a run across the plate giving the Wildcats a 1-0 lead.

Relief pitcher Ryan Moore gave up a two-RBI single to Greene, the first batter he faced on the night. Moore only gave up two more runs over the next five innings.
 
Taking a 5-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth the Wildcats seemed to have a lock on a state playoff berth. However, the Knights were not finished.

Junior second basemen Jake Wiseman led off with an infield single.

Following a deep pop out to the warning track by Bill Cullen, the number 4 hitter in the lineup, Moore blasted a double over the center fielder’s head to put runners on second and third.

Senior shortstop Taylor Britt hit a deep sacrifice to advance the runners and cut the score 5-2. Senior catcher Ryan Carter followed with a bloop single to left scoring Moore, but Carter tried to stretch it out to a double and was thrown out at second base.
 
Cullen pitched a perfect 7th inning for the Knights, but so did Orlan for the Wildcats.
 
The winner of the region title has bragging rights as being the champion, but also hosts a state quarterfinal playoff game against the Northern Region runner-up. The loser will travel.

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Girls soccer, 5/29/09: Bellotti responds late again

Posted on 29 May 2009 by .

A very well played match with lots of skill.

Both teams defended well against midfields loaded with talent. Atlee had a great chance in the first half as keeper Jessie Ashworth came out for a save and slipped.

Back Lauren Abraham made a great sliding save on an Atlee shot. Both teams threatened but no solid shots.
 
In the second half both teams had chances, but Godwin possessed the ball a bit more. With about a minute to go freshman back Maggie Lumpkin served a ball near the top of the eighteen toward junior forward Marie Krider who had an Atlee defender on her.

As Krider turned toward the goal, Atlee keeper Taylor Hoy rushed the ball, but Krider slipped the ball through to onrushing sophomore forward Sarah Bellotti, who finished into an open net.

Atlee pushed quickly into the Godwin zone, but the ball was cleared long twice before the final whistle blew ending the game.

Godwin wins its second region title in a row and has advanced to the state tournament now seven years in a row.

They will play a home match Tuesday night against the Northern region runner-up, either Oakton or Chantilly. Atlee will travel to the Northern champ, the winner of Oakton and Chantilly.

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Girls soccer, 5/27/09: Raiders reach final

Posted on 28 May 2009 by .

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

Atlee’s two first-half goals were just enough to hold off Midlothian 2-1 in the Central Region girls soccer semifinals Wednesday afternoon.

The Raiders received a goal five minutes into the action from Sam Armentrout.

Then Kimberly Glymph touched the back of the net from just outside the box in the 35th minute off a dandy feed from Lindsey Booth for the Raiders.

Booth had just nicked the crossbar with her shot that was deflected by Midlothian keeper Kirsten Hancock (seven saves).

But the rest of the contest belonged to Midlothian, who came out for the second half energized.

In the 46th minute, Haley Myer‘s corner kick knocked around until it found Gracie Tubbs. She hit a high ball that reached the top right of the goal.

Tubbs’ first goal of the season sliced Atlee’s lead in half and gave the Trojans a boost of confidence that stretched into the rest of the contest.

“We were a lot more fresh than I thought we would be,” Midlothian coach Cammie Ward said. “When we won [Tuesday] we realized we can really play in [the state tournament].”

But Atlee wanted to go, too, and its defense did just enough to keep the Trojans from striking again, as Taylor Hoy provided 10 saves.

“We really wanted to go back to states and that was one of our goals,” Atlee’s Jordan Roseboro said.

Added Booth: “I think we were just tired from [Tuesday] night. We had really heavy legs. They took it to us the second half and we just stuck in there.”

Midlothian 0 1 – 1
Atlee       2 0 – 2
M: Tubbs
A: Armentrout, Glymph
Saves: Hancock (M) 7; Hoy (A) 10
Records: Midlothian (13-5-2); Atlee (17-0-2)

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Girls soccer player of the week, 5/28: Kyra Byron

Posted on 28 May 2009 by .

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

Kyra Byron is the latest girls soccer player of the week.

But last week’s effort and her journey, deserves a little more than a question-and-answer session.

Byron, a 5-10 goalkeeper for Mills Godwin, beat Deep Run with her foot, a penalty-kick boot that gave Mills Godwin the Colonial District tournament title. Just read about how she got to that point.

“The day before that game in practice, my coach [Ali Toole] had about seven or eight of us stand in a circle,” Byron said.

Who would like to take a penalty kick, Toole asked. Continue Kyra.

“And I raised my hand and I said you know what, I’m so confident I can do this. I was partially kidding. We get into the game and everything’s going well. We get into PKs and my coach is like, ‘Are you ready?’

“I didn’t have a uniform. She immediately took her bag and started throwing out shorts, throwing out jerseys. It was funny.

“When I went up to kick I didn’t even know that if I scored we’d win. It calmed me down. I get up and I shot it and I turn around and all the parents are cheering as loud as they can. And I’m like, oh my God, I must have scored the winning PK. OH my God,
this is the greatest moment. It was so great. I couldn’t have asked for
anything more.

“It really gave me a lot of confidence to do anything on the field.”

Back in November, she’d do anything just to get on the field. The 18-year-old pulled a muscle in her lower back suiting up for her travel team, the Richmond Strikers. It hampered a nerve in her back, which caused complications with one of her legs.

“It was really, really bad. I had been to the chiropractor for the first month and a half. I went to physical therapy, which was good. It really strengthened it and helped me withstand the pain and be able to play again.”

Byron started earlier in the season for the Eagles, ranked first in the DigitalSports Top 10 for a long while. The Longwood signee now shares time with talented freshman keeper Jessica Ashworth, but doesn’t care how she gets on the field. She’ll be ready.

“I would say that no athlete should ever get truly comfortable with one position. If the coach wants them to play goalie and they’re a forward … It’s what playing the sport is all about.”

Funniest teammate: “Anna Boyce. She just lightens us up. Anything is funny that happens in her day. She’s just a great girl. So happy to have her on the team. I just sit here and laugh thinking about her.
She walks into a room and has to let everyone know who she is.”

On college: “Awww, so excited. Really, really nervous. The coaches there are so great. Knowing that they’re here for me just makes me want to get there quicker. They’ve worked with me. They’ve talked to me a little bit about what’s going to happen. They really clued me in on how things are going to work. That’s what makes it a lot easier. I’ve known about going there for a long time. I committed back in April 2008, so knowing that amount of knowing where I’m going made things a lot easier. I could finally not get so worked up about school and worked up about where I was going.”

Dream Prom Date: “Anybody that would just want to go out and have a great time. Someone that doesn’t worries about the past and lives in the moment and wants to have fun.”

Most wouldn’t know: “It’s kind of weird. I just kid of say random things, [my teammates] just get a crack out of it. I do something funny. I have a personality that they understand. It’s good to be around these girls that understand me and know who I am.”

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Baseball, 5/26/09: Dale’s Britt a hero

Posted on 27 May 2009 by .

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

It’s official.

Thomas Dale baseball doesn’t like anything easy.

After giving up a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning, Taylor Britt had the game-winning hit as the Knights beat Lee-Davis 6-5 in the Central Region baseball quarterfinals.

The Knights will face Deep Run Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. at RF&P Park. The Wildcats topped Manchester, who had been the DigitalSports No. 1 team pretty much the whole season.

Dale’s whole season has been filled with no-hitters thrown and close games won. Add Tuesday to the list.

Up 5-3 with ace Bill Cullen cruising, L-D stud sophomore Jordan Boze blasted Cullen’s offering well over the center-field wall to tie the game at 5 in the top of the seventh.

But the Confederates of the Capital District could get no more.

Andrew Hacker, who came in to throw terrific relief for L-D, struck out a batter. He had eight whiffs.

But Ryan Moore hit a sharp grounder to first that Will Burton couldn’t handle. He tried to get it to Hacker at first, but it was not in time.

“That was just a good at-bat for him to get on base,” TD coach Chris Marshall said of Moore.

The next batter walked to set the stage for Britt to drive in pinch runner Murphy Allen as the Knights went berserk.

“I saw the first pitch come in and he just grooved it,” Britt said. “I saw all the coaches just flip out like, ‘I can’t believe you missed it.’

“I just took it [opposite] like I had been doing all day in BP.”

Lee-Davis     101 010 2 – 5 9 1
Thomas Dale 310 010 1 – 6 8 2
Mike Kluver, Andrew Hacker (4) and Will Connerley; Bill Cullen and Ryan Carter.
Records: Lee-Davis (14-6); Thomas Dale (18-4)

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Girls soccer, 5/27/09: Improbable win for Godwin

Posted on 27 May 2009 by .

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

For 79 minutes and 42 seconds, Thomas Dale dominated Mills Godwin.

But a girls soccer match goes 80 minutes in regulation.

The Eagles scored just before the final whistle, and Marie Krider‘s goal in the third overtime gave Godwin an improbable 2-1 victory over the Knights in the Central Region semifinals.

Thomas Dale, winners of 25 straight Central District titles, has yet to reach a state tournament. It looked like the Knights would punch their ticket Wednesday night.

John Kabler‘s bunch played inspired and confident soccer, getting two corners just two minutes into the match.

The Eagles, headed to their seventh straight state tourney, were on their heels.

Then in the 32nd minute, Meghan Richards lifted a shot that Godwin keeper Jessie Ashworth saved but couldn’t hold on to. Sarah Haws followed the offering and put it in easily for a 1-0 lead.

The advantage looked rock solid. Dale’s defense was stifling, as Godwin couldn’t get anything going.

Even the routine plays that the Eagles usually complete with ease were going out of bounds or being halted by Dale defenders like Samantha Kuda and Hannah Robbins – for all but 18 seconds.

Lauren Abraham slipped a ball through three Dale defenders to Sarah Bellotti‘s feet. She slipped it past Dale’s diving goalie Chrissy Dowlen to shock Dale’s crowd and ignite Godwin’s faithful.

“It was such a great goal. It just showed how much work ethic we have,” Abraham said. “I came up from defense and I saw an opportunity to pass the ball to Bellotti. I called Marie off, who played an awesome game. I played it to Bellotti and it worked out from there.”

“She screamed at Marie,” Bellotti said. “She played it and I was just trying to get to the ball as fast as I could.”

Just as fast regulation ended, two overtimes elapsed and the dangerous Anne Lumpkin lined up a corner kick. It was a beauty.

Ellen Upton tried to head it in by jumping in front of a Dale defender. She missed, but it ricocheted right to Krider, who knocked in the winner with her left foot.

“We came out and we were ready to win. I think we kind of underestimated them a little bit,” said Krider, who will lead the Eagles against Atlee in the final, who beat Midlothian 2-1. “They came out strong, we weren’t really ready for that. They got one in in the first half.

“After that goal we were just fighting for it.”

For 80 minutes and more.

Mills Godwin  0 1 0 0 1 – 2
Thomas Dale 1 0 0 0 0 – 1
MG: Bellotti, Krider
TD: Haws
Saves: Ashworth (MG) 7; Dowlen (TD) 5
Records: Mills Godwin (15-3-1); Thomas Dale (17-2-1)

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Boys soccer, 5/26/09: Raiders pull shocker

Posted on 27 May 2009 by .

Atlee used some brotherly love to upset previously-unbeaten Thomas Dale, the final No. 1 in the DigitalSports boys soccer top 10.

Ryan Boothe crossed to Jordan Boothe for the game’s lone goal in the Raiders’ 1-0 win over the Knights in the Central Region quarterfinals.

Dale, playing without Will Bates (U.S. National Team event), had strong opportunities throughout, especially late.

But the Raiders defense, led by keeper Michael McCabe, was outstanding. McCabe had eight stops on the night.

Atlee will face Cosby, a 3-0 winner over Deep Run, at 7:30 p.m. Thursday at Cosby.

Atlee           1 0 – 1
Thomas Dale 0 0 – 0
A: J. Boothe
Saves: McCabe (A) 8; Bill Groben (TD) 4
Records: Atlee (11-4-2); Thomas Dale (16-1)

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