R.L. Bynum
04-15-2008, 06:26 PM
Southampton moving to Southside District
By MARTY O’BRIEN |mobrien@dailypress.com| 247-4963
The Bay Rivers District will lose one of its charter members at the start of the 2009-10 school year, when Southampton High moves to the Southside District. According to the Virginia High School League Alignment Plan released Tuesday, Southampton heads to the Southside after playing a final season in the Bay Rivers during the 2008-09 school year.
Southampton has been in the Bay Rivers since the York River and Peanut Districts merged to form the Bay Rivers before the 1990-91 school year. Southampton’s departure shrinks the Bay Rivers to 10 teams.
Southampton athletic director and head football coach Littleton Parker said the move is, in large part, a matter of economics. Located in Courtland, Southampton is a two-hour or more bus ride from all but one of the other 10 district schools.
“We are 90 minutes or closer to four of the (seven) Southside schools,” he said. “It was a community decision. We formed a committee of students, teachers, parents, school board members and people from the community.
“We concluded that moving to the Southside would reduce lost instructional time and travel expenses. We think that will increase community support for our teams and gate receipts.”
Parker said that the VHSL approved the school’s petition to move to the Southside last month.
Southampton will leave behind a rich legacy in the Bay Rivers. The Indians tied for the inaugural Bay Rivers football title and made its first game in the new league a memorable one by upsetting eventual Division 4 state champion Tabb.
Along the way, the Indians produced some of the best football players in district history. Percy Ellsworth (Class of 1992) and Greg Scott (1998) went on to play in the NFL, while Pervis Binns (2000) led the Indians into the 1999 Division 3 state semifinals by rushing for an area-best 2,085 yards.
Other Bay Rivers highlights include the boys basketball team’s 1991 Group AA semifinal appearance and the baseball team’s trip to the 1995 AA state baseball tournament. Phil Watkins’ 14-foot jump shot at the buzzer gave the Indians a 58-56 win over Tabb in the 1998 district boys basketball championship game.
“I have a lot of fond memories of the Bay Rivers District,” Parker said. “There are so many that it’s hard to say what the best is, because the district is so competitive and the people are so good to work with.”
Said York athletic director Sam Jackson: “Southampton has always been competitive and its student athletes have always shown good sportsmanship. I’m going to miss the friendships, but I’d be less than honest if I said I’d miss the travel.”
But Jackson said many Bay Rivers football teams likely will have to drive farther to find non-district football opponents. Most Bay Rivers teams filled their 10-game regular season football schedules for 2007 and ’08 by playing one another, although only nine of the games counted in the district standings.
Southampton’s departure will leave the Bay Rivers with only five of its original members: Bruton, Poquoson, Smithfield, Tabb and York. Northampton and Franklin moved down to Group A, while Nansemond River and Lakeland moved up to AAA.
By MARTY O’BRIEN |mobrien@dailypress.com| 247-4963
The Bay Rivers District will lose one of its charter members at the start of the 2009-10 school year, when Southampton High moves to the Southside District. According to the Virginia High School League Alignment Plan released Tuesday, Southampton heads to the Southside after playing a final season in the Bay Rivers during the 2008-09 school year.
Southampton has been in the Bay Rivers since the York River and Peanut Districts merged to form the Bay Rivers before the 1990-91 school year. Southampton’s departure shrinks the Bay Rivers to 10 teams.
Southampton athletic director and head football coach Littleton Parker said the move is, in large part, a matter of economics. Located in Courtland, Southampton is a two-hour or more bus ride from all but one of the other 10 district schools.
“We are 90 minutes or closer to four of the (seven) Southside schools,” he said. “It was a community decision. We formed a committee of students, teachers, parents, school board members and people from the community.
“We concluded that moving to the Southside would reduce lost instructional time and travel expenses. We think that will increase community support for our teams and gate receipts.”
Parker said that the VHSL approved the school’s petition to move to the Southside last month.
Southampton will leave behind a rich legacy in the Bay Rivers. The Indians tied for the inaugural Bay Rivers football title and made its first game in the new league a memorable one by upsetting eventual Division 4 state champion Tabb.
Along the way, the Indians produced some of the best football players in district history. Percy Ellsworth (Class of 1992) and Greg Scott (1998) went on to play in the NFL, while Pervis Binns (2000) led the Indians into the 1999 Division 3 state semifinals by rushing for an area-best 2,085 yards.
Other Bay Rivers highlights include the boys basketball team’s 1991 Group AA semifinal appearance and the baseball team’s trip to the 1995 AA state baseball tournament. Phil Watkins’ 14-foot jump shot at the buzzer gave the Indians a 58-56 win over Tabb in the 1998 district boys basketball championship game.
“I have a lot of fond memories of the Bay Rivers District,” Parker said. “There are so many that it’s hard to say what the best is, because the district is so competitive and the people are so good to work with.”
Said York athletic director Sam Jackson: “Southampton has always been competitive and its student athletes have always shown good sportsmanship. I’m going to miss the friendships, but I’d be less than honest if I said I’d miss the travel.”
But Jackson said many Bay Rivers football teams likely will have to drive farther to find non-district football opponents. Most Bay Rivers teams filled their 10-game regular season football schedules for 2007 and ’08 by playing one another, although only nine of the games counted in the district standings.
Southampton’s departure will leave the Bay Rivers with only five of its original members: Bruton, Poquoson, Smithfield, Tabb and York. Northampton and Franklin moved down to Group A, while Nansemond River and Lakeland moved up to AAA.