jeffpatterson
04-16-2008, 07:35 PM
Teaching gives Monarchs pride
By DAVE JOHNSON, MELINDA WALDROP, MARTY O’BRIEN AND LYNN BURKE
For the fourth consecutive year, the Menchville baseball team will play on a slightly different field on Saturday.
Both the varsity and junior varsity players will continue their tradition of helping the Challenger Little League, a group of players from around ages 11 to 16 with physical and mental disabilities. The Monarchs will work with the Challenger kids from 10 a.m. till 11:30 a.m. at Deer Park, teaching them the fundamentals of the game, and on April 26, the children will receive special recognition at Menchville’s home game against Kecoughtan.
Menchville coach Phil Forbes said the players are the driving force behind the initiative.
“They’re the ones that ask to do it every year,” Forbes said. “It makes them feel good because they’re helping someone else. ... To see the smiles on the kids’ faces is the best memory you can get.”
Alexander signs LOI
Katie Alexander, in her fourth year as Kecoughtan’s starting pitcher, has signed a letter-of-intent to play softball at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C.
“It happened faster than I thought it would,” Alexander said. “When I met the coach (Julie Kennedy), she was really nice. But before I made my decision, I wanted to meet the girls and see what the college was like.
“The girls were so nice and the campus is so beautiful. And that really sealed the deal.”
Kennedy is glad to have her.
“Katie is an all-around player who will help out on the mound as well as give us an offensive boost,” she said. “I am looking forward to having Katie here next year and excited about all that she brings on and off the field.”
Alexander is 30-34 in her career on the mound but has an earned-run average of just over 1.50. Though 3-3 this season, her ERA is 0.78 and opponents are hitting .128 off her. She has 526 career strikeouts.
Alexander is also batting .379 as the Warriors’ No. 3 hitter. She hit .484 last season.
Alexander’s mother, Ellen, said Katie will be receiving both athletic and academic scholarship money at Lees-McRae. Katie, who has a 3.67 grade-point average at Kecoughtan, said she hopes to be a fashion journalist.
CHANGING DISTRICTS
Colonial Beach will move from the Tidewater District to the Northern Neck District beginning with the 2009-10 school year. Colonial Beach reentered VHSL competition in September 2007 as a Tidewater District member and won the district football and basketball titles.
The VHSL’s Redistricting and Realignment Committee voted earlier this school year to move Colonial Beach to the Northern Neck, because it is closer geographically to schools in that district than to Tidewater District schools. Colonial Beach, happy with its assocation with Tidewater District, appealed the decision. The VHSL denied the appeal, citing a need to save Tidewater District schools travel costs.
Under the new VHSL alignment plan announced Tuesday, E.C. Glass of Lynchburg — one of the state’s oldest AAA members — will move to AA. During its long stay in the VHSL’s largest classifications, Glass beat Hampton for a a state basketball title (in 1967) but lost to the Crabbers for a state football title (1995) and also lost to Bethel (1992) in a state football championship game.
Grundy won its appeal to remain in AA, rather than move to Group A. Grundy is a 14-time AA wrestling champion.
OFF TO COLLEGE
Menchville’s Gage Collins will play baseball next year at Virginia Wesleyan. The infielder is playing shortstop for the Monarchs this year, but is projected at either third base or first base with the Marlins. Collins batted .551 last year and is hitting .401 out of the second spot this year. Coach Phil Forbes says Collins “is an excellent spray-type hitter.” ... Menchville pitcher Cody Borden will play at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville next year.
MILESTONE
Howard Wiseman recently won his 100 th game as Menchville’s junior varsity coach in a 12-0 victory over Phoebus. Wiseman is a long-time American Legion coach and was the first baseball coach at Christopher Newport University.
By DAVE JOHNSON, MELINDA WALDROP, MARTY O’BRIEN AND LYNN BURKE
For the fourth consecutive year, the Menchville baseball team will play on a slightly different field on Saturday.
Both the varsity and junior varsity players will continue their tradition of helping the Challenger Little League, a group of players from around ages 11 to 16 with physical and mental disabilities. The Monarchs will work with the Challenger kids from 10 a.m. till 11:30 a.m. at Deer Park, teaching them the fundamentals of the game, and on April 26, the children will receive special recognition at Menchville’s home game against Kecoughtan.
Menchville coach Phil Forbes said the players are the driving force behind the initiative.
“They’re the ones that ask to do it every year,” Forbes said. “It makes them feel good because they’re helping someone else. ... To see the smiles on the kids’ faces is the best memory you can get.”
Alexander signs LOI
Katie Alexander, in her fourth year as Kecoughtan’s starting pitcher, has signed a letter-of-intent to play softball at Lees-McRae College in Banner Elk, N.C.
“It happened faster than I thought it would,” Alexander said. “When I met the coach (Julie Kennedy), she was really nice. But before I made my decision, I wanted to meet the girls and see what the college was like.
“The girls were so nice and the campus is so beautiful. And that really sealed the deal.”
Kennedy is glad to have her.
“Katie is an all-around player who will help out on the mound as well as give us an offensive boost,” she said. “I am looking forward to having Katie here next year and excited about all that she brings on and off the field.”
Alexander is 30-34 in her career on the mound but has an earned-run average of just over 1.50. Though 3-3 this season, her ERA is 0.78 and opponents are hitting .128 off her. She has 526 career strikeouts.
Alexander is also batting .379 as the Warriors’ No. 3 hitter. She hit .484 last season.
Alexander’s mother, Ellen, said Katie will be receiving both athletic and academic scholarship money at Lees-McRae. Katie, who has a 3.67 grade-point average at Kecoughtan, said she hopes to be a fashion journalist.
CHANGING DISTRICTS
Colonial Beach will move from the Tidewater District to the Northern Neck District beginning with the 2009-10 school year. Colonial Beach reentered VHSL competition in September 2007 as a Tidewater District member and won the district football and basketball titles.
The VHSL’s Redistricting and Realignment Committee voted earlier this school year to move Colonial Beach to the Northern Neck, because it is closer geographically to schools in that district than to Tidewater District schools. Colonial Beach, happy with its assocation with Tidewater District, appealed the decision. The VHSL denied the appeal, citing a need to save Tidewater District schools travel costs.
Under the new VHSL alignment plan announced Tuesday, E.C. Glass of Lynchburg — one of the state’s oldest AAA members — will move to AA. During its long stay in the VHSL’s largest classifications, Glass beat Hampton for a a state basketball title (in 1967) but lost to the Crabbers for a state football title (1995) and also lost to Bethel (1992) in a state football championship game.
Grundy won its appeal to remain in AA, rather than move to Group A. Grundy is a 14-time AA wrestling champion.
OFF TO COLLEGE
Menchville’s Gage Collins will play baseball next year at Virginia Wesleyan. The infielder is playing shortstop for the Monarchs this year, but is projected at either third base or first base with the Marlins. Collins batted .551 last year and is hitting .401 out of the second spot this year. Coach Phil Forbes says Collins “is an excellent spray-type hitter.” ... Menchville pitcher Cody Borden will play at Patrick Henry Community College in Martinsville next year.
MILESTONE
Howard Wiseman recently won his 100 th game as Menchville’s junior varsity coach in a 12-0 victory over Phoebus. Wiseman is a long-time American Legion coach and was the first baseball coach at Christopher Newport University.