Lynn Burke
04-18-2008, 09:43 AM
Midseason report: Bay Rivers and Peninsula Districts
By DAVE JOHNSON
Midway through the high school baseball and softball season, plenty of teams still have a shot to make the postseason, a few upsets no doubt still lurk on schedules and any number of players still could put together big seasons. But here are several things that have become clear as area teams enter their final month of competition.
MVP
Peninsula District
Gabby Andino, Woodside
There have been plenty of dominant pitchers in the PD, but how many can match what Andino has done? Not only has she won all seven of her decisions, she hasn’t given up a single run in 42 innings this season.
Bay Rivers District
Ashley Prosper, York
Splitting time on the mound last season as a junior, Prosper was 6-6 and the Falcons finished with a losing record. But pitching full-time as a senior, Prosper is 7-1-1 and has given up only five runs.
Biggest Surprise
Peninsula District
Woodside coach Mike Tallon still thinks this team is at least another year away from contending for the championship. But the Wolverines have outscored their seven opponents 89-0.
Another head-turner has been Menchville, which is 7-2 (5-2 district) after Thursday’s loss to Gloucester.
Bay Rivers District
Most saw New Kent as the obvious pick to repeat as champion, and the Trojans still might.
But so far, they’ve already lost three games — one fewer than their total in 2007. York, which barely made the district tournament last spring, began this season by winning its first six games.
Biggest remaining game
Peninsula District
Gloucester at Woodside, May 12
Plenty can happen between now and then that would make this game moot, but at the moment these teams look to be the ones to beat. They play this afternoon in Gloucester, but the second go-around might end up settling the regular-season championship and automatic spot in the Eastern Region.
Bay Rivers District
York at Poquoson, May 15
Again, it’s more than three weeks down the line, and it would be foolish to count New Kent out at this point. But just like Gloucester-Woodside, this could end up deciding the regular-season title.
Not as much would be on the line, though, since the top two are guaranteed a playoff spot in Region I.
Most memorable moment
Peninsula District
It was a regular-season game in late March, but Warwick’s 4-3 win over Gloucester was huge for the Raiders. Not only was it a get-over-the-hump moment, it gave Warwick its first win over the Dukes since 2005. It took a strong performance by Travonna Byrd and an uncharacteristically off day by Stephanie Coates.
Bay Rivers District
They went extra innings and played in a cold, steady rain, but neither York nor Tabb got the win they wanted. The game was called after 11 innings with the score tied 1-1, which could prove interesting in the final standings. The Falcons could wind up either winning or losing the regular-season championship by that half game.
Postseason predictions
Peninsula District
The top four teams — in one order or another — are likely to be Woodside, Gloucester, Warwick and Menchville. After that, Kecoughtan is 4-3, and Hampton and Bethel are tied at 3-4. Since the PD tournament is expanding to eight teams this year, those seven are in the driver’s seat. But either Phoebus, Heritage or Denbigh will have to fill it out.
Bay Rivers District
The standings are a logjam with six teams — York, Poquoson, Bruton, New Kent, Smithfield and Lafayette — above .500. But nobody should rule out Grafton or Tabb. And again, Tabb’s tie against York could prove to be a factor — either in a good way or bad way for the Tigers.
By DAVE JOHNSON
Midway through the high school baseball and softball season, plenty of teams still have a shot to make the postseason, a few upsets no doubt still lurk on schedules and any number of players still could put together big seasons. But here are several things that have become clear as area teams enter their final month of competition.
MVP
Peninsula District
Gabby Andino, Woodside
There have been plenty of dominant pitchers in the PD, but how many can match what Andino has done? Not only has she won all seven of her decisions, she hasn’t given up a single run in 42 innings this season.
Bay Rivers District
Ashley Prosper, York
Splitting time on the mound last season as a junior, Prosper was 6-6 and the Falcons finished with a losing record. But pitching full-time as a senior, Prosper is 7-1-1 and has given up only five runs.
Biggest Surprise
Peninsula District
Woodside coach Mike Tallon still thinks this team is at least another year away from contending for the championship. But the Wolverines have outscored their seven opponents 89-0.
Another head-turner has been Menchville, which is 7-2 (5-2 district) after Thursday’s loss to Gloucester.
Bay Rivers District
Most saw New Kent as the obvious pick to repeat as champion, and the Trojans still might.
But so far, they’ve already lost three games — one fewer than their total in 2007. York, which barely made the district tournament last spring, began this season by winning its first six games.
Biggest remaining game
Peninsula District
Gloucester at Woodside, May 12
Plenty can happen between now and then that would make this game moot, but at the moment these teams look to be the ones to beat. They play this afternoon in Gloucester, but the second go-around might end up settling the regular-season championship and automatic spot in the Eastern Region.
Bay Rivers District
York at Poquoson, May 15
Again, it’s more than three weeks down the line, and it would be foolish to count New Kent out at this point. But just like Gloucester-Woodside, this could end up deciding the regular-season title.
Not as much would be on the line, though, since the top two are guaranteed a playoff spot in Region I.
Most memorable moment
Peninsula District
It was a regular-season game in late March, but Warwick’s 4-3 win over Gloucester was huge for the Raiders. Not only was it a get-over-the-hump moment, it gave Warwick its first win over the Dukes since 2005. It took a strong performance by Travonna Byrd and an uncharacteristically off day by Stephanie Coates.
Bay Rivers District
They went extra innings and played in a cold, steady rain, but neither York nor Tabb got the win they wanted. The game was called after 11 innings with the score tied 1-1, which could prove interesting in the final standings. The Falcons could wind up either winning or losing the regular-season championship by that half game.
Postseason predictions
Peninsula District
The top four teams — in one order or another — are likely to be Woodside, Gloucester, Warwick and Menchville. After that, Kecoughtan is 4-3, and Hampton and Bethel are tied at 3-4. Since the PD tournament is expanding to eight teams this year, those seven are in the driver’s seat. But either Phoebus, Heritage or Denbigh will have to fill it out.
Bay Rivers District
The standings are a logjam with six teams — York, Poquoson, Bruton, New Kent, Smithfield and Lafayette — above .500. But nobody should rule out Grafton or Tabb. And again, Tabb’s tie against York could prove to be a factor — either in a good way or bad way for the Tigers.