THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1994, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, December 11, 1994 TAG: 9412090268
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Long : 110 lines
There's a new look around the Metro Conference this year.
Gone are familiar faces from Greenbrier Christian, Rock and Atlantic Shores, who have moved out of the conference. Newcomers include Stonebridge and Denbigh Baptist.
Rock, playing under the Teagle Christian banner last year, won the league championship and the post-season tournament. It was the third tournament crown in a row for the Eagles.
Broadwater Academy, the 1993-94 runner-up, looms as the team to beat this year. The Vikings posted a 19-9 record last year and had the player of the year in Phil Smith.
Denbigh Baptist, 16-4 last year as an independent, should contend. Portsmouth Christian also has looked good in early games.
A thumbnail look at the teams:
ALLIANCE CHRISTIAN A winner of only two games in a rebuilding year, Alliance is looking for marked improvement this season.
Rick Dorn, the school's athletic director, is coaching this year and is assisted by longtime varsity coaches Linwood Minter and Bobby Hoffman.
Four lettermen are back - 6-0 guard Ian Branham, 6-1 forward Mike Howard, 5-10 center Ben Call and 5-10 guard Drew Klinsing.
Alliance had a record 42 at tryouts. ``This has led to a tremendous amount of excitement,'' said Dorn. ``We will be small but quick. The league is balanced from top to bottom, and I truly believe we can contend for the championship.''
Newcomers include Churchland transfer Charlie Parker, a 6-2 center; Chris Miller, a 5-9 junior guard who moved in from New York; and 6-2 sophomore forward Eugene Potts.
Branham was the team's scoring leader last year.
PORTSMOUTH CHRISTIAN
Steadily improving Portsmouth Christian chalked up nine wins a year ago under Larry Smith, who has compiled a 140-64 record in a coaching career that included a six-year stint at Greenbrier.
Andy Bowers and Brian Rustay, a pair of guards, are the only returning lettermen and both are holdover starters.
The newcomers include four transfers - 6-4 junior center Danny Barton and 6-2 senior forward Steve Crowther from Greenbrier, 6-0 freshman guard Brian McCauley from Stonebridge and 6-2 sophomore forward Jason Hooper from Norfolk Christian.
``With a lot of new faces, it will take some time for everything to mesh together. Our major weakness is a lack of depth,'' said Smith.
STONEBRIDGE
Troy Terry is at the helm of Stonebridge in its first campaign in the Metro. He was an assistant coach as the team played independently last year.
Holdover players include 6-3 senior Andrew Lundquist, 6-1 junior K.L. Park, 5-9 senior Andy Wall and 5-11 sophomore Israel Cartier.
Lundquist is the premier scoring threat and paced the Cavaliers last year.
Will Brown, a transfer from Indian River, is the major addition. He is a 6-5 center.
Miles Baker, a promising 5-6 freshman, likely will split duty with the varsity and junior varsity.
RYAN ACADEMY
Ray Forehand has succeeded eight-year coach Bill Halvorsen. Forehand coached interservice teams for five years.
Ryan has three returning lettermen from last year's squad, which won seven of 23 games. The holdovers are seniors Doug Iles and Tommy Melvin and sophomore Mike Klugh. The 5-10 Iles and the 6-3 Klugh were starters last season.
Top newcomers include 6-2 Bill Honacker, a swing player, and Matt Reese, a 5-9 guard.
``Our team should be competitive in the Metro Conference and near the top by tournament time,'' says Forehand.
DENBIGH BAPTIST
Coach Chris Mouring believes he could have four players consistently scoring in double figures, which should make Denbigh among the Metro's better scoring teams.
Point guard Bill Manning, a 6-3 senior who played center last year, and 6-5 senior center Scott Mericle, provide the big punch.
Shooting guard Seth Tyree, a senior, and 6-0 forward Cliff Comer are the other returning starters on the 11-player squad.
BROADWATER
Kenny Collins, who has been coaching for 11 years, is starting his fifth season at Broadwater.
Player of the Year Smith heads a veteran squad with seven lettermen. Three are holdover starters - Smith, a 6-4 senior; 6-0 senior Jason Poulson; and 6-0 junior Drew Edwards.
Top newcomers include 6-3 Abel Parker, 6-6 Spencer Shelley and 6-1 Thom Dix.
``If some other players can step up and complement Smith, we will do all right,'' said Collins.
HAMPTON CHRISTIAN
Coming off a 16-8 season, Hampton Christian has four returning lettermen and a pair of holdover starters - 6-2 guard Bryce Johnson and 6-1 junior swingman Walter Barnes.
The other lettermen are 5-10 junior guard Dwayne Smith and 6-0 post player Jeramy Grainger, a senior.
Eight newcomers all are juniors, including 6-5 Joey Fox, 5-8 guard Leslie Carter and 6-0 Heath Hale.
New coach Mike Duggar, who coached at Florida schools for 15 years, says December is ``a critical time for us with five straight road games.''
Duggar says he has a young team that must grow quickly. ``With 10 juniors, including eight from a second-place junior varsity team, we could be a year away from a big season,'' said Duggar. ILLUSTRATION: Photo by L. TODD SPENCER
Andrew Lundquist drives to the basket against Will Brown as
Stonebridge coach Troy Terry watches at practice.
by CNB