THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 4, 1995 TAG: 9506020252
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 24 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY PAUL WHITE, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: Medium: 53 lines
The scene was euphoric. The match officially clinched, Handley's girls tennis players screamed in excitement and danced around the tennis courts and Poquoson High. Cate Shea's win over Angela Jones had given them five victories in a best-of-nine match. Victory, and a Group AA state title, was officially theirs.
And then they had to go back on the court to play more tennis.
They don't play Game Seven of the World Series if one team has already won four games. A wrestler who pins his man in 30 seconds doesn't go back on the match for the final 90 seconds.
So why in the world would a tennis team that has already clinched the state title be sent back on the court for more tennis?
Beats me, said Lakeland coach Anne Bender.
``It seems kind of senseless to go through the motions out there,'' Bender said. ``But I told my girls, if we lose, 5-4, it doesn't look as bad.''
The Cavaliers did in fact win the three doubles, so some measure of respectability was achieved. Mary Donnan Debranski and Meg Nichols, Lakeland's seniors, can now say they won their final high school match.
But suppose one of them had ripped up a knee in these meaningless matches?
Not too long ago, teams were allowed to forgo the doubles in the state final if one team clinched during the singles. But if Bender had tried that Thursday, she'd have been in violation of the Virginia High School League's Sportsmanship Code, and the Cavaliers may have risked forfeiture of their second-place medals.
All because they didn't want to play matches that didn't mean anything.
Not everyone agrees that playing out the string has no value. Howard Mast, the dean of Suffolk tennis, argues that it's beneficial for young players to play, no matter the circumstances.
``At this age, every time you play you get better,'' Mast said.
Dave Nelson, the tournament director, Poquoson athletic director and former member of the VHSL executive council, adds that there are financial considerations as well. The VHSL budgets $350 for the two-day state tournament (considerably more if rain forced play into an indoor center) and the league wants to get its money's worth.
Nelson also said the excess matches can benefit young players, as the experience of playing in a state tournament may help them should their team return.
Maybe so. It just seems like, as is the case in every other sport, when the match has been decided, the players ought to just shake hands and go home. by CNB