THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, October 29, 1995 TAG: 9510270226
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 94 lines
MOST OF THE girls basketball teams in the Virginia Commonwealth Conference will probably be glad to see the season come to an end after next week's tournament. They've seen Southampton Academy dominate.
The Raiders are 15-1 in the conference and lost only to Fuqua School 42-40 in overtime last week. Their other recent games included a 42-11 rout of Commonwealth Christian, a 51-23 blowout of Tidewater Academy and a 49-24 win over Brunswick Academy.
The rest of the girls athletic teams in the VCC may not be as happy to see the basketball season end. Of the Raiders' seven basketball players, five of them, all seniors, play on the volleyball and softball teams. And those five - Anna Story, Wendy Worrell, Jessica Partridge and twins Jennifer and Jessica Pope - agreed that this would be their year: in everything.
``The rallying cry came out this summer that we don't want second place anymore,'' said Beth Hartson, who coaches basketball, volleyball and softball. ``Everything that turned up last year was second. This year they're determined.''
Last year's ``seconds'' came in all three sports. The Raiders went 13-6 in basketball and 13-4 in volleyball and were runners-up in both district tournaments. In softball, Southampton Academy tied Isle of Wight at the end of regular season play and upset No. 2 Lynchburg Christian in the semifinals of the Virginia Association of Academies Slow-Pitch softball tournament. Then, in the finals, they lost 1-0 to Holy Cross.
``We just said, `This is our senior year,' '' Jessica Partridge said. ``We really want to rack up this year.''
Their experience together has helped. The five girls have been friends and teammates since ninth grade.
``This is a small school so some of us have known each other since kindergarten,'' Story said. ``We've grown up together.''
``We go to school together and hang out together all week,'' Worrell said.
Added Partridge, ``We're like five sisters.''
Hartson said she hasn't seen any sibling rivalries.
``When you have five adolescent girls you'll get tension occasionally,'' said Hartson, who has been coaching at Southampton Academy for nine years. ``But I haven't seen any of that. I've not seen any jealousy or put-me-first attitudes. They're a close-knit bunch.''
The seniors said their closeness helps on the basketball court.
``We can communicate without saying anything,'' Partridge said. ``We anticipate what the others are going to do before they do it. And we know what's going to work and what's not going to work.''
``If one girl's not having such a great game the rest see it and let her excel in what she is doing well for that game,'' Hartson said. ``If one is shooting well they know to make sure to get the ball to her. We're the only team in the district without that one superstar.''
The Raiders' statistics reflect their well-balanced attack. Story averages 11.3 points per game, followed by Jessica Pope (10.5), Worrell (8.7), Partridge (6.1) and Jennifer Pope (6.0).
``We're all pretty flexible,'' Story said. ``Everybody can play every position so we're balanced.''
Even that can't solve the problem of having only seven players. In the overtime loss to Fuqua, Southampton Academy was without Worrell because of a knee injury.
``That was a case of too few players,'' said Hartson, whose team beat Fuqua by 20 in September. ``They had 12 girls and it was a physical game. We just ran out of gas.''
The Raiders, who clinched first place in the division with a 51-32 win over Isle of Wight on Tuesday, will have a chance for revenge if they meet Fuqua in the VCC tournament. They'll host a first-round game Tuesday before heading to Richard Bland College in Petersburg for the semifinals and final.
Injury may be the only thing that can hinder Southampton Academy's chances the rest of the season. The Warriors have learned to play more conservative on defense in order to avoid fouling out, according to Hartson.
``We've only had seven players the last couple of years,'' she said. ``They know they have to get under better control and they do it. They've learned to control their fouling.''
The seniors have also been teaching the two underclassmen - Samantha Jones and April Burgess.
``This is Samantha's first year playing and she's learned a great deal from them,'' Hartson said. ``We've had games where they've looked to get the ball to her to help her learn how to score.''
Now the rest of the team will have to learn to win. That's something the Raiders think they deserve.
``We went through some pretty bad (junior varsity) years,'' Story said. ``We knew we would probably be better this year.''
So far so good. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photos by MICHAEL KESTNER
Hartson gives a pep talk before the IOW Academy game.
Guard Jessica Pope takes the ball to the goal against the defensive
efforts of Isle of Wight Adcademy.
by CNB