THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, March 17, 1996 TAG: 9603170225
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C12 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ROBIN BRINKLEY, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LYNCHBURG LENGTH: Short : 48 lines
One team set a state championship as its goal in November. The other hardly gave it a thought until two weeks ago.
That as much as anything separated undefeated Liberty from Lakeland in Saturday's Group AA state championship game won by the Minutemen 53-50.
``Winning a state championship is all the kids have talked about all season,'' Liberty coach Mark Hanks said. ``To do something like this you've got to be a dreamer and I'm a firm believer in dreaming dreams.''
When you compete in the same city and district with two-time state champion Nansemond River, as Lakeland does, you can still dream. But it's a lot harder to believe those dreams will come true.
Winning a state title is ``a goal you strive for,'' Lakeland coach John Fuller said. ``But you don't think it's possible.''
The Cavaliers spent Friday night striving mightily just to get to sleep. With nine losses entering the state tournament Lakeland was an improbable finalist.
Lakeland center John Ricks said he never seriously considered a state championship run until the Cavaliers upset unbeaten Greensville County on the road in the Region I semifinals.
But even that didn't prepare them for the excitement of actually playing for the title.
``We were sitting up talking last night and the last time I looked at the clock it was 1:30,'' Ricks said. ``That's inexperience.''
Damon Tillery, who led Lakeland with 19 points, was in a different room than Ricks but had the same insomnia.
``I had a little bit of a cold and I was tossing and turning,'' he said. ``But it wasn't from the cold. It was because we were in the state championship.''
The Minutemen no doubt had butterflies, too. But Liberty is only 23 miles from Lynchburg.
``Our kids got to sleep in their own beds and there's something to say for that,'' Hanks said.
That extra rest helped Liberty surge to a 10-point lead with 5:10 remaining and the Cavaliers never caught up.
``We ran out of gas,'' Ricks said.
That's what happens when you don't dream. by CNB