THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, April 5, 1996 TAG: 9604030111
SECTION: PORTSMOUTH CURRENTS PAGE: 15 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER
LENGTH: Medium: 58 lines
AFTER INVITATIONAL tune-ups, the Southeastern District outdoor track season officially will start Wednesday.
Norcom, Wilson and Churchland will compete in quad meets at Western Branch beginning at 3 p.m. Both boys and girls will have meets.
Rain and a holiday break brought a pause for the baseball and softball teams.
Action resumes Tuesday.
Wilson's baseball team, under new coach Billy Kline, will play Great Bridge in a 4:30 p.m. game at the Olive Branch field.
Churchland, also with a new coach, Ray McGinley, will play home against Western Branch.
Norcom, behind veteran coach Leroy Williams, plays at Oscar Smith.
All games will start at 4:30 p.m.
The teams switch sites in softball with Churchland at Western Branch, Wilson at Great Bridge and Oscar Smith at Norcom, all starting at 4:30 p.m.
In baseball, preseason favorites Churchland and Great Bridge opened league play with victories. The Truckers, behind Chris Kelly's two-hitter, beat Wilson 7-2. Great Bridge got two-hit pitching and a grand slam from Mike Cuddyer to top Indian River 13-2.
Western Branch opened with a 19-2 victory over Norcom. Jonathan Tinkham and Brian Full combined for a no-hitter.
In the other game Deep Creek blanked Oscar Smith 2-0 on a four-hitter by Richie McLamb.
Last Friday's games were rained out and will be rescheduled.
In softball, sophomore Michelle Pearson pitched a three-hitter as Churchland beat Wilson 9-5. Freshman Melissa Betts slammed a two-run home run for the Truckers.
In other games, Western Branch beat Norcom 26-0 on a no-hitter split by Nicole Belote and Melanie Dembowski, Great Bridge defeated Indian River 7-3, and Oscar Smith topped Deep Creek 8-3.
In boys tennis, Churchland scored a 9-0 victory over Norcom and Wilson downed Oscar Smith 6-3. Great Bridge whipped Western Branch 8-1.
No. 1 Churchland player Nathan Peszko blanked Norcom's Al Gregoire 6-0, 6-0. Wilson's Andy Thomson claimed a 6-2, 6-4 over Oscar Smith's Brandon McReynolds in their No. 1 match.
Wilson returns to action April 9 at home against Indian River. The Presidents were rained out against Western Branch.
The district soccer season for most boys and girls teams will start Tuesday, April 16. The Wilson and Deep Creek girls will play on April 11. ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MARK MITCHELL
Nathan Peszko, the No. 1 player on Churchland's tennis team, won his
opening district match 6-0, 6-0.
by CNB