THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, May 9, 1996 TAG: 9605080179
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 22 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY JAMI FRANKENBERRY, SUN SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 93 lines
When Joe Jones was offered the chance to become athletic director and football coach at Smithfield last week, it was an offer he said he could not refuse.
``I have friends and teachers and parents that I've grown close to and it's tough to tell them goodbye, but it's too good an opportunity to pass up,'' said Jones, the football and track coach at Franklin the last two years. ``Athletic director is something I set as a goal for myself a long time ago. It's the ideal situation, football and A.D. I hate to say goodbye to anybody, but I've got to look at the opportunity for myself and my family.''
Current Packers athletic director and assistant principal Timmie Edwards will trade in his ``15 to 16 hours a day, five days a week'' to work just as assistant principal, while football coach Miles Blount will continue to coach track at Smithfield.
``We're very, very optimistic and will give (Jones) every benefit to make sure he's successful,'' said Edwards, who has been athletic director for three years. ``We'll give him the knowledge that we have until he can put his feet on level ground.''
Jones said he is looking forward to the challenges that the new job brings.
``There are a lot more responsibilities,'' said Jones, who coached at Windsor for five years before Franklin. ``As A.D. my goals are just to continue what's been going on there and make sure the coaches know what's going on. I'll work my butt off to please all of them. I'm excited about it.''
Franklin athletic director Charles Pierce said the school will start interviewing candidates to replace Jones in the next few weeks.
BAY RIVERS TRACK: The Lakeland boys team will try to defend their title at Nansemond River on Friday at 9 a.m. The Cavaliers boys have not lost to a Group AA team this season and are coming off a dominating performance in the Suffolk Invitational last weekend.
Melvin Faulk won the 100 and 200, finished second in the triple jump and ran on the winning 4x100 relay in winning Group A/AA male MVP and helping Lakeland beat second-place Smithfield 173-95.
``His times are steadily improving,'' Cavaliers coach James Dabney said of Faulk. ``We think he can go even faster than (last week).''
In girls district track, Bruton is favored to win its second straight crown. Lakeland and Nansemond River are the other teams expected to finish well. The Cavaliers edged the Warriors 127-116 in the Suffolk Invitational as Nansemond River's Monica Southall earned Group A/AA MVP.
The top six finishers in the district meet advance to the Region I meet Saturday at Christopher Newport University. Participants can also advance to the region if they met a standard qualification during the regular season.
CAMPBELL BOUND: Southampton Academy baseball player Brian Hobbs has accepted an invitation to walk on at Campbell University in Buies Creek, N.C.
``I thought a small school like that would be the best place for me,'' said Hobbs, a 6-foot-1, 180-pound senior who considered trying out at Old Dominion. ``I just have go down there and show them what I can do.''
IT'S CROWED AT THE TOP: In the final two weeks of the season, five teams are battling for four spots in the Bay Rivers District baseball tournament: Nansemond River (8-2 in the district as of Tuesday), Poquoson (8-2), Southampton (6-3), York (6-4) and Bruton (5-4). The Warriors have seemingly the toughest route, with games against three of the other four and Smithfield. The Warriors are scheduled to travel to Poquoson on Tuesday in a game that could decide the regular season champion.
Lakeland (3-7) could sneak into the top four, but it will need to start winning close games. The Cavaliers have lost four one-run games in the district, including a 10-inning loss to Nansemond River last week.
``We're not coming through with clutch hits,'' Lakeland coach Ron Robertson said. ``We've been in position to win a lot of games, but we haven't come through. The effort we're giving is there, but the ball's just not falling. That's the way baseball is.''
The Cavaliers still have Franklin, Bruton, Smithfield and Southampton left on their schedule. ``We'll have to win the rest of our games I'm sure,'' Robertson said, ``and look for a fourth place tie.''
CHARGING AHEAD: The Isle of Wight Academy softball team held on to its No. 1 ranking in the Virginia Independent Schools Slow-Pitch poll this week after avenging an early-season loss to Brunswick on Friday 8-1. The Chargers (11-2 overall, 7-2 VCC) also stayed in first place in the Virginia Commonwealth Conference.
``We've improved because of the experience our younger players gained last year,'' coach Jack Reynolds said. ``If we continue to hit and our defense is good, we'll do all right (in postseason).''
Senior Kim Wells has pitched every inning this season for the Chargers and is batting over .450. She's gotten help from sophomore Karyn Miller (.570) and juniors Kim Chrisman and Casey Delano, who are both hitting over .500.
The VCC tournament is scheduled to start Tuesday. ILLUSTRATION: Photo
Coach Joe Jones
Moving to Smithfield High
by CNB