DATE: Sunday, November 2, 1997              TAG: 9711020315

SECTION: SPORTS                  PAGE: C11  EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: BY VICKI L. FRIEDMAN, STAFF WRITER 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   35 lines

HAMPTON ROADS ACADEMY BEATS CAPE HENRY FOR 4TH STRAIGHT TITLE

The Cape Henry boys soccer team didn't come close to Hampton Roads Academy on Saturday but it has come far this season.

Hampton Roads defeated the Dolphins 3-0 to win its fourth straight TCIS soccer championship on a slick field at Norfolk Collegiate. The Navigators (21-1-1), ranked seventh nationally, scored two goals in the opening five minutes and were never threatened.

But the good news for Cape Henry is that it advanced to the private school final. No other Dolphins team had come this far. ``Nobody expected us to be here,'' said Dolphins coach Steve Luoma.

Cape Henry (15-6-1), the sixth seed in the tournament, upset third-seeded Catholic in the first round and rallied to get by second-seeded Walsingham in the semifinals.

``In the preseason poll the Beacon said we might not even be contenders and that became our rallying cry,'' Luoma said.

There would be no rally against Hampton Roads, which starts two probable Division I players in Matt Behnke and Andy Ross. But it was Chevan Frantz and Kingsly Mc-Adam who did what Luoma feared - put Cape Henry in a hole early.

The Navigators showed off their quickness and athleticism, beating the Dolphins to the ball on the soppy grass that sent players sliding into each other like bowling pins.

David Yu added a final goal for the Navigators, who outshot Cape Henry 32-8.

With only four seniors on Cape Henry, Luoma said he expects an even stronger team next season.

``This was a learning experience for us,'' he said. ``Nobody expected us to even beat Catholic. It's just a good feeling to be here.''

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