SPORTS
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The Journal
Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2013
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Drifters and Eagles collide for the second time this season Leonard Banks Sports editor It was a war that will never be forgotten. No matter how the season ends for the Colonial Beach High School boys’ varsity basketball team (3-2), they will have the distinction of defeating Washington & Lee twice during the 2013-2014 winter sports season. What does that mean? In short, the mere mention of having Northern Neck bragging rights over the Eagles is equal to winning a conference championship. The Drifters and Eagles will battle on two more occasions (Jan. 15, and Feb. 4) during the regular season. On Wednesday, Dec. 11, fans from both areas of Westmoreland County filled every available bleacher in the Drifterdome to cheer on their beloved team. However, when the cheers, screams, brawls, bleacher banging and crashing stopped, the Drifters walked off the floor with a 66-57 victory. Earlier in the month, during a basketball tournament, the Drifters defeated the Eagles in Montross, 6256. “I knew they (Washington & Lee) were going to make a run,” Drifter boys’ varsity head basketball coach Jonathan Parker said. “When we were up by 16 at halftime, I told my guys not to give up. Later they cut it down to four points, and we fought
back and stood our ground for the rest of the night.” From the moment of the tip-off, both teams never took their foot off of the accelerator. Within two seconds, Monte Gould’s 3-pointer from beyond the arc ignited a 8-0 Drifter run. After the Eagles responded with three Jeremy Turner jumpers, including a 3-pointer to cut the lead to 11-8, the Drifters, behind Kean Foster’s 3-pointer, finished the quarter with a 9-0 run, a 20-8 lead, and the referees gasping for air. With the decibel scale exploding, and the structure of the Drifterdome rattling, the Drifters dominated both sides of the boards in the second half with a 14- to 9-point advantage. Gould scored a total of 13 points in the first half, while the supporting cast of Drifters held the Eagles at bay. Although the Drifters led by 16 at halftime, the Eagles slowly chipped away at the lead. After 3-pointers by Terrin Dickerson and Trey Brown, cutting the lead (44-34) to 10 points, the Eagles suddenly found themselves within striking distance with 3:16 left in the quarter. In the face of a relentless Eagle press defense that forced a string of turnovers, the Drifters were precariously holding on to a fourpoint lead (49-44) at the end of the quarter. In the fourth quarter, the intensity
“When we were up by 16 at halftime, I told my guys not to give up. Later they cut it down to four points, and we fought back, and stood our ground for the rest of the night.” —Jonathan Parker level had reached the breaking point for both teams, as every passed, tipped or loose ball was physically contested. Somewhere deep in the depth of Drifter pride, the Black & Gold found a way to fight through the turmoil associated with the Eagle press, and the screams of the Eagle fan base to hold on to a 6-8 point lead. In the final seconds, Gould stole an Eagle inbound pass, and the battle was over for the evening, but the war goes on. Fasten your seatbelts, because the war between the Westmoreland titans is about to heat up.
Leonard Banks
Drifter shooting guard, Kean Foster (right) played a key role in the Drifters win over the Eagles on Dec. 11.
W&L Eagles boys topple Cavaliers Richard Leggitt The Washington and Lee Eagles boys won and the Lady Eagles lost in games against King William last week. The W&L boys were victorious 57 to 44 and the W&L girls lost in a squeaker 45 to 43. In the boys game, the Eagles took the lead early and maintained it for much of the contest, which was played on the Cavaliers home court. Treshaun Brown continued his torrid play on the basketball court, after leading the W&L Eagles into the state playoffs in football earlier this month. W&L had defeated King William at home just eight days earlier so the Eagles had been expected to roll to another victory, but King William made a run in the third quarter to stay in contention. Todd Braxton led the Cavaliers with 14 points.
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Brown had 12 points for the Eagles as well as five rebounds, seven assists and three steals. “DJ Weldon played big minutes in place of normal starter Milan Bullock who is injured,” Coach George Hunter reported. “DJ scored 12 points and five rebounds,” Hunter said. “And Jeremy Turner was a beast on the boards with 16 rebounds and added 10 points.” “This was a trap game because you go in expecting to blow a team away and you try to play hard and instead play tight,” Hunter said. “We didn’t play our best game, but escaped with the win.” In the girls game, which was played at W&L, the contest was tight all the way, but King William won narrowly. “It was a hard fought battle,” said W&L Lady Eagles Coach Elizabeth Beckham. The Lady Eagles were led by high scorer Alexia Tate with 14 points and
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11 rebounds and strong play from both Teondra Brooks with eight points, 11 rebounds and Y’Shina Johnson with nine points and four rebounds. “Going into halftime with a score of 14 to 10, we came out strong and outscored King William in the third quarter, leading to a nail biting finish,” said Beckham. “While our team is young and inexperienced, with no seniors and over half being either freshman or sophomores, the ladies play with a new sense of ownership and responsibility,” Beckham said. “By working on fundamentals and teamwork both on offense and defense, the W&L Lady Eagles have demonstrated that they have the ability to compete in the Northern Neck District.” “I am looking for strong play from my young guards and forwards come January and, of course, leadership
Sydni Carey on the move!
“This was a trap game because you go in expecting to blow a team away and you try to play hard and instead play tight. We didn’t play our best game, but escaped with the win.” —George Hunter from my returning players. By working together as we did against King William, I think we started that process,” Beckham said.
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Leonard Banks
She’s got skills! Drifter point guard Sydni Carey has all the athletic attributes of quickness, leadership and an uncanny competitive spirit. She is the motor behind the team’s current undefeated 7-0 record.
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