Mann makes his move to Shenandoah official at signing day

ROBBY FLETCHER Sports Editor

The bleachers in Blessed Sacrament Huguenot’s gym were packed with students, fans, teammates and coaches on May 16 with all eyes on student-athlete David Mann, who made his college decision official to join the Shenandoah Hornets football and golf teams.

The signing day celebration of the multi-sport star was a long-awaited punctuation of a historically productive senior season for the soon-to-be graduate, who was all smiles while he was cheered on to sign his letter of intent and begin the next phase of his athletic and academic career.

Mann was a major contributor across three Knights athletic programs, turning in a career-year in football in the fall, starting at center for the basketball team in the winter and leading the golf team to championship glory in the spring.

Helping the football team get back to the state championship game in his last season, Mann collected personal accolades left and right, including being named the VISFL Division II Player of the Year and a first team All-State honoree as a tight end, defensive end and special teams contributor.

In golf, he placed first in the conference tournament to help the Knights become the conference and tournament champions while also making it onto the All-Academic team. He was also an All-Conference center in basketball.

Mann was just as decorated as a student at Blessed Sacrament: he was the vice president of the National Honor Society, a junior class treasurer, an actor in the drama department, a member of the History Movies Club, a Student Ambassador, and BSH’s representative at Boys State of Virginia and HOBY Leadership Seminar.

“It was crazy. Although not every goal was reached, the majority were and I’ve been incredibly grateful for everybody that was able to make that happen,” Mann said after signing his letter of intent. “At the end of every season realizing it was my last and realizing I gave it my all in every sport just made me so happy that I did all I could do.”

Surrounded by his parents at the table, Mann saw people like his golf coach Jonathan Hawkins, football coach Gary Brock and athletic director Chuck Thomas reflect on Mann’s time as a Knight and share stories about an athlete that was just as big an in- fluence off the field as he was on it.

“I’d like to be remembered as somebody that just cared about every teammate and just was a great captain and a great leader,” Mann said.

“Obviously my accomplishments on the field were pretty good, but off the field I hope my teammates remember that when they see the number 85 on the football field for years to come they’ll say ‘that was David’s number.’ That’s how I hope to be remembered.”

Mann’s decision came down to two schools that offered him the rare opportunity to be a golfer and a football player, but he ultimately came away believing that the Hornets were the best landing spot for him. As far as his major, Mann has decided on sports management.

“Being able to play football and golf was the main thing that led to that decision,” he said. “There were two schools that offered me that ability, and it came down to those two schools. It was a huge factor in that decision.”

Now, Mann embarks on a new journey forward as he aims to leave a similarly impactful mark at Shenandoah.

Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday.com.

Senior

positions at practice, something the players weren’t too fond of.

“They didn’t like it, they weren’t happy that they were going to get pulled out of their spots and things worked out where we ended up putting them back and it lit a fire under them where they felt ready,” Partusch said. “Everything that we’re doing right now is because they’ve accepted the role that they have, and it’s made all the difference in the world.”

Indians

From B1 with back-to-back singles getting runners on first and second with

Leading the defense was Burkhart in his first pitching start of the season. Partusch applauded Burkhart’s work on the mound all season, but he’d be hardpressed to find a better performance from the senior than what he did against the Titans. Burkhart struck out four batters, allowed three hits and didn’t walk a single Titan in the game, closing out the top of the seventh with three outs on three at-bats.

Powhatan’s outfield consisting of Karanian, William Tuttle and Hunter Beil was outstanding throughout the game as well, patrolling near the fence and each coming away with catches that they made look routine and frustrated Cosby’s sluggers in the process.

After the defense recorded a fly out, a ground out and a line out to get off the field in the top of the seventh, the offense had one last chance to come away with the one run needed to give them a win.

It started off promising with a walk on Max Altieri, who then got to second base on a balk by the pitcher and later third on a sacrifice bunt from Beil.

Then, sophomore junior varsity call-up Rhett Boyer came to the plate and also got on base with a walk on an intense 3-2 count. Boyer, who was called up for the Dinwiddie win on May 17 as well, has made a good impression as a pinch hitter in his brief time with the varsity squad, getting on base in both appearances. With two on and a chance to win, a fly out from Matthew Layman gave the Indians two outs and made Shiflett’s batting appearance the most important of the game. After a strike looking on the first throw, Shiflett took a swing on the next pitch and connected with a perfect line drive to right field that got him to first, Altieri to home and the rest of the Indians off their feet as the team pulled off a massive victory to close out the regular season.

Powhatan’s attention now turns to the Class 4, Region B Tournament, where they’ve landed as the four-seed and await the results of the matchup between the five-seeded Matoaca Warriors and the 12-seeded Chancellor Chargers on May 24. The Indians will host that winner on Friday, May 26 at 6 p.m. Robby Fletcher can be reached at rfletcher@powhatantoday. com.

Tennis

From B1 6-3 loss in the first set with a 6-2 win in the second set and a 10-5 tiebreaker victory to push Powhatan past Monacan.

While they were beaten by Courtland the next day to end their run, it was by no means a somber end to the season, with the Indians proving their mettle against an opponent that’s been neck and neck with them all year long.

one out, but the Powhatan defense closed yet again with a pop out caught by Galderise at second base and another strikeout on a 1-2 count.

Powhatan added one more run in the Patrick Henry Patriots, with that matchup seeing only one doubles game finish before the Indians were the decided victor. The Indians snatched away four of the six singles contests early, with No. 1 J amison Wallace winning his 6-1, 6-0 to lead the way while No. 4 John Dinardi, No. 5 Noah Lawson and No. 6 Conner Golden all won with ease in two sets. the top of the seventh from a Kendra Hogston-Royall RBI single that got Gobble to home for her second run of the day, and with one last chance to make an improbable home comeback, the Generals fell flat for the against two-seeded Courtland, Powhatan entered as underdogs but came out as winners, once again winning 5-0 in an encouraging display that needed only the singles matches to grant them as the team moving forward in the tournament bracket. last time with Cates catching a pop out, Galderise forcing a ground out and Flippen catching a center field fly out to end the game with a Powhatan victory. The next day, the Indians saw their win streak halted at winner. six with a loss in the regular season finale to Cosby to bring their record to 14-5 on the season as they await a Class 4, Region B playoff matchup with the Chancellor Chargers (7-12) on Wednesday, May 24 at 6 p.m. against Hanover sophomore

Will Hart, who he’s familiar with from their battle in the region doubles final last year. Hart took the first set 6-2, but Wallace responded promptly with a 6-1 win to set in motion a tiebreaker set, which went in Hart’s favor in a close 11-9 finish.

The boys team’s excellent tournament run started against

In the lone doubles match that finished, Wallace and Lawson were outstanding in a game that went with two sets that finished 6-1 in Powhatan’s favor.

Moving on to the quarterfinals

Wallace was leading with a 7-5 first set against Keldibek Kozhoev, but the second set wasn’t necessary after his five teammates all came away with wins. No. 2 Isaac Kelley and Dinardi, this time in the No. 3 spot, both had the most interesting battles, with those two needing a tiebreaker set to determine a

Kelley lost the first set 6-1 to start, but bounced back with a 6-3 win in the second set and later a 10-5 tiebreaker to finish the comeback, while Dinardi won his opening set 6-4 and responded to a 6-3 loss in the second set with a thrilling 1210 win in the tiebreaker.