MHS Youth Soccer Soccer Page B2 Page B3 SSentinel.com Serving Middlesex County and adjacent areas of the Middle Peninsula and Northern Neck since 1896 Vol. 115, No. 5 Urbanna, Virginia 23175 • April 30, 2009 B Section Chargers down West Point Middlesex remained in a tie for fi rst place in the Tidewater District Tuesday with a 9-5 var- sity baseball win at West Point. Middlesex is 4-1 in the Tide- water District and 6-3 overall. “If we go undefeated the rest of the way, we can pull it (district title) out,” said MHS coach Timmy Blake. The Chargers, Mathews and King William each have one loss in district play. Senior Jake Fletcher led the Chargers past West Point both on the mound and at the plate. Fletcher pitched one-hit ball over four innings and upped his pitching record to 3-0. He gave up one earned run and struck out 2. At the plate, Fletcher was 3 for 3 with a triple, double, single, four RBIs and 2 runs. Keith Whitley relieved Fletcher on the mound in the A sliding Alexander Crittenden of Middlesex arrived a tick Mathews JV player Rachel Close slides just under the tag of Middlesex JV pitcher Rachel fi fth inning and pitched 3 late as Nick Stump of Mathews turns the fi rst half of a Crews in softball action last week. Mathews won the game 8-1. On Tuesday, the MHS JVs innings of two-hit ball with 3 double play in Friday’s 8-4 Blue Devil win. defeated West Point 17-7. MHS coaches are reminded to report scores and highlights to the strikeouts. Only 2 of the 4 runs (Photo by Tom Chillemi) Sentinel no later than 9 p.m. on Tuesdays to be included in that week’s issue. he gave up were earned. (Photo by Tom Chillemi) Chuckie Morris was 2 for 4 with an RBI; Harley Moore The Chargers will host Colo- The Chargers’ fi nal game of was 2 for 2 with an RBI and 3 nial Beach today, April 30, at the regular season is against metaphorically speaking runs; Whitley had a single and 5:30 p.m. in Deltaville; and are Mathews on Friday, May 12, at an RBI; Alex Crittenden con- at Northumberland on Monday, 7 p.m. in Deltaville. by Amy Rose Dobson tributed a single and two runs; May 4, at 5 p.m. The Tidewater District Tour- Brad Norris is all smiles at Justin Cooper had a pinch hit On Tuesday, May 5, the Char- nament will begin on Friday, 8:30 a.m. on a rainy Monday single and a run; Norman gers will host King William at May 15, and will continue May morning. As athletic director Sibley also had a pinch hit 5 p.m.; and on Thursday, May 19 and 21 in Mathews. at Middlesex High School, single; and Bryce Wright drove 7, they are at King and Queen which happens to be his alma in a run with a fi elder’s choice. at 5 p.m. (See Chargers, page B3) mater, he oversees over a dozen different coaches and hun- dreds of student athletes. His job starts early in the morning, ends late at night, and carries Anderson remains unbeaten as throughout the weekend—yet none of that seems to stop his stride. The morning before Lady Chargers down Mathews his favorite college basket- ball team won another NCAA by Larry S. Chowning Pruitt lost 6-2, 6-2 for the Lady Chargers. title he sat down to talk to the In doubles play, Anderson and Baltrusaitis Sentinel about how metaphors The Middlesex High girls tennis team dominated won 6-0, 6-3; Hutton and Amanda Blake won from sports apply to life on arch-rival Mathews 6-3 in a match that started on 6-1, 6-1. and off the fi eld. April 22 and fi nished on April 23 due to rain. Hurley and Stevens lost a long, competitive In baseball, a player can Middlesex’s number one player, Jessica match. They won the fi rst set in a tiebreaker, 7-6 miss the ball far more times Anderson, continued her quest for an unde- (7-2), but lost set two 6-1 and set three on a tie- than he hits it, and still be con- feated season as she won 6-2, 6-4. breaker 7-6 (7-3). sidered a success. When have Brad Norris was one of the best baseball players in Middlesex Middlesex’s number two player, Melissa Bal- “This is a huge district win for our team,” said you failed and failed again, High history and now is the school’s athletic director. trusaitis, won 6-3, 6-4. Shepherd, “and one of the fi rst times we have but you still consider it a suc- Also winning singles for the Lady Chargers ever beaten Mathews.” cess? happens on the fi eld into the it would be the kids that just were Stephanie Hutton 7-5, 6-4, and Mindy The Lady Chargers are 6-2 overall and 1-0 Norris: In high school, dugout.” If something bad go in there and give it every- Hurley 6-4, 6-3. in Tidewater District competition. Middlesex during a regional game against happens, the good players let thing they’ve got every day— Middlesex coach Pete Shepherd said Hutton traveled to West Point yesterday; to Mathews Sussex, I swung and dislocated it go right after that play. I kids you’ll never see on an “showed her steady style of play” in her victory. on Monday, May 4; and will host West Point on my kneecap. I stayed with made plenty of errors when I All-District list or All-Region Andrea Stevens lost 6-4, 6-2, and Amanda Wednesday, May 6, in its season fi nale. baseball all through the rest of was in high school, and some list. They just give everything high school and college, and of them were easier to let go they have. Those are the kids it kept happening. Eventually than others. But I always say, you look at and they’ll never I had surgery, but it happened “You can’t take it to bat with be honored, per se, but they three or four more times after you.” are the ones that really make that and I still played. The suc- What are some of the fi rst the job worth it. The ones who cess was the fact that I never signs there is going to be a inspire you the most are the gave up. When someone tells momentum change? ones that will probably never me I can’t do something, that Norris: The crowd can play in college. is what makes me want to go play a huge part in it, good out and do it. or bad. A lot of times you’ll About Brad Norris: He How do you use that experi- see momentum change for was a standout baseball player ence as a coach? the good—especially at home for Middlesex High School Norris: I tell the kids if they games. Some players can from 1996-99. A four-year give up, it is the one thing they change the momentum just by starter, he was awarded All- are going to regret. If you are what they’re doing. In baseball District, All-Region and All- going to stop doing something that is especially true with the State honors as a sophomore, it shouldn’t be because of pitcher and the catcher. If they junior and senior. He was the embarrassment or anything. give up, everyone else behind MHS team MVP as a sopho- It should be because you are them is going to give up. more, co-MVP as a junior, and completely ready to stop it. What is your kryptonite? won the Coaches Award as a Also, you have to love it more Norris: The fi rst year I senior. He shares the MHS than you love winning. It is was athletic director it was single-season home run record not all about the winning. You like kryptonite was sitting in (10) with his younger brother Members of the 2009 Middlesex High girls tennis team include, from left, Amanda Pruett, have to love doing what you my offi ce. Everything that I Ryan, and holds the career Andrea Stevens, Amanda Blake, Jessica Anderson, Stephanie Hutton, Melissa Baltrusaitis, are doing. touched went wrong. Every home run record (22). After Mindy Hurley, team manager Ray Harrell and coach Pete Shepherd. Momentum is a big part of scoreboard we had blew up that graduating from MHS, he (Photo by Tom Chillemi) the mental side of sports. How year and we don’t know why. played two seasons on RCC’s do you keep momentum going You are scratching your head state championship team and when you are losing? wondering, “Why me?” Gen- two more years at Lynchburg Norris: Everybody has been erally speaking, my kryptonite College. K. Walsh hurls one-hit Kayak tour on that side of it. I know I sure is weather. So far this year have. We played one game we’ve already had to cancel About the author: Amy against Rappahannock three or four or fi ve games because of Rose Dobson is a freelance shutout for MHS JVs due May 9 four years ago where we gave rain, and there’s nowhere to writer who divides her time up 17 unearned runs in the put them.