By Thomas Dozier If you thought this was a rebuilding year for the L.C. Bird girls’ basketball team, you might want to think again. All the Skyhawks did was post an 18-9 overall record a before ending their season with a 73-50 loss to the three-time defending 5A state champion Princess Anne at Hermitage High School on Saturday. The Princess Anne Cavaliers, who have won three consecutive state titles and seven overall, went onto state with a 24-2 record. As for L.C. Bird, under the direction of veteran coach Chevette Waller, it was a terrific season, even though they won’t…
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By Zach Long Thomas Dale Track: In his three years coaching track and field at Thomas Dale, Coach Jay Price said that he had more athletes qualify for the 6A South Regional than ever before. His team competed at the regional meet in Hampton over the weekend and did not disappoint. A.J. Lazaro broke the school record in the 55 meter hurdles, running 7.55 seconds and took fourth place in the event. Lazaro also finished fourth in the triple jump. The Knights were the only team to have two boys make the finals in the 55-meter dash. Chris Tyree finished…
By Noah Christian Monique Jones just keeps getting better. The natural talent has always been there, as she played varsity as a freshman, but she continues to build on that talent. The Thomas Dale senior has improved her averages every year. Jones built on her freshman averages of 11.1 points and 4.5 rebounds, putting up 14.7 points and 5.6 rebounds in her sophomore year and 16.1 points and 5.7 rebounds in her junior year. She has led the Knights in scoring for the past two seasons. In fall workouts of her senior season, Jones suffered a serious ankle injury that…
We don’t grow when things are easy; we grow when we face challenges. The L.C. Bird boys’ basketball program is no stranger to a challenge but the remarkable thing is the Skyhawks success amid those challenges. In 2011 and 2016, L.C. Bird knocked on the door with state final appearances. While the Skyhawks came up short, a deep and talented roster has a common goal in 2017. “Our goal is to win our last game,” said L.C. Bird coach Troy Manns. Bird is armed with at least six players – Jaylen Dillard, Mario Haskett, Cam Henry, Jyles Webster, Johquin “Pinky”…
Thomas Dale Boys By Jamal Davis Last season the boys’ basketball team at Thomas Dale finished with a 9-13 record. While that may not be where it wanted to be, it was an improvement over the year before. The Knights hope to continue to improve this season under head coach Braxton Byerson, a former standout athlete at Thomas Dale himself. Unfortunately, the Knights will be forced to do so without the help of their best player from a season ago, point guard Elijah Gregory. Even without Gregory, Byerson believes his squad is well equipped to fill the void. Projected Starting Five: G James…
By Zack Long Team MVP: Terrence Whitfield Record: 7-5 Coach Michael Knight says his team started off the season “slow” on the defensive side, but with seven wins, that has now changed. The Warriors are playing harder and with a higher energy level. Terrence Whitfield, a senior and three-year starter on varsity, has done everything and then some for Matoaca. Not only does he lead the team in scoring and rebounding, but he also dropped 33 points in a big win over rival Thomas Dale. Senior guard Tyreek Carter has also been a key player for Matoaca, as he is…
Gilliam was a great Skyhawk in her day on and off the court, and excelled at Cape Fear Community College in order to earn a scholarship to finish up her hoops career at Longwood. The results for the Lancers have proved she was a good investment. The 6-0 forward has averaged 9.2 points per game (2nd on team) and 6.4 rebounds (1st on team) and has helped Longwood to three wins in what has been a tough season for the Lancers. In an 88-77 victory over Delaware State on December 28, Gilliamhit 8 of 9 shots en route to an…
Just ask H.D. Woodson coach Lawrence Mines III. His friends call him Trey. A native of Chester, Mines coaches, lives and works in Washington D.C., but for the past two years has returned to play in the Tri-City Holiday Classic. While he won in 2015 and was runner-up this past year, a promising and young coaching career has been impressive, if not spectacular. “His relationship he has with his guys in combination with his knowledge of the game makes him a good coach,” said Thomas Dale coach and life-long friend Braxton Byerson. “Being able to relate to the new style…
Khris Lane, Basketball Meadowbrook High School R-Junior at Longwood University After starting his career high school basketball career at Meadowbrook, Lane ventured to Benedictine. Now he’s landed at Longwood by way of Drexel. The Big South and Lancers fans have been put on notice. Lane has averaged 14.2 points per game, a figure good for second on the team. The 6-6, 245-pound wing recently poured in 20 points in a Lan Kavon Waller, Basketball Thomas Dale High School Junior at Delaware State University Since roaming the courts for Thomas Dale and picking up All-Central District honors,…
L.C. Bird Girls (6-1 on season) L.C. Bird’s unselfish play on both ends of the court led them to two victories in the tournament. The Skyhawks dove for loose balls on defense and made the extra pass on offense to get open looks. Jaden Watkins showed off her passing skills, setting up her teammates well throughout the tournament, while still averaging 16 points per game. Mya Coleman posted a double-double against Freedom with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Brina Bentley posted 12 points against Granby. Kameron Brown showed off her catch-and-shoot ability by scoring 11 points against Granby, including…