Contact: Jenni Brockman
Telephone: 804-443-3357 (w); 804-443-2703 (h)
Fax: 804-443-6781
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Scotty Sports Corner: Winter Teams Open Seasons
By Kelly Proctor '02
Special Correspondent
Tappahannock, VA (December 10, 2001) - St. Margaret's School began its winter sports season last week with the return of soccer and basketball and the introduction of the school's first-ever swim team.
Soccer: Varsity soccer met St. Anne's-Belfield in hilly Charlottesville on December 5, where the two teams faced off in a match full of aggressive play. Assistant Coach Whitfield Mastin commended the solid performance of Captain Sarah Taliaferro, a senior sweeper from Center Cross, and sophomore stopper Sarah Copeland of Tappahannock.
"All in all," said Coach Mastin, "this was a defensive game. We had our first match against the toughest team in the league; they gave us a good idea of what we need to work on. Our goalies, senior Kat Price and freshman Palmer Ware of Dunnsville, were both new to the position, but their hard work won them over 20 saves."
Head Coach Rodney Watkins of Tappahannock vowed that the team's hard work over the next few weeks would gain the Scotties better scores than in their December 5 outing, where the final score stood at St. Anne's 4, SMS 0.
Basketball: St. Margaret's varsity basketball team won its season opener at home against Christchurch School on Friday, December 1. Scotty players dominated from the start, giving the CCS defense run after scoring run. Coach Sue Saunders of Tappahannock praised the skills of senior Co-Captain Kristina Bethea, who posted a "triple double," or double figures in three areas: 18 points, 14 rebounds and 12 assists. Junior Co-Captain Fola Ogundiran also doubled with 11 points, while sophomore Blair Fisher of Lottsburg exercised a combination of smooth ball-handling and quick hands to win 16 points. The final tally: SMS 61, CCS 18.
On December 5, SMS traveled to Trinity Episcopal School in Richmond for its second game of the season. The Scotties' strong offense and aggressive play gave them the lead in the first three quarters. But as the small squad began to fizzle from fatigue brought on by intense play and blisters caused by new sneakers, Trinity still had players to spare. When the final whistle blew, Trinity had bested SMS, 51 to 40.
Coach Saunders remains optimistic about what spectators can expect from SMS for the rest of the season.
"We're losing one of our stronger athletes (Bethea) to a knee injury, but this will give some of our other players a chance to rise to the challenge," she said. "This year's team is cohesive and supportive of one another. We have a 12-man squad of returning players, 2 strong JV athletes, and 5 new players. Everyone is working well into the lineup."
Swimming: Swimming debuts this season at St. Margaret's School, benefiting from the dedication of several SMS students whose enthusiasm led to the introduction of the new varsity sport.
Head Coach Katie Spiegler of Tappahannock described the team: "I'm really excited; they all look very good. We have six swimmers with several years of experience to offer. Others are still learning technique and conditioning, which is a balance. Every day we learn something new, and we all take it seriously. I hope to teach that everyone can benefit from swimming. It's a sport that we can participate in throughout a lifetime."
The swimming Scotties first match was a face-off in Richmond against big-school opponents Trinity and Collegiate on December 8; be looking for details in next week's report.