Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • B4

4 DAILY PRESS Wednesday, February 20, 2013 COMMUNITY NOTEBOOK Indoor football on way "I think a lot of people in the area would support it It's a local thing" Coach Larry Stith, on the possibility of local indoor pro football the MEAC tournament, where the conference's automatic NCAA bid is awarded. "This is great," Evans said, "but you have to be playing your best basketball at that time." That time is March 11-16 at Scope, a nice hometown advantage for the Spartans. They'll need to win three games there to match HU's 2001-02 double. Under then-coach Steve Merfeld, the ISth-seeded Pirates defeated Iowa State in 2001, repeated as MEAC champions in '02, again drew a 15 NCAA seed and darn near beat Connecticut in the first round. The previous No.

15s to win Richmond in 1991, Santa Clara in '93 and Cop-pin State in '97 did not make the field the following season. Lehigh, conqueror of Duke last year, is the only other 15 seed to advance. The second-place Mountain Hawks trail Bucknell in the Patriot League standings as they, too, seek to match HU's repeat A road victory against its rival notwithstanding, Norfolk State was not in postseason form Monday. The Spartans squandered a 14-point, second-half lead with sloppy turnovers, inattentive defense and weak rebounding. "I don't want to give us too much credit, I really don't," Evans said.

"I think we played decent, they played well, time ran out, and that's why we got the win." But while not content with Monday's late-game effort, Evans is proud of the Spartans' season to date. "We talked about it at the beginning of the year," he said, "that they were going to live in the shadow of last year's group, and I think they've made their own path now. There's not as much talk about last year's group because of what they're doing right now." David Teel can be reached at 757-247-4636 or by email at dteeldailypress.com. For more from Teel, read his blog at dailypress.com teeltime and follow him at twitter.comDavidTeelatDP. Teel Continued from 1 Indeed, NSU lost four starters, including second-round NBA draft pick Kyle O'Quinn, from the 26-10 squad that stunned Missouri in the NCAA tournament.

O'Quinn and fellow senior Chris McEachin combined for 46 points in that 86-84 victory. Moreover, the only returning player who scored in that contest was guard Pendarvis Williams. "A lot of people were doubting us because we lost four starters," Williams said Monday night. "We used that as motivation. We thought they were crazy.

We knew we had a good team because last year we were very deep." Statistics bear Williams out. This season's leaders Williams, forward Rob Johnson and point guard Jamel Fuentes all averaged more than 17 minutes per game last year. Add Delaware transfer Malcolm Hawkins, 7-footer Brandon Goode and recruiting steal Rashid Gaston, and you have the makings of a balanced contender. Gaston, a 6-foot-8 former tight end and defensive end, attracted plenty of Mid-American interest during his high school career in Warren, Ohio. But after watching Norfolk State-Missouri, he was sold on the Spartans.

"Coming into the season, all I heard about was last year's team, Kyle O'Quinn, how we lost all these seniors," said Gaston, who scored a career-high 17 points against Hampton. A 5-10 non-conference record, albeit against some quality opponents such as Illinois, North Carolina State and Iona, didn't quiet the chatter. But in MEAC play, the Spartans have been golden. With four regular-season games remaining, three at home, Norfolk State could become the first team since Coppin State in 1994 to survive the MEAC schedule unscathed. That feat would turn empty were the Spartans then to stumble in third to the Parkettes (109.125).

The Level 9s for World Class also repeated with a team title. They topped the 23-team field with UL20 points, then came Hanover (109.25) of Pennsylvania and Head Over Heels (108.325) of New Jersey. All-around champs included Lily Olson (36.45) in the children's age group; Jamie Stone (36.225), Sr. and Gabrielle Johanek (35.625), Sr.B. Double winners were Stone on vault (9.4) and floor (9.375), and Lexi Mills on bars (9.35) and floor (9.35).

On Level 8, Liah Holmes came close to sweeping her Sr. session, with firsts on vault (9.425), bars (9.15), beam (9.25) and all-around (37.125), plus a second on floor (9.3). Among the other standouts were Katherine Olson, with wins on bars and beam on Level 7, and Level 4 all-around champs Emily Waterman, Scarlett Eversley and Lillian Gordon. Swimming Led by RJ. Barad, the South Eastern Virginia Aquatics Seahawks swept the boys, girls and combined titles at the Virginia Swimming Short Course Southeast District Championships for ages 12-and-under Friday through Sunday at the Midtown Community Center.

Barad placed in nine events in the 8-and-under class in leading the Seahawks to the boys' crown with 592.5 points. He had wins in the 25-yard freestyle, 100 individual medley, and 25 and 50 breaststrokes. The Seahawks took the girls title with 615.5 points and the combined with 1,208. Barad headed all boys in scoring with 66. Isabel Marstellar of the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins won the girls' and overall points title with 76.

She won all eight of her events in the 8U age group the 100 IM, 50 breast, 25 butterfly, 25 and 50 back, and the 25, 50 and 100 freestyles. The Blue Dolphins finished second overall (992 points) and second in the girls' race (556). The Williamsburg Aquatic Club, led by triple winner John Morrow, was second among the boys' teams (470 points). Other triple winners included Gabriella Crooks (ll-12s) and Ryan Stover (ll-12s) of SEVA and Isabella Kimble (9-10s) of Coast Guard. By Ed Richards erichardsdailypress.com 757-247-4645 Coach Larry Stith has turned the Virginia Crusaders into a powerhouse on the semi-pro football level.

Now, his goal is to bring indoor pro football back to the area. Tryouts for such a team to be called the Hampton Crusaders will be held Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. at the West Hampton Community Center. For a trial run, the team will play two exhibition games against indoor pro teams this season. "We want to see how we perform against them," Stith said Sunday night.

"It will be a big challenge, but we'll be playing to win." Regardless of what happens, Stith is optimistic about putting an indoor pro team together to compete in the American Indoor Football League next season. He has been in talks with John Morris, CEO of the current six-team league, since late November. What they have worked out is the two exhibition games on the road against teams in the second-year league April 6 against the Harris-burg (Pa.) Stampede and May 25 against the York (Pa.) Capitals. Stith's players won't be paid for the exhibitions, but would be next season if the Crusaders join the AIFL. It now includes Harrisburg, York, the West Virginia Badgers, Washington Eagles, Cape Fear Heroes and Roc (NY) Thunder.

New teams already expected to play next season are the Baltimore Mariners and Scranton. To land a team, Stith has started a campaign to find sponsors and a place to play, like the Hampton University Convocation Center. League play runs from March to June. "Having an indoor pro team would be great for our organization, and I think a lot of people in the area would support it. It's a local thing," he said.

This area hasn't had a pro indoor football team since the Norfolk Nighthawks played in the af2 (Arena Football2) league from 1998-2003. Concerning the exhibitions, Stith said "it would be a big opportunity for our players to go against some of the top competition out there, including some ex-NFL and Canadian league players." The tryouts will be open to anyone age 18-and-over. The cost is $50. A second tryout is slated for March 16 in Williamsburg. 'We'll try to get the best 25 to 30 players we can, no matter where they're from," Stith said.

He said operations of the semi-pro Crusaders champs of the Mason-Dixon Football League three of the past five years would continue as usual. For more information, contact Stith at 757-713-7407. Gymnastics With Ashley Lambert taking center stage, World Class Gymnastics captured the Level 10 team title for the third consecutive year at the highly competitive Excalibur Cup Friday through Sunday in Virginia Beach. World Class also won the $1,000 grand prize for having the highest point total for all levels and age groups. Lambert, a senior at Menchville High, led the 10s with her best scoring performance of the season.

The 18-year-old led a World Class sweep of the top three places in their session of the Senior competition with a season-best all-around 38.2. It was her best AA showing since 201L when Lambert qualified for the Nastia Liukin Cup at the Parkettes Invitational with a 38.25 and scored a 38.475 in the all-around and a 9.9 on vault at the Tim Rand Invitational. On Saturday, Lambert, a University of Nebraska signee, won firsts on vault (9.75) and floor exercise (9.6), took second on balance beam (9.525) and was third on bars (9.325). Kiera Brown (37.45) and Rebek-ah Conrad (37.05) finished second and third in the all-around in the same session. Brown was tops on the beam (9.55) and Conrad No.

Ion bars (9.55). In Sr. Taylor Harrison took first on floor (9.5) and second in everything else, including a 37.925 in theAA. World Class cruised to the L10 team title with 114.075 points. Second place went to Excalibur (112.625) and IMIKESDUMANI S3KD11ES7 Oil AE OIL CHANGE AND 4 .99 TIRE ROTATION SPECIAL Up to 5 qts.

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