Neville: Sports moving indoors

Well it’s time to move indoors for sports as the winter sports season takes shape but before we delve into the winter sports scene I wanted to recap a very fine fall season for area schools.

First of all some of the names you want to watch for in cross country next year include Mountain View High School’s Kaitlyn Davis, who had a top five finish at the group AAA state meet. Colonial Forge High School’s Colleen Wade will also continue to be a top runner in girls’ cross country. On the boys’ side area schools are breathing a sigh of relief because Thomas Porter, who captured a state individual title at the AAA meet earlier this month, will be graduating.

The Colonial Forge volleyball team had another stellar season, winning the Commonwealth District regular season and tournament title and advancing to the Northwest Region playoffs. Coach Keith Mesa will lose five seniors but he will welcome back 10 players with varsity experience.

I believe the district is getting better though. High school football saw only one Stafford County school advance to the Northwest Region playoffs — Brooke Point for the fourth straight season — but that does not mean there won’t be some good talent on display next season.

And, Mountain View should have a fierce battle to see who its number-one quarterback will be. Junior Peter Onidi took over for Jordan King who was injured during the season and did a very nice job. Both players should be back next season. The Wildcats boast one of the best wide receivers in the area in Anthony Johnson, who is completing his sophomore year.

North Stafford loses just 12 seniors and should improve. Tony Douglas, Marcus Morrast and Ryan Husted all should return next season for Coach Joe Mangano.

Colonial Forge also fielded a young team this past season. Coach Bill Brown has a lot of talent coming back. Both of his quarterbacks should return — sophomores Tim Scott and Blake Froanapfel; in addition, freshman Raheem Hilton should return along with Tevin McCleave, Trey Reed and others.

Stafford High School will lose more than 20 players to graduation but will return Clay Bennett and Kyle Oltman among others, and as far as Brooke Point goes, Alex Goodman, Brandon Hare and Michael Webber form a nice nucleus for the Black-Hawks.

The Mountain View field hockey team, which advanced to the group AAA state playoffs, loses some talented players but will return Bailee Hubert, Kelsey Snyder and Samantha Milligan.
North Stafford, which also played in the AAA state playoffs, will welcome back one of their top scorers, Callie Wetzelberger along with defender Ashley Hilsinger and Meghan O’Connor.

Stafford should once again be strong because they lose just three seniors. Taylor Bailey, one of the Indians top scorers will return along with Carley Sullivan, Erin Gallivan and Katherine Smith.

So as you can see this past fall was very exciting and fun to watch but once again there are new faces that will come along and make the 2009 season just as memorable.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Mike Neville is sports director at the local Comcast cable channel. Reach him at info@staffordcountysun.com.