10 The Compass Wednesday, March 4, 1998
Sports
Lady Vikes finish 3rd
in ClAA’s E. Division '
f
Franklin Scott. Jr. photo
Viking Danielle Virgil traps a small forwardin the Feb. 10 game against N.C. Central.
The Lady Vikings won, 60-54.
18 points, five rebounds and five steals.
Kristy Zeigler added 16 points, and
Sherrie Forrest added 12 points.
After seeing a 10-point lead shrink
to two points at half time, the lady Fal
cons', the no. 5 seed out of the Western
Division, used an 18-6 run at the mid
way point of the second half to put
away the Lady Vikings, the no. 4 seed
out of the Eastern division.
Washington was one of several fresh
men Taylor depended on this season.
The five-foot three-inch guard from
Norfolk, Va. led all freshmen in scor
ing, with 14.8 points per contest. She
ranked eighth overall in free throw
shooting percentage, (.699) and was
14th in steals, (2.38).
The CIAA coaches selected Taylor as
CIAA Coach of the Year.
ECSU only returned one starter this
season, and sports writers predicted
them to end up finish near the bottom.
Taylor, in her 4th year at ECSU,
brought the team back to contention.
The Moutrie, Ga. native and gradu
ate of Tuskeegee Institute has an over
all record of 45-69.
Cullens pins hopes for winning
season on new crop of talent
by Jemayne King
Despite the lady Viking's Feb. 23 loss
to St. Augustine's Lady Falcons in the
first round of the CIAA tournament,
hard work and dedication helped turn
the women's basketball program at
HCSU around this year.
Last season the lady Vikes finished
(9-19). This season the Vikes finished
third in the CIAA Eastern Division (13-
14).
The Lady Falcons defeated the Vi-
kmgs 75-58.
Coach Vanessa Taylor credited much
of the team's success to the efforts of
treshmen players like Raquita Wash
ington and Kristi Zeigler. These two
young ladies gave the lady Vikes a
much needed a shot in the arm, Taylor
said.
Both Washington and Zeigler aver
aged double figures in scoring this sea
son.
Out of the 15-member team there
were eight freshmen, three sophmores,
two juniors, and one senior.
"This season we had an extremely
young team with exceptional guard
play," said veteran Viking Lakeera
Payne. "Even though our team lacked
size, the post players that we incorpo
rated did a good job on the boards."
Although the Lady Vikings were un
dersized this year, the team has shown
strong pressure defense. In a Jan. 6
meeting with Shaw University, the
Lady Vike's special brand of pressure
defense produced a 64-61 win. At that
point in the season Shaw was unbeaten.
The Vikes' stellar defense also was a
main factor in a Feb. 10 win over North
Carolina Central University (60-54).
The Vikes' strong defense hasn't al
ways been enough to win games.
The Lady Vikings shot only 35 per
cent in a February loss to St.
Augustine's Lady Falcons. St.
Augustine's 42 percent shooting gave
them the game (86-83).
In an early season interview. Coach
Taylor said the team had two primary
challenges before them at this point in
the season: motivation and morale.
"Our motivation has to be a chal
lenge at this late portion of the sea
son." Taylor added, "Having a good
overall team morale is very important
because we are about to go into the
CIAA Tournament."
Team members admit that Taylor
stresses the importance of hard work
and individual effort. "Playing for
Coach Taylor is a lot of hard work,"
said Danielle Virgil, a forward. "She
expects a lot out of us."
The Lady Falcons had trouble keep
ing up with the quick Viking guards,
but St. Augustine used its size advan
tage on the insides, especially on the
boards.
The lady Falcons out rebounded
ECSU 53-41 and scored on a number of
second-chance opportunities.
One player from the Falcons,
Anastacia Sands, paced the Falcons
with 20 points, 15 rebounds and 2 block
shots. Donita Mays added 17 points
and Torsheka Cox added 12 points.
CIAA rookie of the year Raquita
Washington was not intimidated by
playing in her first CIAA Tournament
game. Leading the Lady Viking with
by A1 Randolph
Vikings Baseball Coach Chuck
Cullens hopes some talented new team
members will help produce a winning
season.
Last season's (7-23) record resulted
from weaknesses in the pitching and
the inability to recruit talented players,
said Cullens.
"With the team speed and experi
ence on the pitcher's mound, the de
fense status has to improve this sea
son," said Cullens.
Kelsey Wilkins, Jason Parrish and
Justin Burk are all in the rotation, said
Cullens. Wilkins, a returning
righthander, is the spotlight on defense.
Kelsey, a junior, said this year's team
is a lot better due to "the young guys
coming in and the improvements on
defense. If the team comes together and
everybody puts Jesus first, success is a
must."
Kelsey defines "success" as a shot at
the CIAA title."
Cullens described another returning
player, sophomore Alvin Keels,
as" a player to watch." Keels "knows
the game and to have the success he's
had in the Valley Player League at a
yoiong age, that says a lot about him,"
said Cullens.
Other newcomers include Cory
Miller, a Pitt Community College trans
fer. "Miller is a freshman third baseman
with good speed," said CuUens. "He's
a left-handed hitter." Miller is a gradu
ate of Hertford County High School.
Kosbenky Perez, a freshman first and
third baseman, is a "power hitter from
New Jersey," said Cullens. He is also a
football recruit.
Another newcomer is Ken Simmons,
"a very talented freshman at the short
stop position, from Currituck High,"
said Cullens.
Toby Lewis, of Elizabeth City, is a
freshman catcher and good hitter "who
will improve as the season goes on,"
according to Cullens.
Cullens also mentioned Johnny
Fuller, of Currituck County, Jason
Watson, a junior transfer from Mount
Olive Community College, and Tracy
Askew, a freshman from Hertford
County.
Cullens described Askew as "an out
fielder with amazing speed. His work
ethic will carry him far in his first year
of playing."
The Vikes opened up against Chris
topher Newport for some non-confer-
ence play to start the season. A large
number of errors cost them the game
(15-3).
The Vikes lost to Chowan CoUege
12-5. The Feb. 26 game was played at
Chowan College, in Murfreesboro, NiC.
Viking Baseball
Schedule, 1998
.March
5 St, Augusiine's- Raieigh, N.C. 1 p.m.
17 Virginia Stale-Petersburg, Va. 1 p.m.
20 St. Paul's-Elizabeth City. N.C. 1 p.m.
22 Virginia State-Elizabeth City, N.C. 1 p.m.
26 St. Augustine's-Elizabelh City, N.C. 1 p.m.
28 Shaw-Raleigh. N.C. 1 p.m.
April
1 Si. Paul's—Lawrenceville, Va. 1. pm.
5 Bowie State-Bowie Md. 1. p.m.
8 Shaw--Elizabeth City, N.C. 1. p.m.
10 Bowie State-Elizabeth, N.C. 1 p.m.
16-18 CIAA Tournament, Fayetteville, N.C. TBA