Graduates have final fling in all-star games

Coaches and newly graduated athletes have descended upon Hampton and Newport News for the annual Virginia High School Coaches Association clinics and all-star games.

This is the 16th year the summer rite has been based in Hampton.

The all-star games are a last fling for many of the athletes before they head off to colleges and universities. Athletes from all three Virginia High School League classifications (Group AAA, AA and A) are housed and fed at Hampton University. Five of the eight all-star games are scheduled at Christopher Newport University.

The games pit East against West. Richmond area athletes play for the East except in basketball this year.

Girls basketball opens game action tonight at Hampton Coliseum at 6 p.m. The boys follow at 8:30.

Mills Godwin's Michelle Foley is the Central Region's lone representative in the girls game. Douglas Freeman teammates Josh Brinkley and Jake Eastman are suiting up for the West boys.

The only game without a Central Region player is girls soccer, but often times there are last-minute replacements or additions.

The Richmond area is well-represented in softball, baseball and football. Nine players, five of whom are first-team All-Metro selections, are on the softball roster. Denise Manuel, Midlothian's longtime coach who stepped down at the end of the season, is on the coaching staff.

There are eight baseball players on the East roster, and two coaches, Gregg Connor of Powhatan and Pete Schumacher of James River, have state championship rings.

The football game, which draws the biggest crowd, is Friday night at Darling Stadium in Hampton. The East roster includes 17 players from the region. Among the players is Times-Dispatch player of the year Adam Morgan of state Division 5 runner-up Dinwiddie. Generals coach Billy Mills is on the coaching staff.

RICHMOND-AREA PLAYERS

Girls basketball (tonight): Michelle Foley, Mills Godwin.

Boys basketball (tonight): Josh Brinkley, Douglas Freeman; Jake Eastman, Douglas Freeman.

Girls volleyball (tomorrow afternoon): Mallory Carter, Cosby; Elizabeth Drewry, Mills Godwin; Ashton Wallace, New Kent. Coach: Jason Garrett, Mills Godwin.

Boys soccer (tomorrow night): Nick DeProspero, Cosby; Evan Jones, Midlothian; Ian Major, J.R. Tucker; Patrick McDaniel, Cosby; Josh Rice, Midlothian. Coach: Mike Anderson, Cosby.

Softball (Thursday morning): Ryndee Ruch, Atlee; Amanda Woolard, Hanover; Tyler Fleming, New Kent; Krista Townsend, Midlothian; Sarah Goodman, King William; Jackie Jenkins, Atlee; Cheese Mitchell, Lee-Davis; Morgan Reynolds, Cosby; Cay Manuel, Midlothian. Coach: Denise Manuel, Midlothian.

Baseball (Thursday afternoon): Austin McGowan, James River; Hunter Gordon, Powhatan; Jake Mathews, Powhatan; Scott Labbs, Deep Run; R.C. Orlan, Deep Run; Laine Denton, Hanover; Andrew Hacker, Lee-Davis; Bradley Shaban, Cosby. Coaches: Gregg Conner, Powhatan; Pete Schumacher, James River.

Football (Friday night): Josh Bailey, Clover Hill; J.C. Wiggins, Monacan; Adam Morgan, Dinwiddie; Jarmar Samuel, Caroline; Chris Smith, Clover Hill; Antone Exum, Deep Run; Theron Norman, Hermitage; Wendal Jones, Monacan; Clinton Patterson, Highland Springs; Adrian Cavanaugh, Patrick Henry; Kenny Fryman, Hanover; Nick Watts, Dinwiddie; Xavier Tyler, L.C. Bird; Derek Tinsley, Meadowbrook; Derek Christovich, Powhatan; Morgan Moses, Meadowbrook; Duan Perez-Means, Hermitage. Coach: Billy Mills, Dinwiddie.