Road to the final, 6/5/09

by Stephen M. Lewis
DigitalSports Richmond
slewis@digitalsports.com
(804) 240-2191

A fantastic foursome of teams are left vying to bring a state Group AAA title back to the Central Region. The spring has been good to Richmond in the past few years.

Let's take a look at the teams that may end the season on a winning note.

Surprise!

Prince George softball was never ranked higher than fourth in the DigitalSports Top 10, yet is the Central Region champ for the first time in 30 years and is two wins away from a state crown.

Lauren Vinson is having a player of the year-type run, stepping up with two strikeouts with runners on second and third to win the state quarter game.

Up next is Great Bridge, the Eastern Region champ who also dons the green and gold.

Vinson and her defense will have to be sharp. Great Bridge hit the ball well in its region tourney with 35 hits and lost in the 2006 state semis.



Batter up

Make no mistake about it. Hanover's going to Westfield High School to win a state title.

With 10 seniors, a ridiculous lineup and solid pitching and defense, the Hawks have lost one game all season.

Frank Cox is Hanover's semifinal opponent, a state-tournament regular that Hawks coach Charlie Dragum knows all about.

"I know they've got a traditionally real strong program," Dragum said. "They're pretty aggressive. They like to run the bases. They've got strong pitching.

"Getting to this point has been awesome. But our expectation is to win the state championship. All four teams I'm sure have the same expectation."

Austin Erb will definitely have an impact on Saturday's game.

Hanover and Cox have an Austin Erb, and both hit out of the cleanup spot. Hanover's Erb is a first baseman, and Cox's a catcher, who will likely DH.

Double up?

Both of Mills Godwin's soccer outfits are headed to Westfield.

The girls have done so in improbable fashion, shocking Dale 2-1 in sudden death OT in the region semifinals and winning two straight 1-0 games afterward.

"It definitely has given us confidence," Mills Godwin coach Ali Toole said of winning close games. "We like to talk a lot about character. What do you do when the chips are down. Your true character really shows. They're character has been one of excellence."

This is only the second time the Eagles have reached the state semis in girls soccer, but have been to the tournament seven straight times.

Frank Cox (20-1-2), the Eastern Region champ, is the opponent.

Godwin's guys will tangle with Hickory (15-5-1), another Eastern Region foe, this time the runner-up.

The Eagles are talented up and down the field and perhaps eliminated the top team in the tournament in a penalty-kick win over James Robinson, a 2008 state finalist that Deep Run took down for the title.

This might be Godwin's best shot at a state title since the 2003 team led by Adam Cristman, a current MLS player with the Kansas City Wizards.

The Central Region has claimed four of the past six boys soccer state titles after not winning any since the championship started to be handed out in 1982.

How many overall titles will the region get this season?