BASEBALL
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2007 Record: 12-3-1 Dominion, 17-5-1 overall Coach: Tim Lowery (second season at Cosby, 26th overall)
Preview: Expectations are high for the Titans as the team comes into the season ranked 36th nationally by Baseball America. Cosby finished second in the Dominion District regular season last year and captured the district tournament crown by beating top-seeded James River before falling to Deep Run in the Central Region semifinals. This year’s squad is led by four seniors headed to play Division I baseball in shortstop/pitcher Ronnie Shaban (Va. Tech), catcher Jake Lowery (James Madison), first baseman/pitcher Tadd Bower (William and Mary) and center fielder Dustin Sowers (Longwood). Bradley Shaban should also make key contributions to the team. Ronnie Shaban hit .513 last season, had 30 RBI and hit six home runs. He was also 11-1
as a pitcher with a 1.73 ERA and had 74 strikeouts. Jake Lowery batted .433, had
two homers and 21 RBI. Both were first-team all-Dominion District and
all-Central Region. Tim Lowery was named district coach of the year for the sixth time.
Coach’s quote: “Year in and year out the Dominion is one of the toughest districts around. Anyone you talk to will say their district is the toughest but I think ours speaks for itself. A lot of the teams have tradition and we are trying to establish tradition here at Cosby.”
Player’s quote: “You can’t lie and say you don’t look at it or it doesn’t mean something because it does, but rankings really mean nothing when you get on the field. You gotta go out there and you gotta play and you gotta win,” Bower said.
BOYS SOCCER
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2007 Record: 11-2-1 District, 15-7-1 overall Coach: Mike Anderson (second season at Cosby, 22nd overall)
Preview:
With no seniors on the team last season Cosby made it all the way to
the state semifinals where the Titans lost to Northwest Region champs
Kellam 3-0. Cosby’s memorable season was accomplished by neither
winning districts or regions (fell to Hanover 3-2 in OT). The upstart
Titans, though, did end Thomas Dale’s 67-game win streak in the region
semis. Now a much more experienced squad, Anderson will rely on senior
midfielders Ben Jessee, Andrew Mahan and Kevin Anderson, forward Bryan Hughes, defender Colin Fitzpatrick and junior goalie Sean Stowe. Ten starters return.
Coach’s quote:
“To have that many starters back is unusual. The difference is everyone
has high expectations. Last season we didn’t win districts, didn’t win
the region, didn’t win states, we didn’t get a title. We would like to
get our name on the board anyway we can.”
Player’s quote: “I
think we are a different team,” Jessee said. “Last year we were
buckling down and not letting other teams score but this year I think
we are going to push and score goals of our own and be really creative.”
SOFTBALL
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2007 Record: 10-4 Dominion, 15-7 overall
Coach: Raymond Jeter (second season at Cosby)
Preview: Pitcher Whitney Haller pitched every game last season and Jeter will look for the senior to do the same this year. Haller, who signed a letter of intent to play at Longwood, finished the season 15-7 on a team that placed second in the district and lost in the first round of the regions. Leadership will also come from the other two seniors, Ashley Davenport (first base) and Brittney Burgess (right fielder).
Coach’s quote: “My seniors have worked hard in the off season to get better. Everyone’s goal is to get to regions but our first goal is to win the district. The fact is everyone is coming back so I can do more elaborate things and take them up a notch.”
Player’s quote: “I like having all the pressure on me,” said Haller of pitching every game. “The game is in your hands and you can control what happens.”
GIRLS SOCCER
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2007 Record: 5-8-1 Dominion, 6-9-1 overall Coach: Anne Canipe (first season as Cosby head coach)
Preview: Midfielder Alicia Cruz and defender Morgan Thompson are the only two seniors on a team that has 12 juniors. Canipe is looking for big things from freshman forward Joy Grove. With everyone returning from last season’s the squad, the Titans should make large strides as a team.
Coach’s quote: “They had a rough year last season. Most games they lost by one or two goals.”
Player’s quote: “We should play more as a team, we need to connect more,” Thompson said. “Last year it was more individual play and this year we just need to mesh.”
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