Assuming that weather allows the Bay Rivers sports regular seasons to conclude sometime before June, several of the district title races should be fun to monitor over the next week.
As of Thursday morning, there’s a three-way tie for first in baseball and two-way tie for first in softball with one team lurking a game back in both sports. The boys’ soccer title is a two-team race and will be decided this evening on the final night of the regular season (aside from one or two makeups next week that won’t factor into the title race).
Below is a quick breakdown of all three sports.
BASEBALL
Warhill, which defeated Smithfield 8-1 on Tuesday, and Lafayette, which edged Jamestown 3-1 on Wednesday, are tied atop the district standings at 12-4 while New Kent (11-4) can join them with a win Thursday at Poquoson.
Warhill perhaps has the best chance at winning out the rest of the way with two games remaining against Tabb (3-12 BRD) and Jamestown (5-11 BRD). If New Kent can get past surging Poquoson (8-7 BRD), winners of six out of its last eight, the Trojans also have a favorable remaining schedule with games against Smithfield (7-9 BRD) and Bruton (0-16 BRD).
The road ahead is slightly tougher for Lafayette – which finishes up against York (11-5 BRD) and Poquoson – but the young Rams continue to play well and improve, and already beat the defending co-district champion Falcons once this season on the road.
York and Graton (10-6 BRD) are both still in the hunt for a top four seed, while Poquoson, Smithfield and Jamestown appear to be locks for the sixth, seventh and eighth seeds, respectively.
Standings: Warhill (12-4), Lafayette (12-4), New Kent (11-4), York (11-5), Grafton (10-6), Poquoson (8-7), Smithfield (7-9), Jamestown (5-11), Tabb (3-12), Bruton (0-16).
SOFTBALL
The picture here will get a lot clearer on Friday, when Smithfield (14-2 BRD) plays at New Kent (13-2 BRD) in a battle for sole possession of first place.
But Tabb (13-3 BRD), which was the only team to beat dynamic star Sydney Gay and Smithfield before Warhill’s stunning upset over the Packers on Tuesday, is just a game back of the top spot in the district with two games still to play.
Should Tabb get past streaking Warhill (7-9 BRD), which has won four of its last five – including victories over both New Kent and Smithfield – on Friday, that would set up a huge season-finale showdown against the Packers next Tuesday, which could decide the title if Smithfield can avoid losing consecutive games for the first time all season and beat the Trojans Friday.
The Tigers, who are experiencing their best season under five-year coach Ashley Meredith, have never made an appearance in the Region I tournament with Meredith at the helm. She says they plan on changing that soon.
“We’ve talked about it,” Tabb coach Meredith said of her team’s shot at a district title and advancing to the region tournament. “My girls know what’s at stake. We’ve come up with every possible way to get into regionals, because it not only would mean a lot to me and the seniors, but we also want to prove a point.
“We haven’t backed down from anyone this season, and as long as our team shows up, we’re confident every time we step on the field.”
York appears to be a lock for the fourth seed at 10-6, with Grafton (8-8), Poquoson (7-8) and Warhill (7-9) battling for seeds 5-7. The eighth and final seed will come down to either Jamestown (4-12) or Bruton (3-12).
Standings: Smithfield (14-2), New Kent (13-2), Tabb (13-3), York (10-6), Grafton (8-8), Poquoson (7-8), Warhill (7-9), Jamestown (3-12), Bruton (3-13), Lafayette (0-15).
BOYS SOCCER
As anticipated, the Bay Rivers boys soccer title will come down to season finale matchups.
Thing is, what was expected to be a five-team fight for the crown has boiled down to a two-horse race between Lafayette (7-0-1 BRD) and Grafton (7-0-1 BRD), whose only blemishes this season came in a 2-2 tie against one another back in early April.
Lafayette, which last won a district title in 2005, will close the regular season tonight against Poquoson (4-3-1 BRD) at Wanner Stadium while the Clippers, whose last title came in 2009, wrap up their district slate against York (1-5-1 BRD) at Bailey Field.
Both teams will celebrate Senior Night Thursday, and should each win, they would be crowned co-district champions.
“All the kids play together on club teams during the offseason, so it’s big for them,” Grafton coach Paul Sidhu said. “Our guys have been working hard to get to this point and want to finish this thing off.”
Both coaches – Lafayette’s Brian Sorrell and Grafton’s Sidhu – expressed comfort in knowing their teams will advance to regionals regardless of Thursday’s outcomes since each have gained enough separation from the rest of the pack to guarantee a top two finish in the district.
“We finished tied for second last year with only two losses, but missed regionals because of there were so many teams packed at the top and we didn’t do enough in the tournament,” Sorrell said. “So this is huge for us.
“But getting a trophy also means a lot, especially for the seniors, so we’re not looking past Poquoson by any means.”
