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Crew

Led by Coaches Kary Fronk and Andrea Robinson, St. Margaret's rowing team is off to a fast start in just its third season of competition. Scotty rowers turned in a solid performance in their first outing of the 2001 season at the Broad Bay Regatta in Virginia Beach on March 31.

St. Margaret's varsity eight team races at the Occoquan Reservoir.

Led by coxswain Katie Beal, the SMS varsity four was in a tightly contested race for first place when a freak break in the bowman's foot stretcher threw the boat out of sync in the final 500 meters. Rowers Claire Stephenson of Tappahannock, Britton Faulkner of White Stone, Lea DeBauche of Kilmarnock and boarding student Emily Lapayowker finished second.

The show was stolen, however, by a co-ed varsity eight pairing of four novice SMS rowers -- Tess Cooney, Helena Luikhart, Kristen Keating and Ellison Goodwin -- with four varsity men from Cox High School in Virginia Beach. Rowing together for the first time, the co-ed eight won its race.

"Rowing is like summer camp," said Cooney, a junior from Ohio. "Although it's really tiring, the races are so much fun."

SMS's novice A, B and C teams each finished third in their respective races and "looked great out on the water," according to Head Coach Kary Fronk.

"With so much new talent this year, Coach Fronk and I really didn't know what to expect," said Assistant Coach Andrea Robinson. "After Saturday, we know we can think big. The girls' performance was awesome. This is a great start for us.

April 25, 2001 - SMS Crew Posts Win
April 9, 2001 - Crew Makes a Splash at Beach Regatta
May 22, 2000 - SMS Novice Four Places First at State Championship
April 10, 2000 - SMS Crew Keeps Pace at Walter Mess Regatta
April 18, 1999 - SMS Places First, Second at Mathews Regatta
March 27, 1999 - Crew Team Strong in Debut
February 24, 1999 - SMS Gets Crew Program

Lacrosse

Led by senior co-captains Carol Combs and Niki Zuralow, St. Margaret's lacrosse team is poised to make things happen this spring.

St. Margaret's 2000 lacrosse team with coach Cupper Dickinson (r.).

The team's inexperience showed last year as SMS dropped many close games. But, say the team captains, "2001 is going to be a much, much different story."

This year's team is coached by Cupper Dickinson who rewarded returning player Sara Newman of White Stone the Coach's Award in 2000 for exhibiting team leadership and displaying a strong work ethic throughout the season.

"We are returning a lot of experience," says coach Dickinson. "I think our experience will surprise a lot of teams this year in the League of Independent Schools conference. We have high expections and more confidence in our ability to play the game. It won't be a learning year and I look for our strong veteran leaders to help out some of their younger, less experienced teammates."

April 25, 2001 - Lacrosse Team Posts Win
April 18, 2000 - Combs's Late Goal Sinks Covenant

Softball

St. Margaret's varsity softball team turned in a solid performance at the Lancaster Invitational Softball Tournament to finish second in a field of three.

The 2001 varsity softball team at St. Margaret's School includes: Head Coach Sue Ball, Page Winebrenner of Tappahannock, Nikki Clark of Lively, Taylor Ellis of Dunnsville, Claire Hopkins of Oak Grove, and Mary Burke Parker, Olivia Longest, Michelle Sylva and Ann Kramer Osburn, all of Tappahannock. Not pictured: Manager Whitney Crandall of Kilmarnock, Lauren Crockett and Tess Duncan of Irvington, Shannon Davis of Tappahannock and Emily Stevens of Center Cross.

The Scotties overcame multiple obstacles en route to the tournament's championship game on March 24. An unfamiliar grass playing surface, gusty winds and back-to-back games versus a better-rested opponent tested the team's mettle. St. Margaret's lost to Lancaster, 10-4.

After all, a second-place finish in a March tournament with a field of quality teams constitutes a fine start - enough to make supporters of the St. Margaret's program optimistic heading into the 2001 season.

The performance of junior pitcher Shannon Davis was another bright spot. Coming off of knee surgery earlier this year, Davis registered nine strikeouts without surrendering a walk in the tournament semi-final against Matthews High School. In the second game, in relief of sophomore pitcher Paige Winebrenner, Davis registered three strikeouts and three walks.

The team's firepower is expected to be another strength. St. Margaret's batters hit for .320 and .545 against Mathews and Lancaster, respectively, to average .448 at the plate in the tournament.

The going was tougher on March 28 in Richmond, however, when the Scotties faced St. Gertrude's School. St. Margaret's went down 0-10 in five innings as St. Gertrude's scored on multiple errors. Senior first baseman Tess Duncan made a triple, one of the Scotties' two successful hits against an effective St. Gertrude's outfield.

"It looked like everything we hit was right at somebody, and everything they hit went right past us," Ball said. "We've got the talent, though. I'm sure this game will be the exception, and not the norm."

May 1, 2001 - Parker Helps Team Get Upset Win
April 25, 2001 - Softball Team Posts Win
April 2, 2001 - Varsity Softball Anticipates Strong Showing in 2001
May 8, 2000 - JV Scotties Rally to Nip St. Catherine's 14-13 in 7, Get First Win
May 24, 1999 - JV Scotties Proud of Season Despite Record
April 16, 1999 - Scotties Rain on St. Catherine's Parade, Win 11-10
April 10, 1999 - JV Scotties Down Collegiate, 10-8

Tennis

Despite not playing their best tennis in the League of Independent Schools conference tournament last year, the Scotties are upbeat heading into 2001. Senior Cathy Ryan of Tappahannock will lead the team, coming off a 5-2 record in singles competition last year.

St. Margaret's 2000 varsity tennis team.

"Returning players Kristina Bethea, Heeran Kim, and Danielle Magid are the heart of this year's team," says Head Coach Katie Spiegler, who is optimistic about her team's chances in 2001.

May 22, 2000 - Tennis Team, Ryan Focus on 2001 After LIS Tournament
May 7, 2000 - Farmer Leads Tennis Team, LIS Tourney Approaches
April 2, 2000 - St. Margaret's Tops Christchurch, 8-1
May 3, 1999 - Rogers Undefeated, Leads Tennis Team