By The Daily Progress Staff

Published: April 25, 2008

Charlottesville High School is one step closer to finding a replacement for longtime football coach Garwin DeBerry.
A hiring committee composed of six people including Athletic Director Rick Lilly, current principal Kenneth Leatherwood, incoming principal Thomas Taylor, the human resources director and two parents has interviewed five candidates for the position. According to Lilly, they started with 14 applicants and narrowed the list to six. Out of the five people who were interviewed, the committee narrowed that to a set of finalists this week and is in the process of conducting second interviews with the candidates.
The school will also honor DeBerry with a retirement in the CHS atrium on Sunday at 3 p.m.
DeBerry is retiring in June after serving as coach for 28 years and as a physical education and driver’s education teacher for 39 years. Cy Weaver, Coach DeBerry’s longtime assistant, will also be honored.
The community is invited to the event. If you would like to attend, please call Ella Yates at 245-2703 or e-mail .
Western prepares for tough stretch
Western Albemarle’s boys tennis team has had a target on its back this year. That comes with the territory of being the defending state champion and returning the entire top six from last season.
But it looks like next week will be open season on the Warriors.
Western (8-0, 5-0 Jefferson District) will go back-to-back-to-back starting Monday afternoon against fellow JD unbeaten Monticello in a match that will have major district title implications. On Tuesday it’s a strong Covenant squad on the road, and the sprint ends with a third-straight road match with cross-county rival Albemarle.
“We have seven matches over the next nine days [including this week’s lineup] and the team is looking forward to this tough schedule,” said Western head coach Charles Ix. “This team thrives on match play. This is the kind of stretch we need to be ready to defend our state championship.”
Western got the murderous run started Wednesday with a 9-0 victory over St. Anne’s-Belfield. Joey Manilla, a sophomore, picked up the No. 1 singles victory while seniors Gabe Kosowitz, Jamie Thomas and Brennan Dougherty also picked up singles wins. Sophomore Alex Preve and junior Nico de la Pointe, both second-year starters, rounded out the sweep.
“The boys really want to repeat [as state champions],” Ix said. “I have let them know that this is a real possibility but the work has to be put in in order to make another run.”
A big chunk of that work will be done over the next week.
SOCA honors class of 2008
The Soccer Organization of Charlottesville-Albemarle honored its 2008 graduates who have committed to playing college soccer next fall in a ceremony last Sunday.
In all, 11 local student-athletes from SOCA have committed to colleges.
“We are so proud of all our graduates,” said SOCA coaching director Dan Rosensweig. “Tonight we honor every 2008 SOCA graduate, from the future NCAA Division I stars sitting next to me, to the ones who have turned down scholarships to join the Peace Corps, to the recreational players who have laced up their boots on Saturdays simply for the love of the game.”
Vermont-bound Emily Perrin (Charlottesville) started things off by speaking about the years of fun she had playing at SOCA.
“It’s been so instrumental in helping me reach my dreams,” said Perrin.
Both Perrin and Monticello’s Caty Kirk Robins, who is headed to the College of St. Rose in New York, spoke about how excited they are for a new world of challenges.
“I am really looking forward to seeing what is outside of Charlottesville,” said Kirk Robins.
Erica Smith, who will be playing at Roanoke in the fall, thanked her family for the many hours they spent supporting her as she commuted to Charlottesville from her family home in Louisa.
Carter Mills and his family have also logged many miles in pursuit of his dream. From Culpeper, Mills joined his SOCA Express team in time for their U14 season.
Mills is in the process of deciding between Radford and Mary Washington.
Other SOCA graduates honored included: Kelly Short (Emory), Danielle Marshall (Gardner-Webb), Molly Schwoebel (Cabrini for soccer and basketball), Ryan Sappington (Bucknell), Will Gallop (Mary Washington), Bram Sims (Mary Washington), and Charles Stump (Colorado State).
FUMA’s Washington recognized
Fork Union Military Academy’s Waverly Washington was one of 16 Central Virginia high school football players recognized this past Sunday by the Commonwealth Chapter of the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame at its 10th annual Scholar-Athlete Banquet.
Washington, a captain and two-way starter at wide receiver and defensive back at Fork Union, earned All Prep honors on both offense and defense and was named a VISAA Division I all-state second team on offense. He was a second team All-Central Virginia pick on defense.
In addition, Washington has excelled in the classroom at FUMA, and has made only one grade below an A during two years at the school.
Washington was one of seven athletes at the banquet named a scholarship recipient.
Other players included Michael Callahan (James River-Midlothian), Dante Cook (Stafford), Chris Daly (Collegiate), George Garner (Benedictine), Jabrel Mines (Caroline) and Cameron Murray (Deep Run).
Washington, who is also a member of the track team at Fork Union, plans to attend West Point Prep School and then the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. He plans to play football and walk on in basketball.