No All-Tidewater team leaves void
For the past 50 years, it has signified greatness — in Hampton Roads and at the state and national level. That’s why this year is so difficult. Strong arguments on both sides, but naming a squad wouldn’t be fair representation
The first All-Tidewater boys basketball team was introduced by The Virginian-Pilot on March 1, 1970. That team featured Player of the Year Roy Ebron of Booker T. Washington, state scoring champion Ricky Michaelsen of Princess Anne and Keith Sudduth of Cox. All three players averaged more than 30 points a game that season, including Michaelsen’s state-leading 39.6.
In the ensuing years, the teams have featured not only some of the top players in the state, but also in the nation.
There was Indian River’s Alonzo Mourning, who in 1988 was named Player of the Year by USA Today, Parade, Gatorade and Naismith.
There also was Kempsville’s J.R. Reid, who was named the 1986 Gatorade and USA Today Player of the Year.
That’s why it’s hard to imagine that there won’t be an All-Tidewater team this season.
One of the things about writing a column is you’re supposed to take a stand one way or another.
But this time, there is no winner.
So, I’m going to argue both sides.
No to All-Tidewater and all-state teams
How can you realistically have an All-Tidewater team when most of the teams in Hampton Roads didn’t even play a season because of COVID-19?
It wouldn’t be a fair representation.
And I’m not the only one questioning it.
The Virginia High School League also decided not to have an all-state team this season because 31 school districts in the state did not participate in winter sports. That includes Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk, Newport News, Hampton and Williamsburg-James City
County.
“We decided since we had school divisions and teams not competing, it would not be right to have an all-state team,” said Mike McCall, the Virginia High School League communication director.
He added that all-district and all-region teams were left up to the individual districts and regions.
Can you imagine having a boys All-Tidewater team without King’s Fork guard Jayden Epps or Norview guard Jaylani Darden?
Epps is the reigning All-Tidewater Player of the Year, the Class 4 state Player of the Year, the Class 4 Region A Player of the Year and the Southeastern District Player of the Year. Epps, a four-star prospect, led the Bulldogs to a share of the Class 4 state title in 2020.
And Darden, who will play college basketball for Longwood University, was first-team All-Tidewater and first-team all-state in 2020 after he helped lead the Pilots to a share of the Class 5 state title.
On the girls’ side, you can’t have an All-Tidewater team without Lake Taylor guard Ja’Naiya Quinerly or Hampton guard Jayla Hearp.
Quinerly, who will play at West Virginia next season, was trying to become the first girl since 2005 to earn first-team All-Tidewater honors for four seasons. The last girl to do that was Lake Taylor’s Jazzmin Walters (2002-05).
And Hearp, who will play at East Carolina, was coming off a season when she was named first-team All-Tidewater after she helped lead the Crabbers to a share of the Class 4 state title in 2020.
“It’s a tough situation,” said King’s Fork boys coach Rick Hite. “But this year, nothing is normal.”
Even Green Run coach Kenneth Harris was unsure about what should be done.
“I get it both ways,” he
said. “Some will say some people didn’t get to play at all and only Virginia Beach played. I don’t think it’s fair.”
There should be All-Tidewater, All-state teams
Why should you penalize players who got a chance to play? It’s not their fault everyone else couldn’t play
this season, right?
That’s how Princess Anne girls coach Darnell Dozier views it.
Dozier helped lead the Cavaliers to their eighth consecutive state title and 12th overall. But now his players won’t get a chance to be named all-state.
“I think it’s ridiculous. That’s what I think,” said Dozier, who is never shy to hide how he really feels. “You played, so you should be recognized. If it was only 10 players, pick five to be all-state. That’s the way I think it should be. If they weren’t going to (pick all-state), they shouldn’t have started (the season) at all.”
He thinks about star player Aziaha James, who had a chance to win her third consecutive All-Tidewater Player of the Year honor.
“She wins everything,” Dozier said, “but now they want to penalize her.”
Many boys also miss out. Jacob Cooper and Elijah Kennedy had amazing seasons as they led the Stallions to the region title and a return trip to the state championship game. Last season, they shared the title with Norview. This season, however, they lost to Stone Bridge for the championship.
Then there’s Landstown junior Donald Hand Jr., who had a season that rivals what Ebron, Michaelsen and Sudduth accomplished when they were named to that first
All-Tidewater team.
Hand put the Eagles on his back as he averaged
32.9 points this season, including 43 in the loss to Potomac in the Class 6 state semifinals.
That certainly is All-Tidewater Player of the Year worthy, right?
“He had to show up every night in order for us to have a chance,” said Landstown coach Dwight Robinson, who also is Hand’s stepfather. “If he doesn’t show up, we lose.”
There’s also Smithfield seniors Corey Moye and Rashad Tucker, who helped lead the Packers to the Class 4 state title.
In the end, no decision was going to please everyone — just like when we choose the All-Tidewater team.
But the only fair thing to do — during a year of many disappointments — is to have no team at all.