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Hoops stars will gather

April 19, 2006 12:50 am

By TAFT COGHILL JR.

There will be no shortage of local standouts on hand when the first-ever Battlefield District/Commonwealth District All-Star game is held April 29 at Caroline High School.

Commonwealth Basketball Group director Richard Fortune announced the rosters for the game last night.

The Battlefield District teams include players of the year T.C. Cook of James Monroe High School and Jessica Nelms of Riverbend. The Commonwealth District features players of the year Chanelle Downing of Stafford and Jeremy Hence of Massaponax.

The girls game starts at 6 p.m. and will be preceded by a 3-point contest.

The boys game will start afterward and will feature a slam dunk contest shortly beforehand.

VHSL rules allow only seniors to participate in the game. Admission is $5.

Fortune said the Commonwealth Basketball Group got the idea for the all-star game from watching as many as 2,500 spectators take in similar games in Prince William County and Richmond. He said there will be some Division II and Division III scouts present to watch the action next week.

"People don't generally think of this as a basketball area," said Fortune, the former coach at Caroline. "We want to bring some recognition to the Fredericksburg area.

"We're going to try to get it off the ground this year and then keep adding to it."

Fortune said players may be added between now and the time of the game. He said he got a quick response from coaches and players when inquiring about availability.

"It's the first time we've had something like this in the area," Fortune said. "We're excited about it. It will give the senior class one last time to showcase their talent to the Fredericksburg area."

The Caroline track team will continue its tradition of participating in the Penn Relays this year.

The Cavaliers will leave for the University of Pennsylvania next Wednesday. Events will be held April 26-29.

Caroline athletic director Jimmy Blanton said the Cavaliers and veteran coach Sansberry Harvey have participated in the Penn Relays for the past "10 to 15" years.

Sophomore Marcus Dorsey will participate in the 1,600 relay for the Cavaliers.

He said the team will take 11 total athletes (six boys and five girls).

Dorsey said last year he was able to watch professionals like Olympic gold medalist Justin Gaitlin perform. However, that isn't his biggest incentive for wanting to go this year, he said.

With Caroline on spring break this week, the relays will give the Cavaliers extra time away from school.

"I'm just so glad it didn't fall on spring break," Dorsey said. "Now, it's like two weeks off."

Chris Wondree, a senior defender for the Courtland soccer team, is headed to Division III Shenandoah University to play there.

Spotsylvania High School coach Marcello Manzano coaches Wondree with the U-18 Fredericksburg Hotspurs travel team. He wrote in an e-mail that Wondree also received "strong interest" from Chowan, Limestone, Saint Ambrose, Emory & Henry and Methodist.

"He's decided that Shenandoah is the school he wants to play for because he likes the coaches and the family spirit," Manzano wrote. "I'm proud of the way he's grown since his junior year."

Wondree is the second member of the Hotspurs to recently choose a college. Chancellor senior Remington Stein committed to Division II Limestone (S.C.) three weeks ago.

To reach TAFT COGHILL: 540/374-5526
Email: tcoghill@freelancestar.com