By James J. Lidington

Isle of Wight Academy

BASEBALL

Jackson Cofer was a perfect 4-for-4 and fellow senior Ian Richmond was 2-for-4 as Isle of Wight Academy’s varsity baseball team bade farewell Friday, May 5, to three graduating players in their last home game. 

IWA fell to Norfolk Academy 9-5 and, earlier in the week, was vanquished by Atlantic Shores Christian School 9-6; the Chargers find themselves in the throes of a four-game losing skid, though they moved up a spot to sixth place in the most recent Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division II state poll, tied again with North Cross School of Roanoke. 

IWA senior Alex Holt also was recognized in a pregame ceremony.

Norfolk Academy, the fourth-place team in the Tidewater Conference of Independent Schools, was tied for 10th place in the VISAA Division I poll.

Entering Thursday, May 11, Isle of Wight had one remaining game against a ranked opponent: The New Community School, of Richmond. The Sabers are ranked sixth in Division III, which is for Virginia’s smallest private schools. They were defeated 10-2 at IWA on April 14.

Final poll results and tournament seeding will be announced Sunday, May 14, with play beginning Monday, May 15, with a play-in game pitting the eighth and ninth seeds against one another. Tournament play begins in earnest on Tuesday, May 16.

SOFTBALL

IWA softball lost to Nansemond-Suffolk Academy 10-3 on May 1, soundly defeated Portsmouth Christian School 19-1 on May 2, shut out Norfolk Academy 16-0 on May 5 and beat Atlantic Shores 6-2 on May 8.

The Lady Chargers are ranked sixth in the VISAA Division II poll, three points ahead of Miller School of the Albemarle. 

GOLF

The IWA golf team defeated Christchurch School 187-212 on May 2.

The state tournament is set for May 15, with a May 22 rain date, but IWA is not assured of an invite, Coach Gene Milburn said. A committee vote next week determines tournament invites, he added.

COMING UP

Wednesday, May 10

• Junior varsity softball vs. Nansemond River High School, 4:30 p.m.
• Middle school baseball vs. Atlantic Shores, 4:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 11

• Golf at StoneBridge School, TBD
• Varsity baseball at New Community, 4:30 p.m.