Princess Anne girls feeling better, getting better

Illness might actually prove to be a good thing in the long haul for Princess Anne.

For the past four weeks, the Cavaliers have missed at least two players a game because of the flu.

Coach Darnell Dozier had to substitute freely to fill a lineup that lost seven players to graduation last year.

"Including the best in the country," Dozier said of Elizabeth Williams, now at Duke. "We're really young... maybe my youngest teams in 10 years. The flu forced several kids who hadn't been seeing much playing time into the lineup, and that's given them more confidence."

ODU signee Galaisha Goodhope suffered the most, missing four consecutive games.

Princess Anne has won five straight since a loss two weeks ago against unbeaten Salem.

The Cavaliers got a boost when

sophomore center Janala White recently became eligible. White, a transfer from Kempsville, had to sit out the first semester.

"She's about 6-1 and has a 6-4 wingspan," Dozier said. "Her first game was against Bayside and she only had four points. But we've got scorers. We don't need her to score.

"She gave us what we need with 10 rebounds and seven blocks."

King's Fork staying positive

King's Fork coach Maurice Fofana wasn't visibly upset after his team's hopes for an unbeaten district season were dashed Friday in a 47-42 loss to Western Branch.

"Wake-up call," he said. "The loss (to Hampton over the Christmas holidays) got us motivated a little.

"I don't want to say we need to lose one every so often, but we'll take the best we can out of this and move forward."

King's Fork plays Grassfield on Feb. 2.

The teams are tied for first, and King's Fork won their first meeting by two points.