Why we named the Ocean Lakes player

A steady drizzle turned to a downpour as Ocean Lakes took the field against Green Run on Friday night. A tumultuous week finally ended and the Dolphins took the field, just two days after being ordered to forfeit each of their first six victories.

Just before that soggy kickoff, a few dozen students shrugged off the rain and stood outside the team lockerroom. As the Dolphins and coach Chris Scott trotted past, they chanted, “We are Ocean Lakes.”

After the game – a 13-6 Dolphins victory – coaches and players told staff writer Larry Rubama that the team had rallied together. Principal Cheryl Askew echoed those sentiments.

Along with hopeful comments from Askew and the Dolphins, Larry’s story in Saturday’s Pilot included the following:

The ineligible player’s name has not been released by school officials, but he is believed to be Justin Hughes.

The starting running back for Ocean Lakes was a transfer from First Colonial and was not in the lineup Friday, and another player wore his number. Beach officials have disclosed that the case was initiated when First Colonial questioned the residence of an Ocean Lakes player.

The decision to name Hughes was not one The Pilot made in haste. But it was quickly clear that it was the right thing to do. Here’s why:

* The Pilot heard from more than one source the player in question was Hughes

* Hughes’ identity already was widely known at Ocean Lakes and in the high school football community. As Larry reported, Hughes transferred before this season from First Colonial, and FC had initiated the investigation

* Hughes was Ocean Lakes’ starting running back, and he was rated No. 20 in The Pilot’s rankings of the top seniors in the Class of 2010. To not explain the absence of a key player on the top football team in the Beach District would leave more questions.

* In Friday’s game, it was made more obvious that Hughes was the player: Ocean Lakes’ star wide receiver, Justin Hunter, wore Hughes jersey in the game. Hughes is listed as No. 4, and Hunter, usually No. 1, wore No. 4.

Surely there are readers who disagreed with The Pilot’s decision. But it’s one we thought through, it’s one we believe was the correct one.

So where should Ocean Lakes be ranked?

A new South Hampton Roads high school football rankings will appear in Wednesday’s Pilot. Will Ocean Lakes remain No. 2, as the Dolphins have been all season?

Good question. We have seven voters in the poll, and so far all seven have voted Ocean Lakes No. 2 – behind Oscar Smith, since the first poll in preseason. Now, they’re 1-6.

Here’s one voter’s opinion (mine):

I plan to keep Ocean Lakes at No. 2 in my voting. I see the poll as a gauge of which teams are the best in South Hampton Roads each week. If you put the teams on the field right now, who would be the best?

In my opinion, Ocean Lakes remains the second-best team in South Hampton Roads. Line up the Dolphins against the vast majority of area teams, and I think they’d win – with or without their ineligible player.

I don’t know how the other voters will feel; it’s very possible Ocean Lakes will fall from the No. 2 spot, maybe even out of the poll entirely.

YOUR TURN

What do you think? Did The Pilot make the right decision in naming the player? Do you think Ocean Lakes should stay in the South Hampton Roads top 10?

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O. Lakes gets first victory (?) - and Friday's finals

Ocean Lakes entered Friday 0-6 after being forced to forfeit all six victories this season for using an ineligible player. The Dolphins have appealed, but they won’t find out their fate for two more weeks.

On Friday, the Dolphins topped Green Run Read 13-6. Check out tomorrow’s Pilot for staff writer Larry Rubama’s story on Ocean Lakes’ victory, including reaction from coach Chris Scott and his players and Principal Cheryl Askew.

Elsewhere Friday, Bayside improved to 7-0 – and took a two-game lead atop the Beach District – with a victory over Kempsville. Oscar Smith, ho-hum, rolled again.

Here is a list of Friday’s scores ...

Bayside 13, Kempsville 7

Churchland 27, No. 5 Norcom 26, OT

Deep Creek 17, King's Fork 12

Cox 21, Tallwood 7

Franklin 14, Surry County 0

Granby 22, Wilson 14

Grassfield 34, Great Bridge 14

Kellam 14, First Colonial 7

Landstown 37, Salem 6

Nansemond River 14, Hickory 13

Nansemond-Suffolk 35, Norfolk Academy 6

Norview 24, Booker T. Washington 6

Ocean Lakes 13, Green Run 6

Oscar Smith 48, Lakeland 13

Western Branch 41, Indian River 0

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Football scores for Friday, 10/9

Some great games tonight ... Ocean Lakes escapes Kellam by a point; Phillip Sims becomes Virginia's all-time leading passer; and Green Run knocks off Kempsville.

Bayside 25, Tallwood 7

Booker T. Washington 48, Granby 21

Cox 19, Salem 7

Grassfield 36, King’s Fork 12

Great Bridge 31, Nansemond River 14

Green Run 20, Kempsville 17

Greenbrier Christian 14, Hampton Roads 13

Hampton Christian 20, Norfolk Christian 19

Lakeland 20, Indian River 10

Landstown 58, Princess Anne 0

Nansemond-Suffolk 14, Portsmouth Christian 7

Norcom 34, Maury 6

Norview 21, Wilson 14

Ocean Lakes 24, Kellam 23

Oscar Smith 42, Deep Creek 0

Southampton Academy 43, Tidewater Academy 14

Western Branch 38, Hickory 0

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Football scores for Friday, 10/2

Here’s a look at Friday night’s scores. No real surprises, although there were some tight games and close finishes. Oscar Smith rebounded with a whipping of Hickory.

Atlantic Shores 41, Charles City 22

Bayside 19, Salem 14

Bishop Sullivan Catholic 26, Norfolk Christian 19, OT

Churchland 14, Granby 7

Cox 58, Princess Anne 7

Deep Creek 25, Nansemond River 0

Grassfield 24, Indian River 6

Great Bridge 41, King’s Fork 22

Green Run 35, Tallwood 12

Isle of Wight 41, Fuqua 8

Kempsville 16, Kellam 15

Lake Taylor 52, Booker T. Washington 13

Lakeland 14, Western Branch 7

Maury 10, Wilson 0

Norcom 19, Norview 13

Norfolk Academy 15, Hampton Roads 7

Ocean Lakes 36, First Colonial 14

Oscar Smith 63, Hickory 3

Portsmouth Christian 22, Greenbrier Christian 0

A note: We did not receive a report from Churchland’s game against Granby, so details on that one will not appear in Saturday’s Pilot. Home teams – in this case Churchland – are responsible for reporting games.

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Football: Oscar Smith 7, Grassfield 3

Some shocking results tonight, including Oscar Smith’s 7-3 victory over Grassfield. Yep, 7-3. Surprising for two reasons: Oscar Smith, the defending Group AAA Division 6 state champ, had dominated Southeastern District teams for the past three seasons; and Grassfield had struggled to hold onto the ball in recent weeks, committing eight turnovers in the past two games.

Oscar Smith, though, held on to run its regular-season winning streak to 25 games. The Tigers have won 22 consecutive Southeastern District games. The closest game during that stretch before Friday was a 23-14 season-opening victory this season over Venice (Fla.). The closest game during that stretch with a South Hampton Roads team? A 21-point victory over Western Branch in 2007.

In another surprising result, Great Bridge waxed Lakeland 42-0 in a match-up of Southeastern District unbeatens Friday.

Here’s a look at finals from Friday:

Bayside 55, Princess Anne 0

Bishop Sullivan Catholic 21 Nansemond-Suffolk 6

Churchland 59, Booker T. Washington 19

Deep Creek 23, Hickory 13

First Colonial 21, Kempsville 14

Great Bridge 42, Lakeland 0

Hargrave Military 44, Greenbrier Christian 24

Isle of Wight 35, Brunswick Academy 0

Kellam 26, Tallwood 14

Lake Taylor 36, Granby 0

Landstown 28, Cox 15

Meadowbrook 33, Norview 13

Norcom 33, Wilson 6

Oscar Smith 7, Grassfield 3

Portsmouth Christian 47, Fredericksburg Christian 0

Salem 3, Green Run 0, OT

Southampton Academy 29, Hampton Roads 6

Western Branch 10, Nansemond River 9

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A wild Friday night

Here are your final scores for tonight. Wow - some crazy endings. Two Eastern District teams - Maury and Granby - are trailing in the closing seconds and win when their opponents fumble while trying to take a knee. Grassfield couldn't hold the snap and lost to Maury 17-14. Granby, trailing in the closing seconds, picks up a fumble and returns it 85 yards for the win.

Deep Creek 17, Indian River 14

Granby 20, Gloucester 17

Great Bridge 24, Western Branch 21

Hampton 21, Churchland 6

Lakeland 31, Hickory 7

Maury 17, Grassfield 14

Oscar Smith 34, King’s Fork 0

Wilson 13, Nansemond River 6

Nansemond-Suffolk 34, Norfolk Christian 0

Portsmouth Christian 21, Brunswick Academy 0

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Friday's football finals

Tonight's final scores

No real surprises tonight after what has been a wacky opening two weekends. Great Bridge ralled from a 10-7 halftime deficit to beat Granby at Powhatan Field.

Fork Union Military 40, Norfolk Academy 0

Great Bridge 28, Granby 10

Hampton Christian 38, Greenbrier Christian 34

Isle of Wight 30, Hargrave Military 0

Lakeland 20, Wilson 17

Norcom 21, Deep Creek 3

Portsmouth Christian 34, Norfolk Christian 14

Windsor 28, Nansemond-Suffolk 0

For more on the games, check out Saturday's Pilot.

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Thursday's football finals

Booker T. Washington 19, Western Branch 11

Churchland 10, King’s Fork 8

Cox 29, Green Run 28

First Colonial 17, Princess Anne 0

Grassfield 33, Nansemond River 6

Hickory 15, Norview 12

Kempsville 34, Tallwood 15

Lake Taylor 45, Indian River 0

Landstown 14, Kellam 10

Maury 7, Petersburg 0

Ocean Lakes 35, Salem 7

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Friday's football finals

The first high school football Friday is in the books ...

Oscar Smith 27, Venice (Fla.) 13

Kempsville 20, Salem 7

Maury 37, Norview 0

Ocean Lakes 42, Princess Anne 0

First Colonial 6, Landstown 3, OT

Isle of Wight 10, Bishop Sullivan Cathoilc 6

Covenant 40, Norfolk Christian 28

Portsmouth Christian 47, Tidewater Christian 0

And a score from Thursday ...

Norcom 19, Northeastern (N.C.) 6

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Norcom's game moved to Thursday

With Tropical Storm Danny bearing down on the East Coast, Norcom's game at Northeastern in Elizabeth City, N.C., has been moved to tonight at 7:30 p.m. The game originally was scheduled for Friday.

Norcom is coming off a 7-3 season under coach Larry Archie and welcomes back QB DeAndre Lamb and RB Anthony Blount.

Northeastern opened its season last week with a 42-6 loss to Southwest Edgecombe.

No other weather postponements at this point, but we'll see.

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