Former Cavs kicker, and Averett, have high hopes

Lakeland graduate Christopher Ashcraft is already picking up where he left off last season with the kicking duties for the Averett University football team.

In 2005 as a freshman, Ashcraft was second-team All USA South Conference, making 7-of-9 field goal attempts on the season.

So far this year, Ashcraft is 3-for-3 on extra points and 1-for-1 on field goals.

Averett is off to a 0-2 start, but it has been against the best Division 3 competition in the country.

To start the season, Averett lost to the defending national champions, Mount Union.

Last Saturday, Averett lost to the no. 8-ranked team in D3, Wesley.

In the preseason, www.d3football.com predicted Averett as the favorite to win the USA South Conference.

ODU hockey up to third in the nation

With wins Saturday versus Richmond (3-0) and Sunday versus Michigan (2-0), Old Dominion’s field hockey team improved to 6-1 and is now no. 3 in the country.

Lakeland’s Darcy Pinchbeck scored her first goal of the season on Saturday against the Spiders.

The senior’s goal put ODU ahead in the 14th minute.

In Sunday’s match, sophomore Katelyn Smither (Lakeland) helped the Monarch attack with an assist.

This coming weekend, the Monarchs travel to Chapel Hill on Saturday to face UNC and then to Durham Sunday to play Duke.

Spartans 2-for-2 so far

For the first time since the 2002 season, Norfolk State’s football team is out to a 2-0 start.

NSU beat Virginia State, 29-14, in week one; and VMI, 32-19, this past Saturday.

Two Nansemond River grads are on the offensive side of the ball for the Spartans.

Sophomore Jason Kressen is an offensive lineman and sophomore Dexter Bailey is a tight end.

On Virginia State’s team, former Lakeland Cavalier Ricky Brown is one of the main running backs.

In two games, Brown, a senior, has 45 rushing yards for the Trojans.