By James J. Lidington

Isle of Wight Academy

The Isle of Wight Academy varsity baseball and softball teams were scheduled to open state tournament play Tuesday, May 17, as the school’s varsity coed soccer team wrapped up an undefeated conference-title-winning season.

The No. 6-ranked IWA baseball squad was set to take on No. 3 Nansemond-Suffolk Academy on Tuesday in a renewal of pleasantries with their longtime rivals. The teams have not met on the baseball field since March 13, 2020, just before that season was canceled by the global COVID-19 pandemic. The Saints took that contest 16-1.

IWA’s softball team was set to host Norfolk Collegiate School on Tuesday at IWA.

The IWA soccer team won both the Virginia Colonial Conference regular-season and tournament titles. The ODU side took the conference championship against Blessed Sacrament Huguenot School, 2-1, to finish the year 14-0, 12-0 in conference play.

IWA’s coed golf team finished with a 23-5 record for dual matches.

Dustin Moon was 2-for-4 with a double, scored a run and drove in four as IWA topped Norfolk Christian School 11-3 Monday, May 9, in a non-conference Senior Day tilt.

The Chargers received prolific production from the graduating class: Trevor Mason was 1-for-2, scored two runs and drove in another with a triple.

Christian Biernot was 2-for-3 with a double, scored three times and drove in a pair. Jake Lineberry was 2-for-4, scoring and driving in a run each. Starting pitcher Zach Rusinak earned the win, pitching five innings and giving up only four hits and two earned runs. Rusinak walked four and struck out eight.

Seniors Mark Thompson, James Thompson, Dustin Moon, Jacob Chapman, Kody Kosiorek and Trent Holland also were honored before Monday’s game.

The 19-1 Chargers are vying for their first Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Tournament win since May 13, 2019, when they defeated Fredericksburg Christian, 7-4.

IWA has a 2-1 mark against common opponents this season with the Saints (14-6); NSA was a perfect 3-0 against those opponents: Hampton Roads Academy, Walsingham Academy and Norfolk Christian.

The winner of Tuesday’s VISAA Division II contest will play in the semifinal round Friday, May 20, at 11:30 a.m. or 2 p.m. at Shepherd Stadium in Colonial Heights. The state champion will be decided there Saturday, May 21, at 5 p.m.

The Isle of Wight softball team finished its regular season with a 15-4 trouncing of Southampton Academy on May 9.

Beyond IWA’s opener with Peninsula Catholic High School, VISAA Division II Softball Tournament semifinals will be Thursday, May 19, at the Dinwiddie Sports Complex in Sutherland. The championship will be decided Friday, May 20, with a rain date of Saturday, May 21.