Gottschalk aims to be pain-free
Surgery has fixed bum left shoulder for U.Va. defender
Monday, Apr 07, 2008 - 12:07 AM 
By JEFF WHITE
TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER

Sean Gottschalk sees a job opening at defensive end.

CHARLOTTESVILLE Most of his teammates were in full pads yesterday. Sean Gottschalk wore shorts and his No. 99 jersey as the University of Virginia football team practiced on an overcast afternoon.

That's been his practice attire most of the spring. Gottschalk, who'll be a redshirt sophomore in the fall, is seven weeks removed from an operation on his left shoulder.

"About halfway through the fall, it kind of occurred to me that I was basically playing the season with one shoulder," said Gottschalk, a Deep Run High graduate who was U.Va.'s No. 4 defensive end in 2007, behind Chris Long, Jeffrey Fitzgerald and Alex Field.

"I was hoping for the best, but I'd been playing with the injury for about four years, so it was time."

With the Cavaliers having lost starters Long and Fitzgerald, this figured to be a critical offseason for Gottschalk, who was in for 101 plays in 2007. He said he expects to be "in perfect shape" by the start of training camp in August. For now, though, he's limited to a "lot of running, a lot of manual work on the sideline, extra lifts," Gottschalk said.

"It helps to obviously get reps, but it's also beneficial to just watch, and I watch a lot of tape."

With Gottschalk out, Field and Matt Conrath have taken most of the first-team snaps. Field, a rising senior, was U.Va.'s No. 3 end in 2006 and '07. Conrath is a 6-7, 269-pound freshman who redshirted last season.

Gottschalk said he's not worried about falling behind Conrath in the race for a starting job.

"I think Matt's going to be a great player, and he's developing really well," Gottschalk said. "It's great for him to get these reps as well. Right now all I'm really focused about is the team getting better. I know I'll have a whole camp to work with, and that [falling behind] never once crossed my mind."

When he enrolled at U.Va. in 2006, Gottschalk weighed around 255 pounds. He played at about 265 last season, a weight that he acknowledged was too light for an end in a 3-4 defense. He's around 280 now and expects to play at 285 or 290.

"I feel great," Gottschalk said. "It's the first time I'll be ever playing football without a shoulder injury. Because my first year that I really played was my sophomore year in high school, and this is what happened. All the years I was being recruited, I played with a shoulder injury. This'll be a new experience."

 

Peerman makes comeback
By Jay Jenkins
Published: April 7, 2008

Clint Sintim, the ever-playful, hard-hitting Virginia linebacker, tried his best to distract a pair of teammates as they conducted post-practice interviews Sunday.
Jon Copper was and will be a sack machine Sintim yelled before unsuccessfully hiding behind a fence.
With extra energy after missing his second straight open practice for undisclosed reasons, Sintim also offered a bold prediction for the 2008 football season.
“Cedric Peerman for Heisman!” he yelled. “Doak Walker Award — unanimous decision. No. 37.”
While an enormous long shot to be named the nation’s top player — or even top running back — Peerman is back in business for the Cavaliers.
Lost midway through the 2007 season, the senior may need to be if the program can return to the postseason. The Cavaliers will have a new-look offense missing three offensive linemen, two starting tight ends and most likely quarterback Jameel Sewell, barring an overturned two-semester academic suspension.
For now, Peerman’s road back from the disabled list is a day-by-day, down-by-down process.
“I am feeling pretty good,” he said after Sunday’s soggy practice in Seattle-like conditions. “Some days are good. Some days are bad. I am just trying to keep pushing and not do too much right now and just get better each and every day.”
Peerman, after rushing for 566 yards in the Cavaliers’ first five games, hobbled off the field with an injured foot at Middle Tennessee State after five carries netted 19 more yards.
“It was a partial tear in the Lisfranc ligament and a dislocation of the first metatarsal … just a slight dislocation,” Peerman explained. “It wasn’t very big at all.”
Amazingly, Peerman appears to be running near full speed just five months — and one surgery — later.
“After we had the MRI on the foot and saw there was a slight dislocation, we were pretty much sure that it was going to have to take surgery to get that back in its proper place,” Peerman said.
He has had some help on the comeback trail. There were phone calls to NFL players who suffered a similar injury, which were organized by his cousin, Donald Jones.
“A made a couple a couple of calls around to some guys down south and got a good take on it,” Peerman said. “My cousin, who played in the NFL, knows a few people still in the NFL so I talked to him.
“Also, our trainers did a wonderful job calling around and seeing about the injury and everything. In Charlottesville, you have one of the best hospitals in the country, so you can’t go wrong there, and I had a great doctor who worked on me.”
Peerman also has a protective device he places in his shoe that would likely fail inspection at an airport.
“I don’t think I could make it through a metal detector anymore,” he joked. “It is sort of like a wire. It clips on the ends [of my cleat] and it is pretty tight.
“The doctor said it can come out if it wants to, but it is going to be more stable if I keep everything in. I am just going to see how it feels. It feels pretty good right now.”
Peerman has regained his upper-body strength, too. Virginia cornerback Vic Hall can attest.
On one play during Sunday’s practice, Peerman used his right hand to push Hall and his facemask away from a would-be tackle.
“You can’t stop that man,” said Virginia quarterback Scott Deke. “He is the hardest worker I know, one of the greatest guys I know and I wish him all the best.
“He deserves it and I know he has put the work in. Come this season, I know he is going to do a great job just like we need.”
There has been one noticeable change in Peerman’s demeanor, Copper said.
“I think he laughs a little more. I mess with him a little more in practice.”
Peerman credits the injury for that development, too.
“It was pretty frustrating — I am not going to lie,” Peerman said of watching the final seven games. “I love football and I love coming out here and playing, just being able to be out here with teammates especially hurt pretty bad just because I wasn’t going to be able to do that anymore.
“But at the same time, I really thank God. I needed this whole process to humble me and really set my passion.”

 

Leitao squashes rumors
By Whitey Reid
Published: April 7, 2008

If there is one thing that the NCAA tournament’s Final Four is known for — besides celebrity sightings and overpriced tickets — it’s schmoozing. It occurs among coaches, athletic directors and big-wig alums alike.
Of course, the natural byproducts of this schmoozing are rumors and gossip.
That was the backdrop for a story that began to circulate in San Antonio over the weekend that said Virginia coach Dave Leitao might have interest in taking over the job at Providence.
Leitao, who is in San Antonio with his staff at the Final Four, seemed taken aback by the rumor.
“I don’t know where it came from,” Leitao wrote in a text message. “It’s got nothing to do with me.”
The story likely found legs because of Leitao’s ties to the northeast.
Leitao, who will turn 48 next month, grew up in New Bedford, Mass., which is located about 30 miles from Providence’s campus.
Leitao played his college ball at Northeastern under Jim Calhoun before following his mentor to build Big East power Connecticut.
Providence, which finished 12th in the Big East this past season, fired coach Tim Welsh on March 15.
An ironic twist to Leitao being linked to the Friars is the fact that his predecessor at Virginia, Pete Gillen, coached there.
In addition, current Virginia assistant coach Bill Courtney coached at Providence before joining UVa prior to the 2006-07 season. Courtney’s old boss, George Mason coach Jim Larranaga, recently turned down the Providence job. Larranaga is a Providence alum.

 

Peerman wired to return
A healthy, happy Cedric Peerman is back where he belongs.
By MELINDA WALDROP
247-4634
April 7, 2008
CHARLOTTESVILLE

Cedric Peerman is happy to be back on the football field with his Virginia teammates. But he may be in trouble if he has fly anywhere with the Cavaliers.

"I don't think I can make it through a metal detector anymore," Peerman said.

A wire running through Peerman's right foot stabilizes the ligament he tore and the bone he dislocated last season at Middle Tennessee State on Oct. 6. The injury ended his promising junior season after six games and 585 yards — which still led the Cavaliers — and five touchdowns.

"When it happened, I was able to walk off the field, so I was like, 'OK, this might be kind of a contusion-type thing,' " Peerman said. "(But) it started swelling pretty badly. I figured within about 15 or 20 minutes of the injury that it was pretty bad, it was pretty severe."

The Cavs initially hoped the injury would heal without surgery, but an operation was needed to put his first metatarsal back in its proper place, Peerman said.

"It was pretty frustrating, I'm not gonna lie," Peerman said. "I love football. I love coming out here and playing and just being able to be out here with my teammates. It hurt pretty bad because I wasn't going to be able to do that anymore. But at the same time, I thank God. I really needed this, this whole process, to really humble me and really set my path straight."

Peerman returns to a backfield that will also include Mikell Simpson, who stepped up after Peerman's injury to rush for 570 yards and eight TDs, as well as fullbacks Keith Payne and Rashawn Jackson.

"I've been feeling pretty good," Peerman said. "Some days are good, some days are bad, but I'm just trying to keep pushing and not try to do too much and just get better each and every day."

Peerman is cleared to fully participate in spring practice, though U.Va. coach Al Groh said the team is being "judicious" in its use of him. Re-injuring his foot, though, isn't a big worry for Peerman.

"With the hardware in my foot I have now, I'm not really concerned," he said.

WIDEOUT OPTIMISM
There's no question the return of Kevin Ogletree from a knee injury will benefit Virginia's receiving corps. But the Cavs also may get a boost from a healthy Kris Burd. Burd, a 5-foot-11, 175-pound sophomore out of Matoaca High, had back surgery to fix the pain that plagued him last season. Now healthy, he's turning a few heads.

"He's clearly a different player than he was throughout the course of last fall," Groh said.

As a high school senior, Burd caught 45 passes for 958 yards and 10 touchdowns.

NEXT MAN UP?
Even before the arrest and dismissal from the team of redshirt freshman linebacker J'Courtney Williams, Woodside High School product Jared Detrick hoped for a bigger impact in 2008.

Detrick played in 11 games last season, mostly on kickoff coverage, making three tackles. Groh thinks that experience will help the sophomore, competing for playing time at outside linebacker with Denzel Burrell and Aaron Clark.

"By being up with us last year, he was around more," Groh said. "He got a head start on scheme. He was in all the game plan meetings, (and) that certainly gives him an advantage."
 

FSU sweeps doubleheader, Virginia
Pitching carries No. 3 Seminoles in two 10-inning games
By Steve Ellis
DEMOCRAT SENIOR WRITER

Florida State batters struck out 23 times, failed to deliver double-digit hits in either game and needed extra innings to earn a pair of 3-2 victories over Virginia on Sunday.

Jamey Shouppe had his pitchers ready for a day like this.

"It was a good day for pitching," the associate head coach said. "We had been swinging the bat real well all year. But hitting is something day in and day out you never know what you're going to get. There are all kinds of variables.

"But if you can pitch, and everybody pitched well (on Sunday)."

The good pitching began with Geoff Parker and Ryan Strauss (4-0) combining to mostly quiet Virginia in the first game. Parker allowed seven hits and Strauss, clocked up to 95 mph, picked up the win with three innings of hitless work out of the bullpen.

Elih Villanueva and Jimmy Marshall teamed up in the second game of a doubleheader that came about because of Saturday's inclement weather. Marshall (3-0) shut down the No. 14 Cavaliers in 2 1/3 innings of relief. Both starters exited with the game tied.

"That's what you've got to have to be successful — solid pitching," FSU coach Mike Martin said.

Third-ranked FSU (28-3, 14-1) swept the series to maintain a comfortable lead over second-place North Carolina State (8-6 in the ACC) in the ACC Atlantic Division.

The first game on Sunday began as a pitchers' duel between Parker and Pat McAnaney, who struck out nine Seminoles.

It ended with Luke Smierciak scoring the winning run as he would also do in the second game. Jack Rye provided the walk-off RBI single through the middle in the 10th.

Parker, making just his second start in the weekend rotation, avenged last week's loss while striking out a season-high seven before leaving after seven innings. Of his 110 pitches, 81 were fastballs. In relief, Strauss (4-0) made the most of a new arm slot he displayed against Florida on Tuesday.

"A couple of years back I tried to put him in that arm slot and he fought me a little bit," Shouppe said. "Then he watched (Atlanta pitcher) Tim Hudson throw that the other night and he said, 'I can do that.' Gosh, he was up to 95 mph today."

McAnaney, the ACC co-pitcher of the week, also reached the seventh inning in giving up two runs on five hits while striking out nine.

Both starters were touched early but briefly. Parker gave up an RBI single to Dan Grovatt in the first. Parker's teammates countered in the bottom of the first with two runs on Buster Posey's RBI double into right field and a ground-out RBI by Rye.

Virginia, down 2-1, used two hits to tie the game in the fourth inning but squandered an opportunity in the second inning. Greg Miclat placed down a bunt just in front of home plate with the bases loaded and one out. Posey quickly grabbed it, touched home and threw out Miclat at first.

In the second game Villanueva was chased in the eighth inning after giving up a game-tying RBI single to pinch-hitter Tyler Biddix. Villanueva allowed two runs on eight hits but also struck out a season-tying nine batters while walking three.

"I've been focusing on every outing no walks," Villanueva said. "I have that embedded in my head."

FSU provided limited support for Villanueva at the plate when Buster Posey, who opened the fourth with a double, scored on Tony Delmonico's fielder's choice to tie the game.

Dennis Guinn snapped an 0 for 22 stretch at the plate when he opened the seventh with a solo home run that put FSU in front 2-1. Virginia tied it in the eighth.

Then in the 10th with the 6 p.m. travel-curfew lapsed and runners on first and second, Tyler Holt brought in Smierciak on a fielder's choice. The second game would have ended in a tie had FSU not scored that inning, as a new inning by rule could not have been started after curfew had passed.

"We got big hits in big situations," Rye said.

No. 2 FSU earns sweep
By From Staff Reports
Published: April 7, 2008

In Tallahassee, Fla., Florida State could not beat Virginia in nine innings Sunday.
The Seminoles did, however, outlast the Cavaliers in baseball’s version of overtime —twice.
Florida State scored lone runs in the 10th inning in a pair of contests to register back-to-back 3-2 wins during a doubleheader at Dick Howser Stadium.
Both one-run wins started in the same fashion: with a Virginia reliever hitting a Seminole batter.
The miscues ultimately cost the 14th-ranked Cavaliers (24-9, 8-7 ACC) and spoiled stellar starts from senior Pat McAnaney and junior Andrew Carraway.
Florida State, ranked No. 2, improved to 27-3 overall and 14-1 in the league as it matched Virginia’s starting work on the mound.
“It was a day in which we got some exceptional pitching,” FSU coach Mike Martin told reporters. “Geoff Parker had a tremendous outing and then Ryan Strauss comes in [game one] and was throwing harder than I have ever seen him throw since he’s been at Florida State.
“Elih Villanueva had a great outing [in game two] and Jimmy Marshall came in and provided a great relief performance. That’s what you got to have to be successful, is solid pitching.”
Virginia struggled at the plate throughout the twin bill, registering just 15 hits and stranding 17 runners on base.
The Cavaliers were in contention, however, to win both contests.
In the opener, McAnaney allowed a pair of first-inning runs before settling into a groove. The southpaw, who fanned nine batters in 6.2 innings, retired 18 of 19 batters during one stretch.
After coming into the game for McAnaney in the seventh, Virginia sophomore Matt Packer (5-1) ultimately took the loss in the 10th inning.
After hitting Luke Smierciak with a pitch to open the frame, Packer failed to field a would-be sacrifice bunt cleanly and gave up a bouncing, one-out infield hit to Buster Posey to load the bases.
Florida State’s Jack Rye promptly ended the game, sending a 1-1 pitch from Packer up the middle for a single.
In the nightcap, Carraway dazzled, striking out 10 and allowing just six hits. He gave up two earned runs over six innings.
Carraway left with the Cavaliers trailing, 2-1, but was taken off the hook by a pinch-hit RBI single from Tyler Biddix in the eighth.
After sophomore left-hander Neal Davis retired seven batters, Virginia coach Brian O’Connor turned to closer Michael Schwimer with his team in a ninth-inning jam.
Schwimer’s first pitch of the weekend provided a double play that ended the ninth, but he plunked Smierciak to open what would have been the game’s final inning regardless due to a travel curfew.
After a sacrifice bunt, Schwimer tried to intentionally walk FSU’s Stephen Cardullo on a 3-0 pitch, but his offering sailed over the head of catcher Ryan Smith, placing runners on the corners.
After Cardullo stole second, Schwimer induced a ground ball to shortstop Greg Miclat on a 1-2 pitch, but the throw to the plate was high and left Smith with no opportunity to tag Smierciak in time.
The Seminoles’ sweep gives Virginia a four-game losing streak and dropped the team into sole possession of fourth in the ACC’s Coastal Division and five games behind division-leading Miami (26-2, 12-1).
“Virginia has got a good club and they are going to be right in the middle of this [ACC race] before it’s over,” Martin said. “Virginia’s pitching was very good this weekend. Carraway surprised us being a third starter; we had no idea that he would be that effective. He just dominated us.”
Virginia returns home for two games this weekend — the Cavaliers host Longwood (18-12) on Tuesday at 6 p.m. and Liberty (13-15) on Wednesday at 6 p.m.

Cavs stay perfect
Advertisement


Text size: small | medium | large

By Whitey Reid

Published: April 7, 2008

DURHAM, N.C. — The score was knotted at 10 and in a tiebreaker when Virginia sophomore Houston Barrick rifled a first serve that clipped the top of the net and trickled over into the Duke service box.
In most matches, the shot would have counted as a net and Barrick would have been awarded two additional serves.
But on a chilly Sunday afternoon at Ambler Tennis Stadium, the play went down as a net-cord ace and a point for Virginia.
Welcome to college tennis.
The stroke of good fortune propelled Barrick and teammate Michael Shabaz to a 9-8 win in No. 2 doubles over Duke’s Reid Carleton and Kiril Dimitrov.
“We were telling him that we hoped he had planned it like that,” said Virginia senior co-captain Treat Huey, smiling. “He was like, ‘For sure. [I] was hoping to hit it into the net and for it to barely go over.’”
The victory enabled No. 1-ranked Virginia to earn the doubles point en route to a relatively easy 5-2 win over No. 41 Duke.
The win capped another impressive weekend for coach Brian Boland’s undefeated squad. On Friday, the Cavaliers (23-0, 9-0) had no problems with No. 10 North Carolina, beating the Tar Heels on their turf, 5-2.
Sunday’s match, originally scheduled to begin at 1 p.m., started about 40 minutes late because the courts were still damp following an early-morning drizzle. Some consideration was given to moving things indoors, but Boland thought it was important for his guys to get used to playing outside in less-than-ideal weather conditions.
Devvarman said the team really wanted to play outside.
“We’ve been having a real good week of practicing outside and our whole team is really tough — the cold weather doesn’t faze us,” said the senior co-captain. “We wanted to take the toughness factor into the match.”
Barrick and Shabaz were playing together because Shabaz’ partner, Dom Inglot, had the flu. Their win was an important one since Virginia split its other doubles matches.
The No. 1 team of Devvarman and Huey lost to David Goulet and Christopher Price, 9-7, while the No. 3 squad of Ted Angelinos and Lee Singer knocked off Dylan Arnould and Alex Stone, 8-5.
“We had our chances,” said Devvarman. “They just played a little better at the end. Treat and I just weren’t ourselves, but that’s what happens in an eight-game pro set. It goes by quick.”
With Inglot under the weather, Boland was forced to tinker with his singles lineup against the Blue Devils (7-10, 4-3). Sanam Singh played at No. 3; Shabaz was at No. 4; Barrick played at No. 5; Angelinos at No. 6.
The No. 1-ranked Devvarman, as usual, set the tone, defeating Goulet, 6-4, 6-4. It was his 25th straight singles win — a new school record.
“Somdev was hitting winners and just on fire today,” Huey said.
Huey, the No. 31 player in the country, wasn’t too shabby, either. He beat the 50th-ranked Carleton, 7-6, 6-4.
Angelinos, meanwhile, extended his singles winning streak to 18 matches with an easy 6-4, 6-1 win over Jared Pinsky.
“Outdoors Ted is unbelievable – almost unbeatable we feel,” Huey said.
So far this season, the same can be said for Virginia.
ACES
Duke leads the all-time series with Virginia, 53-28, but UVa has won six of the last seven meetings. …Shabaz and Barrick lost their singles matches…Virginia concludes its regular season this weekend. The Cavs host N.C. State on Friday and Wake Forest on Sunday.


 

Aggressive defense hammers BC attack
Preparation for deliberate Boston College attack style pays dividends for Virginia
Ryan Williams, Cavalier Daily Associate Editor

Less than nine minutes into the Virginia women's lacrosse team's final regular-season ACC contest Saturday, senior defender and captain Claire Bordley set the tone, scooping up two ground balls and using her stick to cause a turnover -- the first of Virginia's 18 of the day in a 12-4 win against Boston College. With the victory, Virginia clinched a top-two finish in the ACC, guaranteeing the team a bye in the ACC Tournament and a share of the regular season conference title.

No. 4 Virginia (10-2, 4-1 ACC) knew Boston College (3-7, 2-2 ACC) would be a very physical opponent that would force the Cavaliers to play a game to which they were unaccustomed. On the defensive end, the Cavaliers generally consolidated their defense around the net, affording the opposing offense some room away from the goal. The Virginia defense's early physical play was a preemptive move by Virginia coach Julie Myers to help the Cavaliers to the win.

"We really did a lot of possession things where we wanted two defenders on the offense," Myers said, referring to Virginia's preparation for the contest. "We used football pads a lot of times and we said. 'You're not playing Virginia defense right now, you have to make us feel your pressure.' We didn't let the attackers run away from it. We made them stay in the grid area so [the defense] could prepare."

The preparation clearly paid off. In addition to the 18 Eagle turnovers -- 12 of which occurred during the first half -- the Cavaliers also won the battle of possession, controlling 18 ground balls to the Eagles' 11 and 11 draws to Boston College's seven. Senior goalkeeper Kendall McBrearty allowed just four goals and stopped six Boston College shots.

Senior attacker and captain Megan O'Malley set the tone for the Cavalier offense, scoring two of Virginia's first three goals and adding another in the second half for a hat trick.

The Cavalier attack also battled strongly in defensive roles. Numerous times Boston College junior? goalkeeper Katie Monaghan took possession of the ball and held it, bringing the game to a snail's pace. Virginia, however, refused to allow the Eagles' slow style of play to dictate the game, leading Monaghan to cause many turnovers throughout the game.

"If we didn't score, we wanted to capitalize on transition and pressuring them and getting the ball back, so they couldn't hold the ball and they got stuck again on defense," O'Malley said. "We really pushed up and sent our attackers towards the goalie. We moved our defenders up so we were really all over the midfield, trying to get the ball back. We worked on that all week in practice."

The unusual assertiveness on both defense and attack helped five Cavaliers score while another contributed with assists. Junior attacker Jenny Hauser led the squad with four goals, while O'Malley and sophomore midfielder Brittany Kalkstein also earned a hat trick. Junior midfielder Ashley McCulloch netted one and added three assists. The Virginia scoring column was rounded out by junior attacker Blair Weymouth's contribution of a goal and an assist, and a single assist from senior attacker Kaitlin Swagart

With the score 6-1 at halftime, Virginia expected Boston College to come out with a faster offensive pace because of the five-goal margin, but the Eagles stubbornly maintained their deliberate attacking style.

"At halftime, [Myers] said to start looking for them to go to goal now, and they can't really sit on the ball when they're down that many goals," Bordley said. "They started to go to goal a little more, but I guess that's not really their style and they're not used to forcing it, so I was a little surprised that they didn't try to force the issue a little more than they did in the second half. We weren't too concerned about it; we had the lead and there wasn't much for us to worry about, just let them make their mistakes."

The win Saturday guaranteed Virginia at least a share of the regular-season ACC crown, which it may have to share with No. 3 Maryland, depending on the results of the Terrapins' final two ACC matches. The Eagles, meanwhile, dropped out of the race for the top spot in the conference with the loss.