CAPE HENRY ATHLETE OF THE WEEK
ZENIYA TROWELL

The Dolphins faced their first rough patch of the season two weeks ago. After an undefeated 13-0 start, the Dolphins ran into a tough Norfolk Christian squad that dealt them their first loss. Cape Henry followed that effort by squeaking out a two-point win over TCIS rival Walsingham Academy. Since that time, though, the Dolphins have found their niche once again, and a good portion of credit goes to this week’s Athlete of the Week, Zeniya Trowell.

Trowell is nearly unmatched in both her size and ability, and she has been a dominating force in the paint for Cape Henry. Since the Norfolk Christian loss the Dolphins have won four straight contests, and each win has been against conference opponents. Heading into last week Cape Henry built a two-game winning streak over Walsingham and Nansemond-Suffolk, but their next opponent, Norfolk Collegiate, was ranked #1 in the state private school Division 2 polls.

“As a team we were determined to win,” head coach Richard Plank said of the game against the Oaks. “That determination started with Zeniya. She finished the game on the bench after fouling out, but while on the court she dominated scoring. All of this while helping defensively contain one of the most explosive players in the TCIS.”

Trowell held Markell Smith, one of the best the TCIS has to offer, to just 13 points, and the Dolphins continued showcasing their mettle in the 45-34 victory. The win put the rest of the conference on notice. Cape Henry had surged to a 13-0 mark proving that they can play basketball, but its post-defeat resurgence has let all opponents know that they can handle adversity. In addition, beating the #1 team in the state rebuilt a large measure of confidence, and for Trowell, matching up with one of the best in the conference proved her place in the league.

“Zeniya is a dominant player,” Plank continued. “Whenever she steps on the floor, teams are always having to account for her. She is often times double and even triple teamed down in the post. She has learned not only how to create shots for herself but how to use her size to create shots for her teammates.”

Against Norfolk Collegiate Trowell clearly frustrated the Oaks with her defensive presence, but equally as impressive was her play on the offensive half of the court. Zeniya dominated the Oaks defense to the tune of 12 points, 14 rebounds, four steals and four blocks before fouling out late in the fourth quarter.

“Zeniya is a very determined player,” Plank finished. “She creates a lot of space for herself and even when she doesn’t block a shot, opponents often have to adjust their shot just to get it off.”

Trowell followed her effort against Norfolk Collegiate with 17 points and 10 rebounds in a lopsided victory over Peninsula Catholic on Monday night, and she followed suit with 10 points in a big Dolphins victory over Bishop Sullivan on Tuesday night. On the season Trowell leads the team in rebounds (8.8/game) and blocks (1.5/game), and she is shooting 47% from the field.

With three conference games remaining to determine postseason positioning, the Dolphins are on track for a top seed in both the conference and the state tournaments, and Trowell is poised for a strong postseason run.