ISLE OF WIGHT—There are no bones about it: The Isle of Wight Academy softball teams is the premier squad in the area. Having won the Virginia Independent Schools Athletic Association Division III championship three years straight, the Lady Chargers are hoping to keep

the streak alive.

Under head coach Jack Reynolds, who has coached for 33 years, Isle of Wight has amassed a 57-2 record over the past three years. The team was 19-0 last year and has started 2007 at 4-0. The Lady Chargers lost five seniors from last year’s squad, but Reynolds has been able to rebuild using the JV program.

&uot;This team has worked real hard. That’s why I like these girls, coming up from the JV team. They have that work ethic, and they mesh right in,&uot; he said.

Lindsay Boyd is the lone senior on the team.

Reynolds has three quality pitchers: Casey Mansfield, Casey West and Ashley Major.

Reynolds sees hitting as the team’s weakness, and the squad took plenty of batting practice Tuesday, off tees and off live pitching. Mansfield and West will be the top power hitters.

Isle of Wight has scheduled some tough competition this year. It faced Nansemond-Suffolk Academy on Thursday and will play First Flight High School of Kill Devil Hills, N.C., a school with nearly 900 students, in the Greenbrier Christian Tournament this weekend.

Of course, optimism runs high for the program.

&uot;We want to win the Metro Conference and win the state. I have confidence in these girls,&uot; Reynolds said. &uot;Some of them have natural ability. They just work hard, and they have the proper frame of mind. They know what it means to win. We are very optimistic.&uot;