Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 22, 1990 TAG: 9003232282
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: E-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By JOHN SMALLWOOD SPORTSWRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Patrick Henry's boys' soccer team has the same type of dream, but the Patriots have to be a little more realistic.
The past two seasons, Patrick Henry has won the Roanoke Valley District to advance to the regional playoffs. Each time, the Patriots lost by considerable margins to eventual state champion Woodbridge.
PH was outclassed.
But that's how the regional playoffs have always been for the Roanoke Valley champion. No RVD team has ever won a regional game.
"We've gone the last two years and in neither case have we done as well as we'd like to have," said PH head coach Ed McMichael, who switched roles with longtime coach Mike Sisler. "Realistically, they have been four or five goals better than us. They [the Northern Virginia schools] play tougher competition"
Patrick Henry and the other Roanoke Valley schools aren't capable of competing on the same level with the Northern Virginia area schools. Northern Virginia schools have bigger student populations, and more importantly, can draw from a pool of players who have been mastering the game since they were 6 years old.
Northern Virginia also was one of areas most infected by the youth soccer craze that swept the nation in the late 1970s and has grown steadily. But the Roanoke area has been a late bloomer.
One area select team, the Roanoke Stars, has done well in competition against other club teams in the state. But the players on the Stars go to different high schools.
In Northern Virginia, where there are an abundance of select teams, virtually every kid on a high school team will have played at the club level.
"[The Northern Virginia] schools have 5,000 students and 400 try out for soccer," said Patriots center halfback Lang Wedemyer, last season's Timesland Player of the Year. "They have so many more kids playing at that select level. They get the very best out of a large pool."
But Patrick Henry, for one, isn't content with just being a stepping-stone to the state championship game.
The Patriots, who were 12-1-1 last season, will open the season in a six-team tournament in Manassas. The tournament features Woodbridge, Falls Church, Lake Braddock, Potomac and Osburn Park. PH is the only team in that group not from the northern part of the state.
"I'm not going in with any designs of winning first place," McMichael said. "This will give us a chance to find out our strengths and weaknesses. To see what we have and we've gotta work on."
In addition to Wedemyer (9 goals, 7 assists), PH returns All Timesland forward Michael Eddy (16 goals) and starting fullbacks Frank Draper, Danny Felty, Brian McClung and Drew Hearst to the starting lineup.
Midfielders Hassan Seif and Todd Creasy split time a year ago as did senior goalie Geoff Gilmore.
Here's a look at other Roanoke Valley District teams:
\ Cave Spring has a new coach in Dan McKinney but will once again battle Patrick Henry for supremacy in the RVD. The Knights return a solid nucleus in sweeper J.D. Quioco, fullback Charles Stanley, goalie Jay Morgan, center half Alan Judd and strikers Bobby Ashford and Ryan Mannetta. The schedule is tough Blacksburg, which is the defending Group AA champion, North Cross, Osburn Park and the other RVD teams.
\ Franklin County lost six starters from a team that finished 6-5-1 and was third in the RVD. Included in that group was the center forward, center halfback, center fullback, sweeper and goalie. Although the Eagles are young, they could make noise in the district if things come together.
\ William Fleming could be in for a tough season. In the Roanoke Valley District alone, the Colonels will have to face top powers Patrick Henry, Cave Spring and Franklin County. William Fleming will be led by All-Timesland sweeper Jeff McClung.
\ North Cross finished 20-2-1 last season and will challenge PH and Cave Spring for supremacy in the valley. The Raiders return seven starters, including All-Timesland midfielder Dustin Fonder. Also back are sweeper Scott Austin, goalie Jimmy Dixon and striker Joe Basile. North Cross beat Cave Spring and lost once and tied Patrick Henry.
\ William Byrd finished 13-4-1 and won the Blue Ridge District title but lost the regional championship game to Martinsville 3-2 in a shootout. With nine starters returning, the Terriers will have a lot of motivation. Strikers Robbie Scharpf and Scott Brammer combined for 30 goals a year ago. All-region goalie Dwayne Thompson also returns.
\ Salem is led by All Timesland selection Scott Keen, the team's leading scorer and a four-year starter. Phu Tran returns to team with Keen up front. Salem also has experience on defense with sweeper Rick D'Atre and fullbacks Jeff Thorton and Chris Schellor. Salem finished second to William Byrd in the Blue Ridge District and opens the season with defending Group AA state champion Blacksburg.
\ Northside qualified for the Blue Ridge District tournament for the first time in its seven-year history and now has it sights on bigger things. The Vikings return nine starters, including forward Chad Brown, sweeper Trey Schultz and halfback Mark Newell.
\ Staunton River will have an international flavor with two exchange students joining the team. Forward Manuel Marzorati is from Italy and Magnus Anderson from Norway. The midfield will be manned by brothers Pete and Song Xayvong. Scott Faw also returns at halfback.
\ Lord Botetourt is in its first year of soccer, and head coach Jerry Wertz is trying to set the foundation for the program. "I want to be realistic," Wertz said. "We're about seven years behind the rest of the district." Wertz will carry 25 to 30 players. Most are underclassmen.
\ Glenvar players are playing soccer for fun. Since the state doesn't have playoffs for Group A, Glenvar's year ends with the finish of the regular season. The Highlanders are strong on attack with retuning strikers Charlie Cox (13 goals), Jeremy Walkley and Hoa Ngyen. Midfielder Jason Holt is back and will be joined by Wouter Wehberg, an exchange student from Holland. Josh Muncy is the only returner on defense. Glenvar finished 4-7 a year ago and will play 14 matches this year.
\ Roanoke Catholic has returning starters forward Kip Thompson, halfbacks P.J. McCarthy and Shawn McFadden and defenders Brian Bowles, Justin Thopson and Chad Anderson, but there are holes to be filled.
\ Liberty returns three starters from last year's squad - midfielder Matt Neal and defenders Morris Gills and Matt Kirmse. "We're very young," said Liberty coach Marty Ponder. "It's always unpredictable when you'll be starting a lot of freshmen."
\ Jefferson Forest suffered some key looses, but first-year coach Chad Smith is optimistic. The Cavaliers are strong up the middle with center forward Dale Greene, center half Ryan Beaster and goalie John Brown returning. The defense is the biggest question. Brown will alternate between the goal and sweeper.
by CNB