SALEM HIGH PUNISHED FOR PLAYING FAIR

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, February 9, 1993                   TAG: 9302090367
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-8   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
SALEM HIGH PUNISHED FOR PLAYING FAIR
REGARDING Paul Dellinger's article, "Forget cleats, we won" on Jan. 31:
In this article, there were claims made by Richlands High School's coach Dennis Vaught that Salem High had also used illegal cleats in a semifinal game, when in fact his team was the one found guilty of using illegal cleats. Richlands High was put on probation for a year but still holds the 1992 championship.
I found the title to his article very offensive. Why don't you just tell the students it doesn't matter if we cheated, we won? But, in fact it was Salem that was punished for playing fair.
In this article, Vaught said, "The bottom line is they (Salem) got outplayed and outcoached, and they're having a hard time accepting that." I have one thing to say to him, "If you were so confident of your team winning against Salem, then why did you send your players out in illegal equipment and cheat?"
This was a one-sided article. Maybe it's time the public heard the whole story and one that is based on facts, not claims. RHONDA SHELL ROANOKE

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB