Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 29, 1993 TAG: 9308290012
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E9 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bob Teitlebaum
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
University Hall in Charlottesville, where the Virginia High School League conducts its Group AAA, AA and A boys' tournaments and its Group AAA girls' tournament, is not available the weekend of March 19 because of the NCAA women's tournament.
The VHSL, which set the schedule for its semifinals and championship games this weekend, appears to have two choices.
The one being proposed by the VHSL is to compress its state tournament from two weeks into one and hold the semifinals and finals in all four classifications in Charlottesville the weekend of March 12.
Quarterfinals, which are held at various sites around the state the weekend before the semifinals, would be played March 7 - two days after the regional championship games.
The Salem Civic Center, through director Carey Harveycutter, is offering a way out of the mess. It has invited the VHSL to move all of its state tournaments to the Roanoke Valley the weekend of March 19 or, at the very least, the Group A and AA tournaments. Most of the schools in those groups are located close to this region.
"The executive committee will decide the issue at its September meeting," said Ken Tilley, the VHSL's programs supervisor.
When the state added four teams in each classification several years ago so that all regional finalists qualified for the state tournament, the principals who run the VHSL didn't want to hold the state tournament in one week because it would force athletes to miss too much class time.
"We're surveying the regions, and so far out of the ones we've talked to the only one that has voiced a concern [to holding the state tournament in one week instead of two] is the [AAA] Northwestern Region," said Tilley, who added that about half of the 12 regions had been notified of the problem.
The Northwestern Region and some others that are spread out should be concerned if the state plays all three of its rounds in one week. In regions that don't have a central location for their tournaments, a team playing all road games in the region could miss most of two weeks of school traveling from site to site for tournament competition.
Harveycutter, for his part, notes the success the girls' Group AA and A tournaments have had at Salem in the fall.
"We're going to prepare a very aggressive proposal and work with the VHSL any way we can," he said. "I hope they'll listen, but it's a long shot at best. I feel this is the best opportunity to get this tournament for the Roanoke Valley."
\ HOT COMMODITY: Patrick Henry's Shannon Taylor, the All-Group AAA quarterback last year as a junior, is attracting attention from college coaches around the nation, his coach says.
"I've sent out tapes to 40 major universities. Everyone's taking a look from coast to coast," said Patriots coach Ed Scott, who tutored National Football League players Jeff Lageman and Allen Pinkett when he was at Park View-Sterling. "Allen was recruited very heavily, but I believe Shannon has more early attention."
PH may have some help for Taylor this year. Andre Irving, a receiver and defensive back, has transfered from San Diego and "has pretty good speed," Scott says.
PH also has added Braxton Naff, who started at center last year for North Cross' State Independent Schools' Division I runner-up team. Naff, a junior, is battling for a starting position.
\ HOME SWEET HOME: Speaking of PH, the Patriots had better get used to Victory Stadium. Except for three games, everything PH does in football before the regional playoffs - should the Patriots qualify - will be at the facility.
On Friday, PH scrimmaged Brookville at Victory Stadium, and the Patriots will hold another scrimmage this weekend at the facility.
Of 10 regular-season games, seven are set for Victory Stadium. PH has six home games after playing only four last year, and a seventh game also will be at Victory Stadium because William Fleming uses the facility as its home field.
The only teams PH must play on the road are Halifax County, Heritage and Cave Spring. The Patriots play Pulaski County, E.C. Glass and GW-Danville - all potential top 10 Group AAA teams - at Victory Stadium along with Fleming twice, Franklin County and Albemarle.
\ A BONE TO PICK: After operating in the I-formation for one year, coach Jim Hickam's Northside Vikings are returning to his old favorite, the Wishbone.
One of the reasons Hickam went to the I-formation last year was to feature junior Steve Keaton. The senior won't be back this year because of an injury, but that wasn't the reason for the change.
"We have four running backs, and any of the four can break a big play," Hickam said. "They all have speed. So we're going back to the bone because of depth instead of using one back."
Northside's four running backs are Karim Thompson, Dwight Steele, Darrius Henderson and Brian Powell.
\ GIRL QUITS AT SALEM: April Dixon was the first girl to try out for the Salem High School football team, but she has decided not to continue playing. Dixon, trying out for the offensive line, had gone through all the preseason work, starting with weight training in the spring.
\ PASSING ON FOOTBALL: Bassett coach Bobby Martin has lost Art Wade, Timesland's ninth-leading passer in 1992. Wade has decided to concentrate on basketball after leading the Piedmont District and Timesland with a 25.4-point average.
It was sort of a bittersweet note for Martin, who takes over Bassett's football program but retains his duties as the Bengals' basketball coach.
\ GUARDED OPTIMISM: Shane Carnes, a 6-foot-1 guard from Dobyns-Bennett High School in Kingsport, Tenn., will transfer to Oak Hill Academy, adding to a backcourt that already was loaded with Curtis Staples of Roanoke and Tarik Turner of Charlottesville.
Oak Hill coach Steve Smith also expected to add 6-9 junior Kevin Garnett of Mauldin, S.C. Garnett visited the school in Mouth of Wilson on Monday, but then informed Smith he had decided not to enroll. Garnett is considered the best high school player in the country.
\ ANOTHER LOSS: Charlotte Williams, the wife of late Bath County football coach and athletic director Carl Williams, died last week after a battle with cancer.
It was Carl Williams who drew the admiration and love of a community and attracted attention from around the state for his battle with colon cancer while his Chargers made the 1989 Group A Division 1 semifinals before losing to Appalachia.
\ ANOTHER MOVE: Longtime coach Ken Brown, who has had an unusual career to say the least, has added another twist. He left Courtland, where he was quite successful, to coach at newly created Brook Point in Stafford County.
Brown won four state championships at Courtland as that school moved from Group AA to Group AAA and back to Group AA. Three of the state titles came in Group AA, two at the expense of finalists from Timesland - George Wythe (1983) and Blacksburg (1985).
Brown's fourth state title came in 1987, when Courtland had moved to Group AAA Division 5, making Brown possibly the only coach in Virginia to win state titles in two classifications at one school.
by CNB