Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 8, 1993 TAG: 9310080136
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: ROBERT FREIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD LENGTH: Medium
They're uncertain about the new split-division Mountain Empire District - which Radford will join next year - and whether Radford will be able to arrange enough games with Group A schools to complete its schedule.
The School Board voted Sept. 28 to drop Radford High School from Group AA to Group A so it can compete against schools of similar enrollment.
As part of that controversial decision, the board stipulated that next year Radford High should play only Group A schools, which would eliminate traditional Group AA rivals Christiansburg and Blacksburg.
But the Mountain Empire District complicated Radford's move by voting two days later to split from a 10-member league to two five-member subdistricts, which left unexpected room on Radford's 1994 schedule.
Buddy Martin, principal of Radford High, told the School Board on Thursday that he has a verbal agreement with fellow Mountain Empire principals that Radford will be able to play a full district schedule in 1994.
Yet, he cautioned, "I wouldn't bet the house on it."
Administrators from the new district are planning to meet next week to discuss scheduling, said board member Carter Effler.
If that gathering doesn't resolve the issue, the School Board needs to hold a special meeting immediately to reconsider its earlier decision, said board member Betty Plott.
Board member Guy Wohlford wants to rescind the Group AA ban. Radford High's athletic staff and coaches should be allowed to set schedules without interference, he said.
Wohlford said there's no guarantee Group A schools have smaller and less-physical athletes than Group AA schools with larger enrollments.
This year's Radford football team already has lost to Group A Powell Valley and defeated Group AA Christiansburg, he said.
"It's the week-after-week playing of big schools" that has created concerns about Radford's competitiveness, he added.
Board member John "Chip" Craig, who seconded last month's motion to reclassify Radford, disagreed. "It's not the week-after-week, it's the play-after-play that matters," he said.
"The overwhelming feeling of the community was to protect our children," he said.
Board Chairman Guy Gentry asked Martin to report the results of Tuesday's meeting immediately afterward so the board can decide if a special meeting is needed.
It's important for questions to be answered right away because football schedules must be set far in advance of the season, he said.
by CNB