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

DATE: WEDNESDAY, June 1, 1994                   TAG: 9406010028
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B1   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: JOHN A. MONTGOMERY SPECIAL TO THE ROANOKE TIMES & WORLD-NEWS
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

HEADY PLAY LIFTS BYRD TERRIER ELIMINATE BOBCATS TO REACH AA SEMIFINALS

The Terriers (19-0) defeated Radford 3-1 in the opening round of the Group AA state tournament at Byrd's field. Andy McCaskill assisted Joe Cockfield's opening goal with a head pass, and sophomore Aaron Dowdy scored Byrd's final goal on a header, with an assist from Chris Sowers.

Byrd advances to the state semi-finals, to be played Friday at 7 p.m. The Terriers will host Martinsville, a team they beat 1-0 last Friday for the Region III championship.

Martinsville downed previously unbeaten Blacksburg 3-2 in two overtimes Tuesday night.

Byrd controlled the game from the start against the Bobcats (13-7), the Region IV runners-up. Cockfield's score came less than six minutes into the game. Junior Matt Bryant scored just before halftime, again on an asist from McCaskill. McCaskill and Bryant combined for two more apparent second-half goals, but they were nullified due to offsides penalties.

Radford avoided a shutout when senior forward Casey Underwood beat Terriers goalkeeper Jason Criss on a penalty kick. The goal was Underwood's 17th of the season, breaking his own school record.

"I watched the triangle on the ball," Criss said, describing Underwood's kick. "For some reason, I hesitated just a moment. I think if I'd have followed my instinct, I would have gotten the save."

Byrd players advanced the ball more than 25 times with their heads during the game.

"We believe that when the ball's in the air, it belongs to whoever wants it," Byrd coach Jeff Highfill said. "We like to get it when it's five-and-a-half or six feet off the ground."

Radford coach Michael Greco was impressed with the Terriers. "They're the tallest team I've seen," he said. "That defensive kid, No. 21 [Chris Almond] played back all by himself, The rest of the team all pushes offensively. And the red-headed kid [McCaskill] leaps like a deer."

Almond, an all-Blue Ridge District player, made one mistake, as he was hit with a foul for grabbing an opponent's jersey. Underwood scored on the subsequent penalty kick.

"Almond lost his cool temporarily," Highfill said. "And the thing is, he had his man contained, too. I think that goal gave them an emotional lift."

Radford was unable to score again, however, even when pulling its goalkeeper, Clancy Woodrum, in the game's final minute of play.

"We played the second half, but missed the first," Greco said. "We gave them a run for their money at the end, but we played too gingerly at first."

Byrd's Michael Berry, a second-team all-state selection last year as a freshman, suffered a head injury in the first half and was taken from the field. His status for Friday night's game is uncertain.

With 24 goals, Berry is his team's second-leading scorer. McCaskill, last year's Region III player of the year, has 31 goals.

"Radford did a good job collapsing on McCaskill after Berry was hurt," Highfill said. "Normally, you can't double on either one of them."