Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 14, 1995 TAG: 9509140024
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: S-14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Based on early results this season, the Blue Ridge District has stamped itself as perhaps the toughest Group AA league in the state. If it doesn't have the best team, it certainly is the most competitive as a group.
Traditionally, this has not been a league that has won state titles. William Byrd distinguished itself by winning the crown in 1980 and making the championship game two other times.
Already this season, Salem and Northside have knocked off perennial Group A power Floyd County, the winner of two consecutive state titles. Salem ended the Buffaloes' 59-game winning streak and the Vikings handed Floyd County a second straight setback.
Moreover, Lord Botetourt thrashed defending Group AA champion R.E. Lee-Staunton 58-43 to end that team's 31-game winning streak. And defending Region III champion William Byrd rallied from an 11-point deficit to beat Piedmont District favorite Martinsville 69-68.
Northside struggled without a victory in three games at William Byrd during a season-opening invitational. Since then, the Vikings have won twice and appear to be a young team on the rise.
Alleghany might be fifth in this group because the Mountaineers lost to Magna Vista. Then again, they might wind up challenging for the top spot.
So who is going to win the Blue Ridge District girls' title? Who knows, but it's going to be interesting watching these teams battle each other. Before the season, Byrd appeared to have an edge on Salem and Botetourt on paper with Northside and Alleghany not figuring in the title picture. That's no longer the case.
Salem's victory at Floyd County came despite injuries that hit the veteran Spartans and kept two starters - leading scorer Shellie Johnson and guard-forward Marilyn Huang out of preseason scrimmages. Both were back for Floyd as was another starter, Tina Slate, who had to cope with the death of her mother in August. All three played well, scoring 44 of Salem's 64 points.
``The kids played with a lot of heart. Shellie was out of shape because she didn't start practicing until the Thursday [before the Floyd County game],'' said Salem coach Dee Wright.
Johnson has tendinitis in her knee and will have to finish her senior year playing in pain. She's also a key runner for Salem's track team that might be a factor to win a state title this spring.
Huang has right shoulder rotator cuff problems that will not help her shooting.
At Botetourt, the Cavaliers have 6-foot junior Sarah Hicks, who might be the best Group AA college prospect in the state for her class.
Byrd has Cathy Smith, the co-Blue Ridge District Player of the Year with Johnson, but so far it's been 6-foot sophomore Brandy Allen who has been the scoring leader with 15 points a game.
Northside and Alleghany don't have a dominant scorer, which might prove to be their downfall over a long race.
A CHANGE OF HEART: It was welcome news that the Radford City school board finally permitted the Bobcats to play Group AA teams.
When the school board reluctantly permitted Radford to drop from Group AA to A in classification two years ago, it showed its petulance toward football coach and athletic director Norm Lineburg by denying him the privilege of scheduling games against Group AA schools.
Their reasoning was that playing against bigger schools might be injurious to the players. Actually, it was an excuse to get back at Lineburg, who spearheaded the move to drop in classification.
The fact is that other schools dropped in classification and continued to play against teams in a higher group without injuries.
The Radford school board, by its action, effectively put an end to the biggest football rivalries in Montgomery County - Radford against Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
Now that Radford can play those two schools starting next year, it's not assured whether both series will resume. Christiansburg and Radford almost assuredly will play again, but it's not likely that the Bobcats and Blacksburg will resume their series.
``Norman and I spoke about it last year, but it depends as it did last year what district we're in,'' said Blacksburg athletic director Warren Murphy.
It's fairly certain Blacksburg will be in the Blue Ridge District, playing seven league games. That would leave the Indians with three other opponents.
It's also safe to say that Blacksburg will continue to play Giles, a Group A opponent, in a game that is a good draw for both teams.
The Christiansburg-Radford series will resume providing both teams have open dates after scheduling district games. Radford must add Glenvar, a new member of the Three Rivers next fall, and Christiansburg must find out about its seven dates in the Blue Ridge.
``We've talked and if we can work some dates out, we'll play. I feel that can happen,'' said Christiansburg athletic director Gerald Thompson. ``I'd be surprised if we don't play them. We told them we'd try to work it out and they told us they'd try to work it out.''
Lineburg wants to take a wait-and-see approach.
``I'd like to have our district schedule in front of us before I talk to anybody,'' he said. ``I suppose it will be the same as the past [two] years. It would be nice to play the two schools - at least one of the schools.''
However, a source says Blacksburg and Radford will not renew the series next fall.
Christiansburg would like to keep playing Carroll County as well as a team from the Graham-Tazewell area that has been a good draw for the Blue Demons.
BRISCOE GOING PRO: Chad Briscoe, a former Northside standout who played four years at Anderson College, is going to play professional basketball in Sweden.
Briscoe, All-Group AA honorable mention and Blue Ridge District Player of the Year in 1991, is the second Viking to play in Europe. The first was Bernard ``Supernard'' Harris, who played in Spain.
Briscoe, who will play at Holysbrunn in Division II (out of three) of the Swedish Professional League, was the point guard on the Vikings' first Group AA state tournament team that was beaten by Matoaca in the semifinals. He averaged 7.1 points a game as a senior at Anderson.
Briscoe's first game will be in Stockholm on Oct. 1 and his team will have two members from the Canadian National team.
TOUGH ROAD AHEAD: Lord Botetourt is going to have a tougher football schedule next season. The Cavaliers are dropping Covington and Craig County, a pair of Group A schools, to add Blacksburg, as a district game, and Group AAA Franklin County.
Lord Botetourt will continue to play Group A Glenvar and James River. The Highlanders and Cavaliers probably should play each other as their programs, except for numbers in the two schools, are similar in most other respects while James River is a Botetourt county rival.
by CNB