Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 17, 1995 TAG: 9511170047
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-7 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Is it tougher to play an opponent the second time around?
As the Virginia High School League football playoffs open this weekend, coaches at Giles, Radford, Pulaski County, Liberty, Fieldale-Collinsville and Christiansburg ponder that question.
Radford travels to Giles at 1:30 p.m. Saturday for a Region C Division 2 game in a replay of the 37-0 thrashing the Spartans administered to the Bobcats five weeks ago.
Liberty might face the biggest challenge among Timesland teams facing rematches. The Minutemen must try to contain Amherst County's high-octane offense for a second time to repeat an 8-7 regular-season victory. The two teams meet in a Region III Division 4 opener at 7:30 tonight in Bedford.
Christiansburg hopes to atone for a 27-17 setback to Graham in the third week of the season when the Blue Demons welcome the G-Men for a first-round Region IV Division 3 game at 7:30 p.m.
Fieldale-Collinsville plays host to Dan River for a Region III Division 3 game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday as the Cavaliers seek revenge for a 15-12 loss, their first of the year.
A late edition to this scenario is Pulaski County. The Cougars were set for a trip to Brooke Point, a team they have never played in football, for a Northwest Region Division 5 game at 7:30 tonight.
Instead, they'll play Heritage one more time. The Pioneers replaced North Stafford in the playoffs late Wednesday following two forfeits by E.C. Glass, shaking up the pairings.
Salem faces a different problem. Coach Willis White was preparing to face William Byrd for a second time, looking to duplicate a 35-3 rout of the Terriers. A late recount of points that determine wild-card teams showed Martinsville edged William Byrd by less than one-tenth of a point, so the Bulldogs will be at Salem for a Region III Division 4 game at 7:30 tonight.
Giles was a solid favorite in the first Radford game, but no one expected what happened. The Spartans scored 37 points in the first half to end the suspense early.
``Our kids are pretty smart,'' said Steve Ragsdale, Giles' coach. ``They know that everything went right for us and wrong for them. Plus, Radford was minus a top player'' in Larnell Lewis.
``We didn't do anything very well,'' said Norm Lineburg, Radford's coach. ``It was quite a humbling experience. Certainly Larnell is a fine player and that will help,'' .
At Liberty, the Minutemen will be asked to halt three Amherst County players - Maurice Clark, Cam Jackson and T.J. Cashwell - who have scored 60 touchdowns between them. They did it once, but the field was muddy and this time the Lancers likely will get a dry track.
``We approached our players on the things they did well and didn't do well against them,'' said Mike Scharnus, Liberty's coach. ``
... The big thing is what we did at their place. It didn't matter whether it was in the mud. If we hadn't tackled their backs, we wouldn't have won.
Christiansburg looks like a better team this time around against Graham.
``I think it can be tough [to play an opponent twice] if you come out on top,'' said Mike Cole, Christiansburg's coach. ``It might be difficult to get your guys to approach the game as they need to, take it as seriously as they should.
``In that first game, we were a little banged up and it was a close game.''
Pulaski County might have the hardest task. The Cougars beat Heritage 23-6 as they started a run of six victories in their final seven games.
``I have to get their attention,'' said Joel Hicks, Pulaski County's coach. ``I just point out that Heritage had more snaps, more total yardage and more time with the ball than we did. That's easy for the kids to see.''
White was happy not to play Byrd again, but he would've liked to see another Blue Ridge District team in the playoffs.
``You want to see the district do well, but if you beat a team badly the first time and have to play them again, you don't know how your players are thinking,'' said the Salem coach.
One playoff game has been moved, with Holston meeting Bath County at Alleghany High School instead of in Hot Springs at 1:30 p.m. Saturday. The Chargers' field was covered with snow Thursday.
Tonight, Cave Spring goes to C.D. Hylton in the Northwest Region Division 6 playoffs for a 7:30 matchup. On Saturday, Covington entertains Bland County at 1 p.m. in Region C Division 1 and Blacksburg goes to Lee (Region IV Division 4) and Grayson County is at Lebanon (Region C Division 2) in 1:30 p.m. games.
by CNB