ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, July 15, 1996 TAG: 9607150121
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
VMI was picked sixth in a preseason football vote of Southern Conference sports information directors.
The Keydets earned 33 points based on four fifth-place votes, two sixths, two eighths and one ninth (last).
Defending league champion Appalachian State received six of nine first-place votes and had 77 points to finish first in the balloting. Marshall received the other three first-place votes and was picked second with 75 points.
Furman and Georgia Southern were the other teams picked ahead of the Keydets. The Citadel, UT-Chattanooga and Western Carolina were voted seventh through ninth, respectively.
* Steve Cannaday won the Rookie race Saturday night at Franklin County Speedway but then the rains came, forcing postponement of the Jim Mills Lincoln Mercury 300. The race will be made up at the end of the season. All fans who paid to get into Saturday night's race will be admitted to this weekend's race free.
* The Roanoke Star U-15 White soccer team, competing in Europe in the Sulin (Germany) Football Summer Cup, was successful in its first game as it defeated host TSV Sulin 1-0 on Saturday. Forward Nathan Thomas scored the winning goal. The Star tied Eintrach Friesing 1-1 in the second game.
* Roanoke native Michael Stearns, a cyclist for Team Smiley, won the Virginia State Criterium Championship on Sunday in Richmond. Stearns bested a field of 45 riders in the 25-mile race.
LENGTH: Short : 40 linesby CNB