Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 6, 1990 TAG: 9005060030
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Bob Teitlebaum
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Franklin County's only loss in softball this year came when Bowles took a trip to Hawaii and wasn't available to pitch against Patrick Henry.
"My mom won the trip where she worked and I couldn't give that up," Bowles said.
Until last week, when Cave Spring scored twice, the junior had not permitted an earned run. Last year, Bowles was 11-3 and Franklin County advanced to the Group AAA semifinals in its second year of softball.
Bowles also has become quite a hitter, with an average of better than .450.
Franklin County coach Robin Walls takes little credit for developing Bowles. The pitcher's ability came from a family that is very involved with the game of softball.
Shelley's father, Mitchell Bowles, and his brothers, Mark, Kevin, Jeff, Larry and Phil, all play for fast-pitch teams in Salem. Two years ago, Mitchell, Larry and Kevin Bowles helped Bedford Guttering finish 20th among 62 teams at the world fast-pitch tournament in Las Cruces, N.M.
"My father got me started in softball," Shelley said. "I played slow-pitch when I was real little, like 8 years old. He trained me to be a pitcher."
"I haven't had to teach her anything about pitching because she learned that from them," Walls said of Bowles' family. "As far as hitting goes, they throw it to her so fast and she's become one of the best hitters around."
Shelley Bowles says there was some pressure in the first month of the season, when she didn't give up an earned run. Still, that didn't dominate her thoughts.
"Mostly, I think about the state [tournament] and getting back there," she said. "The secret is having a good team. It helps to have a good team back of you because pitchers sometimes have bad days."
Walls said there are many Division I schools looking at Bowles. "She's very good and I'm not saying this because she plays for me."
\ Around the Timesland coaching circuit:
Rumors abound about the football vacancies at Franklin County, Alleghany and Lexington.
The Eagles are set to name their new coach May 14 after extensive interviews. The list of applicants has been pared to five.
Wrestling coach Kris Kahila and Ferrum assistant Melvin Martin previously had been confirmed as finalists. Add Bassett coach Jerry Cannaday to that list, although that is unconfirmed.
"I have no comment," Cannaday said.
If Cannaday does move, it won't be because he is unhappy at Bassett, which won the Piedmont District in 1989. He would like to live closer to Roanoke, where his mother has health problems.
Alleghany has been rebuffed by two coaches. Sources say that Tazewell's Tom Goforth and Graham's Doug Marrs, both assistants, followed original choice Homer Criddle of Greenbrier (W.Va.) East in turning down the Mountaineers.
This seems to leave the Mountaineers with a choice of either assistant Donnie Buzzard or Jimmy Cantrell from Clifton Middle School to follow highly successful Kenny Higgins, who moved to Brookville.
The talk at Lexington is that Rockbridge's Temple Kessinger will take Chuck Marrs' place. Marrs resigned in April.
\ Cave Spring junior Lisa Beightol, who plays basketball, soccer and runs cross country, is the state winner of the Dreamer and Doer Award, which is sponsored by Walt Disney World and the National Federation of State High School Associations.
Beightol, who has a 3.0 grade-point average, will have a three-day, two-night trip to Disney World in Orlando, Fla., where she joins other state winners to receive her award while participating in workshops and seminars.
The award is made on the basis of contributions to the community as well as confidence, courage and consistency as an individual.
\ Noting Timesland:
A decision by the Virginia High School League on the sites for next year's state basketball tournaments is expected this week, but don't look for things to change. It is likely that the Group AA and A boys' tournaments will be back in Charlottesville and both Group AAA tournaments will return to Williamsburg.
The fall tournaments (AA and A girls) will return to Salem with a couple of changes. They will be held over four days instead of three, and all the games will be played at the Salem Civic Center. The first round of the Group A tournament had been held at Roanoke College.
Because the VHSL calendar is being pushed back a week - and also because of Thanksgiving - the fall girls' tournaments will not be played until Nov. 28-Dec. 1.
One of the bigger surprises of the boys' track season is James River's Jack Baker, whose 14.5-second time topped Timesland in the 100-meter hurdles last week by seven-tenths of a second.
"He's for real," said Doug Ross, the James River track coach. "He beat everyone at the All-American Relays [mostly Group AA athletes] and then beat Heritage's hurdlers at a meet at Jefferson Forest."
by CNB