Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, May 10, 1990 TAG: 9005110547
SECTION: NEIGHBORS PAGE: W11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB McLELLAND CORRESPONDENT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The 2-1 overtime loss to Salem took much of the luster off the brilliant record against AA opponents that coach Jeff Highfill had compiled since he started the sport at Byrd in 1982.
The Terriers had not lost a game to a Blue Ridge opponent nor a regular-season game to any AA team. Highfill has an overall AA record 60-2-1. The other loss was a 1-0 overtime in the Region 3 finals last year to Martinsville. The tie came several years ago in a match with Pulaski.
Byrd finished this season with a 9-1 district record. Salem was second with an 8-2 record, while Northside was third at 7-3. In the semi-finals today, the Terriers open action at 5 p.m. against Lord Botetourt (4-6); Salem and Northside meet at 7p.m.
The two winners will clash for the district championship Saturday at 11 a.m. The winner will advance to the Region 3 tournament at Liberty High School on May 16 and 18.
"I would like to think that a loss to Salem would give us added incentive to win the tournament, especially since the kids realize that only the winner will go to the regionals," Highfill said.
Walt Braine, the only coach Salem has ever had, is excited about the tournament, especially with some of the players who've helped compile the best record in Salem history, 11-3 overall.
Salem's top players have included seniors Chris Shelor and Rick D'Atre on defense, and top-scoring junior Bruck Alemayehu, and seniors Phu Tran and Jamie Bisgrove on offense.
Northside lost two games to Byrd but split games with Salem, winning last week 3-1 after losing the first encounter 3-0. The Vikings are led by seniors Tim Hatfield and Trey Scholz, and junior Mark Newel.
Highfill said he has many top players who have contributed to the team's success, including juniors Todd Etter and Chris Blevins, who also are football stars.
Etter, a football captain, was elected by his soccer teammates to lead the team this spring. He was an end and kicker in football and is a forward in soccer.
Etter, who is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 180, said he lacks many of the soccer skills of his teammates.
"I just don't spend as much time with soccer," he explained. "Football is on my mind in the summer and fall and then I turn to soccer for the winter and spring. But that's the way I like it. I want to do anything that will help my school.
"I know I might be better in soccer, but I like football best. I just love the body contact," said Etter, who's been playing football since he was in the eighth grade.
He started playing soccer at age 7 because when he went out for sandlot football, "they never had enough kids to have a team."
Blevins was a running back in football and plays forward in soccer with Etter.
Highfill has three returning all-region players: seniors Robbie Scharpf, a forward, and goalies Dwayne Thompson and junior halfback Mark Andrews. The top scorer for the Terriers is senior Shawn Niday, who had 28 goals as of last week.
by CNB