Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, January 26, 1992 TAG: 9201260127
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: HIGH SCHOOLS LENGTH: Long
HODGE CLOSE TO STATE RECORD
Laurel Park's Odell Hodge might not lead Timesland in scoring, but if he plays long enough this winter, he could become the Virginia High School League's top career scorer.The Lancers' 6-foot-9 center has scored 2,102 points. He needs 358 to pass the 2,459 scored by Pennington's Steve Marsee from 1973-76.
"Odell had no idea he had a chance at the record, but we're going to take a look [at him getting it]," said Laurel Park coach Frank Scott. "I think that's something for a little old school down here in Henry County."
Hodge, averaging 27.5 points this season, probably will need his team to play a couple of games beyond the Piedmont District tournament if he is to pass Marsee.
No matter what Hodge does, he will not be the state's all-time leader. Dan Vander Woude had 3,329 points in 118 games for Seton, a private school in Manassas.
By comparison, Hodge has played 91 games and, at most, will play 108 if the Lancers make the Group AA final.
Garth Forsythe of Norfolk Academy (1980-83) is second in the VHSL with 2,612 points in 108 games, and Frankie Peralta scored 2,567 for Portsmouth Catholic (1964-67) in an undetermined amount of games.
Hodge also must contend with Broad Run's Jason Landsdown, who had scored 1,972 before Friday night and is averaging 28.2 points through 11 games this year. With his cushion of 104 points and the fact that Laurel Park is likely to go further than Broad Run in the postseason, Hodge should finish ahead of Landsdown.
"I probably control [his point production]," Scott said. "I've taken him out of games that I could have left him in. With this scoring title, I probably should have left him in. But when we have people down, I don't want to rub it in. On the other hand, I want to look after Odell."
\ There was a new look in the Piedmont District on Friday night when twins Kevin and Keith Hodge, and Lemuel Jones, made their debut for Fieldale-Collinsville.
All three are juniors and stand about 6 feet 4. The Hodges transferred from the Martinsville school system and sat out the semester, and Jones was academically ineligible the first semester.
"Before the year is out, I would think they'd be starters," Cavaliers coach Ben Gravely said.
Fieldale-Collinsville has been one of Timesland's surprise teams with an 8-4 record. With the addition of these three players, the Cavaliers could be spoilers against Martinsville, Magna Vista and Laurel Park - the contenders for the regular-season Piedmont title. By tournament time, the Cavaliers could be bona fide title contenders.
\ A clarification about last week's column concerning basketball tournaments involving Timesland teams next year:
Virginia High, which is considering putting on an eight-team tip-off tournament in December, is not doing it to compete with the older Arby's Classic in Bristol.
"The Arby's Classic is good for Bristol and this tournament is to be held before that tournament," said Mark Cartolaro, Virginia High basketball coach and athletic director.
Also, VHSL teams are permitted to participate in two tournaments during the regular season as long as they do not exceed the limit of 21 total games. Thus, William Fleming can participate in the Virginia High event and still hold its own four-team tournament in February.
\ Noting Timesland:
Lord Botetourt place-kicker Jason Hilger, who booted a 49-yard field goal last fall, is considering transferring to Salem to play football his senior year. He and his parents met with Salem coach Willis White this past week and will make a decision this week.
"I have nothing against the coaches at Botetourt; they're great," Hilger said. "But I just need an opportunity to get on-the-field experience if I want to kick somewhere [in college]."
Botetourt scored only seven touchdowns this past year in going 2-8, and Hilger was provided few opportunities to try extra points or field goals.
Hilger is a reserve on the basketball team, having scored 41 points. He plays third base in baseball and Botetourt is expected to be a contender to win the Blue Ridge District.
"We have a chance to do something good in baseball, but football is my main sport," said Hilger, whose sister Gina Hilger was Timesland girls' athlete of the year three years ago.
After playing at Franklin County on Friday, Pulaski County's weary travelers had played 10 of their first 12 boys' basketball games on the road.
Pulaski County played its first home game against Blacksburg on Jan. 7 and the second against E.C. Glass on Jan. 17. They returned to Dublin on Saturday night for a game against Bluefield.
"[The road schedule] certainly hasn't helped us," said Pulaski County coach Pat Burns, whose team was 6-6 after the trip to Rocky Mount.
Friday's game was supposed to be at Pulaski County, but it was switched so the Eagles could play host to the Group AAA Northwestern Region wrestling tournament in February.
On the other hand, Lexington has had plenty of home games - five to be exact. Yet, the Scarlet Hurricane (6-6) has not won at home. Lexington has four road victories and two on a neutral court, in the Holiday Classic at Natural Bridge.
Greever Crouse, commissioner of the Appalachian Officials Association, says it may not be a first, but it doesn't happen very often. He was referring to the three-man crew he assigned to the Rocky Gap-Galax game earlier this month. The crew was made up of brothers Terry, Walter and Mark Bass. A fourth brother, Michael, dropped out of the AOA two years ago.