Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 9, 1992 TAG: 9202090109
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: D14 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
UNDERCLASSMEN STEALING THUNDER
For the first time since the Roanoke Times & World-News started giving out the award, the Timesland Boys' Athlete of the Year might be a junior.Three of the leading candidates are juniors, and they might be hard to challenge. Cave Spring's Ronde and Tiki Barber, and Glenvar's Brandon Semones, will be at the top of the list when the decision is made in June.
Semones is the surprise of the group because, despite some impressive numbers, he still has not made first-team All-Timesland in any sport.
Semones was a second-team All-Timesland running back in the fall. He was third among Timesland rushers with 1,690 yards and led the Highlanders to the Group A Division 2 playoffs. He was also a standout linebacker, but was not pushed for that position and failed to make All-Region C because his coaches felt he had a better chance of making the team as a running back, which he did.
In wrestling, Semones is unbeaten at 171 pounds, including a championship in the Big Orange tournament against some of the better Group AAA and AA wrestlers in the Roanoke Valley.
His All-Timesland competition in wrestling appears to be Tunstall's Chris Long, who did not compete in the Big Orange and also is unbeaten. The two will not meet because Long is in a different classification.
Long is a returning All-Timesland first-team selection (29-1 a year ago), losing in the Group AA championship match. Whether Long or Semones makes All-Timesland at 171 probably will go down to whoever performs better in the state tournaments in two weeks.
Semones also is regarded as the fastest sprinter in the Pioneer District. He pulled a muscle in his leg last year, but was able to muster a 10.10-second time in winning the 100 meters at the Pioneer meet. This year, he figures to compete for state titles in the 100 and 200.
Both Barbers made the 1991 All-Timesland football team. Tiki, who also was the 1990 Timesland Sizzlin' Sophomore of the Year, rushed for 1,287 yards against tough Group AAA competition. He was selected All-Timesland in football for the second consecutive year.
Ronde was an All-Timesland defensive back with 11 interceptions in 11 games. The Barbers, and Timesland Defensive Player of the Year Ryan Taylor, led the Knights to the playoffs for the first time in more than a decade.
Both Barbers are outstanding in track. Last year, Ronde was the Timesland Boys' Track Athlete of the Year after winning the state 110-meter hurdles. Rarely does a Roanoke Valley District athlete win an individual Group AAA track title, but Ronde did it as a sophomore.
\ Say what you will about having to play against a slow-down offense as Laurel Park did this past week against Patrick County, but it can make for some interesting statistics as well as accounting for a stunning upset on occasion.
Patrick County still lost to Laurel Park, ranked No. 1 in Group AA, 41-23, but the Cougars were able to make Odell Hodge, the Timesland and Group AA player of the year as a junior, a mere mortal by holding him to eight points. He had scored 88 points in his previous two games.
It was only the fifth time Hodge had been held below double figures in his 95-game career. It equaled his career low on Jan. 6, 1988, as a freshman. Patrick County also kept Hodge at bay that evening, though it was a run-and-gun game the Lancers won 75-72.
The last time Hodge was held under in single figures was against Martinsville that same year. Hodge scored but nine points in a 69-68 season-ending loss to the Bulldogs in the Piedmont District tournament.
\ What are the possibilities of this?
Bath County, in a four-game run starting Jan. 24, scored 54 points in each contest. The Chargers won twice, beating Natural Bridge 54-49 and Rockbridge 54-45. The streak started with an 83-54 loss at Covington and ended Tuesday with a 69-54 defeat by James River.
Lexington beat Bath 78-73 Friday night.
\ Jason Hilger, the place-kicker who booted a 49-yard field goal for Lord Botetourt last fall, isn't the only Cavalier to flee to Salem as a transfer for the purpose of playing in a stronger football program. Eric McCoy, a junior defensive back at Botetourt last season, also will transfer to Salem.
Hilger is also a defensive back and receiver, which will give the Spartans two more candidates for a defensive backfield weakened by the loss of All-Group AA Brad Bradley and Corey Epperly from the 1991 team.
\ Michelle Graham, who helped lead Radford to the Group AA girls' basketball semifinals for the third consecutive year in the fall, has signed a scholarship to play basketball and volleyball for Division II South Carolina-Spartanburg.