Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, March 26, 1992 TAG: 9203260033
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Foster said the Hokies are still recruiting 12 players, although they may entertain no more than five on paid recruiting visits.
The NCAA limit for players who may take paid visits to a school is 15, down from 18 a year ago. Tech already has brought in 10 players; four signed and another committed.
"This is the first year for a lot of things and this comes at the worst possible time for us," said Foster, who is completing his first season as the Hokies' coach. "We may end up turning kids down [for visits] if we're not sure we're at the top of their lists."
Another rule that bugs Foster is one that prohibits in-person evaluation after April 24. When he was at Clemson, Foster said he signed two players in May who ended up starting for the Tigers.
"A multitude of players get overlooked every year," Foster said. "You can see them in pick-up games or AAU ball. But now, if they're not done by April 24, you can't see 'em. I hate evaluating a kid off film.
"Schools like Duke get their recruits early and spend the rest of the year looking at juniors and sophomores, but we're not in that position."
There apparently are a number of Division I basketball programs willing to take Booker T. Washington star Michael Evans even if he does not qualify for freshman eligibility.
Tough luck, coach Barry Hamler says. Evans is not going to sit out a year, he's not going to prep school and he's not going to a level lower than Division I.
"We're optimistic he's going to qualify," said Hamler, once an assistant at William Fleming High in Roanoke. "If he does not qualify, he's going to junior college."
Hamler said Gale Catlett from West Virginia is the latest coach to call and say he wants Evans whether he makes a 700 on the Scholastic Aptitude Test or not.
"Gale Catlett has never seen him play and no one on his staff has seen him play," Hamler said.
Interest picked up after Evans scored 47 points in the Group AAA state semifinals.
The only paid visit Evans has taken was to Virginia in the fall. He also has been to several games at Old Dominion.
"Those two are probably the favorites," said Hamler, who indicated that, if Evans had a preference, "it would probably be the one closest to home."
There have been several reports that Evans scored 680 when he took the SAT in January, but Hamler said "there were some complications and the test was voided." Hamler said Evans would take the test again in April.
The spring signing period starts April 15, but Hamler does not expect Evans to sign until he receives his test scores.
Florida State football coach Bobby Bowden is no doubt kicking himself after postponing the start of spring practice to accommodate quarterback Charlie Ward, also the point guard for the Seminoles' basketball team, which has reached the final 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
It was feared that Ward suffered a dislocated left (non-throwing) shoulder in FSU's first-round victory over Montana. Tests showed that Ward merely had a pinched rotator cuff, but he is not expected to play in the West Regional semifinals against Indiana.
Ex-Virginia quarterback Shawn Moore, who signed with the Birmingham Fire of the World League of American Football, is behind former University of Kansas quarterback Mike Norseth and did not play in Birmingham's opener, a 20-6 loss at Sacramento.
Moore, who has a contract with the Denver Broncos of the NFL, originally was assigned to San Antonio of the WLAF but agreed to play in Birmingham because coach Chan Gailey runs the Denver offense.
"They brought in the NFL loan players after training camp had started, so Shawn started out two weeks behind the others," Moore's agent, Brad Blank, said. "I've been told by people in Alabama that they're marketing Shawn, using his face on billboards, so it's ironic that he isn't playing."
Virginia Tech offensive guard William Boatwright has chosen Blank to become his agent. "We're hearing that he will be drafted the first round, probably by the fourth round," said Blank, who represents several ex-UVa players.
Mike Fayed, a freshman from Cave Spring High in Roanoke, started 25 of 26 games for Winthrop's basketball team this season and led the Eagles in assists with 116. Fayed also had a team-high 16 3-pointers, shooting better from outside the 3-point arc (41.0 percent) than inside (39.4).
Former Cave Spring High School baseball star Dee Dalton has overcome a slow start at Virginia Tech, where he is batting .361 with six doubles and 11 runs batted in. Dalton, who plays shortstop for the Hokies, was 1-for-10 in his first two games but subsequently has had eight two-hit games.
Tech designated hitter-first baseman Les Jennette is on a pace that would break the Division I record for RBI (1.91 per game) set by Pete Incaviglia of Oklahoma State in 1965. Jennette had 40 RBI through 18 games this year and 65 RBI in 39 games dating to last season.
Virginia's lacrosse team has given up 41 goals in the past three games, one reason the Cavaliers are 3-2 as they prepare to entertain No. 1-ranked Johns Hopkins on Saturday at 2 p.m. Sophomore James Ireland has fewer saves (48) than goals allowed (54).
by CNB