Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, January 28, 1993 TAG: 9301280066
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: Doug Doughty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
UVA, TECH GET PRIZE RECRUITS
The Virginia and Virginia Tech football staffs enjoyed significant recruiting victories Wednesday, with the Cavaliers receiving a commitment from the No. 1-ranked prospect in the state and the Hokies snagging a player away from Michigan.James Farrior, a Parade All-America linebacker from Matoaca High School, picked UVa over North Carolina. Earlier in the week, Farrior had eliminated Penn State, a program he followed when he was younger.
Virginia Tech's latest commitment is from Korey Irby, a 6-foot, 183-pound defensive back from DeMatha High School in Hyattsville, Md. Irby has run 100 meters in 10.7 seconds in competition, 10.5 in practice.
"He had as many offers as anybody we've ever had," said DeMatha coach Bill McGregor, noting that Irby cut off his visits after trips to Rutgers, Tech and Michigan. "I didn't know how it would go.
"The big thing was he felt more comfortable at Tech. He liked [Tech assistant and DeMatha graduate] Billy Hite. Billy has a way with our kids."
Irby is the 13th DeMatha player to sign or make an oral commitment to Tech in Hite's 15 years at Tech, including tight end Charles Woolridge this month.
Campus visits also were a deciding factor for Farrior, thought to be leaning to North Carolina until he went to UVa last weekend. Matoaca coach Gabe Hicks said Farrior told him as late as Tuesday that he would not make a decision until the weekend.
"I decided I was going to UVa anyway," Farrior said. "So, why wait?"
Farrior (6-3, 210) said he hoped to play outside linebacker, although he was chosen to the All-Group AA first team as a running back. He led the Richmond area in scoring with 192 points and had 11 sacks, five fumble recoveries and four blocked punts.
SuperPrep magazine, which rated Farrior the No. 1 prospect in Virginia, listed him eighth in the country among "athletes."
\ MORE RECRUITING: As expected, Virginia received a commitment from Group A player of the year Antonio Prosise from Sussex Central. Prosise, who rushed for 2,745 yards and 35 touchdowns as a senior, is projected as a fullback by the Cavaliers.
"Don't be surprised if he plays early," said Sussex Central coach Dwight Reagan, who feels Prosise has been underrated because of his size (5-9, 203) and speed (4.6 seconds for 40 yards). "I feel he can step in and play with anybody. Just wait and see."
Prosise had indicated as early as the summer that UVa was in the lead. His other visits were to Tennessee, North Carolina State and Cincinnati.
New Wake Forest football coach Jim Caldwell showed signs that he will continue the Deacons' emphasis on recruiting in Virginia when he received an oral commitment from Top 25 selection Chris Gaskell, a tight end from Group AAA Division 6 state champion Bethel High School in Hampton. Gaskell's other visits were to Navy and William and Mary.
Maryland appears to be the front-runner for linebacker Cornell Brown, rated one of the top five prospects in Virginia by the Roanoke Times & World-News. Brown, from E.C. Glass High School in Lynchburg, canceled a trip to East Carolina this week and visited Pittsburgh, where his brother, Reuben, was jailed this week for allegedly selling crack cocaine.
It's down to Virginia and Maryland for Darryl Gilliam, a 6-6, 300-pound defensive lineman from St. John's in Washington. Coach John Ricca said UVa had a 90-10 lead before the weekend, when Gilliam visited Maryland. Now, it's 70-30 in UVa's favor, Ricca said Wednesday. Gilliam needs to improve his grades to qualify for a scholarship.
Ingram Haley, a 6-4, 240-pound offensive tackle from Martinsville High School, has committed to James Madison. Haley, a second-team All-Region III selection, was selected to the Roanoke Times & World-News Second 25.
\ PREP STAR ARRESTED: Jason Vineyard, an All-Group AAA running back from Lloyd C. Bird in Chesterfield, was charged with rape this past weekend in Blacksburg. Vineyard does not meet academic guidelines for a Division I scholarship and is not being recruited by Virginia Tech.
\ IN THE ACC: Freshman center Steve Rich left Wake Forest's basketball program only days after moving into the starting lineup. Rich, who told the Wake Forest staff he was homesick, reportedly enrolled at the University of Miami in his hometown. Rich was rated one of the top 50 prospects in the country as a senior in high school.
One freshman ranks among the top 20 scorers in the ACC: Maryland's Johnny Rhodes, who stands 20th. Rhodes and teammate Exree Hipp are two of only four freshmen starting in the ACC. The others are Martice Moore of Georgia Tech and N.C. State's Marcus Wilson.
\ AROUND THE STATE: Longwood College, coached by Blacksburg's Ron Carr, won seven of eight games in running its record to 11-7. The Lancers' biggest win came Monday night, when they ended Pfeiffer's 42-game home winning streak, 72-68. Pfeiffer was ranked third in the NAIA.
\ WOMEN'S HOOPS: Campbell senior Lisa Allison, an early candidate for Big South Conference player of the year, underwent arthroscopic surgery on her left knee last Thursday and is expected to be sidelined four weeks. Allison, from Cave Spring, missed most of her sophomore year after reconstructive surgery on the knee. The recent injury was unrelated. . . . Roanoke College had won 40 consecutive home games before its 65-60 loss to Emory & Henry on Tuesday night at Bast Center.
\ OTHER SPORTS: UVa's men's swimming team was ranked 13th this week by the College Swimming Coaches' Swimming Association, the highest ranking in the history of the program. Nine UVa teams have been ranked in their respective top 20s this year, including the 20th-ranked UVa women's swimming team.
Travis Walter, a senior from Franklin County High School, was honored as the most outstanding runner at Virginia Tech's cross-country awards banquet. John Hawthorne, a redshirt freshman from Cave Spring, was the most improved runner.
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.