Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 29, 1993 TAG: 9301290165
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: CHARLOTTESVILLE LENGTH: Long
RICHLANDS PUT ON PROBATION
The Virginia High School League Executive Committee took the strongest possible action it felt it could take against Richlands High School on Thursday by putting the Tazewell County school on strong probation for one year.The action came in a hearing about a protest filed by Salem High School that Richlands players used illegal cleats in the state Group AA Division 4 state semifinal game that the Tornadoes won 17-7.
Being on strong probation means the Tazewell County school will not be eligible to participate in the 1993 football playoffs.
The committee did not address the issue of Richlands coach Dennis Vaught admitting he used the illegal cleats, which was a change from his past comments to various media representatives that his team had done nothing illegal.
The committee denied Salem's request that the result of the game be nullified. The group said it was not empowered to do so because football rules from the National Federation of State High School Associations don't call for forfeiting a game because a team uses illegal equipment.
Richlands also was placed on probation for sportsmanship violations. That charge was brought forth by Orange County High School, which accused Tornadoes fans of making racial slurs against them in the Group AA Division 4 championship game the week after the Salem game.
Despite the actions, some said probation was not enough.
"I think we have to abide by the decision, but I don't think it was a good decision," Salem coach Willis White said after the meeting. "We accused them, they admitted to it. In my mind, it gave them an advantage. They ended up winning. Yet they get to keep the game. In my mind it was wrong."
Moments before the meeting ended, White had been admonished by one of the executive committee members, Charlotte County school superintendent Paul Stapleton, for making what were called inappropriate remarks to the committee when the coach was asked why Salem officials had waited until January to file a complaint.
White had told the committee that Salem didn't move until it was sure it had enough evidence, and he added:
"People said all you're gonna do is create a controversy, and everybody I talked to said that you don't want to create a controversy because the Virginia High School League is not gonna do a whole lot about it anyway. They're gonna censure somebody, and that's gonna be it. And that's the way they think about you, gentlemen."
Stapleton's remarks to White came just before the close of the meeting.
"On behalf of the executive committee," Stapleton said, "I'd like to make a comment. . . . I think the actions of the league are the best we can take today.
"I also feel like, Coach White, that the comments you made during your presentation were inappropriate, when you made comments about the decisions that this executive committee has to make. I feel like that needs to be addressed because it was an inappropriate comment.
"I don't know if it was meant to sway the committee in their decisions or whatever, but your school is a member of the league, and this committee has to make certain decisions. I just feel like personally, and on behalf of the committee, I need to say that your comments were inappropriate."
In discussing his comments after the meeting, White said: "It might have been inappropriate, but it was accurate.
"I guess I'll be selling peanuts next year at VPI [games]. I offended one of them [committee members]. If I had known it would be like this, I'd have offended a lot more."
White wasn't impressed by the penalty.
"So what," White said. "He [Vaught] had a senior club and the chances are he wouldn't have made it [into next fall's playoffs] anyway. I guess I have a weird way of looking at things the right way."
Wayne Tripp, the superintendent of Salem City schools, felt the reprimand of his coach was excessive.
"His [White's] comments were to make a point," Tripp said. "He was told the league would take no action. I told Mr. Stapleton that, and he said he was more or less instructed to do that."
William Byrd principal Bob Patterson, chairman of the executive committee, also took exception to White's remarks and said Stapleton's feelings represented how a majority of the executive committee felt.
While the VHSL didn't address the issue of Vaught's status, Tazewell County school superintendent Woodrow Mullins Jr. alluded to it in his response before the committee.
"I am terribly disappointed at some of our employees if they knowingly did some things. I can assure you that appropriate action will be taken," Mullins said. "I will not give you any details. It's a personnel matter. We believe in Tazewell County that athletics does have a perspective and proper role. We will keep it in that perspective."
None of the Richlands representatives attending the meeting - Vaught, Mullins and school principal Brenda Lawson - would comment after the decision.
Vaught, in a written response and before the committee, said he had his team wear the illegal cleats when one of his assistant coaches said he felt Salem was wearing the same type of cleats.
In admitting he was wrong not to express concerns to the officials about the cleat situation, Vaught said to the committee, "On Dec. 5 [the date of the Salem game] at Richlands, we made a poor decision, I made a poor decision . . . I must take the blame, which I accept fully."
Lawson, in a letter dated Jan. 18 to VHSL executive director Earl Gillespie, said, "The decisions made by Mr. Vaught to use illegal equipment is not conducive to the philosophy and mission of Richlands High School.
"As a result of his error in judgment, jeopardizing the safety of students, and unprofessional conduct, a written reprimand will be issued to Mr. Vaught . . . "
Delvis McCadden, the Roanoke City councilman who is a member of the executive committee as one of two citizens at large, said national federation rules made most of the decisions cut and dried as far as penalties imposed on Richlands.
Beyond that, he said, the punishment could hit hard next fall.
"He [Vaught] has a state championship team that can't defend the state championship," McCadden said. "Say he goes 10-0. They'll [the team] have worked their butts off knowing they don't have a chance to go any further."