SCHOOL SHOULDN'T KEEP TAINTED TROPHY

                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, February 28, 1993                   TAG: 9303010221
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: F-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short
SCHOOL SHOULDN'T KEEP TAINTED TROPHY
HURRAY! There is at least one person in the community of Richlands who believes that Dennis Vaught is not worthy to coach young people. Board member B.L. Susman summed up this whole issue by saying in the Feb. 10 issue of the Roanoke Times & World-News, "The penalty wasn't severe enough. He ought to be fired. Somebody who cheats and lies is not a good role model for students."
The facts are that Vaught made his players wear illegal cleats for the sole purpose of gaining an unfair advantage over Salem High School in the state semifinal football game and over Orange County in the state final. No one has written a word about the possibility of his ordering the field to be sprayed wih water before the Salem football game. However, that is another matter.
Vaught's assistant coaches did not have the guts to stand up to him and tell him he was wrong. The Virginia High School League did not have the guts to overturn the outcome of the game. The Richlands School Board did not have the guts to fire this man and set an example for all coaches and student athletes. I would like to challenge every individual in Richlands, student and adult alike, to call School Board Chairman Phillip Hearl and Principal Brenda Lawson to demand that they return the State AA football trophy to the league in Charlottesville. How can you accept a tainted title and trophy?
Richlands High School, you are not the State AA football champion because your team cheated and your coach lied. ROB BENNETT BUCHANAN

by Archana Subramaniam by CNB