Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 8, 1993 TAG: 9305080021
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C6 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In the three years the Barbers ran in the high school division of the Cosmo, Cave Spring won two titles and shared another. The Knights scored a total of 339 points and the Barbers accounted for 169 points, or 50 percent of the total.
When the Barbers were freshmen competing in the junior high division, they scored four firsts and Tiki anchored a winning relay team as Hidden Valley scored 126 points to win the title.
Interestingly, Ronde Barber ran a faster time in the 110 meters as a sophomore (14.1 seconds) than he did a senior (14.2 seconds). The Barbers scored 63 points a year ago as juniors compared to 58 this year.
As seniors, though, the Barbers had their best Cosmo considering this was possibly the strongest field in the history of the event.
For instance, Tiki won the triple and long jumps. Both his performances in those two events would easily have given him state titles last year. A year ago, Tiki nailed a 23-foot, 1 3/4-inch long jump at the state meet. In the Cosmo, he jumped 23-11 3/4. Earlier this spring, he jumped 24-9 1/4, the third best in the nation outdoors.
In the triple jump, which he won at the state meet as a sophomore, Tiki had a 49-2 1/4 at the Cosmo, more than 15 inches better than last year's state champion.
Ronde Barber won both hurdles and showed he can place in the state in the 300-meters, something he didn't do a year ago. He should win the 110 meters again.
Looking at their Cosmo performances, it's conceivable the Barbers can score more than 40 points at the state meet. Last year, T.C. Williams won the state with 40 points, so the Knights have a real shot this year. And that doesn't take into account that Shawn Clevinger's best discus throw this year of 146 feet, 7 inches for the Knights would be good enough for fourth place.
\ MOYER TO TECH: Salem's Keith Moyer is going to Virginia Tech as walk-on for the Hokies' track and field team.
Moyer, who on the basis of his spring times in the 100- and 200-meter dashes will be the favorite to win the Group AA championships later this month, turned down football scholarship offers to Wake Forest, James Madison, Appalachian State and William and Mary.
Moyer, a good student, will qualify for a substantial grant from Tech so that he basically will go to Tech as cheaply as if he had accepted a football scholarship.
Moyer says he might walk on for football at Tech as a sophomore. For now, though, he plans to work on his studies and run track.
\ HIGH-FLYING EAGLES: Roanoke Valley Christian, which completed the school's first unbeaten regular golf season this past week, will be a heavy favorite in Tuesday's nine-team Virginia Independent Conference golf tournament at Countryside.
The Eagles finished 13-0 in the regular season, a huge turnaround from last season's 3-9 mark.
Coach Don Assaid's club has been paced by senior Joe Surkamer, who has played No. 1 since the eighth grade, freshman Joel Nester and sophomore Benji Kitts, a transfer from Christiansburg.
"Benji is a golf nut," Assaid said. "He just took up the game three years ago. There have been 730 days the past two years and he's played 700 times. He doesn't care what the weather's like, he's playing regardless."
Assaid said his team's improvement also is a product of free professional instruction donated by area pros Johnny King and Monty Goff.
RVC's only VIC golf title came in the mid-1980s under former coach and current Target Golf pro Troy Dixon.
\ CANCELED MATCH: Assuming both teams make it, Timesland tennis fans will have to wait until the state Group AA tournament to find out if Blacksburg or Salem is the stronger boys' team.
The teams were supposed to play this past Wednesday, but the match was canceled because the Indians had district matches to make up. Blacksburg won 5-4 in the first meeting, but Salem's lineup has changed since then.
Both teams will be favored to win their respective region titles and make the state. Brookville will be a strong team barring Salem's path while Blacksburg's challenge will come from Virginia High or Richlands.
\ A FIRST: How popular is soccer? Most soccer fans say it's the No. 1 spring sport for high schools. More and more teams are springing up at area schools.
Now comes another first - the Region C tournament next Saturday at George Wythe. There are only four teams in Region C - George Wythe, Giles, Glenvar and James River. It all starts at 11 a.m. with the semifinals and the championship game scheduled at 4 p.m.
Unfortunately, there aren't enough Group A schools playing soccer, so there's no state tournament. That's next and it might not be that far down the road.
\ DISTANCE RUNNING: When Patrick County coach Nelson McConnell sent the times of his distance runner, James Clanton, in for the high school honor roll, he noted that the races in the Region III might be very interesting between Clanton and Staunton River's Phillip Clements.
Actually, they'll probably race only once. Clements ran the 800 in the Cosmo Relays, but he was doing that only for competition and the fact that he wanted to go against Northside's Jonathan Stewart, who was second in the state last year.
Clements probably will run the 1,600- and 3,200-meter runs in district competition. That means Clements and Clanton will square off in the 1,600. Clanton, who was Timesland cross country runner of the year, probably will meet Stewart again in the 800. He beat Stewart in the All-American relays at Radford. However, there is not a race in which all three of Timesland's best distance runners will be matched together.
\ FOOTBALL SAFETY: One player died from injuries suffered while playing high school football during the 1992 season, according to a national study.
Last year was the second-safest season on record since 1931, said Dr. Frederick Mueller, the study's director and professor of physical education, exercise and sport science at the University of North Carolina. No deaths were reported in 1990.
While 11 other players died last year - nine in high school, one in college and one in a youth league - doctors said their deaths could have occurred during any vigorous activity and could not be directly linked to football.
"We're pleased that the number is so low, but we're concerned about what we call `indirect' deaths. It may be time to look more closely at the physical examinations all players should undergo at the beginning of the season," Mueller said.
\ B'NAI B'RITH CHANGES: The B'nai B'rith is expanding the number of schools included in this year's athletic and achievement awards banquet that will be held May 20 at the Roanoke Sheraton Hotel.
Craig County, James River and Roanoke Valley Christian have been added to the list of schools that will participate in the 43rd annual B'nai B'rith award, which is perhaps the oldest of its kind in the state. There are now 15 participating schools.
The award is based on 50 percent athletic participation, 25 percent citizenship and 25 percent academics. Two groups of impartial judges, who don't know the names of the nominees, decide the boys' and girls' overall winners that will be announced at the banquet.
In addition, there will be something special about this year's awards. For the first time, a brother and sister will be trying to win the overall award. Northside twins Jonathan and Jennifer Stewart are that school's nominees. Both are distance runners for track and cross country as well as outstanding students.
Keywords:
FATALITY
by CNB