Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, March 1, 1994 TAG: 9403010043
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Because they did not receive a bye for the first round, the teams that play tonight must win twice to make next week's Virginia High School League state tournament. So they are feeling twice as much pressure as the teams that only need one victory when the play on Thursday.
"It's that time of year when there are no easy teams left," said William Fleming coach Burrall Paye, who is probably Timesland's most experienced coach seeing action tonight.
Paye's Fleming team is at home to Cardinal District runner-up Hylton. While Fleming must win twice to return to the Group AAA state tournament, the Colonels have one advantage in that they don't have to leave home as long as they win.
By a quirk of fates, Magna Vista also can make the Group AA state tournament without leaving home. The Warriors open against Salem in Ridgeway tonight in a game that left Spartan fans wondering if something wasn't fouled up with the Region III pairings.
Magna Vista got lucky when the VHSL was forced to squeeze the state tournament (three games) into one week instead of two because University Hall in Charlottesville is a site for the women's NCAA Eastern Region tournament.
The state advised regions to try to finish on Friday instead of Saturday because the state tournament starts Monday. The Piedmont District, as host to Region III, saw that the usual format of one game a night at Bassett would mean a team might play three times in four days.
So back in January, the Piedmont District split up the Region III tournament between Bassett and Magna Vista. The district also said that if either host school qualified, it would play the first two nights at home so as not to split the staff of a competing school.
Thus, Salem faces the Warriors in one half of the Region III first round tonight. In the other half at Bassett, Northside takes on Liberty.
Here's a look at each game tonight:
\ Hylton at Fleming (NW boys): The visiting Bulldogs are 13-9 and led by junior guard Eugene Simpson (14.5 ppg.). Paye thinks Fleming is playing its best basketball - especially starters Reggie Reynolds and point guard Derrick Hines who return from last year's state semifinalist. Fleming is young with only two seniors, but the Colonels are also very dangerous.
\ Patrick Henry at Gar-Field (NW boys): It'll be a little like homecoming as former William Byrd standout and Fleming assistant Andy Gray coaches a fairly young Gar-field team. In his first year, Gray has his team at 19-3. "We're a little bigger than they are, but they're a little quicker," said PH coach Woody Deans. "They do a lot of the same things Fleming does."
\ Stafford at Cave Spring (NW girls): Point guard Allison Beightol, who has a chronic shoulder dislocation, is expected to play for the Knights. Cave Spring must keep 6-foot Wendy Cooper from dominating and hope a young team with only one senior starter can earn a seventh consecutive trip to the state - the longest streak going for any Timesland school.
\ Pulaski County at Woodbridge (NW girls): The Cougars must rebound from a disappointing 46-42 loss to Cave Spring in the Roanoke Valley District title game that put Pulaski County in Northern Virginia. If history repeats itself, it could be like two years ago when the Cougars lost to the Knights and came back to make the state final where they lost a one-point game to Phoebus when a final shot wouldn't fall.
\ Salem at Magna Vista (Region III): These two teams were supposed to play twice this year, but snow storms snuffed out both games. Last year, the two played a pair of up-and-down the court contests, so this one figures to be another shootout. The game matches two of Timesland's best players - Salem's Mark Byington and Magna Vista's Tony Holmes. Salem (19-1) is the No. 1 Group AA team while the Warriors (16-5) started slowly after a long football season and then won the Piedmont District tournament in impressive fashion.
\ Northside vs. Liberty at Bassett (Region III): The Vikings (19-4) have lost only to Salem this year and feature a pair of guards - Nathan Hungate and Justin Porterfield - who make life tough for their opponents. Liberty (16-4) was ranked sixth at one time, the same place where Northside is now. Then the Minutemen faltered and went 3-3 in the final six regular-season games before returning to form to win the Seminole tournament. Liberty has depth and balance.
\ Lee at Carroll County (Region IV): Carroll County (9-13) has a losing record, but don't underrate the Cavaliers' chances for making the state. Carroll County faces Highlands District runner-up Lee (13-9), which starts three sophomores. If the Cavaliers win, they'll go to Graham (14-7) for a state berth and Carroll County has two wins over the G-Men.
\ Region C at Emory & Henry: This starts Wednesday night and Pioneer District champion Parry McCluer and Mountain Empire District champion Grayson County get byes. In the first round, it's the Hogoheegee District matched against Glenvar (14-7) and Floyd County. Parry McCluer (19-2), ranked No. 3 in Group A, is the team to beat in this tournament. Floyd County (19-3), which upset Grayson County (20-4) in the MED championship game, is the sleeper.
\ Other Timesland entries: Martinsville (18-4) under veteran coach Husky Hall needs to beat the Northside-Liberty winner for another trip to the state. The Bulldogs have Michael Martin, the Piedmont District player of the year.
Blacksburg (11-7) is finally past injuries and sickness. The Indians have won seven straight, but might face Gate City, Region IV's other top team, for a state berth. Blacksburg's Tony Wheeler and Jay Safford are two of Region IV's strongest players, but they've not always been at full strength.
by CNB