Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, September 15, 1994 TAG: 9410170015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
That's when Region III holds its fall meeting at Northside High School. There's a possibility the Seminole and Piedmont districts also will discuss what their lives will be like after the Blue Ridge District goes from Region III to Region IV.
Any discussion by the Seminole and Piedmont still might be premature, though. Before the Blue Ridge schools can move to Region IV, they must petition the state at the Group AA board meeting in October for the right to do so. Most observers, however, consider this to be only a formality and that the Blue Ridge's move to Region IV will be approved.
``Nothing has been said about it [a formal discussion],'' said Joe Devault, Magna Vista's principal. ``I suspect there will be some discussion or that we'll meet again at a later date [before the next Region III meeting in December].
``No definite plans are set on doing that, but I'm sure there will be some off-the-agenda discussion.''
One possible realignment in Region III would be to divide the Piedmont and Seminole districts into three seven-team leagues. This is assuming the remaining 21 teams decide to continue playing in Group AA.
Several Group A-size schools could opt to drop to their natural classification, thus leaving Region III with fewer than 21 teams after the Blue Ridge District leaves. Nelson County and Buckingham County are the two schools most seriously considering such a move.
Also, Carroll County might opt to move from Region IV to Region III and align with the Henry County schools, Martinsville and Patrick County to form a district. The Cavaliers are in a difficult position in either region, with few geographic rivals.
At least one Region IV principal suggests the Blue Ridge District's move is not set in stone, because those schools will not want to travel so far for regional competition. That seems to be a moot point, though, since the Virginia High School League basically has mandated that all regions be balanced or it will balance them.
When Earl Gillespie was the head of the VHSL, the Blue Ridge might have backed off going to Region IV and gotten away with it. Now that Ken Tilley is running the show, it's likely the VHSL will be hard-nosed about balancing the regions.
STAYING PUT: It's official: The Virginia High School Coaches' Association clinic and all-star games will return to Hampton in the summer for the third consecutive year.
``We really had no other city bid on it. We kind of thought Lynchburg would,'' said Jim Sangston, the Douglas Freeman athletic director, who runs the clinic for the VHSCA.
That's surprising for Lynchburg held a news conference recently to pat itself on the back for being such a great athletic center. The city is billing itself as the ``Sports Capital of Virginia'' for making the VHSL an offer it couldn't refuse to lure the winter state basketball tournaments to the Vines Center at Liberty University.
Lynchburg hardly is the Sports Capital of Virginia. Besides losing the all-star games and clinic to Hampton three years ago, the Hill City also lost the Group AA wrestling tournament to Salem.
The VHSL will have to spend only $5,000 to hold its state tournament at the Vines Center, but someone will pay a lot of money if the tournaments don't draw.
It's speculative whether Lynchburg will draw for the tournament, but the Group AAA schools aren't likely to attract many fans. So the Group AA teams had better be from an area close to Lynchburg or someone is going to be paying a lot of money to keep the tournaments going. And it won't be the VHSL.
EARLY START: When the Piedmont District starts it's league football games, there will be something different this fall.
For the first time in Timesland history, an entire district is starting its games at 7 p.m. Principals of the Piedmont District schools decided at their spring meeting to start a half-hour early ``to get the kids in as early as possible,'' said Laurel Park athletic director Jim Summey.
Junior varsity football games have been moved from 6:30 to 6 p.m. Night baseball games won't start at 6 p.m., in the spring.
According to Devault, the principals will discuss how well this concept goes later this fall, and if it's advantageous, then boys' basketball also might start a half-hour earlier with junior varsity games tipping off at 5:30 p.m. and the varsity contests getting under way around 7 p.m.
Now Pulaski County is the only Timesland school that starts its entire football schedule later than 7:30 p.m. The rest of the Roanoke Valley District moved back to 7:30 this year.
PIONEER STRENGTH: Girls' basketball in the Blue Ridge District has dominated Region III the past few years. That might be coming to an end if the Blue Ridge's early games against the Group AA Pioneer District are any indication.
After two weeks, the Group AA Blue Ridge District had a 2-6 mark against the Pioneer District. Byrd beat Glenvar and Alleghany downed James River for the Blue Ridge's only victories over the Pioneer District. The Highlanders gained revenge for their loss by beating the Terriers less than a week later on a last-second shot.
Lord Botetourt, expected to battle William Byrd for the Blue Ridge District title this fall, hasn't played a team from the Pioneer District. However, the Cavaliers have lost to 1993 Group A champion Floyd County.
That's no disgrace. Floyd County is as strong as many Group AA schools and Botetourt put up a fight before losing 63-56 on the Buffaloes' court.
Just after that game, though, Floyd County smoked Salem 67-40 on the Spartans' floor. Salem is regarded as one of the Blue Ridge's stronger teams.
Against all Group A competition, the Blue Ridge is 3-10 leading one to believe this is a rebuilding year for most of the district's teams.
ALUMNI SUPPORT: You can't say Cave Spring doesn't provide jobs for its alumni. The Knights list nine coaches on staff who are graduates of the school.
The only head coach in the group is Fuzzy Minnix in softball. Billy Hicks (boys) and Beth Wilson and Kay Caldwell (girls) are assistant basketball coaches; Tim Fulton and Squeakey Valentine are football assistants; Kit McCarthy helps with swimming; and Tamalyn Reed and Tony Clayton are volleyball aides. Valentine also helps with wrestling.
Memo: NOTE: Also ran in Neighbors section.