Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 19, 1994 TAG: 9401190040
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. Dougherty
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
At least, that is what it meant for the 420 young athletes who gathered at Virginia Tech this month.
The Southwest Aquatic Team (SWAT) sponsored a New Year's Invitational meet Jan. 8 and 9 for nine YMCA swim teams in Virginia and North Carolina.
The host team fared well - finishing third. SWAT had 31 individual winners among its 113 medalists (top three places). Also, 15 relay teams captured medals, including four firsts.
\ WILLIAM BRUNNER was the biggest winner for SWAT with five firsts. He won the 50-meter freestyle, the 50- and 100-meter backstroke and the 50- and 100-meter butterfly for boys' age 9.
Four others took home three first-place medals. BETSY GARRATT won the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke and the 100-meter butterfly for girls age 12. COLE THROCKMORTON captured the 50- and 100-meter breaststroke and the 100-meter backstroke for boys age 10. AARON WORKMAN took the 50-, 100- and 200-meter freestyle for boys age 14. And GRAHAM GRAVELY won the 100-meter butterfly for boys age 14 and the 500-meter butterfly and the 200-meter backstroke in senior division races.
SWAT also had four double winners. JAMIE ROGERS won girls senior division races in the 500-meter freestyle and the 400-meter individual medley. GRANT THROCKMORTON captured the 100-meter freestyle and the 100-meter individual medley for boys age 9. STEVEN LANK took the 100-meter breaststroke for boys age 14 and a senior division race and the 200-meter breaststroke in a senior division race. And WILL HUGHSTON won senior division races in the 500-meter freestyle and 200-meter breaststroke.
Other SWAT winners were JULIE RHINESMITH (25-meter breaststroke for girls age 8), RENNIE WALDRON (500-meter butterfly for girls age 9), JACKIE MCLAUGHLIN (100-meter backstroke for girls ages 15-19); WILLIAM NEWCOMB (100-meter breaststroke for boys age 9), RUSS THROCKMORTON (200-meter individual medley for boys age 12), and MARK STONE (100-meter freestyle for boys ages 15-19).
The victorious relay teams were the boys' 7-and-under 100-meter freestyle and 100-meter medley and the boys' ages 8-9 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter medley.
The Lynchburg YMCA won the meet with 1,945 points. The Roanoke Valley Gators were second with 1,856, followed by SWAT with 1,735.
SWAT is sponsored during the YMCA season by the Pulaski YMCA and is made up of swimmers from throughout the New River Valley.
\ ROUNDBALL ROUNDUP: Hail to the champions. They are now the record holders.
Craft's Crew, the two-time defending champion in the town of Pulaski's Men's Basketball League, beat Renfro 120-85 last week to establish a league record for consecutive victories with 37.
The previous record was 36 straight wins by Rockwell in 1985 and 1986.
\ SAM POINDEXTER led four players in double-figures for the Crew with 36 points. CHARLES ARNOLD added 28, BOBBY HUNTER 19 and DOREA JONES 16.
\ DOUG MABRY scored a game-high 44 points for Renfro.
Craft's Crew (6-0) is one-half game out of the lead this season.
Athlete's Choice (7-0) holds the top spot. Last week, it knocked previously unbeaten Stevens Funeral Home (8-1) out of first place 84-68. CHRIS DALTON led A-Choice with 28 while ANGELO WEBB added 22 and WALTER BROOKS 18. Then Athlete's Choice got 32 points from WILLIE PORTER and beat Pepsi Cola 87-62, enabling it to move into undisputed possession of first place.
Slam Dunk Cards (7-1) stayed in the title hunt with a pair of victories. ANTHONY AKERS scored a career-high 47 points as SDC beat McDonald's 93-83. And Akers had 27 as the Cards edged Renfro 88-86 in overtime.
Meanwhile, L.R. Davis and McDonald's set a league record for combined points with 222 as L.R. Davis won its sixth straight game 117-105.
\ DARRELL PRICE poured in a league season-high 50 points and ROBBIE DALTON scored 45 for L.R. Davis. BRIAN BISHOP (30) and RYAN BLACKBURN (27) combined for 57 for McDonald's.
\ The winners kept winning in the second week of the Blacksburg Men's A League season as the London Underground, the Team and First National Bank all stayed unbeaten.
\ STEPHEN GREENFIELD had 14 scored as the London Underground downed Homeboyz 53-28. LLOYD ZELAZNEY tallied 29 as The Team edged P.K.'s 65-63. And T. PRIDE had 12 points to lead a balanced attack as FNB turned back Big Tools 66-57.
\ DAVE HERBSTER of P.K.'s had 32 points in a losing effort, the top scoring performance of the week.
The Men's B League got under way last week in Blacksburg.
\ GRANT WALKER was the top scorer in the opening week. His 18 points helped the Travel Squad down Montgomery Regional Hospital 61-52.
Other first-week winners were Shelor's and The Stupid.
\ GONE FISHIN': Attention bass fishermen. Virginia Tech has the clinic for you - Bass Fishing Techniques 1994.
The accelerated course in bass fishing strategy will be held Feb. 12-13 at the Holiday Inn Tangelwood in Roanoke. The cost is $74.
Instructors include JIMMY HOUSTON, a two-time B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year, the holder of 13 national bass fishing titles and the host of his own outdoor television series, and WOO DAVES, a 12-time Bassmaster Classic finalist and the 1990 classic runner-up.
For more information, call Virginia Tech at 231-5183.
\ IN CHRISTIANSBURG: If you like racing, the Christiansburg Parks and Recreation Department has a deal for you.
The department is sponsoring a trip to the First Union 400 at North Wilkesboro Speedway in North Carolina April 17. The cost is $45. Anyone under 21 must be accompanied by a paying adult.
For more information, call CHUCK MUNCY, supervisor of athletics, at 382-2349.
\ IN RADFORD: Who are the best young hoopsters in Radford? That question will be decided at the youth basketball tournaments Feb. 19-20.
The Recreation Department will sponsor hotshot, one-on-one and three-on-three tournaments. The fee is $1 per tournament for each participant who does not play in the city youth league. Pre-registration is required and will begin Jan. 31.
For more information, call the recreation department at 731-3633.
\ SWIM SCHEDULE: The Blacksburg Aquatic Center will be open special hours this month. It will operate 6 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays, and 1-6 p.m. Sundays.
Also, the facility will close at 3 p.m. Friday for a swim meet.
\ INFORMATION, PLEASE: The Community Sports Notebook is here to let people know what is happing in recreation sports in the New River Valley.
So help us help you by letting us know what you know.
You can write us at the Roanoke Times & World-News, New River Valley Bureau, P.O. Box 540, Christiansburg 24073. Drop off information at our office at 114 Peppers Ferry Road, or you can fax us at 381-1656.
by CNB