Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 24, 1994 TAG: 9404240107
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C-10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Deans became the first coach to take a public school team from Virginia off the mainland when his 1991 outfit played in a tournament in Hawaii.
This trip to the 50th state is different, however, because PH will play four regular-season games. There's no tournament and no return games by the Hawaiian teams.
"One of the schools is Iolani, which is setting up the rest of the schedule," said Deans, whose Patriots will play Dec. 2-3-5-6. "We wanted to go over there, but we didn't want to play in the tournament."
Deans is filling dates that were played against Group AA schools Alleghany and Lord Botetourt last season.
"We told the kids and they're excited. We're making final decisions on two different travel agents, who are getting back to us with the prices," Deans said.
"There's a possibility we'll practice. We have a nice itinerary. We'll be sure that we see all the cultural things on the island [of Oahu], like the plantations, Pearl Harbor, the Polynesian Cultural Center, etc."
PH will have the least experience of any Roanoke Valley District team next season, yet the Patriots will face one of the most demanding schedules. PH plays single games against Northside and Salem, both of which are expected to be very good Group AA teams, plus home-and-home series with GW-Danville, E.C. Glass and Heritage from the Group AAA Western District.
\ STATE BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT: Ten sites responded to the Virginia High School League's call for bids to hold the 1995-96 state boys' basketball tournaments and the Group AAA girls' event.
Of the 10, two didn't have an arena available on the dates required. The other eight making a bid were the Salem Civic Center, Hampton University, the Scope in Norfolk, William and Mary, Liberty University and three Richmond sites (Robbins Center, Richmond Coliseum and Ashe Center).
Of the eight, William and Mary and the Robbins Center aren't available for next year's dates. They still are being considered, however, in case the VHSL Executive Council, which will choose the site in May, wants to hold the tournament at one site in 1995 and then move to another for 1996.
Liberty University may be the favorite as a compromise if the council decides to hold all four tournaments at the same site. Group AA and A schools don't want to go to Richmond; on the other hand, Group AAA schools would like to be in a more central location in a city such as Lynchburg.
There also is a real possibility that the winter state tournaments will be split, with the Group AAA schools playing in a more metropolitan area as they did several years ago.
\ BORED GOALIE: How strong is the girls' soccer team at Patrick Henry? The Patriots, in winning their first seven games, have taken the heat off the goalie with a defense that has given up 12 shots and one goal. The string of six shutouts ended Friday night when Cave Spring's Lynn Moore scored in a 3-1 loss to PH.
\ VIRGINIA HIGH COACH: Jeff Herron, who coached four years at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Ga., has been hired as the Virginia High School football coach. He comes from Gate City and beat out former George Wythe coach Billy Haun.
Virginia High might have to find a new boys' basketball coach and athletic director, because Mike Cartolaro is one of five candidates who have interviewed for the boys' basketball vacancy at Alleghany High School.
A sixth possibility is Covington girls' basketball and softball coach Rob Bennett. His name has been mentioned, along with Staunton River's Eddie Carter, who was the last candidate to interview Friday. Carter also is an applicant for the opening at Altavista.
Richard McElwee, Bath County's baseball coach, also would have been a candidate at Alleghany. However, he recently was named boys' basketball coach for the Chargers.
Bath County also chose Paul Smith to replace Harvey Eye as athletic director. Eye remains on the football staff. Bath County is looking for a girls' basketball coach. Keith Lindsay, who held both basketball positions, resigned from those jobs.
\ GREEN TO ETSU: Stacy Green, a three-sport star at George Wythe, has accepted a full grant-in-aid to compete in track and field at East Tennessee State. Green was a second-team All-Timesland girls' basketball pick and a first-team volleyball selection.
Rhonda Jo Brewer, a second-team All-Timesland volleyball pick for the Maroons, has committed to Division III Emory & Henry.
\ BAILEY GONE: In the how-little-coaches-are-appreciated department, a little more than a year after his team won the Group AAA boys' basketball championship, Bethel's Mike Bailey was told he no longer was the Bruins' coach.
Bailey, of course, reaped the rewards of coaching Allen Iverson and Tony Rutland. Iverson, the 1993 Group AAA boys' basketball player of the year, missed the 1993-94 season after his conviction in a bowling-alley brawl. Rutland was the top Group AAA boys' basketball player this season, but Bethel finished 11-10.
The only reason given to Bailey, who was one of three coaches fired by Bethel, was the school wanted to go in a new direction. Bailey had four consecutive winning seasons. Also let go were an assistant coach and the girls' basketball coach, though all have the right to remain at the school as teachers.
\ DOING DOUBLE DUTY: Steve Williams, a former Bath County football assistant, will remain head coach in that sport and boys' basketball at Appomattox County next year. He might be the only man above the Group A level serving as head coach of those two sports.
In 1993, Williams' football team was 2-8. His 1993-94 basketball team went 12-7. The football team has strong 10th- and 11th-grade classes next year in the Seminole District, which is generally considered the state's strongest Group AA league. His basketball team has one starter returning.
\ NEW HERITAGE COACH: Heritage has ended its search by naming former assistant Pem Apperson as head football coach. Apperson was an assistant at Buckingham County last year. The Pioneers tried unsuccessfully to interest several top Group AA head coaches in the position.
by CNB