Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, April 27, 1994 TAG: 9404270065
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-12 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. Dougherty
DATELINE: BLACKSBURG LENGTH: Long
The Blacksburg Rugby Club does.
"This is the only sport where you spend 80 minutes trying to kill somebody," said scrumhalf KEVIN "SCRUFFY" MCWILLIAMS. "Then afterwards, you go out with them and have a beer and talk about it."
Rugby is sort of in between soccer and football. It has two teams of 15 players on a 100-meter field. Matches consist of two 40-minute halves. The ball can only be advanced by kicking or running, and no blocking is allowed. And scoring is five points for a try, two for the extra kick (after a try) and three for a penalty kick).
The Blacksburg club was established in 1988 and the team started playing the next year. Since then, the lure of the sport's unique combination of contact, competition and camaraderie have led to its slow but steady growth.
"We're getting a little bit better competitionwise," said GEORGE WHITE, who has been playing rugby for 10 years and was one of the founding members of the club. "We're gotten a little better each year with bumps here and there since this is such a transit area with the students."
Older students - usually older undergraduate or graduate students not eligible for the Virginia Tech club - generally make up between one-third and one-half of the squad.
"At the Mountain Classic last fall, I was playing for Johnson City," said No. 8 (a.k.a. the wing forward position) and student ANDY TOMLINSON, who got hooked on rugby at Southwest Virginia Community College. "Some members of the Blacksburg team approached me there. They knew I was coming here and wasn't going to be playing for Virginia Tech."
This spring, Blacksburg - known to its fans as the Blue-and-Black because of its uniform colors - is 3-4 heading into its season finale against Roanoke, this Saturday at 1 p.m. on the field behind Gables Shopping Center in Blacksburg.
"Working with this team is hard for me," said first-year coach BOB URBAN, who also coaches the Radford University men's and Virginia Tech women's teams. "Having played with this team for so long, it's tough being on the sidelines."
Saturday, Blacksburg broke a three-game losing streak with a come-from-behind 22-20 win over Asheville, N.C. (13-3).
CHARLIE METCLAFE scored a try with two minutes to go that tied the score at 20. Then McWilliams converted the extra kick for the decisive points.
BRETT "CRAZY LEGS" FORVILLE intercepted a pitch and returned it 20 meters for a try earlier in the second half.
ROB "LJ" LYMBURNER scored Blacksburg's lone try of the first half on a 50-meter run late in the period.
McWilliams converted a 45-meter penalty kick and two extra kicks during the match.
Anyone interested in learning more about the rugby team or playing rugby should contact team reps Lymburner at 552-6005 or BARRY CROSS at 951-7847. The team practices Wednesday nights behind Gables Shopping Center and plays on weekends.
(As for the question, the scrumhalf starts the scrum by bringing up and then moves to the back of the formation. The flying halfback is the forward-most back behind the scrum).
ROUNDBALL WRAP-UP: Chicago and the University of Michigan should be so lucky as the Bulls and the Wolverines in the Pulaski Youth Basketball Leagues. The two teams came up big winners in post-season tournaments.
The Bulls strong second half performances from AARON RYGAS and TONY CHRISLEY to turn back the Suns 54-49 and capture the Senior Boys title. Rygas scored all 12 of his points after intermission in the battle between the regular season co-champions. Chrisley hit a key jumper and went 4-of-4 from the free throw line down the stretch.
DERRICK HUNTER scored 13 points to pace the Bulls (9-3). SHANNON HYPES led the Suns (8-4) with 13 points.
The performance of the tournament belonged to JAMAR McNAIR of the Blazers. He scored a league-record 50 points in the Blazers' 88-69 semifinals loss to the Suns. The previous record was 49 points, set in 1986 by KURT WEBB.
McNair and A.J. STANCIL of the Celtics shared league MVP honors.
The Wolverines set three scoring records as they downed the Thunder 84-71 in the Junior League championship game.
The 84 points was the most ever in a game and included a league-record 52 second-half points. And the two teams' combined total of 155 points also set a league record.
JABBAR PATTERSON poured in 34 points for the third-seeded Wolverines (12-3), including 23 in the big second half ROBERT ROGERS and EDDIE CARTER helped out with 26 and 16 points respectively.
The Thunder (9-6), the No. 4 seed, had five players score in double-figures, led by ADAM COBLE with 15 points.
The finalists each knocked off one of the league's regular season co-champions in the semifinals.
Patterson (26) and Rogers (19) combined for 45 points as the Wolverines upended the Hornets 68-55.
JASON WIENKE and RYAN NUNLEY each scored 21 points while CHRIS WRIGHT added 19 to lift the Thunder past the Tar Heels 77-70.
The close competition resulted in a four-way tie for league MVP honors between Patterson of the Wolverines, Wienke of the Thunder, MIKE PARKS of the Tar Heels and CHRIS DAVIS of the Hornets.
Montgomery County Parks and Recreation will sponsor an adult summer fast break basketball league.
Registration begins May 16. Games will be on Monday and Wednesday nights. Anyone age 18 and over is eligible to play. The cost is $220 per team.
SPIKES AND SERVES SET: Get in line. Registration for summer volleyball leagues in Blacksburg begins Monday at 8 a.m.
There will be a women's league playing on Monday nights and two coed leagues playing on Thursday evenings. Each league will have a maximum of eight teams.
And all players must be at least 17.
The cost is $50 per team plus a $10 forfeit fee and a $5 fee for each non-town resident (maximum three per team).
For more information, call Blacksburg Parks and Recreation at 961-1135.
The Ground Hogs (12-3) have won six straight games and pulled into a first-place tie with Sting (12-3) in the Blacksburg Men's Power League. Three other teams are within two games of the top with two matches (six games) remaining: Unstables (11-4), Stump Jumpers (11-4) and Da Sooper Fans (10-5).
Total Chaos (10-5) has the most wins in the Blacksburg Women's A Power League. But three teams
- Sharkeys (9-3), Unknowns (8-4) and Sugar & Spikes (7-4-1) - have fewer losses. Sharkeys threw the league standings into chaos by sweeping a match from former front-runner Sugar & Spikes.
Ain't Misbehavin (14-6-1) and Buns of Steel (13-6-2) each swept their matches against Comic Relief in the Blacksburg Women's B League. That allowed Aint Misbehavin to stay one-half game in front.
Total Control (14-0-1) took exactly that in the Blacksburg Coed A Power League, sweeping Sporadic Spikers which had entered the showdown match in second place, 11/2 games behind.
Not Mine (6-0) and Trouble Makers (8-1) hold the top spots in their respective divisions of the Blacksburg Coed B League.
TENNIS, ANYONE: New River Community College's Office of Continuing Education will sponsor tennis tournaments in May.
Men's and women's singles are May 7-8. The registration deadline is Friday. The cost is $6 plus one can of tennis balls.
Men's, women's and mixed doubles are May 14-15. The registration deadline is May 6. The cost is $10 per team and one can of balls.
For more information, call the Office of Continuing Education at 674-3607.
Montgomery County Parks and Recreation is offering adult and youth tennis lessons in the evenings during June. Classes will be offered on Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday circuits.
The cost is $15 for youths (classes at 6-7 p.m.) and $20 for adults (classes from 7-8 p.m.). Participants are expected to bring a racket and a can of balls to class.
Montgomery County Parks and Recreation will sponsor a youth tennis tournament on May 23-27.
Tournaments will be held for boys and girls in two age division: 11-13 and 14-17. All matches will be at Christiansburg High School after 3 each afternoon.
Registration starts May 2. The cost is $15 per event.
YOUTH BALL GAMES: Registration for Pony League and Dixie League baseball sponsored by the Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department continues through May 13.
The Pony League is co-sponsored with Blacksburg and Christiansburg. It is for youths ages 13-14 (as of Aug. 1). The fee is $15.
The Dixie League will be offered at Auburn and Shawsville high schools. It it for youths ages 15-18 (as of Aug. 1). The fee is $15.
Girls softball registration in Montgomery County continues through Monday. The cost is 15. The program is for girls ages 9-18 and is co-sponsored with Blacksburg and Christiansburg.
GO GOLFING:Montgomery County Parks and Recreation is sponsoring golf classes for adults and youths at Cox's Driving Range in Blacksburg.
Classes will be offered on Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday circuits in June.
The cost is $15 for youths (classes at 6-7 p.m.) and $20 for adults (classes from 7-8 p.m.). Participants will purchase range balls at a discount and should bring clubs to class.
GRAPPLING TOURNAMENT: The USA Wrestling Virginia Cadet State Championships are this weekend at the Pulaski County High School gym.
Friday night at 8 is the Greco-Roman championship.
Saturday morning at 10 is the Freestyle championship.
The tournament is for wrestlers ages 15 and 16.
CAMPS ARE A-COMIN': Tennis. Gymnastics. Golf. Baseball. Basketball. Adventure. Other leisure activities.
These are some of the youth camps being sponsored this summer by Blacksburg Parks and Recreation.
Most camps cost between $25 and $50, with Lifetime ($60) and Adventure ($80) camps being more expensive.
Sign-ups begin May 18. Camps run weekly from June 20-24 to Aug. 15-19.
For more information, call the department at 961-1135.
HELP WANTED: Montgomery County Parks and Recreation Department is looking for a few good people.
Volunteer baseball coaches and paid umpires, scorekeepers and instructors for golf and tennis.
Anyone interested should call TIM COONEY at 382-6975.
by CNB