Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, May 29, 1994 TAG: 9405290044
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-12 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
With 27 schools in Region III and only 12 in Region IV for the 1994-95 school year, something had to be done to address the imbalance in Group AA.
It appeared the problem had been solved during the winter, when six Piedmont District schools - Laurel Park, Fieldale-Collinsville, Magna Vista, Bassett, Martinsville and Patrick County - volunteered to move from Region III to IV.
Then, the VHSL's Reclassification Study Committee, which was formed to address the issue of realignment across the state, showed that gridlock is as big a problem in Charlottesville as it is in Washington. The committee, instead of accepting the proposal to move the six Piedmont schools, told Region III and Region IV officials to work out the split themselves or the VHSL would do it for them.
It may come to that.
Schools in Region IV aren't happy about the prospect of facing the Piedmont schools. They would prefer to add the six Blue Ridge District schools to their region. The Blue Ridge schools, however, have fought the idea of leaving Region III since it first was proposed several years ago.
Officers of both regions will meet June 6 at The Farmhouse Restaurant in Christiansburg to try to work out an equitable split of the 39 schools.
"I think we're just looking at possibilities for realigning the two regions to get some balance between them," said George Porterfield, Christiansburg's principal. "I don't know what will come out of it. We'll more or less just talk about the possibilities."
Porterfield says each school is looking out for its own interests, and "I understand that. At some point in time, I hope we can set aside our individual concerns and consider what's best for the league [VHSL] and what's best for the two regions."
Joe DeVault, Magna Vista's principal, says the Henry County schools, Martinsville and Patrick County haven't changed their minds about going to Region IV.
"Someone has to move, and we've always been willing to move," DeVault said. "We'd like to accomplish this with the fewest people being upset. And if we move, this would be acceptable to more people."
Sources, though, say Region IV schools would much rather travel north on Interstate 81 to face Blue Ridge District teams than east on Route 58 to take on Piedmont District teams.
"I'd like to stay where we are," said Bob Patterson, William Byrd's principal. "We're closer to most of the teams we're already playing. We like the vicinity we're in. I don't believe it will come down to a fight."
If it goes to the VHSL, Patterson, as one of the organization's more influential members, might be a factor.
"I don't know how the VHSL would decide," he said. "They'd have to get a map, pinpoint where the schools are in the two regions, discuss it and make a decision."
Rockbridge County, Region III's northernmost member, would have a two-hour bus trip to the nearest Region IV school.
"We all expect certain situations in regional [tournament] travel, so that's not my concern," said John Reynolds, Rockbridge County's principal. "My concern for Rockbridge County is if we end up in a district in Region IV that includes Blacksburg, Christiansburg and Carroll County. Then district travel becomes a burden for us."
And if the Blue Ridge is forced to move? "I don't know what options we'd have," Reynolds said.
Would the Blue Ridge District go to court to block a move to Region IV, as it hinted it might do several years ago?
"I can't say the Blue Ridge would sue," Patterson said. "You never comment on something like that. You need to wait and see if something happens."
\ REGION HORROR STORY: When the VHSL's Reclassification Study Committee looked at realignment and reclassification, it decided most members were happy with the classification enrollment sizes and - except for a few problems at the regional level - things were fine.
Don't tell that to the Cave Spring girls' soccer team.
The Knights traveled to Albemarle for a Northwest Region first-round game last week under the lights. After the game was delayed, Cave Spring lost 1-0 and didn't get back to Roanoke until 3 a.m.
Needless to say, Cave Spring school officials were upset. It makes no sense to have high school teams traveling the highways and byways of Virginia at 3 a.m. This incident should send a clear signal to the committee that something needs to be done.
\ NIFTY DOUBLEHEADER: William Fleming and Oak Hill will be part of a boys' basketball doubleheader Feb. 4, 1995, at Heritage High School in Lynchburg.
Fleming takes on Southern of Baltimore in the first game at 6:30 p.m. Oak Hill, which was rated No. 1 in the nation by USA Today this year, battles St. Patrick High School of Elizabeth, N.J., at 8 p.m.
St. Patrick is led by 5-foot-9 junior Sheheen Holloway, who was rated the No. 3 sophomore in the New York-New Jersey-Delaware area by Reidel's Roundball Review.
\ CATAWBA SIGNEE: Bassett's Art Wade, who led Timesland boys' basketball players in scoring as a junior with a 25.4-point average, has signed a letter of intent with Catawba College in Salisbury, N.C.
Catawba, an NCAA Division II school, plans to use Wade as a point guard. The 6-1 two-time All-Piedmont District selection moved from shooting guard to the point as a senior, reducing his scoring. He still averaged 18 points, seven assists and six rebounds for the Bengals.
\ NEW BETHEL GIRLS' COACH: Vernon Claytor, who was an assistant women's basketball coach at Radford University and Virginia Commonwealth, is the new girls' coach at Bethel High School in Hampton. He replaces 22-year veteran Jessie Pope.
Claytor, a Roanoke native, played at William Fleming and Knoxville College. During his six-year tenure at Radford, the Highlanders won three Big South Conference titles.
by CNB