Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, August 14, 1994 TAG: 9408310011
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C11 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Linwood Roberts went the administrative route, giving up coaching the Staunton River girls' basketball team to become assistant principal at Stewartsville Elementary School.
Roberts was one of those coaches who was naturally friendly. Before big games, he hardly could hide his nervousness, but he probably wouldn't have hid it if he could.
Roberts went out on top. His Golden Eagles were 23-3 last year, won the Region III and Seminole District championships and played in the Group AA tournament for the first time in school history.
``I just had a choice to make, and it was a hard one,`` Roberts said. ``It was kind of a family thing because the money [as an administrator] was better. I had to do it when the opportunity came, but I hated to leave girls' basketball.''
That is the straight scoop because that's the kind of person Roberts is. He was the Timesland girls' basketball coach of the year for 1993-94, and he acknowledges his heart still is with the program.
There's more to this story. Tom Karnes, who was an assistant to Roberts for all seven years of his tenure as head coach at Staunton River, steps up to replace his old boss.
``I'm glad to leave it with Tom,'' Roberts said. ``He's been my best friend for the past 20 years.''
The two got to know each other when they were students at James Madison University. Roberts transferred from Virginia Tech to the Harrisonburg school because his future wife, Leah Ann, was a student at JMU. Karnes lived in the same apartment complex and met Roberts through Leah Ann.
SMITH TO PH: When Patrick Henry opens football practice Monday, Monty Smith, an outstanding fullback-linebacker for North Cross' Division I state private school championship team, will be there with the intention of joining the Patriots for his senior season.
Smith, who was Timesland's leading scorer last season in boys' basketball, spoke during the spring of changing schools. He was a second-team All-Timesland linebacker and a first-team all-state choice at that position among private schools. He likely will play linebacker and slot back for PH.
Ed Scott, the Patriots' coach, refused to speculate on whether Smith would join his team, and the Smith family refused to comment in the spring on a possible transfer. Jim Muscaro, North Cross' football and basketball coach, was out of town and unavailable for comment.
Smith's stronger sport is football. In basketball, he averaged 24.2 points for the Raiders, but at 6-foot, he might be too small to compete inside with Group AAA players. However, it is known Smith has attended open gyms at PH this year and likely will be a candidate for the Patriots' basketball team.
Also at PH, outstanding wide receiver Jamie Price is moving to running back this year. As a junior, Price ran the 100-meter dash in 10.2 seconds at one track meet. He finished second in the 100- and 200-meter dashes at the Group AAA meet.
REGION IV SETTLED: Representatives of the current members of Region IV met last week and came to an agreement on realignment to accommodate the Blue Ridge District schools joining their region for the 1996-97 school year.
Current Region IV schools have set up three six-team districts with New River District members Christiansburg and Blacksburg joining the Southwest District teams of Tazewell, Richlands, Graham and Grundy. Carroll County, the other New River District school, will join a Highlands District that includes Marion, Gate City, Abingdon, Lee and Virginia High.
The Blue Ridge District of Northside, Salem, Rockbridge County, Alleghany, William Byrd and Lord Botetourt will form the third district in Region IV.
Christiansburg and Blacksburg might yet get their wish to join the Blue Ridge District, but it probably won't happen before the 1998-99 school year unless enough Group A-size schools drop from Region IV to make it feasible to operate with only two districts.
The current proposal will become official once the Blue Ridge petitions for membership in Region IV and the Group AA schools approve the move at their meeting in October. Then, Region III schools also will be realigned, with the 11-team Seminole District likely to be split.
LIGHTENING THE LOAD: Kevin Harris, who coached boys' and girls' basketball at Auburn, is giving up his duties with the girls' team to pursue course work toward a position as an administrator. He'll continue to coach the boys, with his assistant, Timmy Goetz, stepping up to coach the girls' team.
UNHAPPY CAMPER: James Irvin, the No.2 scorer for the Cave Spring boys' basketball team last season, suffered a dislocated ankle during Five-Star Camp and could be out of action until mid-December.
Irvin may need surgery on the ankle he injured after the Knights went to team camp at Indiana University and more than held their own against some stiff competition. If he is able to play, Irvin would be one of four starters returning for the Knights.
POPULAR SPORTS: It is not surprising basketball and football are among the most popular sports for high school athletes, according to figures released by the National High School Federation.
Among boys, there were 16,451 schools playing basketball during the 1993-94 season, while football had the most participants (928,134).
The second most-popular team sport, if number of schools participating is an indication, was outdoor track and field with 14,192 teams compared with 14,038 for football. In number of participants, basketball (530,068) and baseball (438,845) rated ahead of outdoor track and field (419,758).
It's no contest among girls, where basketball (16,016 schools and 412,576 participants) easily outdistanced runner-up outdoor track and field (14,027 schools and 345,700 participants).
There was another trend in boys' sports that is sure to continue. It's the growth of soccer, which ranked as the fifth most-popular sport, with 255,538 participants - nearly double the 132,073 who participated in 1979. Given the success of the World Cup in the United States this summer and the dominance of soccer on the recreational level, that boom seems certain to continue.
by CNB