Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 25, 1994 TAG: 9408250109
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: By DOUG DOUGHTY STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Especially when they're for golf.
``Golf is my favorite,'' said Varney after coasting to a six-shot victory Wednesday in the Bob McLelland Metro golf tournament at Countryside. ``It's the sport I'd like to play in college.''
Varney has had a respectable golf career, but it has been overshadowed by his multiple state championships in tennis. He owns two Group A titles in singles and two in doubles and was a major contributor to three team championships at Glenvar.
``It's kind of tough to compare the two sports,'' said Varney, who also plays basketball and ranked eighth in the junior class with a 3.6 grade-point average. ``Personally, I think Group A golf is a lot stronger than Group A tennis.''
The competition Wednesday came from all classifications, with Brian Hill of Northside pulling as close as one stroke after seven holes.
``I was a little worried there for a while,'' said Varney, who had a 4-under-par 67 at Blue Hills in the first round . ``The turning point came at No. 8.''
Varney gained a stroke after Hill could not save par out of a bunker; then, a birdie at No. 9 allowed Varney to restore his three-shot cushion.
Bogeys at Nos. 10 and 12 realistically ended Hill's shot at the individual title, but he still led Northside to a two-day total of 597 and a 14-shot victory in the team competition. It was the Vikings' first Metro title in Jim Wolf's eight seasons as coach.
Wolf said tournament chairman and former Northside coach Jerry English said Northside's last title was in 1981, before the tournament was re-named for McLelland, the former Roanoke World-News sports editor who died last March.
``We've started to get a little recognition,'' Wolf said, ``but you can't take anything for granted. There are a lot of good young golfers in the valley. Here we were, playing our home course today, and Lord Botetourt had the low total [303].''
Hill finished second at 145, followed by Daryl Byrd of Lord Botetourt at 147. Doug Kenney of Cave Spring jumped into fourth place after a 72, which was the low round of the day until it was matched by Varney.
``It usually takes me till the first of September before I start feeling comfortable,'' said Kenney, who has been playing baseball most of the summer. ``I've played about 10 rounds leading up to this, so I came out here mostly to have fun.''
Kenney plays shortstop for Cave Spring's baseball team and batted .355 last year as a sophomore.
``I think my dad would like me to stick to golf,'' said Kenney, whose father operates Dr. Golf, a retail establishment in Roanoke County, ``but I think my future is in baseball.''
Unlike Kenney, Varney concentrates on golf once prep tennis ends in June. He has been a frequent contender in local events, but until Wednesday his biggest victories had been outside Roanoke, at the Andrew Haley Memorial in Martinsville and the Smith Mountain Lake Junior Open.
``This is a nice way to start the [high school] season,'' he said, ``but I don't know that it takes away the pressure for good.''
by CNB