Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, October 22, 1994 TAG: 9411010016
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
In past years, the battle for the football title has come down to Martinsville and Magna Vista. Now, Bassett and Laurel Park have risen to the top along with previous also-rans Dan River and Patrick County while Magna Vista, plagued by injuries and inexperience, has a losing record.
Bassett and Laurel Park were 4-2, right in the middle of the Piedmont District title fight entering Friday's games and alive for possible playoff berths.
Laurel Park's Crabtree is an interim coach subbing for John Kovack, who is not coaching this year because of a brother who is seriously ill. The Lancers were tied for first with Dan River going into Friday's games.
``We have a lot of seniors on the team, so we expected to be decent,'' said Crabtree, a long-time assistant and friend to Kovack. ``As the interim coach, it was tough to get everything going. There was a lot of paper work, things that as an assistant you are not familiar with.''
Crabtree says he feels no pressure and still talks to Kovack, who attends the games. The Lancers' offense has sparkled behind quarterback Darrell Wilson and running back Solomon Paddyfote, who together have accounted for more than 1,000 yards.
On defense, linebacker Kunta Gravely and end Chad Oakes have starred.
At Bassett, Hall took over a program that going into this year had an 11-29 record since Virginia Tech quarterback Maurice DeShazo left five years ago.
``We have 23 players right now,'' said Hall, who came from Gar-Field to take the Bassett job. ``We had some seniors drop by the wayside because of the work I require and then lost our quarterback [Chris Hairston] with a neck injury.''
It gets tougher because defensive back Tyree Hairston, one of the reasons Bassett has been doing so well, quit this past week.
``I'm amazed. We're an injury or two away from saying it's over,'' said Hall, who has 12 sophomores on the varsity. One of those is quarterback Cory Manns, who has done well. Fullback-linebacker Clifford Wimbush is Bassett's best player and Hall feels he'll be recruited by at least Division I-AA programs.
SIZZLIN' SENIORS:The names are familiar, but two years ago they were just the latest edition of the Sizzlin' Sophomores.
Understand, this team is picked by talking to coaches and getting their nominations each year. The high school sports gurus at this paper try but don't always succeed in seeing every candidate for the Sizzlin' Sophomore team, which has been chosen since the mid-1980s as a way to honor 10th-grade athletes.
How well the Sizzlin' Sophomores do as seniors can validate their selection to the 10th-grade team.
That's what Raypheal Milton of Giles is doing. He was Timesland's Sizzlin' Sophomore of the Year in 1992. Two years later, he's cruising to a possible one-year state record for total offensive yards. He leads Timesland in rushing and is fourth in passing.
Look at the other two now-senior running backs who were noticed as sophomores: Christiansburg's Andra Beasley and Pulaski County's Eric Webb.
Beasley is second in Timesland rushing. Webb was a great running back as a junior who nearly led the Cougars to a second-straight Group AAA Division 6 state title before he was injured in the playoff semifinals. The team lost the championship final. Now Webb is an outstanding linebacker and a top college prospect.
PARDON ME, AGAIN: Have you heard this before?
``I realize that my actions concerning this matter demand that steps be taken to address the poor judgment that I used, and I am willing to accept responsibility. I only ask that you and the Virginia High School League hold me solely responsible for my actions as head coach ... ''
Compare this with a statement made nearly two years later:
``During the Richlands versus Graham football game, I made a remark to a Graham player that was perceived derogatorily. I apologize to anyone who was offended by this comment.''
By now you've guessed the source of these statements. It's Richlands assistant football coach Dennis Vaught. The first statement came after Vaught apologized for outfitting his teams in illegal cleats in a playoff game against Salem in 1992. The other came after a Graham football player accused Vaught of making a derogatory remark to him during a game against Richlands this fall.
Vaught said words to the same effect when he resigned from Patrick Henry after making an alleged racial slur during a halftime talk in 1989. I'm sure he wrote similar words to a Marion player that he berated during the 1992 season, though I don't have a copy of that letter.
The question is, how many times will Tazewell County allow Vaught to get away with conduct unbecoming a coach or a teacher? There have been other documented incidents. The list is not short, yet Tazewell County Schools Superintendent Woodrow Mullin accepted the latest apology with the added comment, ``But I want to make it clear that this board does not condone such behavior, will not allow it to go unanswered, and will not tolerate a repetition.''
Anyone want to bet on how true that last statement is?
NEW STATE CHAMPIONSHIP: If you hadn't noticed, there was another sports poll last week. The state's top private-school volleyball teams were ranked, with North Cross getting the top position.
The private schools will decide a state volleyball champion this fall, with the finals and semifinals to be held on the Raiders' courts Nov. 12, after four first-round games at the homes of the highest-ranked teams.
SCOOOOORE: Amherst County's bid to throw a shutout for the regular season in football ended with a 49-6 victory over winless Altatvista. Actually, it was only half a game as the Colonels, who became the first team in seven games to score on the Lancers, forfeited at the half because they ran out of players. Still, Amherst County will not get a 1-0 shutout (under rules of a football forfeit) as the score of the game stands with an asterisk for the forfeit.
by CNB