Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, January 25, 1995 TAG: 9501260080
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: M.J. DOUGHERTY
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
While the local schools and colleges are often wrestling nearby, the Halls take to their car and travel throughout the region for events.
That's what happens when you are successful. And that's exactly what 10-year-old PRESTON HALL has been.
The family's first trip of the new year took them from Blacksburg to Buckhannon, W.Va., more than 200 miles away. Of course, coming home with the first-place trophy in the 75-pound division of the 14th Annual Buckhannon Upshur Wrestling Tournament made the journey more than worthwhile.
To claim the title, Hall decisioned G. TRESSLER of the Southern Mat Club of Oakland, Md., 4-2. Tressler got the first takedown to open a 2-0 lead. But Hall evened the score with a reversal in the closing seconds of the first period. After choosing the down position to start the second period, Hall got a reversal to take a two-point advantage. Then Hall preserved the victory by riding Tressler the entire third and final period.
Hall knew it was an impressive win when a coach from another team congratulated him after the match and told him that not too many people beat Tressler. Hall was pretty impressive throughout the entire tournament. He dispatched his first three foes via pins to reach the championship match.
The tournament featured 34 teams from throughout West Virginia, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Maryland and Virginia.
With the victory, Hall earned an invitation to the 1995 Tournament of Champions in Columbus, Ohio, on April 22. Honors are nothing new to Hall, though. He twice has been a Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Association Virginia State champion, is a three-time Commonwealth Games winner and was one of eight finalists for the Virginia Amateur Sports ``Athlete of the Year'' award.
Hall hasn't lost in a tournament in Virginia over the past two years. Overall in 1994, he was 47-3.
ROUNDBALL REPORT: The Dublin Express Stop just keeps winning. And now it has players reaching milestones while the team sets records.
SAM POINDEXTER and CHARLES ARNOLD became the 12th and 13th players in Pulaski Men's Basketball League history to reach 2,000 points for their careers. They turned the trick as DES won for the 56th straight time, beating Pepsi Cola 101-57.
DAVID SMITH led the way for the Stop with 26 points, while Arnold scored 20 and Poindexter 18.
The win kept Dublin Express Stop the only unbeaten team in the league at 8-0.
In earlier action, Smith led five players in double figures with 20 as DES turned back Bad Boys 75-65. And Smith (30), Poindexter (28), JEROME BROWN (26) and BOBBY HUNTER (20) led DES over McDonald's 106-76.
Elsewhere around the league, LARRY CHRISLEY of Pulaski Hospital put on a three-point shooting clinic in the second half of the game against Electroplate Rite. Chrisley went 7-for-7 from beyond the arc after intermission, helping PCH rally for a 93-82 win.
Also reaching a milestone was GARRY MARION. He scored his 1,000th career point as Heilig-Meyers downed EPR 107-73.
And Stevens Funeral Home had a league-high scoring output against Heilig-Meyers, winning 119-68. Four players managed 20 points in the game for Stevens: RON SHELBURNE (26), LARRY FOX (24), MIKE SAMSON (21) and RANDY OLVERSON (20).
Still, Heilig-Meyers has the top two scorers in the league - DOUG MABRY (26 ppg) and LEE AYERS (25 ppg). Mabry also leads the league in three-pointers with 39.
First place belonged to First National Bank and First Baptist - along with Hoopsters - after the first week of play in the Blacksburg Men's A League.
First Baptist used balanced scoring to beat Kroger's 82-49. First National Bank got 23 points from TROY PRICE and 20 from ANTHONY HOUSTON as it downed Electro-Tec 98-39. And Hoopsters and CHIP WALTON outduelled Hardees and PIERRE PEOPLES 74-53. Walton hit for three three-pointers as he scored 27 for Hoopsters, while Peoples had 26 for Hardees.
Travel Squad won the battle of unbeatens in the Blacksburg Men's B League as it defeated Federal Mogul 69-54. SCOTT REED scored 18 points for Travel Squad. Federal Mogul got a game-high 23 points from JIM BAHR but it wasn't enough.
The win leaves Travel Squad with the league's best record at 4-0 and its top scorer in MARC WALLACE (36 ppg).
It took just two weeks to reduce the ranks of the unbeatens to Sue's Gang in the Blacksburg Women's League. The Gang beat N-Balance 45-38 behind 14 points from league-high scorer S. WILKEY to stay perfect.
ON TARGET: Triangle Archers of Blacksburg will hold another of its indoor winter tournaments Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Single-spot and 5-spot National Field Archery targets will be used. The fee is $6 for the first round and $3 for each additional round.
Triangle Archers is at 2612 Ramble Road. For more information, call JIM OVERFELT at 552-8023.
Upcoming tournaments are scheduled for Feb. 11 and 25 and March 18 and 25.
SPIKES AND SERVES SET: Several teams fell from the unbeaten ranks in volleyball leagues in Blacksburg.
There were only two matches in the Men's Power League. But as a result, idle Sting (8-0) stands alone in first. Both Lethargic (6-1) and Stump Jumpers (6-2) were in action and split their matches against Dink Inc., and Stung, respectively.
The Unknowns (7-1) lost the first game in the match against Sharkeys but still held on to the lead in the Women's Power League.
KA (14-2) split with Total Control, which wasn't good enough to stay perfect but was good enough to keep its Coed Power A League lead.
In other play, Slow Motion (10-2) won three of four games in the first-place showdown with Buns of Steel in the Women's B League.
Fertility (11-1) swept Assorted Nuts to extend its lead over Powerball Flunkies in the Coed B Division 1.
And Thrown Together (7-1) didn't play like its name as it swept Enforcers and moved ahead of Christina's Team in Coed B Division 2.
SPORTS CLUBBING IT: The Blacksburg Sports Club holds weekly meetings Wednesday at noon at the Custom Catering Center at 902 Patrick Henry Drive.
Each luncheon meeting features a speaker from Virginia Tech, Blacksburg High School, or other local or national sport.
Reservations can be made by calling DEAN FARMER at 953-0388. The hot luncheon buffet is $6.50. The optional garden salad is $5.
Annual dues for those wishing to join the sports club are $15.
by CNB