Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, March 1, 1995 TAG: 9503010088
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The Lancers used their superiority on the boards to beat Altavista 56-42 on Tuesday night in an opening-round game at the Salem Civic Center to move on to a contest against Northside. The teams will meet Thursday with a trip to the Group AA state tournament on the line.
Laurel Park and the Vikings have been preseason scrimmage foes for five years. They also met in the Region III tournament as recently as 1992, when Northside upset a Lancers team led by Group AA and Timesland Player of the Year Odell Hodge. The previous year, Laurel Park eliminated the Vikings in the regional tournament.
``We're glad to have the opportunity to play them and hope we have a good game,'' said Frank Scott, Laurel Park's coach. ``Right now, we know they're a tough team.''
The Lancers (19-5) only trailed briefly, and that was in the opening half. Laurel Park used a 50-38 advantage on the boards and five blocked shots to whip the Colonels.
The Lancers hit 20 of 47 field-goal attempts and got 21 points from the coach's son, Warrick Scott, who hit seven of 10 from the field and the free-throw line.
Rashad Wall, starting for only the third time, blocked four shots and grabbed 14 rebounds.
``I thought we got tired, but we dominated the boards and shot free throws OK,'' Frank Scott said. ``We had a lot of sickness. Warrick had the flu and I didn't know if he'd play.''
The Lancers ruined the Region III debut of Buena Vista native Mike Cartolaro, who moved from Virginia High to Altavista this season. The Colonels lost patience as they fell behind. Their leading scorer, Dennis Brown, was held to nine points before fouling out.
Altavista (17-7) stayed in the game for a quarter. Then, the Lancers went to a zone, shutting down the Colonels' offense.
Laurel Park had a 25-13 bulge in rebounding at the half as it built a 30-20 lead.
About the only thing Altavista did correctly in the first half was handle the ball. The Colonels committed only two turnovers, but even that changed in the second half as they lost the ball eight times in the third quarter.
by CNB