Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, April 11, 1995 TAG: 9504110124
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
This was the year Franklin County was going for it all in volleyball.
The Eagles just missed winning a Group AAA state title, but nevertheless established itself as the best program in Timesland.
For that reason, Franklin County coach Nancy Castillo and middle blocker Susie Wilson take the top honors in Timesland.
Their main competition came from North Cross, which won the first private schools' state championship. When the teams played each other, Franklin County romped 12-15, 15-13, 15-9, 15-5.
The only team that stopped the Eagles was Hylton. By the luck of the regional draw, Franklin County had to visit Hylton in the semifinals and lost 15-12, 16-14 to the team that went on to win the Group AAA state title. It was Franklin County's only loss in 23 matches and observers felt the Eagles were the state's second-best AAA team.
Wilson, as Player of the Year, heads the All-Timesland team that includes a pair of Northside seniors, Terri Craig and Cathy Galko, two North Cross stars in Blair Calvert and Heather Perry, William Byrd junior Cathy Smith and Patrick Henry's Ayisha Whitenack.
Franklin County dominates the second team with Tonya Jones and Latonya Witcher. Others on the squad are George Wythe's Kim Corvin, Carroll County's Bethany Hill, North Cross' Armistead Lemon, Blacksburg's April Rogers and William Fleming's Janika Word.
Wilson, the Roanoke Valley District Player of the Year, beat out Galko and Calvert for top honors among the players.
Castillo topped North Cross coach Donna Satterwhite and Northside's Donna Culicerto, whose Vikings made the Group AA state tournament.
The team was picked by the staff of the Roanoke Times & World-News in consultation with area high school and college coaches.
``We had seven seniors [out of the top 10],'' said Castillo about making the big push for state honors this year. ``I never really thought we'd be unbeaten [during the regular season], but we do shoot for that. This team had good chemistry. They hung out together and did things together after school. Each teammate pulled for each other and that, plus dedication and hard work, is what made us so successful.''
Wilson arrived at Franklin County last year as a transfer from Martinsville Christian.
``I've lived in Rocky Mount all my life,'' said Wilson. ``I made the change back for sports.''
Besides volleyball, Wilson also plays basketball and runs track. She's on the 400-meter relay team, runs the 400-meter dash and participates in the long and triple jumps.
``I really think volleyball is my best sport. I've played for five years. I got started in it on a school team,'' said Wilson.
The Eagle senior said it took her a year to adjust after coming over from Martinsville Christian. ``First, the competition level was higher. But having a good coach helped me make the adjustment.''
``She was an outside hitter at Martinsville Christian. Since she's come here, Susie is much more aggressive, though as a person she's normally very quiet,'' said Castillo.
Wilson will attend Randolph-Macon in Ashland to play on that school's volleyball team, which will be in its first year of competition.
North Cross had a good team behind Calvert, an all-around player who helped the Raiders finish 24-2. The only other loss aside from the one to Franklin County was to Cave Spring. North Cross split with the Knights and knocked off Patrick Henry, which joined Franklin County in the Northwest Region tournament.
Perry was a setter and the other star for the Raiders, who played host to the first volleyball state private schools tournament.
Galko and Craig were part of a team that surprised favored William Byrd in the Blue Ridge District. Whitenack paced Patrick Henry. Byrd's Smith, the only junior on the team, is also a strong basketball player. She was second-team All-Timesland. However, Smith is considered better at volleyball.
by CNB