Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, April 16, 1995 TAG: 9504180062
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: E10 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
It's going to be a great race in the boys' and girls' division to find out who follows The competition has been fierce to succeed last year's winners, Salem's Mark Byington (boys) and George Wythe's Stacey Green (girls).
The recipients of the award are not announced until the annual All-Timesland banquet, which is supposed to have the drama of the Academy Awards. The inaugural girls' award 10 years ago certainly was a surprise to Laura Barta of Radford among the girls and Floyd County's Tim Slaughter among the boys.
Barta hustled in from a state tennis match to receive her award as the top girls' tennis player in 1986. After putting in a long, hard day, Barta didn't realize she had a chance to win the top honor and left immediately after claiming her tennis award as the top girls' tennis player.
When the announcement of Timesland's first athlete of the year for girls was made, Barta was long gone. The only one there to show surprise was this writer, who looked all around the room for Barta to claim the award and pose for a picture after the banquet with the boys' winner, Floyd County's Tim Slaughter.
It was more of the same last year, when Byington planned to go to Myrtle Beach, S.C., immediately after graduation, meaning he would miss the banquet. After being urged to stay without being told he'd winattend the banquet, Byington tried in vain to find rides for people who were supposed to go to the beach in his car.
Failing to do so, Byington sent his parents to the banquet and headed for the beach, where all seniors seem to go after graduation. When he called home and found out he had been named athlete of the year, his response to his father was, ``I never dreamed [I'd win]'' or he somehow would have made the banquet.
His surprise was genuine. Heading into the spring season, Byington hadn't been mentioned as a candidate, despite being the boys' basketball player of the year in Timesland after leading the Spartans to the Group AA championship.
It usually takes outstanding performances in two or three sports to win Timesland athlete of the year, and it was thought Byington wasn't proficient enough in any sport besides basketball.
Byington nailed down the award when, as the No.6 singles player, he teamed with Jon Valera to beat Blacksburg's Michal Pfeil and Rodriguo DeLaSerna 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 at third doubles to give the Spartans a 5-4 victory in the Group AA boys' tennis championship match.
Byington went out for tennis as a senior because he no longer was playing AAU basketball. His place on the tennis team seemed to be more like a holiday, but Byington doesn't take vacations when it's time to compete.
The year before Byington won, Tiki Barber of Cave Spring won as a senior by beating his twin brother, Ronde, who was the only junior to win the award.
Like Byington, the Barbers were headed for Myrtle Beach. But they had an idea that one of them might win the Timesland award, so they made plans to leave right after the banquet.
This year, Patrick Henry's Jamie Price, Glenvar's Nick Varney and Pulaski County's Eric Webb have the early lead for the boys' award. For the girls, William Byrd's Cathy Smith, Floyd County's Leigh-Ann Pursifull, Glenvar's Trish Nervo and Cave Spring's Aimee Beightol are in the picture.
Price and Varney might have an edge on Webb because they play a sport in each season. Price was All-Timesland in football as a return specialist and also made the All-Group AAA team at that position.
Price's chances depend on how well he does in spring track. He has a chance to help make PH a Group AAA contender in track. He was second in the state in the 100- and 200-meter dash events last year.
Varney is a three-sport star. He already has led the Glenvar golf team to its third Group A title in four years, although he failed to win the individual crown.
In basketball, Varney was the point guard for the Group A runner-up squad.
In three years of tennis with Varney at No.1 singles, the Highlanders have won three Group A titles - and all the players are back from last year's team. Varney won the individual title as a freshman and a sophomore, then lost in a semifinal a year ago. He figures to make a strong impression in his final season in what has been his most successful sport.
Webb was Timesland's defensive player of the year in football. He also was named the top defender for the Northwestern Region and was an All-Group AAA selection. In basketball, Webb was All-Timesland and the leading scorer in the Roanoke Valley District. He doesn't compete in a spring sport, and that could hurt.
Among the girls, Smith was All-Timesland in volleyball and second-team All-Timesland in basketball.
Beightol's chances depend on how well she does in her return to girls' soccer, a sport she gave up last year. She was an All-Timesland selection in basketball.
Pursifull is an outstanding volleyball player and was Timesland's girls' basketball player of the year. She also competes in track and softball in the spring. With four sports, she has the most versatility of any contender among the boys or girls.
When it comes to state championships, Nervo is in a class with Varney. As a junior, she has won three Group A cross country titles. As a sophomore, she also won the Group A title in the 3,200 meters.
RETURN ENGAGEMENT: Dave Odom, the men's basketball coach at Wake Forest, is the scheduled speaker for this year's banquet on Sunday, June 11.
Odom, if you remember, was to be the speaker last year. But when a last-minute scheduling conflict caused him to cancel less than a week before the banquet, Virginia Commonwealth's Sonny Smith graciously made his second appearance at the banquet and delivered one of the best speeches yet.
Odom promises to be there this spring, and the former Virginia assistant coach who has made Wake Forest a national basketball power should be very entertaining.
Timesland athletes and coaches of the year in all sports will be invited, as will the complete All-Timesland teams in football, wrestling and boys' and girls' basketball. Because each player invited is encouraged to bring parents as guests, cost prohibits the newspaper from inviting the All-Timesland athletes in other sports.
by CNB