Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: WEDNESDAY, May 24, 1995 TAG: 9505240075
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: From staff reports
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
While the Spartans' boys took the easy road, thrashing Fieldale-Collinsville 7-2 at Sweet Briar College, the Salem girls had to rally in Martinsville, taking the final three doubles matches in a 5-4 victory over Jefferson Forest.
Jill Archer, who won the individual singles title and doubles crown with teammate Betsy Hall, was one of only two singles winners for the Spartans. Hall was the other Salem player to triumph in singles.
Down 4-2 and needing a sweep, Salem didn't lose a set in the doubles. Archer and Hall beat Jefferson Forest's Katie Brown and Carey Schneeweiss 6-4, 6-1, the same team they topped for the doubles title, to start the comeback.
The toughest match came when Salem's Beth Howdyshell and Taylor Bruce beat Kelly Eckesk and Stacey Roberson 7-6 (9-7), 6-2 at second 2 doubles. Andrea Howdyshell and Alison Smith provided the other doubles victory by beating Leslie Bowne and Kim Fisher 6-4, 6-2.
Archer had no trouble in the singles final, beating Brown 6-1, 6-2 while she and Hall won the doubles 6-2, 6-2.
The Spartan boys took five of six singles matches to take command against the Cavaliers. Salem's Jeff Henley sat out singles play and downed Fieldale-Collinsville's Stuart Cox 6-2, 6-0 in the individual singles. Henley teamed with Will Wimmer to beat Biggs Cannon and Graham Stallard of Jefferson Forest 6-2, 6-0 in the individual doubles competition.
Salem's boys advance to the Group AA tournament May 31-June 1 at Radford University.
In other tennis:
REGION C: Nick Varney won the singles and doubles titles, in addition to helping his team to victory at the Dedmon Center courts in Radford.
Varney defeated Josh Robinson of John Battle 6-0, 6-1 to win the individual championship and teamed with Josh Williamson to beat Thomas Senter and Jeremy Epling of Lebanon 6-1, 6-1 to earn the doubles title.
In team play, Varney downed Rajiv Tayl of Radford 6-0, 6-0 at first singles and teamed with Williamson to beat Tayl and Adam Funk 6-0, 6-0 at No.1 doubles.
The Highlanders move on to the state tournament May 31-June 1 in Falls Church.
NORTHWEST REGION: E.C. Glass eliminated Patrick Henry from team competition with a 7-2 victory in Woodbridge.
The Patriots' Andrew Thomas and Hunter Carson won at 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 over Geoff Lester and Lee Crank at first doubles. Eric Wishneff and Drew Dickson also won for Patrick Henry, at third doubles.
Baseball
MOUNTAIN EMPIRE DISTRICT: In Narrows, Chris White scored three runs and Jason Beam struck out seven while going the distance in Galax's 5-3 victory over the Green Wave (7-10) in a first-round game.
Galax (6-12) will meet Grayson County at 7 p.m. Thursday in a semifinal.
NEW RIVER DISTRICT: In Hillsville, Henry Barnett and Travis White collaborated on six-hit shutout, fueling Blacksburg's 2-0 semifinal victory over Carroll County (7-13).
Brian Smith scored the Indians' first run on a wild pitch and knocked in the other run in the seventh inning.
Blacksburg (5-13) will play at Christiansburg at 5 p.m. Thursday in the district title game. Regardless of whether it wins or loses, Blacksburg will play host to the Highland District runner-up at 5 p.m. May 30 in Region IV action.
ROANOKE VALLEY DISTRICT: Chip Smallwood pitched a two-hitter as Patrick Henry downed William Fleming 11-1 in a first-round game.
Ryan Johnson smacked a double and a single, and Jeremy Bailey had two hits for the Patriots.
The Colonels finished the season at 2-17. Patrick Henry will face Franklin County at 11 a.m. Thursday in Rocky Mount.
PIEDMONT DISTRICT: In Stuart on Monday, sixth-seeded Martinsville (9-10) stunned third-seeded Patrick County 8-2 on homers by Michael Hairston and Chris Richardson. Tony Penn was the winning pitcher, giving up three hits in five innings.
In another late game, Magna Vista defeated Dan River 8-0. Semifinals are today at Southside Park, with regular-season champ Fieldale-Collinsville taking on Chatham at 4:30 p.m. and the host Bulldogs playing Magna Vista at 7. The championship game is 7 p.m. Friday.
PIONEER DISTRICT: Jeff Tucker hit a two-run single in the third inning and Covington held on for a 3-2 victory over James River in a first-round matchup.
Cougars starter Greg Persinger went six innings, giving up five hits and one walk while striking out four. Tucker struck out two in the seventh to earn the save for Covington (14-5).
The Cougars advance to meet Glenvar, an 18-2 winner over Highland, in a semifinal at 7 p.m. Thursday in Covington.
Brendan Kassebaum and Eric East combined to throw a one-hitter for the Highlanders in a game shortened to five innings.
In the other half of the bracket, Craig County rallied for a 5-3 victory over visiting Parry McCluer to earn a matchup with top-seeded Bath County at 4 p.m. Thursday. The Chargers had a bye.
Jason Blankenship drove in two runs, including the eventual game-winner with a sacrifice fly in the sixth, as the Rockets came from 3-2 down. Jamie Fisher (6-2) pitched a complete game for Craig County, giving up eight hits - all singles.
THREE RIVERS DISTRICT: Peter Bucklin went 4-for-4 with a double as Floyd County defeated Radford 9-7 in a first-round game at the Dedmon Center in Radford.
The Buffaloes pounded out 10 hits as they took a 7-2 lead. The Bobcats rallied to tie the score at 7 in the fifth inning, but Floyd County scored two runs to secure the victory.
Mark Franklin had a double for the Bobcats, who had six hits.
Floyd County will face Giles, a 7-6 winner over Auburn in eight innings in the other semifinal, in the title game at 5 p.m. Thursday at the Dedmon Center.
Softball
BLUE RIDGE DISTRICT: Katie Craft and Brandy Brown each singled in runs in the bottom of the seventh inning to lead Alleghany past Northside 12-11 in a first-round game in Low Moor.
Northside took a 7-0 lead in the top of the fourth, but the Mountaineers rallied to tie the score in the bottom of the inning. Mindy Hene had two hits during the rally and Tracy Cummings smacked a double.
Northside added two more runs in the top of the fifth, but the Mountaineers scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth.
The Vikings scored again in the top of the seventh to take a 11-10 lead, but Alleghany's runs in the bottom of the inning put the Mountaineers over the top.
Alleghany will face William Byrd in the second round at 11 a.m. Thursday at the Moyer Complex in Salem.
Boys' lacrosse
In Lexington, second-seeded Rockbridge County ousted No.3 Cave Spring 7-5 in a quarterfinal of the Jefferson Cup, the state high school tournament.
The Wildcats led 2-1 before the Knights tied the score at 3 just before halftime on a goal by Kevin McGarry. But Rockbridge County retaliated, then held on to advance to a semifinal against top-seeded Western Albemarle on Friday night at Albemarle.
by CNB