Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, June 11, 1995 TAG: 9506120034
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: SPORTS EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``I wanted to do better than I did last year,'' said Franklin County's senior shortstop. ``And I thought I might like to hit .500. That's a nice round number.''
In one regard, Foutz failed. He didn't have an average with a nice round number.
Instead, he hit .587 with 37 hits and 38 runs batted in. He also pitched some when needed. Round or not, the offensive numbers in addition to his all-around excellence made Foutz the Timesland player of the year.
``Since the eighth or the ninth grade, I've known I wanted to go to a Division I college and play baseball,'' he said. ``I knew I'd have to get off to a good start this year to do it, too.''
Foutz started well and didn't stop. Franklin County won the Roanoke Valley District's regular-season championship and advanced to the Northwest Region playoffs.
All that and Foutz got his chance to play Division I ball, too. Virginia Tech made him an offer and he accepted. That choice broke the heart of Ferrum College recruiters, among others. Foutz had gone to baseball camp at nearby Ferrum for 10 years.
The choice of coach of the year was a difficult one. Richard McElwee at Bath County, F.L. Slough at Franklin County, Rodney Spradlin at William Byrd, Bruce Frazier at Giles and rookie Kirk Goodson at Grayson County all did commendable jobs.
The choice was Larry Wood at Glenvar. Despite losing five starters - four of whom had started for four years - from the 1994 Group A championship team, Wood had the Highlanders one victory from going back to the state tournament again this season.
Modest and self-effacing, Wood gave the credit to his players.
``We had the best 1-2-3 hitters in the Pioneer District in Eric East, Andy Shelor and Jason Darnall,'' he said. ``We also had one of the best pitchers in Jacob Weddle. I had a good team.''
Wood has been one of Timesland's top coaches for some time. The Highlanders were Group A runners-up in 1993 before winning it all last year.
``A lot of people wrote us off before the season started,'' Wood said. ``That added some fuel to the fire for our players.''
Foutz shared credit with others, too.
``After my brothers went away to college, I was the only one left at home,'' he said. ``My father and mother threw batting practice to me. The whole family helped.''
His father, Dick Foutz, is a former football coach at Franklin County.
Chad Foutz praised his own coaches, Slough and associates.
``They helped me more than I helped myself,'' he said.
Larry Bowles of Franklin County High School was Timesland's top sizzling sophomore this season.
Bowles emerged this year to go 7-1 with a 2.05 earned run average and 69 strikeouts in 41 innings as a left-handed pitcher. Batting third in the Eagles' lineup, he hit .365 with 19 runs batted in. He struck out only five times.
Other sophomores to watch:
Bryan Dalton, Pulaski County, left-handed pitcher; Shane Callahan, Pulaski County, outfielder; Chris Manning, William Byrd, left-handed pitcher; Carl Morton, Magna Vista, catcher; Carl Watkins, Bassett, outfielder/pitcher; Ricky Eubanks, Salem, catcher; Greg Harrison, Salem, infielder/pitcher; R.J. Beckwith, Salem, right-handed pitcher; Michael Davis, Blacksburg, catcher; Tommy LaForce, Blacksburg, infielder; Chris Epperley, Christiansburg, outfielder/pitcher; Eric Lucas, Christiansburg, infielder; Scottie Brubeck, Christiansburg, infielder; Jason Morgan, Staunton River, infielder; David Leonard, Lord Botetourt, left-handed pitcher; J.W. Snyder, Lord Botetourt, left-handed pitcher; Wes Self, Grayson County, pitcher/outfielder; and John Williams, Alleghany, infielder.
by CNB