Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, September 22, 1995 TAG: 9509220078
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B5 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
After waiting around for weeks to make out 1996-97 schedules, Timesland athletic directors got what they needed most Thursday when the Virginia High School League's Executive Committee put its stamp of approval on a long-awaited reclassification and redistricting plan.
As expected, Blacksburg and Christiansburg will join the Blue Ridge District to form an eight-team league in Region III. Balancing schools from Region III and Region IV has been a point of contention because principals from the two regions were unable to come up with a plan that would be approved.
So the VHSL set up a committee to arbitrate this dispute and the battle to balance regions I and II, as well as some problems in other classifications. It announced the plan in late August and allowed any appeals to be heard by the Executive Committee this week before making the new plan official.
There were no appeals concerning the Blue Ridge District. Of three other appeals affecting Timesland schools, two were approved by votes of 25-0 and one was turned down 24-0 with one abstention:
Carroll County was allowed to play in the Southwest District in Region IV instead of joining the Piedmont District, which switches from Region III to Region IV.
Pocahontas, a non-Timesland school, was allowed to join the Mountain Empire District, an all-Timesland league, as the seventh member.
Laurel Park's appeal to leave the Piedmont District and form a new Group A District in Region C, along with Fieldale-Collinsville, was denied. It was a dead issue before the meeting, because four other schools that had expressed interest in the plan decided to remain Group AA schools.
Laurel Park and Fieldale-Collinsville, despite being Group A-size schools, will remain in the Piedmont District along with Martinsville, Bassett, Magna Vista and Patrick County.
``This was an extremely difficult task, since each case was significant and deserved careful review by the Executive Committee,'' said Ken Tilley, the VHSL's executive director.
The expanded Blue Ridge District should be a huge plus for high school athletics fans in the New River and Roanoke valleys.
``In our opinion, it should have happened before now,'' said Dr. Herman Bartlett, superintendent of Montgomery County schools. ``It was never good for us [Christiansburg and Blacksburg] to be a member of a three-team district [the old New River] or to play teams from Southwest Virginia.''
Salem principal John Hall, also a strong supporter of the new Blue Ridge, is amazed the new district was formed and in Region III. The original plan called for the Blue Ridge, not the Piedmont, to move to Region IV.
``I didn't feel we'd be in this position today. When I read the resolution of the committee, I was as surprised as anyone else. "
Glenvar joins the Three Rivers District, another league of Timesland teams, while the Pioneer District remains a complete Timesland entity.
by CNB