Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, October 19, 1995                   TAG: 9510190007
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-5   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: CHAD WILLIS STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: SHAWSVILLE                                LENGTH: Medium

YOUNG PLAYERS AT HEAD OF CLASS FOR SHAWNEES

Poff's Shawnee team has made a strong showing in the early stages of the Three Rivers District season, posting an 8-4 overall mark, behind the consistent play of sophomores Sarah Hagood and Beth Burdette and freshman Megan Forster.

``The three of them are very confident players,`` Poff said. ``That's on\e thing that we have tried to teach them, that your confidence level will help to improve the team's performance.``

The trio have buoyed the Shawnee effort, averaging a combined 38 of the team's 45 points per game.

``Sarah, Megan and Beth have been very important to us this year,`` Poff said. ``They have been scoring the majority of our points in every game. That's pretty amazing considering they're freshmen and sophomores.``

Hagood is averaging 17 points and 11.7 rebounds per game in 1995, leading the Shawsville offense. Hagood's rebound totals are the second highest in Timesland.

Forster is currently averaging 12 points a game for Poff's Shawnees and grabs eight boards a game, making Hagood and Forster the top rebounding duo in Timesland.

``The Timesland ranking is something that we don't think about,`` Hagood said. ``It's nice and it's something that makes us proud, but we just go out there and play and don't even really think about it that much.``

Poff said the Hagood-Forster rebounding combination has been a successful one because of the emphasis placed on rebounding technique in practice.

``We aren't a big team as far as height goes,`` Poff said. ``Auburn has some girls over six feet and Radford has girls over six feet, so our team gives up a lot of inches. We have to have better technique to be able to out rebound them.

``Megan and Sarah are both only around 5-foot-8, so they have to be smarter and work a little harder to rebound. That's something that we have got across to them in practice.``

Forster said that at times the size of the players she goes up against can be intimidating, but it's something that she has been able to overcome.

``Sometimes it can be hard playing against people bigger than you,`` Forster said. ``Every now and then Sarah has to talk me out of [being intimidated]. It's just something that we have to deal with since we are smaller.``

Rebounding against players taller than her is something that Burdette can associate with. Burdette, who stands 5-foot-6, is the Shawnee point guard this season, but last season served as the team's power forward.

``Beth did a good job for us a forward last season, but we needed to move her to the point this year,`` Poff said.

Burdette is averaging nine points a game and is the Shawsville floor leader, dishing out four assists a contest.

``There was a lot of pressure put on me this year, moving from forward to point guard,`` Burdette said. ``But I like the new position. It gives me a chance to be more of a leader on this team.``

With the crux of Shawsville's success riding on the shoulders of three underclassmen, conventional knowledge would say the Shawnees could be lacking in the leadership department. But take into account Shawsville's early success and naysayers are left in adulation.

``We've been a little bit of a surprise this season,`` Poff said. ``A lot of people came into the season overlooking us because of our youth. At times our inexperience has shown, but on the whole we've played pretty well.``

``I think we expected to do well this year,`` Hagood said. ``Maybe we could have been a little better at times, but we've still played well. Hopefully we'll get better every season. We should keep on improving and maybe we can win a championship in a few years.``