Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, October 20, 1995 TAG: 9510200025
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-11 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: RAY COX
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
This is the week of the last game the Indians and Blue Demons will ever contest under the auspices of the swiftly fading New River District. If such a state of affairs has prompted a spot of nostalgia or a damp cheek anywhere, it is not readily apparent.
``We as a staff haven't made any comment on it,'' Blacksburg coach David Crist said.
Across Montgomery County, they were low-keying it in Christiansburg, too.
``We talked about it earlier in the year,'' Blue Demons coach Mike Cole said. ``We talked about how we'd like to win the district this year. This week, we haven't said anything to the players about this being the last New River District game with Blacksburg.
``They know it. We don't need to tell them anything.''
Nor do they need to tell you anything. Whether it's in the New River District, the Blue Ridge District (where both teams will be next year) or in a ditch beside the road, Blacksburg-Christiansburg will always be big.
RATING THE SPARTANS: In the wake of Giles' 37-0 football flattening of Radford last week, the inevitable question arose:
Is this the best Giles team ever?
For the answer to that difficult question (difficult because Giles has two undefeated and untied state champions since 1980), we turn to an esteemed panel of coaches who are familiar with all the great Giles teams.
Radford's Norman Lineburg has played the Spartans every year since the 1970s. So has Blacksburg's Crist. Cole of Christiansburg has coached against the Spartans for the past 10 years and was on the Giles staff from 1981 until he came to Christiansburg. Don Lowe, the Narrows coach, was once a Giles assistant, a post he held when the Spartans won the state in 1980.
What say you, gentlemen?
``They may have had better individuals before, especially at the skill positions,'' said Crist, whose team lost 18-14 to Giles in this year's season opener. ``When you're talking about tailbacks like Leon King, and Tyrone Meadows, and Raypheal Milton, I don't see how you could get much better. And a fullback like [Keith] Johnson or a wingback like [Greg] Mance, those are awfully, awfully good backs.
``But as a cohesive unit, this year's offense may be the best. And this year's defense may be the best, although again, they have had better individuals at certain positions on defense.''
Lineburg, whose memory of the current edition of the Spartans is freshest, didn't hesitate.
``This team is every bit as good or better than any they've had,'' he said. ``They're just so well-balanced, both offensively and defensively. Their offensive line is as fine as I've been around in a number of years. They just pick kids up and move them five or 10 yards down the field. The defense is great, too. [Middle linebacker] Brandon Steele is just unreal. And Steve Ragsdale has done a beautiful job of coaching them.''
Neither Lowe nor Cole hedged either.
``Who do you stop?'' Lowe said. ``Who do you stop? I can say it 100 times. There is no one to stop. You stop one and here comes another one.''
``All around, they're as good as they ever have been,'' Cole said. ``They've had great teams in the past, but they tended to be centered around one guy. The way you played them was to try and stop that one guy. But now you stop one and two or three more are there to take his place. And that offensive line - it's as good as I've seen. As for their defense, I've said before that people tend to look at their offense and overlook the defense.''
RANDOM DISPATCHES: Blacksburg High's Sarah Hendricks won the Harford County (Md.) Invitational cross country race at C. Milton Wright High School, which featured runners from boys and girls teams representing 66 schools. Hendricks won with a time of 19 minutes, 31 seconds and set a new record over the 3.1 mile course. Also among the Indians contingent, Amy Feurbach was seventh, Jennifer Shepherd 14th, Shelli Stevens 20th, and Sasha Harrison 22nd. ... Earlier this autumn, Hendricks broke Bethany Eigel's course record at the Christiansburg Invitational.
William Fleming football coach George ``Killer'' Miller scouted Pulaski County's 16-13 victory over Salem last week. The Colonels entertain the Cougars tonight. ``This is our homecoming and this is a big game for us,'' Miller said. ``Now that we have E.C. Glass and GW-Danville [currently ranked 1-2-2 in the AAA poll] out of the way, we feel like we can play with anybody we have left on the schedule.''
Jamie Blankenship, who will represent Narrows at the state Group A golf tournament after finishing tied for third in the Region C tournament, was a football manager last fall in between rounds of golf. ... Drew Robinson of Christiansburg was the New River District golf champion, but Blacksburg's Wes Martin laughed last as he collected medalist honors at the Region IV tournament this week. ... Radford's Larnell Lewis, suspended from the football game with Giles as a disciplinary matter, will be back this week against Shawsville. ... Narrows has lost football co-captains Justin Rhodes and Robbie Stafford for the season. Rhodes, a fullback, has a dislocated kneecap. Stafford, an end, faces arthroscopic surgery on his knee. ... Christiansburg fullback and linebacker David Epperly, out for three games with a sprained ankle, will play against Blacksburg. ``You can bet on it,'' Cole said. ... Blacksburg receiver Rick Edwards, who broke a bone in his foot the week before the second game of the season and hasn't played since, is likely to see action this week.
by CNB