Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, November 9, 1995 TAG: 9511090025
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE:
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Until Salem beat the Group AAA Knights 23-0 last weekend, people said Cave Spring could win the Blue Ridge District but not the Roanoke Valley District.
Well, folks, the last laugh is on everyone else. As Cave Spring heads into the regular season finale at Pulaski County, they not only have a shot at winning the RVD, but they're the only Group AAA team assured of a spot in the playoffs.
Two years ago, Cave Spring coach Steve Spangler reasoned that if his team could beat enough Group AA teams in non-district games while holding their own in the RVD, the Knights might earn a wild-card spot in the playoffs.
While Cave Spring failed against Salem, they did beat Rockbridge County, Blacksburg, Northside and Martinsville. All those teams gave them riding points by beating other Group AA teams.
Marshall Johnson, former state sports editor of the Associated Press, puts it all into perspective. ``That's the name of the game, to get the points,'' said Johnson in establishing that the Knights are lock city for a playoff berth.
Spangler points out, though, that it is still a case of taking care of business in the district. When the Knights upset Patrick Henry 14-7, that was the most important victory of the year. PH has a chance to tie the winner of the Cave Spring-Pulaski County game for the RVD title, but the Patriots may not make the playoffs as a wild-card team.
Liberty, Salem, Fieldale-Collinsville, Christiansburg, Blacksburg, Grayson County, Giles, Bath County, Bland County and Covington are other Timesland teams assured of making the playoffs.
If Pulaski County, James River and William Byrd win this week, they'll make the playoffs. PH, Radford, Martinsville, Auburn and Bassett are mathematically alive, but they need help. Pulaski County and Byrd still have a chance at being a wild card team if they lose.
If Salem wins, it will be the No. 1 Region III Division 4 team. This is important because the top team in Region III Division 4 will never leave home territory as long as it keeps winning in the playoffs. The Spartans can still get the top spot with a loss if PH, R.E. Lee-Staunton, Blacksburg or Cave Spring win on Friday, or if William Byrd loses.
Liberty, which goes to the Division 4 playoffs for the first time in school history, is likely to be second seeded and play at home.
Fieldale-Collinsville and non-Timesland William Campbell are in the Region III Division 3 playoffs. Martinsville must hope that Amherst County and Byrd lose to have a shot at a Division 4 spot after losing Monday to Magna Vista.
Christiansburg will get a home game in the Region IV Division 3 tournament now that Grundy has beaten Tazewell. Blacksburg, a Division 4 team, will probably be on the road.
In Group A, Giles is a lock for top spot and home site in the Region C Division 2 tournament. If James River wins at Bath County, the Knights are the Pioneer District representative and will join Giles, Lebanon and Grayson County in the tournament while Radford fails to get a wild card spot. The Bobcats replace James River if the Knights lose.
In Division 1, either Holston or Auburn will join Bath County, Bland County and Covington. Bath County will be No.1 if it beats James River.
FAST CLOCK: Was the first half really that fast when Patrick Henry upset Pulaski County 26-21 Friday night? It took just 45 minutes to play the 24 minutes in which the Patriots built an 18-0 lead. And no, it wasn't that fast.
The clock at Victory Stadium was slipping, clicking off 10 seconds at a clip once every other minute or so. It seems about two minutes were lost in the first half before the problem was spotted at the half and time was kept on the field the final 24 minutes.
END OF STREAK: When was the last time Pulaski County lost a Roanoke Valley District football game?
The Cougars had 18 straight RVD victories before losing 26-21 to Patrick Henry Friday. Pulaski County's last league loss came Oct. 19, 1990 to William Fleming 7-0 and knocked the Cougars out of the playoffs that year. Since 1987, Pulaski County has lost only two RVD games, the other one coming to Cave Spring by the same 7-0 score eight years ago.
OVERLOOKED: Shawsville's Megan Forster, with a 13.6 scoring average, should have been listed as the Three Rivers District's fifth-leading scorer. A slip of the pen in keeping the points caused the error, but it didn't diminish Forster's feats on the court. Forster is only a freshman.
NEEDS SCRIMMAGES: Covington needs two boys' basketball scrimmages for the end of November, home or away. For further information, contact Brad Morton at Covington at 965-1410.
Memo: NOTE: Also ran in November 9, 1995 Neighbors.