ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, June 8, 1996 TAG: 9606090029
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
William Byrd's Michael Berry saved his best for last in boys' soccer.
The Terriers forward scored two goals Wednesday night in the Group AA boys' soccer championship game, including one in the final two minutes to keep Byrd alive. Though the Terriers lost 3-2 in a penalty-kick shootout, Berry left a lasting impression.
The Byrd senior is the Timesland boys' soccer player of the year. He is joined on the Timesland honor roll by his coach, Jeff Highfill, who is boys' soccer coach of the year for the fourth time.
Berry is joined on the All-Timesland first team by teammate Aaron Dowdy, a fullback.
Cave Spring (forwards Chris Hewitt and Andy Newton), Blacksburg (goalkeeper Ben Pinkerton and midfielder Nick Kappas) and North Cross (sweeper Steve Hamblen and midfielder Mark Wise) also have two first-team choices.
The team is completed by Martinsville forward Wes Lewis, Christiansburg midfielder Tony Lisanti and a pair of outstanding sophomores: forward Brad Dalton of Pulaski County and defender Paul Wallace of Patrick Henry.
Berry was a marked man from the start of the season, and for a while, he wasn't the Terriers' leading scorer. But he asserted himself as the season progressed and might have had his top game of the season when he scored four goals against Virginia of Bristol in a Group AA semifinal.
``The coaches told me to expect to be marked,'' Berry said. ``They said I'd have to be able to make things happen for the other players. At first, it was tough getting used to it. You just have to do whatever it takes to win games. That's been my philosophy all year.''
That happened when Berry flashed out of nowhere to score the tying goal in the state championship game against Western Albemarle with less than two minutes left.
``I was just playing on the side. I saw the ball. I slipped through and used my speed,'' Berry said.
``I think he stepped it up another notch in the tournaments,'' Highfill said of his star.
Berry was praised by coaches from all classifications, but soccer won't be his sport in college. He will attend VMI on a partial scholarship as a kicker and punter in football, a sport he only started playing two years ago.
Highfill had to make a change for Byrd to become one of the state's best teams. When the Terriers went to Tennessee for an early-season tournament, they found out there were weaknesses to overcome.
``We put Aaron Dowdy and Josh Jones at fullback. Aaron was All-Region [III] last year at halfback,'' Highfill said. ``We had started 4-3 and then ended up 17-4.
``This was a fun group that got off to that strange start, but after we made the changes, we gave up only five goals in the rest of the regular season. Obviously, our defense improved.''
Highfill edges Cave Spring's Bruce Mahan for coaching honors. Mahan's Knights might have been the strongest team in Timesland, though they failed to advance to the Group AAA tournament from the tough Northwest Region. Cave Spring beat Blacksburg, North Cross and Patrick Henry, running a gantlet of three very tough Timesland squads.
LENGTH: Medium: 63 lines ILLUSTRATION: PHOTO: (headshots) 1. Berry. color. 2. Highfill.by CNB