ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Monday, June 10, 1996 TAG: 9606100089
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
THE CROSS COUNTRY star and soccer standout are named the 1996 Timesland athletes of the year.
When the 1995-96 high school athletic season started, neither Glenvar's Trish Nervo nor William Byrd's Michael Berry had any inkling what their destinies would be in sports.
Nervo, a good but unproven runner in national competition, was searching for a college scholarship based on winning four Group A cross country titles. Needless to say, schools weren't chasing after the Highlander distance runner.
Berry's claim-to-fame had been as an all-state boys' soccer player for two years on the Group AA level. Schools weren't begging Berry to come play soccer.
Now their future is known. Nervo finished fourth in the Foot Locker national cross country meet last December, drew a lot of interest from colleges and settled on a scholarship to the University of North Carolina. Her reputation as one of the finest high school runners in the United States is certified.
In Berry's case, he had a leg to stand on. That is, his right foot, which he started to use as a football place-kicker and punter during his junior year. He also was a speedy wide receiver, but it was for his long kickoffs and place kicks that he settled on a partial football scholarship to VMI that might turn into a full ride with the Keydets.
Before these two take off for college, though, they must serve as Timesland's athletes of the year for a season that brought them notoriety and a path to higher education. They received their awards at The Roanoke Times high school sports banquet Sunday at the Holiday Inn-Tanglewood.
Both athletes are excited about college and if they continue to improve as much as they did in three years of high school competition, the Olympics for Nervo and pro football for Berry might become realized dreams.
The Foot Locker finish gave Nervo a chance for one of her goals - to run at Stanford. The Cardinal immediately took notice and started recruiting her in January.
``I applied to five schools,'' said Nervo, listing Virginia, North Carolina, West Point, Stanford and Notre Dame.
Alas, Stanford was first to go off the list. ``I couldn't afford to go there. They don't give scholarships for cross country,'' said Nervo.
West Point was on the list at the request of her father, Eugene Nervo, who was a military man.
``I couldn't go to West Point; it was too big of a career choice for me to make now. I visited the other three. People always told me I'd feel it when I found the place where I wanted to go to school,'' said Nervo.
``I liked Virginia. That was the choice. Then I visited North Carolina last and there was nothing I didn't like. I got that feeling. I had always dreamed of getting a scholarship and this was the perfect situation.''
Berry is giving up soccer for now. He made much of his high school athletic fame on the soccer field as he finished by leading the Terriers to the Group AA championship game last week, where they lost 3-2 in overtime despite Berry's two goals in regulation.
In football, Berry was a late bloomer. He came out as a junior at the request of Byrd coach Jeff Highfill, who heads up the soccer and football programs.
``I'm going to miss soccer,'' said Berry, whose last game will be next month at the Virginia High School Coaches' Association East-West all-star game in Hampton.
``I plan on doing a lot of kicking [place-kicking and punting]. I'm going to VMI for a good education and a lot of benefits you can get after college. I would never have thought [four years ago] about going to college to play football, making all-state [as a punter, place-kicker and receiver] or any of that stuff.''
Both these athletes have been humble, almost shy about talking about their careers. Nervo almost didn't want to talk about running as a freshman when she was on the brink of her first state cross country title.
At the end of her high school career, she's more emotional and willing to discuss it.
``After my final race [the 3,200-meter victory in the Group A track meet last month], it hit me,'' she said. ``That was it. It was sad for a minute, but then you think about college. It's not the end. I'm just getting started. I have such a long way to go.''
Although Berry's career ended with a loss, the title game was played where most of his happiest moments were spent as a high school athlete - in Vinton on the Terriers' home field.
``We knew all spring we could play the state championship soccer game at home,'' said Berry. ``I couldn't ask for anything better than to be at home for the state championship game. I've never been a person to brag about things, but I believe my high school career has been pretty good. Just to finish it off this way, I couldn't ask for anything better.''
LENGTH: Medium: 90 linesby CNB