ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, August 6, 1996 TAG: 9608060069
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-2 EDITION: METRO
TYPE: IN THE REGION
SOURCE: FROM STAFF REPORTS
Twenty-three weekend games and fifteen home games against East Coast Hockey League rivals Richmond, Hampton Roads and Charlotte highlight the 1996-97 season for the Roanoke Express.
The Express opens the 70-game regular season at Knoxville on Thursday, Oct.17, then begins the 35-game home schedule Oct.18 against Huntington at 7:30 p.m.
The team plays eight home games in November and March, but faces a tough road stretch in early November. The Express embarks on a six-game road trip that takes it to South Carolina, Richmond, Birmingham, Pensacola, Mobile and Baton Rouge. (Complete schedule in Scoreboard)
In other sports news in the region:
Basketball Hall of Fame member Wes Unseld will be the guest speaker at the Radford University Athletic Association Banquet on Thursday, Aug.22 at 6:30 p.m. in the university's Muse Hall Banquet Room.
Unseld was a five-time all-star for the NBA's Washington Bullets and currently serves as the team's executive vice president. The banquet will include the second induction for the school's hall of fame. For more information on the association or banquet, call (540) 831-5108.
Lee Shirley of Salem opened with an 8-over par 79 for the first part of 36-hole qualifying at the U.S. Women's Amateur Championship on the Firethorn Golf Club in Lincoln, Neb. There are 144 players and the low 64 will qualify for Wednesday's start of match play.
The leaders are Grace Park of Phoenix and Jenny Lee of Austin, Texas, who each shot 2-under 69s.
David Havens of Blacksburg is in contention for the final spot in the U.S. Men's Amateur qualifying at the Country Club of Virginia's Tuckahoe Creek course. Havens and Paul Simson of Raleigh, N.C., each shot 145 and had to go eight extra holes in a playoff. The duo, however, ran out of daylight and play was postponed until this morning.
Jake Allison of Roanoke (146) won a playoff over Chris Eaves of Clayton, N.C., to claim one of three spots for alternates. The U.S. Men's Amateur will be played Aug. 19-25 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in Portland, Ore.
Josh Mattox of Roanoke missed the cut by one stroke at the Greater Chrysler Classic junior golf tournament in Greensboro, N.C.
Ninety-two players were vying for nine spots in the American Junior Golf Association event. Mattox shot 77.
After winning the Commonwealth Games and the USSSA fastpitch state championship on consecutive weekends, the Virginia ``Class action'' Scrappers continued their success last weekend in the Carolina Cardinal Classic in Rock Hill, S.C.
The Scrappers, an 18-and-under women's fastpitch team formed of area high school players, went 5-0 and won the championship. Erin Weaver and Wendy Belcher each pitched two complete games for victories. Belcher and Kay Brittain led the Scrappers at the plate, with Belcher hitting a three-run homer in the championship against the South Carolina Bandits.
Several Blacksburg-area mountain bikers fared well at the Fat Tire Festival last weekend in Slaty Fork, W.Va.
Peter and Dominique Montgomery earned the top finishes in their 25-mile cross country event. Peter was first in the men's masters' division and Dominique was second in the kids' division. Richard Goff was second in the men's masters'.
Other top finishers included: Bob Wright, fifth in the men's veteran class; Chris Lenth and Wes Best, seventh and 16th, respectively, in the men's sport division; Chris Pohowsky and James Loverich, ninth and 11th in the men's expert.
LENGTH: Medium: 75 linesby CNB