ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, October 10, 1996 TAG: 9610100037
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
Though injuries have thinned the ranks, the Sizzlin' Sophomore class of 1994-95, this year's seniors in football and girls' basketball, is doing quite nicely.
Only three players off the 1994 Sizzlin' Sophomore team have no connection to Timesland football. In girls' basketball, where all five first-team selections came from the fall, three players are having great seasons, one is fighting injuries from a car accident and the other is out with a knee injury after a great junior year.
The Sizzlin' Sophomores of the Year in football for the 1994-95 school year were Roanoke Catholic running back P.J. Moyer (offense) and Northside's John Doss (defense). In girls' basketball, Martinsville's Erica Brandon won the honor over Lord Botetourt's Sarah Hicks and Sara Moore, who a year later would lead the Cavaliers to a state championship as juniors.
Moyer is on target to become either the first or second all-time rushing leader in Timesland. As a sophomore, he was the offensive catalyst in leading Roanoke Catholic to a Virginia Independent Schools Division I state title.
Doss is still an outstanding defensive back for Northside. However, he's also a big part of the Vikings' offense and scored all 21 points two weeks ago in a 21-14 victory over Christiansburg.
Brandon's honor in girls' basketball was a forecast for a great future. It might have happened, but injuries from an auto accident this past summer have made it tough going for Brandon in her senior season. She's starting to pick up in scoring and the Bulldogs are also doing better after knocking off once-beaten Bassett and Patrick County last week to take early control in the Piedmont District race.
The three football players who were outstanding 10th graders but have no connection to the sport any longer are Floyd County's Kenny Marshall and Staunton River's Coy Kirby, who were offensive linemen, and Radford defensive back Derrick Chapman.
Marshall and Kirby have given up football for other interests. Too bad for Kirby, who would have shared his school's best season in the sport had he remained.
For Chapman, things have gone sour. He's being held without bond in the Pulaski County jail after he was charged with first-degree murder in connection with the Aug. 31 shooting death of Anthony Keith Rempson, 19, of Washington, D.C. Unfortunately, sports participation can't save everyone.
Three running backs who are having good seasons were Sizzlin' Sophomore picks two years ago. One is Wesley Cox of Lord Botetourt, the runner-up to Moyer and a return specialist for the Sizzlin' Sophs that year. He was Timesland's leading rusher going into last weekend's game against Salem.
Kevin Martin was one Staunton River player who stayed with the program. He's averaged over 100 yards rushing to team with Jarrett Ferguson as one of Timesland's best one-two rushers. Ferguson was second to Cox with 189 yards per game, though he didn't play this past weekend. Martin was averaging nearly 121 yards per game.
Martinsville's Manti Venable made All-Timesland a year ago and is having another great season with 111 yards rushing per game. He and Martin were the other Sizzlin' Sophomore backs with Moyer in 1994.
Receiver Cris Ridgeway, then of Liberty, has transferred out of Timesland to Jefferson Forest where he has been outstanding this year. The other receiver is Lord Botetourt's Jeremy Conner, who had 11 catches the first four games.
Some have changed roles in the past two years. Shawsville's Anthony Creasy shifted from center to running back on offense and scored three touchdowns last week when the Shawnees outscored Narrows 40-28.
There are many two-way performers. Bassett's Carl Watkins and William Byrd's Frank English made the sophomore team as linebackers. Both are now more recognized for their offense - Watkins is rushing for 105 yards a game and English has been one of the few players to qualify as a leader in both rushing and passing statistics as a quarterback.
The other offensive linemen are North Cross' Hunter Smith, who is currently the Raiders' captain, and Salem's Pierce Weikle, an anchor for the mules, as the Spartans' line is known.
Blacksburg's Michael Davis made it as a punter and he led Timesland in that department before last week's game. Christiansburg's Chris Epperly was the place-kicker and he's still doing some of that for the Blue Demons.
James River's Travis Blankenship was the quarterback and he's one of Timesland's leaders in passing.
North Cross' Bill Pattisall, Salem's Jeff Akers, Fieldale-Collinsville's Deondre Bethel, Christiansburg's Scotty Brubeck and Covington's Bo Stewart are back in the line on defense and still doing an outstanding job. Brubeck was injured to start the year, but he's back in action.
In girls' basketball, Suzanne Webb has played well in making Narrows the top team in the Mountain Empire District. Hicks and Moore, both All-Timesland last year as juniors, continue to lead Lord Botetourt team, ranked No.1 in Timesland. Hicks has committed to Virginia Tech.
Liberty's Sue Cowlbeck might get a scholarship to a Division II school, but she has missed most of her senior season after suffering a knee injury in the Lord Botetourt tournament.
OLD GOLF HAND:When James River boys' basketball coach John Shotwell retired several years ago to run a bed and breakfast inn while playing a lot of golf, he remained at the school as a part-time coach in softball and golf.
Shotwell's golf team did him proud last week when it won the school's first Pioneer District title to advance to the Region C tournament. Shotwell's team is paced by three players - Matt Johnson, Joey Ingram and Nathan Pope. Johnson is a senior and Ingram (sophomore) and Pope (junior) underclassmen.
Shotwell has been coaching for about 35 years at the Buchanan school. He's been head coach in three sports and helped in football, track and baseball.
METRO CROSS COUNTRY:The Metro boys' and girls' cross country meet will be held Saturday in Salem at the Baptist Children's Home with a new look. Four-time defending girls' champion Trish Nervo, who set records four consecutive years, has moved on as all high school athletes do. This opens the way for a new girls' star in the sport.
This is the start of the big push for Timesland runners with state honors awaiting the very best of them next month.
BIG LOSS:In just four games, Floyd County's Josh Spence had 52 tackles to lead the Bisons. Then he was hit on the first play of the Shawsville game and received an injury to his right knee that fortunately will require no surgery. He might be back later in the season.
Veteran Floyd County coach Winfred Beale doesn't spare the praise for the 6-foot-1, 180 pound Spence, whom he calls, ``the best freshman I've ever had.''
LENGTH: Long : 116 linesby CNB