ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, October 26, 1996 TAG: 9610280025
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-4 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: RAY COX
SOURCE: RAY COX
Blacksburg High and Christiansburg High have arrived in the Blue Ridge District fully now, the smell of burning rubber and damp grass in their wake.
On second thought, the smoking rubber may have been coming from a car being leadfooted down U.S. 460 on the way to West Virginia. On the other side of the hill from the highway, Indians boys and Blue Demons girls were laying sneaker rubber down in the verdant pastures surrounding the Virginia-Maryland Regional College of Veterinary Medicine.
It was a marvelously stunning Thursday afternoon, the sunlight shining brighter than the gold in Ross Perot's pocket, when Blacksburg and Christiansburg made their grand entrance into a new district, the Blue Ridge.
To the surprise of few, the representatives of the two schools' vanguard were wearing the skimpy garb of cross country runners.
Was it news to anybody that the first sporting championships in the Blue Ridge won by either Indians or Blue Demons were in cross country?
Christiansburg had three of the top six finishers and six of the top 15 to win the girls' competition. The Blacksburg boys were only slightly less dominating but no less of a winner in their footrace over the gentle hills of the Tech campus.
It's not as though champion cross country runners are lurking down every hallway at Christiansburg and Blacksburg, but the rest of the Group AA schools in the state surely must think so.
They had it all mixed up Thursday, though. Christiansburg, which has been the dominant boys' program in the state in recent years, won the girls race. Blacksburg, where the girls have had the swifter feet of late, won the boys' race.
It was hardly unexpected. Christiansburg coach Steve Shelton could have spoken for both of the Montgomery County teams:
"They did what good teams do: They won the races they were supposed to win.''
Next stop, the Region III meet over the same course next Wednesday.
"We want to go to the state meet undefeated,'' said Christiansburg ace Laura Evans. "We haven't lost a race yet. We feel pretty good about regionals.''
As well they should. Evans and her similarly petite and fleet teammate, Laura Dangerfield, were first and second in the girls' race, followed by Christina Wolfe, in sixth, Jenny Lambert in 12th, and Amy Henderson in 14th.
"Darn pretty good," the ultra-thrilled Dangerfield said.
"You mean pretty darn good?" Shelton asked.
However you say it, Christiansburg has been as tough as the lunchtime mystery meat served in the school cafeteria.
"Our guys have been dominant for so long," Evans said of the multiple state championships by her male schoolmates. "Now it's our turn."
The turn of the Blacksburg boys came amidst great labor and heartache. Those who scored with their feet (and also earned all-district distinction) Thursday included Clay Schwabe in second, seventh-placed Nathan Hanna, 10th-placed Brian Wheeler, 12th-placed Terry Simon and 14th-placed Mark Woodfield.
The Indians have had a marvelous year, but no discussion of it is complete without recalling the horrific accident that clouded the campaign.
The team was doing its roadwork one day, seemingly safely on a South Main Street sidewalk, when four of the runners were struck by an automobile. Charlie Cade was hurt badly in the Sept. 30 accident and only recently came home from the hospital, his recovery far from complete. Rafael Gray, John Patterson and Bruce Geyer also sustained injuries. Nobody knows when Cade will run again. Gray is done for the year.
"We're hoping to have Patterson back for regionals," Blacksburg coach Jack Hencke said.
That would indeed be a blessing, but then when it comes to cross country at the Montgomery County schools, blessings are counted frequently.
LENGTH: Medium: 73 linesby CNB