ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, November 1, 1996 TAG: 9611010020
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV2 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: COMMENTARY
SOURCE: RAY COX
For all those who have hated sports their whole life through, there is still time to repent.
Any person who wishes to confess the error of his sportless way should come forward at once and face the congregation as it takes its ease in the cheap seats of the upper deck. Or, if you prefer a more local location, visit with the end-zone fence leaners at Blacksburg's Bill Brown Stadium. Those experts will set you straight in a hurry.
For this is the time of year when local sports are at their most excellent. We should never tire of celebrating it, either.
Halloween marks the start of the real holiday season around here. It'll take you through Thanksgiving and into the early days of December.
Coming soon, the Roanoke Valley, the Blue Ridge, the Three Rivers, the Mountain Empire and all the rest of the girls basketball districts around the state stage their loud and frantic tournaments. Regionals, all anxiety, anguish and joy, and the money games (if you can employ that cliche in amateur sport) of the state tournaments follow in breathless procession.
Watch closely as Floyd County's girls try to press and shoot their way to another Group A crown. Join with your fellow basketball-loving brethren to cram into the humid gym at Auburn High School at 7 p.m. Monday for the expected regional-berth-at-stake playoff game with red hot (nine wins in a row with one regular-season game to play) Glenvar.
Crane your necks at the state cross country meets at Great Meadows near Warrenton next week. You might not be able to see much of it (unless you fly a helicopter), but take our word for it: Blacksburg's boys and Christiansburg's girls are going to be somewhere near the head of the pack. Team and individual glory is well within reach for both of these splendid programs. Not all the great athletes at Floyd County are playing basketball and football (more on those guys later); some of them will be running for high cross country honors in the Group A race over the same Fauquier County real estate.
Football will be a little strange this year with Blacksburg and Radford both closing up the locker room and taking up uniforms after only 10 games. Same with Narrows. Floyd County will miss out on the postseason too, but not for lack of fine down-the-stretch play.
Pulaski County and Giles are back again, consistent and precise as always.
The Spartans have had a marvelous year. You can scarcely imagine a team that has played any better, going as it is into the playoffs undefeated. Last couple of times Giles did that, it ran the table. Is 14-0 and another addition to the trophy case a possibility?
Is deer hunting considered a pleasant pastime in Giles County?
Unlike Giles, Pulaski County does have a blemish on its ledger. Can somebody please tell me who those dudes in burgundy and gold were that showed up that night for the Salem game? Either imposters or evil twins, but no way were they the same guys who won impressively in the other seven games.
Look at it this way. You're playing Pulaski County at this time of the year, what do you think of, a loss to Salem over a month ago or all that glorious Cougars tradition? You wouldn't be feeling a little queasy at the prospect of meeting a squad coached by Joel Hicks flush with intimidators such as fullback Craig Hodge, linebacker Ryan Brockmeyer and quarterback Ron Branch, would you?
Might you have doubts? Is the harvesting of the deer crop in Pulaski County thought of fondly by the residents?
LENGTH: Medium: 65 linesby CNB