ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 7, 1996 TAG: 9611070015
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
COLUMN: HIGH SCHOOLS
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM
Sometimes the figures just don't add up.
Try explaining these facts:
*The Blacksburg football team went to Rockbridge County and zapped the Wildcats 37-0 two weeks ago.
One might have thought the Indians were making a late playoff run, especially since Rockbridge County had played Northside tough before losing 6-0 in overtime the week before.
However, the past two weeks have seen Northside beat Blacksburg 50-7, handing Indian coach Dave Crist one of his worst losses, followed by a 36-7 setback to Lord Botetourt.
It makes no sense.
*Franklin County changed football coaches in the middle of the season. The team and community were in an uproar as veteran Jerry Little took over with three games left.
All sorts of rumors were flying about why Coach Horace Green was sacked. Some of the players and coaches wore green ribbons in honor of the deposed coach; others didn't. The community was split.
Meanwhile, Patrick Henry was doing great. The Patriots were 6-1 with two of Timesland's quickest runners, Shaun Akers and James Hickenbotham. PH walloped Halifax County 28-6, and the Comets made Little's debut a losing one by defeating the Eagles 39-27.
Two weeks ago in Rocky Mount, the Patriots took a 14-3 lead. It looked like a blowout. That much was right, only Franklin County won 38-22 by outscoring PH 35-8 in the final three quarters.
Who would have thought it?
*Basketball defies explanation, too.
In the Mountain Empire District, the Narrows girls' team blew out Fort Chiswell 50-28.
That was at the beginning of October. Four weeks later, Fort Chiswell's team found some magic and beat the Green Wave 52-47. Narrows, by the way, isn't an inconsistent team. The Green Wave finished the regular season with a 16-5 record, and beat Galax in a playoff for the Mountain Empire District title.
The girls' basketball tournaments started this week, and the football playoffs are next week. I suspect there are a lot of results that don't make sense, which is a big reason high school athletics are so interesting.
BACK TO THE FUTURE: With Lord Botetourt assured of a spot in the Region III girls' basketball tournament in two weeks, Sara Moore's father, Tom, and mother, Sandy, will be returning to a familiar site.
The Region III tournament is scheduled to be played at Rustburg High School, where Hugh Pendleton is the principal. Tom Moore attended Rustburg and played baseball and football when Pendleton was a coach.
Sandy Moore also attended Rustburg and played girls' basketball for the Red Devils along with Barbara Elliott, whose daughter Katrina also plays on the Lord Botetourt team.
CONNECTIONS: With Lord Botetourt's Sara Moore planning to play for Campbell University women's basketball team, there is a chance the Camels will start an All-Timesland unit next winter.
That's because Sara's sister, Ashley Moore, Cave Spring twins Alyssa and Catie Reddick, and William Byrd's Cathy Smith are already on the team at the North Carolina school.
IT'S OFFICIAL: Former Grundy wrestling coach Kevin Dresser is now on board at Christiansburg as the major domo of the mats. He's been hired only as a coach. Dresser, who won the past eight Group AA titles while at Grundy, retired, then had a change of heart this fall when he heard the Blue Demons needed a coach.
``We're looking forward to working with Kevin,'' said Christiansburg Principal George Porterfield. ``We have a lot of promise for our program. It was starting to go back to where it was before. It had been down in terms of numbers, but we think Kevin will attract more people. He's doing some active recruiting.''
Porterfield doesn't think more participation in wrestling will detract from other boys' winter sports at his school. ``Typically, the students who wrestle come out of football in the fall and don't plan to be in other sports such as basketball and indoor track,'' said Porterfield.
NEW COMMISH: The Western Virginia Football Officials' Association has elected Steve Fleshman commissioner. He follows Ernie Bradd, who announced he was retiring from the job and returning to work games as a head referee.
Fleshman, 45, has been in the association since 1991 and is an Old Dominion Athletic Conference official. He also calls high school basketball games.
Fleshman didn't start calling football until six years ago. His first experience officiating was as a baseball umpire when he started at the recreation level around 13 years ago.
``It kind of expanded, and some of the guys convinced me to try football. Since I've been in the high school [as a Virginia High School League official], I've gone to clinics and read books. I've fallen in love with football. It was always important to know rules, but you have to know how to apply them,'' said Fleshman.
The new commish is an accountant who works out of his home so, like Bradd, he'll be easily accessible.
LEAVING: William Byrd is losing boys' and girls' cross country coach Mike Sebolt, who is retiring following the state meets Saturday.
Sebolt, who was a two-time Timesland Coach of the Year in cross country, started the Blue Ridge meet, which has become one of the most popular regular-season events.
``He's a spectacular kids' coach,'' said William Byrd athletic director Jane Layman. ``At every home football game, our cross country kids have a tailgate party with him there and running it.''
Gene Riggs will be the Terriers' new cross country coach.
WRESTLING HALL: The National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Okla., has announced recognitions of four Southwest Virginians for the Lifetime Service to Wrestling award. Three of them are from Timesland.
Two of the recipients are the late Northside coach, Dr. Ken Shelton, who also coached at The Citadel, and former Viking wrestler Ron Childress, who coached at William Fleming and worked as an official after a collegiate career at Appalachian State.
The third Timesland honoree is Jack Duncan, who coached for 20 years, starting in 1962 at Pulaski High School and continuing four years later at Gar-Field.
The fourth man to receive the award will be Moe Weaver, who coached and officiated wrestling in the Marion area.
A banquet and induction ceremony honoring these four men will be held at the Airport Days Inn at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 16. For information and reservations, call (540) 986-0370.
LENGTH: Long : 119 linesby CNB