ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 14, 1996 TAG: 9611140011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM HIGH SCHOOLS
MEMO: NOTE: Also ran in November 14 Neighbors.
It's time for the football playoffs, and that means it's time to put up or shut up.
There are some people who have doubts that several Timesland teams are going to fare well.
The doubting begins with Staunton River, a team that went 9-1 and is new to the playoffs.
At least twice this past week, I've had coaches tell me, ``I know they have those two great backs, but they don't play defense. They just outscore people.''
Now anyone who knows playoff football realizes it starts and ends with defense, not offense. It's like baseball: The team with the best pitching will usually beat the team with superior hitting.
Staunton River's defense is suspect, if one looks at the points. The Golden Eagles have allowed two or more touchdowns in every game. Of course, part of this might come from the fact that Jarrett Ferguson and Kevin Martin, the pace setters of an offense that has scored three or more touchdowns in all but one game, score so fast it gives opponents more possessions.
Still, Staunton River's defense will be tested the deeper it goes in the playoffs, assuming the Golden Eagles can beat Lord Botetourt in the first round.
Salem can prove it's as good or better than in previous years by winning games during the next few weeks.
The Spartans (8-2) struggled offensively in an opening 20-0 loss to Brookville and, later, a 10-7 setback to William Byrd. Since losing to the Terriers, though, the Spartans have thumped four opponents and looked like Salem teams past.
The Spartans have no rusher who has averaged 60 yards or more a game. Rookie quarterback R.J. Beckwith, a senior, has been spectacular at times with his passing, but Salem coaches know that to beat good teams, it takes a balancing act between the running and passing games.
Salem beat Pulaski County 27-14 in the Spartans' second game. That victory over the Group AAA Cougars establishes that Salem can beat any team in its Division 4 playoff bracket at any time. Yet, people still want proof.
What about Pulaski County in Group AAA Division 5 and Giles in Group AA Division 2?
The Cougars will have the home field advantage in the Northwest Region for as long as they play, after Brooke Point beat Culpeper County on Saturday. Winning a state title is another matter, because everyone in Division 5 is probably playing to be runner-up to national power Hampton, which has been ranked among the nation's top 20 teams all year by USA Today.
As for Giles, the last time the Spartans finished unbeaten was in 1993. They just happened to win the Division 2 title that year. Giles finished unbeaten this season, and will get Powell Valley in its territory if the two make the state semifinals. Giles is the Timesland team with the best chance of winning a state crown.
TURNAROUNDS: The Timesland football season was marked by some very big reversals of fortunes. Teams that started out well didn't always finish that way, and others came on strong at the end.
Blacksburg was wildly inconsistent. The Indians crushed Rockbridge County 37-0 and seemed ready to make a move for the playoffs. Then Blacksburg lost the last three games by a combined 117-22 to finish a 3-7 season.
William Fleming won only once in its first five games. The Colonels were hit by injuries, but they finished with four victories in the final five games, including a 19-9 triumph over Patrick Henry that knocked the Patriots out of the playoffs. At the end, Fleming was very healthy.
And what about PH, which started 6-1? Franklin County upset the Patriots 38-22, and Patrick Henry lost its last three. The Eagles might have exposed the Patriots' weaknesses, which included a suspect defense and no passing game.
A LOT OF HEART- BREAK: Someday, the sun will come up for William Byrd football. For the second consecutive year, the Terriers just missed the Division 4 playoffs.
Had Glenvar beaten Covington on Friday, Byrd would have been in, no matter what Northside did Saturday against Lord Botetourt. When that didn't happen, Byrd's chances disappeared Saturday when the Vikings' John Doss made a 53-yard touchdown run to beat Botetourt 20-14.
That left Byrd and Northside tied in the points ratings for the last playoff spot, but the Vikings owned a 14-12 regular season victory that broke the tie and established their playoff credentials.
PH STAFF COMPLETE: The staff of new Patrick Henry boys' basketball coach Jack Esworthy is complete, and two old hands who served under former coach Woody Deans will be returning.
They are Mike Franklin and Mike Andrews. Franklin coaches the junior varsity and Andrews, who handled most of the scouting assignments under Deans, will move up as the varsity assistant to Esworthy.
The new coach on the staff is Charles Butcher, who will be teaching in the Roanoke city school system. He is a native of Lexington, Ky., and attended Roanoke College. He joins David Via in coaching the freshman team and handling scouting assignments.
RETIREMENT PLANS ON HOLD: Cave Spring had hoped to retire the numbers of the school's two most illustrious football players, Ronde and Tiki Barber, when the Knights wrapped up their football season against Pulaski County this past weekend.
The Barbers, who now star for the University of Virginia, declined because the trip would have jeopardized their Friday night curfew before Saturday's game with Clemson.
As it turns out, it's good the Knights didn't go through with plans to retire the numbers because rain forced postponement of their contest with the Cougars to Saturday, opposite the UVa-Clemson game.
The twins' numbers will be retired at a later date, probably at a basketball game.
LENGTH: Long : 106 linesby CNB