ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, November 21, 1996 TAG: 9611210011
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-5 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM HIGH SCHOOLS
MEMO: NOTE: Also ran in November 21, 1996 Neighbors.
The first third of the high school sports season is nearly complete for the Blue Ridge District, which added Christiansburg and Blacksburg to create what many feel is the state's most powerful Group AA alignment.
Whether the league wins a state championship in the fall rests in the hands of Salem's football team and the William Byrd and Lord Botetourt girls' basketball teams if they were able to win first-round state tournament games this past Tuesday.
Last year, the six-team Blue Ridge District already had a golf title in the bag. Christiansburg, then a member of the New River District, had won the boys' cross country title. No Blue Ridge team won state titles in those sports this year.
Despite the risk of not winning as many state titles, the merger of the Blue Ridge and New River districts has been profitable.
From a writer's point of view, it's been exciting. For example, every Blue Ridge District team except Alleghany was talking about making the football playoffs at the midway point of the schedule. They all had decent chances, though it was certain they would start eliminating each other as league play wound down.
The golf coaches, however, weren't as happy with the new setup. Instead of the district's teams competing in weekly tournaments, they now faced off in dual meets. Hence, when a strong team met a weak squad, the players didn't have to work as hard at their game. As a consequence, some teams had trouble preparing for postseason tournaments.
It was indeed a plus when Christiansburg hired wrestling coach Kevin Dresser, who had won eight consecutive Group AA titles at Grundy.
Now, Dresser isn't going to make the Blue Demons an instant Group AA power. However, if the intense coach stays around long enough, the program will be very competitive.
Dresser will bring excitement to the wrestling fans in both the Blue Ridge District and Timesland. Even before Christiansburg's addition to the league, William Byrd already was trying to get the Demons into the Big Orange tournament in January. This winter's tournament could pit Dresser against Kris Kahila, Franklin County's colorful coach.
Blue Ridge wrestling coaches are excited about the addition of Dresser. Not only will Christiansburg wrestling improve, but I suspect the Blue Ridge District be stronger because of the competition.
In compiling the story on views of the Blue Ridge District, I never heard anyone speak negatively of the new league.
Well, make that one exception. Athletic directors in Region IV still aren't happy Blacksburg and Christiansburg left to join the Blue Ridge.
They're more dissatisfied with the Piedmont District moving into the Region IV. Longer travel is their main gripe. When Patrick County went to Grundy for a Region IV girls' basketball game last week, it took more than the entire gate receipts of the game to pay the Cougars' travel allowance.
On the other hand, when Byrd and Lord Botetourt played in front of a nearly packed house Saturday for the Region III girls' championship, the schools left in Region III really had to love the new Blue Ridge District.
RVD EXODUS: While the Blue Ridge District grows with excitement, coaches and athletic directors are leaving the Roanoke Valley District at an all-too-fast clip.
When Ed Scott resigned last week as Patrick Henry's football coach, he became the fifth RVD boys' basketball or football coach to either be fired or step down in the past 11 months.
Those positions are usually considered the most important in a school's alignment of coaches, though girls' basketball is growing in importance and is creating nearly as much pressure as boys' basketball.
RVD athletic directors also are exiting quickly. Coming into the fall season, the RVD had new athletic directors in place at Cave Spring and Pulaski County. At the end of the current school year, William Fleming's Sherley Stuart says he plans to retire.
Here's a prediction: Boys' basketball is about to start and there is still a lot of turmoil in the air at RVD schools. More changes will occur in the league before graduation ceremonies are held in June.
Stay tuned.
STRONG FINISH: Floyd County junior Nick Wohn finished strong last Monday with three touchdowns to wind up with 98 points and third place in the Three Rivers District scoring race.
The Buffaloes won five of their final six football games to finish with a 7-3 record and might have made the playoffs except for a 23-20 loss to Radford. Coach Winfred Beale saw his team outlast Group AA Carroll County 25-24 before the Cavaliers made the Division 4 playoffs.
DISH VIEWING: Checking a satellite feed on Direct TV: On Saturday morning there was a show reviewing the first round of the football playoff games in Texas last weekend.
The most amazing thing happened, but then it usually does in the Texas football playoffs. Converse Judson, the defending 5-A state champion, was playing Bowie in the first round and was heavily favored to win.
Bowie didn't buy that and led 31-0 in the third quarter. Converse Judson cut the deficit to 31-29 with a few seconds remaining. The defending champs had a decent chance to make a field goal and win the game.
A Bowie defender blocked the ball, which rolled behind the line of scrimmage and touched another Bowie player. Converse Judson recovered, got another field-goal attempt and this time converted to finish the miracle rally with a 32-31 victory.
LENGTH: Medium: 99 linesby CNB