ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Tuesday, February 25, 1997 TAG: 9702260014
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: BOB TEITLEBAUM STAFF WRITER
REGIONAL PLAYOFFS begin tonight with two of Region C's hottest teams squaring off.
Talk about teams coming from nowhere. That's what Glenvar and George Wythe have done.
The two Group A teams were out of sight during the regular season compared to fellow Region C members Floyd County and Parry McCluer. Those two schools jockeyed between first and second in the Associated Press Group A poll.
Late in the season, George Wythe (20-3) came from behind Chilhowie to win the Hogoheegee District title. Glenvar (12-10) also rode a late surge to make the regional field and will meet the Maroons in a first-round Region C game at Wytheville at 8:15 p.m.
The late start is a result of Wythe's volleyball team making the Group A tournament and playing host to a first-round match against Rye Cove at 6 p.m. It is one of two state volleyball contests involving Timesland teams. William Byrd plays a Group AA contest at Abingdon at 7 p.m.
``We've played about the same all year,'' said Wythe coach Al Copenhaver. ``But we are on a little bit of a roll.''
The Maroons lost seven seniors last year, but retained point guard Justin Bourne (5.6 assists) and 6-foot-5 Brian Barnes (16.7 points per game, 7.7 rebounds)
Glenvar's record is deceiving. The Highlanders' only losses to Group A competition came against Floyd County and Parry McCluer. The rest of the defeats have come to Group AA and AAA competition.
Glenvar knocked off Floyd County in the Three Rivers District championship game. Glenvar is led by Josh Williamson (21.5 ppg), a point guard last year who has played inside this winter because of injury to 6-5 Seth Noonkester.
``Seth has been playing, but I've left Josh inside,'' said Glenvar coach Art Lawrence, who didn't want to break up a good combination.
The Wythe-Glenvar game is part of a big first-round night for regional and state private school tournaments with the following highlights:
* Liberty vs. Blacksburg in Region III at the Salem Civic Center: These teams meet in a Region III first-round game that sends the Minutemen, ranked No.1 in Group AA, against a Blacksburg team that came from a sixth-seeded spot to win the Blue Ridge District tournament.
The Liberty-Blacksburg game is at 7:30 p.m. after William Campbell takes on Jefferson Forest in the 6 p.m. opener. The Generals are coached by former William Byrd coach and player Pat Paye and have won seven of the last nine games after 6-7 transfer Travis Watson became eligible. He is averaging double figures in rebounds and points.
In Region IV, Laurel Park has a long journey to once-beaten Graham, which wound up ranked seventh in the state. The G-Men's only loss was at home to Blacksburg.
* Bath County at Floyd County in Region C: The hottest player in Timesland might be Bath County's Adam Grist, who will be tested when the Chargers play a Region C first-round game at Floyd County. Grist has a 29.1 scoring average the last eight games and led the Chargers to the Pioneer District tournament title.
Other Region C games find Parry McCluer playing host to Bland while John Battle is at Grayson County.
* Albemarle at William Fleming, 7 p.m. in the Northwest Region: The Colonels hope to advance to the Group AAA tournament for the fourth consecutive year. If it wins, Fleming plays host Thursday to the survivor of Patrick Henry's trip to George Washington-Danville, the defending Group AAA champion.
* Albemarle at Pulaski County , 7 p.m. in the girls' Northwest Region: The Cougars hope to return to the Group AAA tournament and will have home-court advantage. Pulaski County (20-1) beat Albemarle twice during the season, but each time struggled. In the other part of the bracket, William Fleming goes to George Washington-Danville.
* In state tournament action, defending Virginia Independent Schools Division II champion Carlisle plays at Notre Dame in Middleburg. If the Chiefs win, they have to go to Nansemond-Suffolk for a second-round game Wednesday.
Roanoke Valley Christian, scheduled to play Shenandoah Valley Christian tonight, withdrew from the tournament because a victory would have meant playing a second-round game on Wednesday.
The Eagles won't play athletic events on Wednesday nights because that is a church night. The school signed an agreement to participate in the state tournament last fall, even when the dates were announced that there might be a Wednesday game.
``That was an oversight, but at the time, we didn't have an athletic director,'' said elementary school principal Mike Larson. ``We did approach [the VIS] about looking at rescheduling the game Thursday if we won, but the other school [Peninsula Christian] was unwilling to do that.''
In girls' state play, Roanoke Valley Christian is at Seton School while North Cross travels to Bishop O'Connell. Second-round action is Thursday at Holy Cross in Lynchburg.
LENGTH: Medium: 91 lines KEYWORDS: BASKETBALLby CNB