Bluefield Daily Telegraph, Bluefield, WV

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June 14, 2007

Another prep/college season comes to an end

By BRIAN WOODSON

BLUEFIELD — It’s time for a break.

All the local high school and college sporting events have come to an end. They’ll restart soon enough, with prep football practices slated to begin on July 31.

Let the countdown to football begin, just count real slow. There’s also golf, cross country, soccer and volleyball that will join football on the local sporting landscape within a few weeks.

Until then, let’s enjoy some Appalachian League baseball, a lot of lemonade, a vacation or two or three, and live on the memories of the 2006-07 season.

The highlights were many. Below are just a few of a lot of memorable moments:

The ‘other’ national champions: West Virginia captured the NIT championship with a 78-73 win over Clemson. A few days later, John Beilein left for Michigan. Bob Huggins takes his place.

State team champions: Richlands, football: The Blue Tornado ‘Hold the Mayo’ to capture the Group AA, Division 3 state title with a 29-28 win over Marcus Mayo and Rockbridge County; Bluefield, girls tennis: The Beavers won the first girls state title in school history; Summers County, girls basketball: Jolysa Brown and the Bobcats would not be denied.

State individual champions: Bluefield, boys tennis: Bluefield’s Chad Brady captured the Class A/AA state title in singles, and combined with Cory Warner to win the doubles crown; James Monroe, golf: Phillip Shrewsbury won the Class AA golf title in dramatic fashion, winning in a playoff.

Most entertaining high school games that I attended: (5) Baseball: Graham 14, Princeton 13; (4) Boys Basketball: Mount View 70, Graham 64, 2 OT; (3) Football: Tolsia 15, Bluefield 14; (2) Boys Basketball: James Monroe 82, PikeView 73, OT; (1) Football: Richlands 29, Rockbridge County 28.

Honorable Mention: Baseball: Bluefield 9, Mount View 7; Boys Tennis: Randall Carter (Abingdon) defeats Alexander Azzo (Graham).

Most entertaining college games that I attended: (5) Men’s Basketball: Clemson 75, Virginia Tech 74; (4) Football: Louisville 44, West Virginia 34; (3) Football: Central Florida 23, Marshall 22; (2) Men’s Basketball: Bluefield 94, Bluefield State 89; (1) Football: West Virginia 38, Georgia Tech 35.

Honorable Mention: Football: West Virginia 45, Pittsburgh 27; Baseball: Concord 26, Salem International 10.

Finally: When Bluefield College’s Lady Rams defeated Southern Virginia 72-70 to open the season, it broke a 27-game losing streak; Bluefield State defeated Wheeling Jesuit 71-69 in the opening round of the WVIAC men’s basketball tournament. It was the Blues’ first tourney win since 1997; Pocahontas stopped a 15-game losing streak with a season-opening win over Craig County.

Honorable Mention: Tyler Fridley, the lone senior on the Bluefield Rams’ baseball team, hit his first career home run in a 9-6 win over Bluefield State.

3 vs. 5?: Bluefield State’s Lady Blues led Bluefield College late before foul trouble left them with only three players on the floor. The Rams rallied for the 82-77 win.

At least they won: The Bluefield Beavers were 5-of-25 from the free throw line, missing 15 in a row, but still defeated Montcalm 42-40 in a girls basketball game.

Flair for the dramatic: Lorey Spade, Graham. The senior hit a halfcourt heave at the halftime buzzer. Then, with 12.6 seconds left, Spade hit two free throws to give the G-Girls a 42-41 win over Fort Chiswell.

Pioneers: The Bluefield volleyball team advanced to the Class AA state tournament for the first time in school history; Bluefield College’s baseball team finished among the top four in the National Christian College Athletic Association tournament in Ohio.

Most dominating performance: Huntington boys basketball 110, Princeton 60.

Top performers, college: (5) Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech; (4) Steve Slaton, West Virginia; (3) Tyrone Anderson, Concord; (3) Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall; (1) Pat White, West Virginia.

Best player, college: Calvin Johnson, Georgia Tech.

Top performers, high school: (5) Jordan Barnett, Richlands; (4) Ansel Ponder, Bluefield; (3) Justin McCracken, Richlands; (2) Dexter Moore, Bluefield; (1) Allison Hunter, Tazewell.

Best player, high school: O.J. Mayo, Huntington.

Walking highlight reels: (5) Steve Slaton, West Virginia; (4) Ahmad Bradshaw, Marshall; (3) Ansel Ponder, Bluefield; (2) Deron Washington, Virginia Tech; (1) Pat White, West Virginia.

Top athletes who have moved on: (5) Keith Taylor, Princeton; (4) Caleb Jennings, Richlands; (3) Sydney Lindsey, Narrows; (2) Dexter Moore, Bluefield; (1) Allison Hunter, Tazewell.

Best duos: (5) Ansel Ponder-Dexter Moore, Bluefield; (4) Justin McCracken-Caleb Jennings, Richlands; (3) Jamon Gordon-Zabian Dowdell, Virginia Tech; (2) Tyrone Anderson-Brian Foster, Concord; (1) Pat White-Steve Slaton, West Virginia.

Future pros?: Ahmad Bradshaw (Graham) New York Giants; Matt McGlothlin (Richlands) Kansas City Chiefs.

A different court: Greenbrier East filed an injunction to have its sectional championship game with Princeton moved from Concord University. The judge said ‘play ball.’ They did, and the Spartans proceeded to rout the Tigers.

Busiest press conference for non-sports event: “We Are Marshall” star Matthew McConaughey and producer McG met the press before a Marshall football game. Once they left, most of the press left with them.

Putting sports in perspective: Gator Bowl trip to Florida; BDT reporter Bill Archer holding his new grandson.

Best Quote: Nathan Tanner, after the Giles senior ran for 164 yards and five touchdowns in a 49-8 whipping of Powell Valley in a Group A, Division 2 semifinal game. — “This is way fun.”

Ditto.

—Contact Brian Woodson

bwoodson@bdtonline.com



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