Sports for WSLS 10

Like them or not, victory burnouts have become part of NASCAR

Sat, 17 May 2008 08:19:01 EDT

Baseball has a home run derby and basketball has a slam dunk contest. Now, NASCAR’s all-star event has its own short-attention-span, explosive sideshow.

Salem Captures River Ridge Softball Title

Fri, 16 May 2008 23:50:00 EDT

It took an extra game, but Salem captured the River Ridge regular season softball title by toppling Hidden Valley for the third time this season.

Virginia Tech defeats Louisville in NCAA softball tourney opener

Fri, 16 May 2008 17:28:00 EDT

Angela Tincher pitched 10 innings, and Misty Hall hit a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 10th

Autopsy reveals filly Eight Belles was healthy

Fri, 16 May 2008 15:58:00 EDT

According to autopsy results, Eight Belles had no diseases or pre-existing bone abnormalities that caused the filly to break down after finishing second in the Kentucky Derby.

Jefferson Forest sophomores deliver their pitch

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:24:00 EDT

Trevor Johnston, Erik Heiligenstadt, and Hunter Gordon extinguished any doubts about their ability.

New Lynchburg College basketball coach a familiar face

Fri, 16 May 2008 14:20:01 EDT

Lynchburg College athletic director Dr. Jack Toms only brought two candidates on campus for interviews before naming Hilliary Scott the Hornets’ new coach

Randolph College to break ground on $5 million track and field project

Fri, 16 May 2008 13:26:00 EDT

Randolph College’s new facility will include an eight-lane, 400-meter track and a synthetic turf field. It will be built on top of a current athletic field located adjacent to the school’s Physical Education and Recreation Building.

ACC hoops’ biggest key is quality

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:34:00 EDT

The ACC has been floated a proposal to boost the number of conference games played in basketball from 16 to 18. This trial balloon—first given air a year ago—is a candidate to be harpooned if most coaches had their way.

Amputee runner wins right to try for Olympic spot

Fri, 16 May 2008 10:27:00 EDT

The Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled that the 21-year-old South African is eligible to race against able-bodied athletes, overturning a ban imposed by the International Association of Athletics Federations.

Salem, Cave Spring, Hidden Valley In River Ridge Softball Slugfest

Thu, 15 May 2008 23:37:00 EDT

The Spartans, Knights and Titans all entered the final week of the regular season tied atop the River Ridge. Something had to give.

Tonya Harding tells harrowing story in new book

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:31:00 EDT

Hardings memories fill a new book, “The Tonya Tapes,” in which she speaks frankly, if a bit confusingly, about the Tonya and Nancy scandal.

Video: Soccer fans attack police after UEFA Cup final

Thu, 15 May 2008 16:05:00 EDT

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown condemned the fan violence that marred the UEFA Cup final as a “disgrace” and expressed concern Thursday that it could harm England’s bid to host the 2018 World Cup.

Charles Barkley faces gambling debt case

Thu, 15 May 2008 13:51:00 EDT

Retired NBA star Charles Barkley will face criminal charges if he doesn’t repay a $400,000 gambling debt to a Las Vegas casino, a prosecutor said Thursday.

All-Star race is a different energy altogether

Thu, 15 May 2008 10:01:00 EDT

All teams in Saturday night’s Sprint All-Star race will compete in what may seem to be something rather gimmicky, with buzzers and bells and guys pushing their cars the length of the arena to a finish line.
But the guys on the floor will be taking it all very seriously.

Suspect pleads guilty in Redskins star’s slaying

Thu, 15 May 2008 09:14:00 EDT

Defense attorney Michael Hornung says that according to the plea agreement, Venjah Hunte will serve 29 years in prison and cooperate with prosecutors.

UVA baseball dons beards for stretch run

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:08:01 EDT

“We are doing a little push for the postseason thing,” explained Virginia pitcher Pat McAnaney. “We are just trying something to get everybody fired up.”

UVA snags linebacker recruit from North Carolina

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:06:00 EDT

Rising senior Tucker Windle, from Charlotte Catholic (N.C.), picked Virginia over three other ACC schools and Wisconsin, electing to follow in his father’s footsteps as a Cavalier linebacker

UVA sneak past VMI in extra innings

Wed, 14 May 2008 14:03:00 EDT

It was Virginia’s second straight rally and helped the program avoid back-to-back losses against VMI (26-23) for the first time in 47 years

VT Softball tries to break through in NCAA tourney

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:41:00 EDT

Coming off its second consecutive ACC tournament title Sunday, the Virginia Tech softball team will try this weekend to advance in the NCAA tournament for the first time in school history.

Construction begins in earnest on VT basketball practice facility

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:40:00 EDT

The 56,000-square-foot facility will include two full-length courts, a weight room and men’s and women’s locker rooms. It is being built on the tennis courts next to Cassell Coliseum and should open in August 2009. The total project cost is $21 million.

VT Golf team prepares for NCAA tourney

Wed, 14 May 2008 13:38:00 EDT

Tech’s golf team enters this week’s NCAA East Regional with a stronger top five than the 2001 squad, which finished eighth at the NCAA championships, coach Jay Hardwick said.

Dale Jarrett to join ESPN

Wed, 14 May 2008 10:48:00 EDT

Jarrett’s newest ride as he heads into the next phase of his career around NASCAR racing will be in a TV booth for ESPN with fellow announcers Andy Petree and Jerry Punch, two old buddies from Newton.

Former William Fleming wrestling star carries Olympic dreams

Tue, 13 May 2008 23:47:00 EDT

His workouts at ‘The Edge” Sports complex come with equal parts intensity, brutality and pain. Keno Shepard has taken his dedication to another level in hopes of securing his Olympic dreams at Beijing.

Barry Bonds Facing New Charges

Tue, 13 May 2008 22:01:00 EDT

Barry Bonds is facing new charges concerning his denial of using performance-enhacing drugs.

UVA’s Mike Brown faces more criminal charges

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:20:00 EDT

Brown, a cornerback who was charged Feb. 29 with three felonies and a misdemeanor, was arrested again April 24. This time Brown, 21, was charged with DWI and refusing to take a blood/breath test. Both are misdemeanors

Richard Childress drivers confident about Cup chances

Tue, 13 May 2008 18:18:00 EDT

The result of Childress reaching deep into his bank account and a more strenuous testing program is likely to put all three drivers back in the Chase for the Sprint Cup, despite what looks like greater competition

Olympic torch relay downscaled after earthquake

Tue, 13 May 2008 10:29:00 EDT

The relay will be simplified, downscaled and open with a minute of silence Wednesday when a leg starts in the southeastern city of Ruijin, a symbolic gesture to thousands who died.

James River Knights softball signs another to college ranks

Mon, 12 May 2008 23:41:00 EDT

The James River pipeline of pitching talent is alive and well. From Angela Tincher to Abbie Rexrode to Ginni Neighbors.

Kyle Busch continues to win big

Mon, 12 May 2008 17:55:00 EDT

Eight major wins on seven different types of tracks. About the only question now, is Busch so hot that he’s front-loaded the stock car racing season and may burn out?

Issue of rookie salaries really starting to simmer

Mon, 12 May 2008 16:45:00 EDT

The top picks in last month’s draft will each be showered with millions of dollars in guaranteed money before ever proving themselves at the pro level.

Report: O.J. Mayo got cash, benefits from promoter

Mon, 12 May 2008 09:13:00 EDT

Louis Johnson told ESPN’s “Outside the Lines,” that Rodney Guillory, a Los Angeles-based event promoter, gave Mayo about $30,000 and other benefits while he attended high school and during his sole season at USC. Mayo, a Huntington, W.Va., native, has decided to forgo his sophomore year and enter the NBA draft.

As expected, new surface means faster speeds

Sun, 11 May 2008 05:37:01 EDT

Thirty-one cars eclipsed Ward Burton’s track record of 173.797 mph set in the first race after the track was repaved in 1996.

Kyle Busch wins at Darlington

Sat, 10 May 2008 23:35:00 EDT

Carl Edwards finished 2nd, and Jeff Gordon was 3rd. Dale Earnhardt Jr. came across the line 4th.

Biffle Leads Record Assault at Darlington

Fri, 09 May 2008 21:55:00 EDT

The new surface turned the track “too tough to tame” into a lightning rod, and Greg Biffle had power at his fingertips during Cup qualifying.

Age hasn’t slowed down Jeff Burton

Fri, 09 May 2008 16:16:01 EDT

With the same determination he displayed as a rookie in the Cup series in 1994, Burton is still driving hard. He comes into this weekend’s Dodge Challenger 500 second in points.

Transfers drop as teams responded to academic reform

Fri, 09 May 2008 16:10:00 EDT

Each scholarship student-athlete at a Division I school earns Academic Progress Rate points for remaining eligible at the school at which he initially matriculated, staying in that school’s sports program, and graduating.

Blacksburg Boys Soccer remains undefeated despite injuries

Thu, 08 May 2008 23:12:00 EDT

The defending state champion Blacksburg Boys Soccer team has had plenty of banner seasons, but none quite like this one.

Ellenbogen Poised to Make the Cut at LPGA Michelob Ultra

Thu, 08 May 2008 20:56:00 EDT

17-year old Blacksburg star Courtney Ellenbogen carded a -1 70 to put herself into position to make the cut against some of the world’s finest women’s golfers at the LPGA Michelob Ultra at Kingsmill in Williamsburg.

McKay ties course record at Kingsmill

Thu, 08 May 2008 17:14:00 EDT

Mhairi McKay tied personal and course record with an 8-under par 63 today to take the clubhouse lead at the midpoint of the opening day of $2.2 million Michelob Ultra Open.

GW Danville’s Nick Barbour, Terrance Townes make AP all-state basketball team

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:20:00 EDT

George Washington senior Nick Barbour was voted an Associated Press Group AAA first-team all-state selection Wednesday and junior Terrance Townes received second-team honors.

Radford University’s Ashley Taylor named Big South Pitcher of the Year

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:17:00 EDT

Radford senior pitcher Ashley Taylor, a former Dan River standout, and freshman utility player Shannon Keefe highlighted Radford’s school-record eight Big South All-Conference selections.

Mears says inconsistency has been biggest problem

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:15:00 EDT

The month of May traditionally is a crucial month for NASCAR drivers and crew chiefs who haven’t won much lately, in part because sponsors are always hungry for more.

Jefferson Forest prevails in battle of soccer titans

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:04:00 EDT

There is no official Lynchburg-area boys soccer championship, but Wednesday night’s game between area high school powers Jefferson Forest and E.C. Glass sure felt like one.

TGIF for Hillcats; Brian Friday that is

Thu, 08 May 2008 14:03:01 EDT

After three at bats Wednesday, Brian Friday had a single, a double and a triple on his résumé. All that remained for the cycle was a home run, the most difficult leg for the Hillcats shortstop, who has just three long balls in his brief minor league career.

Gordon annoyed, but says things will improve

Thu, 08 May 2008 05:03:00 EDT

The new stock car has been awkward to drive. And now teams are heading to Darlington, just repaved, with its stunning 200 mph speeds, and then back here to Lowe’s Motor Speedway for a couple of weeks of work.

Ellenbogen to play LPGA Kingsmill, Scott Robertson

Wed, 07 May 2008 23:40:01 EDT

Blacksburg golf star Courtney Ellenbogen is set to battle the pros at the LPGA Michelob Ultra at Kingsmill. Next week, she’ll be at the 25th annual Scott Robertson Memorial tournament at Roanoke Country Club.

Qualifying paying off for David Ragan

Wed, 07 May 2008 18:10:00 EDT

Ragan hopes he can continue that momentum this week at the resurfaced Darlington.

West Liberty State trying to recruit Branden Ore

Wed, 07 May 2008 14:19:00 EDT

Former Virginia Tech running back Branden Ore might play his final college season this fall at West Liberty State, a Division II school in West Liberty, W.Va.

Change is routine for Redskins QB Jason Campbell

Wed, 07 May 2008 12:31:00 EDT

Jason Campbell has so many things running through his head that it is a wonder his helmet is not spinning when he stands behind the center. Campbell is no stranger to learning new offenses. He had four offensive coordinators at Auburn. This is his fourth season with the Redskins, and this will be the third offense he has had to grasp.

Glenvar gIrls clinch Three Rivers Title, Hidden Valley boys win

Tue, 06 May 2008 23:49:00 EDT

The Glenvar girls remained perfect in the district by handling a visit from a tough Floyd Co. squad, and the Hidden Valley boys blasted Christiansburg 11-1 in 5 innings.

Arm injuries striking younger pitchers

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:35:01 EDT

Sports medicine experts have seen a dramatic up-tick in business among those too young to have signed their first professional contract.

William Byrd High School names two new coaches

Tue, 06 May 2008 11:31:00 EDT

Monica West will head up the cheerleading squad, while Amanda Stump will become the head volleyball coach.

USF escapes academic penalties

Tue, 06 May 2008 10:45:00 EDT

USF had faced the loss of scholarships this school year because of the weakened academic performance of its football and baseball players.

VT intercollegiate athletic program fully certified by NCAA

Tue, 06 May 2008 09:36:00 EDT

Virginia Tech intercollegiate athletic program fully certified by the NCAA

Browning: New Darlington surface won’t be an issue

Tue, 06 May 2008 08:51:01 EDT

The resurfacing won’t be the only difference for NASCAR’s oldest superspeedway. A new infield tunnel has been constructed between Turns 3 and 4.

Northside Middle School girls relay track team wins 3rd straight Cosmopolitan relays

Mon, 05 May 2008 15:01:00 EDT

The Lady Norsemen team has not lost a regular season track meet since April 2004, according to Roanoke County Schools.

Clemens apologizes for ‘mistakes in personal life’

Mon, 05 May 2008 13:25:00 EDT

The Daily News reported last week Clemens had a decade-long relationship with country star Mindy McCready that began when she was 15 and an aspiring singer.

Ryan Stinnett wins Fox Puss Invitational at Boonsboro Country Club

Mon, 05 May 2008 12:03:00 EDT

Stinnett took the lead for the first time with a birdie on the par-4 6th hole and never trailed again

DCC baseball falls in conference tournament championship

Mon, 05 May 2008 11:57:00 EDT

DCC, which lost to Patrick Henry on the first day of the tournament and clawed its way back through the losers’ bracket to face Rappahannock (27-4), would have needed to defeat the Gulls twice to claim the title

Kim wins Wachovia Championship

Sun, 04 May 2008 23:39:01 EDT

The 22 year-old picks up over 1 million dollars for the 5 shot win.

Bowyer benefits from late crash to win at Richmond

Sun, 04 May 2008 23:35:01 EDT

Denny Hamlin had the best car, Kyle Busch and Dale Jr. were fast, but late problems let the 07 car get the win.

Big Brown wins 134th Kentucky Derby

Sat, 03 May 2008 23:33:00 EDT

Eight Belles has to be eutanized after the race for two broken ankles.

Salem and Hidden Valley split JV and Varsity games

Fri, 02 May 2008 23:37:00 EDT

Salem jumped out to a 9-0 lead in the first inning, but HV rallied back to get within 9-7.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. leads Sprint Cup practice at RIR

Fri, 02 May 2008 18:18:00 EDT

Dale Earnhardt Jr. posted the fastest lap during today’s practice session for NASCAR Sprint Cup teams as they prepared for tomorrow’s 7:30 p.m. 400-lap race at Richmond International Raceway.

WVU coach Bob Huggins signs contract

Fri, 02 May 2008 18:17:00 EDT

West Virginia basketball coach Bob Huggins signed an 11-year contract with the school Friday that will keep him at his alma mater until he’s 65.

Kahne wins poll for Richmond Nationwide race

Fri, 02 May 2008 17:43:00 EDT

Kasey Kahne edged out Carl Edwards by less than two-tenths of a MPH

Jim Zorn’s first practice as Redskins’ head coach

Fri, 02 May 2008 16:52:00 EDT

Jim Zorn held his first official practice with the Washington Redskins today, and he had beautiful weather for what was a fairly good beginning. Zorn was active, instructing quarterbacks, reminding receivers of steps to take when they begin running a pattern and generally showing a great deal of enthusiasm for his job.

UVA basketball loses two recruits

Fri, 02 May 2008 14:19:00 EDT

Wesley Witherspoon and Paul McCoy - two players UVA was recruiting heavily for its incoming class - elected to sign elsewhere

Richmond NASCAR race may fail to sell out

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:50:00 EDT

Economic downturn, added capacity may be responsible for excess
Click for more “Race Week in Richmond”

Maneuverability called key to success at RIR

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:46:00 EDT

Rusty Wallace found race didn’t always go to the swiftest

Radford University’s Ashley Taylor in a league of her own

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:26:00 EDT

Coming off a second consecutive Big South Conference Pitcher of the Year award, one might think there was little Radford ace Ashley Taylor would have to change. But her coach, Mickey Dean, had something in mind for his rising senior.

Hillcats in right situation for Johnson

Fri, 02 May 2008 11:24:00 EDT

Blair Johnson’s discussions with Hillcats pitching coach Bob Milacki have been curt and to the point recently. Despite entering Thursday night’s game with Kinston at City Stadium with a more-than-respectable 2.81 ERA, Johnson wasn’t happy with his last few outings.

Sullivan Opens with a 77 at Wachovia

Thu, 01 May 2008 23:50:00 EDT

Ashley Plantation pro Chip Sullivan is battling the best in the world this week at the Wachovia. His opening round 77 had some ups..and some downs.

Northside Archers are Middle School State Champs

Thu, 01 May 2008 23:45:00 EDT

Our newest group of state champs in the valley---hail from Northside Middle. The name of the game--archery.

UVA great Jim Dombrowski makes College Football Hall of Fame

Thu, 01 May 2008 15:49:00 EDT

Jim Dombrowski, who helped lead the resurgence of Virginia football under coach George Welsh, is among the 15 former players and coaches elected today to the College Football Hall of Fame.

Franklin County routs GW Danville softball team

Thu, 01 May 2008 14:14:00 EDT

GW Danville’s bright spot, breaking up the no hitter being thrown against them by Franklin County’s Chelsey Booth

Without even trying, Busch is getting his point across

Thu, 01 May 2008 09:14:00 EDT

Three months into his tenure with Joe Gibbs Racing, Busch is the hottest driver in NASCAR.

Sullivan Tees It Up on PGA Tour

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 23:17:00 EDT

Chip Sullivan will tee it up on the PGA Tour for the 4th time this year at the PGA Wachovia in Charlotte.

Hamlin running strong toward homecoming

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 14:28:01 EDT

Richmond, this weekend’s Sprint Cup tour stop, will be homecoming for Denny Hamlin, one of the hot drivers this season, and now a driver who appears to have put all his bad luck behind him.

Mac McDonald out as Cavaliers’ broadcaster

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 13:21:00 EDT

Mac McDonald, the radio “Voice of the Cavaliers,” has resigned his position to pursue other interests

Lynchburg College lacrosse team advaces to ODAC tourney finals

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:43:00 EDT

LC’s offense finally broke through in a big way in the third quarter by outscoring the Yellow Jackets 8-0 as the Hornets (15-2) cruised to a 22-5 victory

Jefferson Forest soccer player signs with Liberty Univ.

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:39:00 EDT

Jefferson Forest senior midfielder Timothy Bullock became the first local recruit in several seasons for Liberty University coach Jeff Alder, signing a partial scholarship to play for the Flames’ men’s soccer team starting next fall.

Five-run sixth propels Pelicans past Hillcats

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 11:36:00 EDT

The Hillcats were a small ball model in the early innings against Myrtle Beach on Tuesday. They bunted runners up, swiped a base when it was there and, despite leaving a mess of runners in scoring position, got enough hits to produce a bunch of runs. That’s a moot strategy when your opponent does all that and more in one inning, though.

Female drivers taking off - except in NASCAR

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 09:02:00 EDT

It will be interesting to see how Patrick handles herself on Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s Thursday night XM radio show. And it will be interesting to see how Earnhardt handles things from the NASCAR perspective.

Elledge helps Montoya show improvement

Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:12:00 EDT

New crew chief Jimmy Elledge Elledge seems to have perked up Montoya, who broke out of the doldrums here and came within a few lengths of winning.

Hokies Tincher Surpasses 2000 K’s

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 22:20:00 EDT

Hokies All-American pitcher Angela Tincher has reached rarified air indeed. The former James River High School star became only the third player in the history of college softball to reach 2000 strikeouts for a career.

Being a good sport (parent)

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 18:03:00 EDT

Parents aren’t just taking their frustrations out on their children. They’re targeting each other, coaches and officials.

Larry Brown returns to the NBA to coach Jordan-led Bobcats

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:49:00 EDT

The two former North Carolina players teamed up Tuesday when Jordan introduced Brown as coach of the Charlotte Bobcats, his ninth NBA job

GW’s McDuffie among 12 former Hargrave players heading to NFL

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 13:30:00 EDT

McDuffie joins two other former Hargrave players and a former Clemson teammate with the Kansas City Chiefs

Special-teams players take roles to racetrack

Tue, 29 Apr 2008 08:18:00 EDT

Bryan White and Mark Miller spent most of their college football careers on special teams. The former U.Va. linebackers are putting that practice to work as crew members for two Penske Racing Sprint Cup teams.

Do you have the brains to play in the NFL?

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 12:17:00 EDT

NFL teams want to know how quickly their players learn and by what methods. That’s one reason every college player who attends the NFL combine takes the Wonderlic Personnel Test.

Soaring gas prices hit NASCAR fans

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:56:00 EDT

Parking the RV against the fourth-turn fence: $600. Extra charge for infield wristbands: $105 each. Fuel to get here: Think body parts.

Tech, U.Va. stars united in all-star victory

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 11:55:00 EDT

A crowd of about 500 at Randolph-Macon’s Crenshaw Gym found out Sunday when the Seniors of the ACC Extended and the Seniors of the Commonwealth met in the Commonwealth Collegiate Challenge.

Joe Gibbs Racing wants Tony Stewart back

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 10:59:00 EDT

Stewart is under contract with Gibbs through 2009, but he admitted Friday he has been approached with two offers from other teams that involve ownership.

Young woman eyes stock-car career

Mon, 28 Apr 2008 09:16:00 EDT

Chrissy Wallace, just a couple of weeks after she finished 17th in her first-ever NASCAR Truck run, at Martinsville, is trying to figure out her next step in what she hopes will eventually become a major-league NASCAR career.

Stewart wins Nationwide race at Talladega

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 23:34:00 EDT

Franchitti breaks his ankle and will miss Cup race Sunday. Stewart hopes to follow this win with a victory in the Aaron’s 499.

Redskins get receiving help

Sat, 26 Apr 2008 21:36:00 EDT

The Washington Redskins entered the first day of the NFL draft hoping to get either a big receiver or a better selection of draft choices. They wound up with both, plus an extra wide receiver.

Amherst hires new head football coach

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 14:25:00 EDT

On Thursday night the Amherst County School Board approved Cecil Phillips of King’s Fork High School in Suffolk. Phillips has worked as head football coach at King’s Fork since 2004.

Local boys basketball players, coaches make AP all-state ballot

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 12:59:00 EDT

George Wythe’s head coach faces off against Nelson County’s coach for the Group A state coach of the year. 10 Local players up for Group AA player of the year.

Wells leaves Martinsville for Hidden Valley basketball job

Fri, 25 Apr 2008 10:10:00 EDT

Troy Wells brings three state championship titles from his years with the Bulldogs to the Titans