Wild Bill’s Weekly Sports Roundup

by Bill Turner

It would be hardly arguable that last week offered black-Thursday on the local baseball and softball front for the Wild Bill ‘Big-11’.

In one huge swoop, we lost Lord Botetourt and Northside on the baseball side, as well as Northside and Hidden Valley in the run for state softball titles. Tuesday was no kinder, as Hidden Valley fell in state quarterfinal baseball to Brookville, while Glenvar was eliminated in Group A softball.

Cave Spring, with its 8-6 win over Jefferson Forest on Tuesday, remains the only local baseball team advancing to state semifinal action. The Knights will play Powhatan Friday at Calfee Park in Pulaski at a time to be determined because of graduation conflicts.

In local net action, Cave Spring’s Lauren Sledd advanced to the Group AA state singles tennis championship, with semifinals and final slated for today (Thursday) at Virginia Tech.

The Greenbrier Classic held its media day Tuesday afternoon, and the White Sulphur Springs, WV resort was buzzing over the win by Tiger Woods in last weekend’s Memorial PGA stop in Ohio.

Woods, who will compete in The Greenbrier Classic the first week of July, tied Jack Nicklaus with 73 PGA TOUR victories after the win Sunday. Greenbrier owner Jim Justice noted Tuesday that the sale of entry badges to the tournament will be cut off at some point, with an estimated attendance approaching 250,000.

Badges can be purchased locally by contacting Jennifer Blackwood, First Tee Roanoke Valley at 540-312-5111.

At press time, the Salem Red Sox remained in the hunt for the Carolina League Southern Division first-half title, trailing Winston-Salem by 1 1/2 games heading into the Wednesday and Thursday matchups against the Dash. Salem returns to Salem Memorial Stadium next Thursday, June 14th, for a four-game series against the Carolina Mudcats.

Another VA Tech tidbit from Hokie basketball this week. Former recruit Montrezl Harrell, whom new Tech head coach James Johnson said was no big loss since he had never scored a single point at Tech, announced he will play for Louisville next year. Apparently someone thinks he’s on track to score a few points. For the record, the 6’8″ Harrell averaged 25.6 points and 13.8 rebounds for Hargrave Military Academy’s postgraduate team.

Congratulations to Jerry English for being named as the 39th member of the Roanoke Valley Golf Hall of Fame. English, co-founder and executive director of the Don Holliday Memorial Scholarship, the richest in the area, was on hand last week as Cody Bushman of Cave Spring received this year’s $20,000 award. English has helped the RVGHOF raise nearly $1 million in scholarships for deserving students.

Finally, the mailbag has burst at the seams after the details of the Mill Mountain Star web-cam continue to come to light. Here’s the best and worst of our reader comments on the five-point Peeping Tom.

Dear Wild Bill: My husband goes to the star a couple times a week to “observe the galaxies and watch for weather patterns.” Glad you pointed out the live broadcast availability. Now I’ve got to figure out who the redhead meteorologist is beside him.

(Anita/Roanoke)

Dear Killjoy: You’ve really messed up a good thing. I loved watching when almost nobody knew about the camera. Roanoke’s own little Peyton Place.

(Harriet/Wirtz)

Dear Wild Willie: They should put a sign up warning people they’re on Candid Camera. There’s way too much Fannie Flagg up there as it is.

(BettyJo/Moneta)

Where’s Allen Funt when you need him?

In the meantime, smile…….you’re on the Mill Mountain overlook.

Send your comments to: [email protected]

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