Wild Bill’s Weekly Sports Roundup!

Bill Turner
Bill Turner

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my readers.

Not to be outdone by the big retailers, the Wild Bill Column opens with its own version of a Black Friday sale extravaganza. No need leaving the house at 3:00 a.m. or standing in line in the cold.

Virginia Amateur Sports and The Commonwealth Games team up with Hanging Rock Golf Club for quite the golf deal. Buy ten rounds of golf for only $ 200 (a $ 200 savings ) for use anytime through April 1, 2014. Need to sharpen up your game? No problem- get a three lesson package with PGA Pro Chip Sullivan for only $ 100 (a savings of $ 50 ). I’ve seen a few of you play, and confidently recommend a six lesson schooling. Contact Hanging Rock GC for more information.

Moving to high school football playoffs, three ” Big-11 ” teams stay in the hunt for a state championship as week three of the playoffs begin Friday night. Two of the three games will be in the Roanoke Valley.

Statewide, the top seeds in four Groups have held serve through two rounds as 1-2 seeds Salem-Virginia Beach and Green Run square off in the original 8-team Group 5A South Conf. 9/10 and 1-2 seeds L.C. Bird and Atlee battle in 5A South Conf. 11/12.. Among the original 16-team 3A East, the 1-4 seeds remain with #1 Lafayette taking on #4 James Monroe and #2 Loudoun Valley facing #3 Central Woodstock. The 1-4 seeds play on in Group 1A East as #1 Essex plays #4 Central Lunenburg and #2 Altavista hosts #3 Franklin. Twelve undefeated teams remain among the final 48 contenders in all groups.

Here’s a closer look at our remaining three ” Big-11 ‘ teams Friday night.

Group 4A North:
WOODGROVE (9-3) at SALEM (10-2)
The #2 seed Spartans hope to use home field advantage when they battle #6 seed Woodgrove at Salem Stadium. Salem has been impressive in the first two playoff weeks on the Salem artificial turf.

Group 3A West:
HIDDEN VALLEY (7-5) at HERITAGE (12-0)
The #12 seed Titans have pulled off two straight upsets with stellar play and a few tricks. They’ll need a big dose of the same against #1 seed Heritage in Lynchburg Friday night.

MAGNA VISTA (11-1) at NORTHSIDE (11-1)
Magna Vista may be the best #7 seed in the state. #3 seed Northside has rolled in 2 home playoff games and their only loss was on the road in overtime. This is the Roanoke Star/Loudmouth spotlight game of the week.

There’s still time to enter your inquiry for next week’s annual edition of ” IS it a sport ?” Great entries so far and more than one that I’d never heard of. We’ll pare it down to the best in the print edition set for December 6th.

High school basketball opens next week among the VHSL teams. We’ll begin our coverage Tuesday night with Loudmouth Christmas pants ‘ Ho, Ho, Ho’ setting the holiday style at court side. “The most fun you can have with your pants on.”

Now, to the mailbag where one reader wants info on the telescope, another wants ACC football under the microscope and one wants to see with the aid of the Ouija.

Dear Wild Bill: Any info on seeing comet ISON next month? I’ve heard it could be spectacular. (Harold/ Floyd Co.)

It all depended on the comet’s swing around the sun. Unfortunately, that didn’t go well Thursday afternoon, probably eliminating great viewing at higher elevations. That does not mean on a stepladder, Harold.

Dear Football Guru: What’s your take on these ACC football games against the likes of Savannah State, Elon and Old Dominion. (Bob/Roanoke)

A total farce that has become the standard for the conference. Like computer dating cards, you get out what you put in. The ACC is pulling out Goober.

Dear Great Seer: I’m looking to give a Ouija Board to my daughter for Christmas. What brand works best to win the lottery? (Gertrude/Ironto)

Forget the Ouija, Gert. It won’t win the lottery and wasn’t meant to. But, it’s pretty cool watching the planchette glide around the board, scaring the beegeezers out of the naysayers. Yes? No?

Until next week, Goodbye. If you understand that, you’re a Ouija enthusiast. If not, better call Ghostbusters. In the meantime, forward your seances to [email protected]

– Bill Turner

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