Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
Looking back at the past year, there was plenty of excitement in local sports. The Christiansburg High School wrestling team won another state title—their 17th straight, and high school football teams in Radford and Blacksburg made a push deep into the state playoffs.
Coach Matthew Saunders led Radford to a complete turnaround after a miserable two-win season a year ago to eight wins in the regular season and another two in the postseason. The team would win the regional championship before bowing out a week later.
Blacksburg also had a great season, being unbeaten in the regular season and picking up another regional championship before falling in a state semi-final contest. The biggest news for the Bruins was off the field when Thad Wells resigned as coach and BHS-alum Eddie Sloss took over. He would lead them to the undefeated season and the playoff appearance.
Nine Christiansburg wrestlers brought home individual state titles and with them came another state championship. Count it—17 straight crowns have been racked up by the Blue Demons. The Virginia High School has not stated whether this win set a new state record, but it could be one that’s a little hard to match or beat.
In so many ways, Christiansburg has dominated the wrestling world, and in 2018, individual winners included: Ty Kwak, Erik Eva, Nick Giantonio, Xander Whitehurst, Marshall Keller, Garrett Kuchan and Brandon Crowder. In addition, two other wrestlers, Nick Warden and Andy Smith, were state runner ups. The individual wins fell one short of a previous high set by Christiansburg in 2002.
Four of those state champions would move on to wrestle this fall in college.
And speaking of college, a record number of student-athletes from our coverage area received scholarships to continue their playing careers. The signings included one of the most talked about in Blacksburg’s Cole Beck who will play football and run track at nearby Virginia Tech.
Auburn continued to rack up cross country and track honors with state championships on both the boys and girls side. The school’s softball team also set numerous state records in the spring en route to another playoff appearance.
Racing is back at Motor Mile Speedway. The elimination of NASCAR-sanctioned racing in 2018 shocked most drivers and fans in three-states. But last month, track owners announced racing would officially be back at the oval track this coming year.
The Pulaski Yankees announced a major ballpark renovation this year for Motor Mile Field at Calfee Park. The renovation will include the addition of approximately 675 seats and a new upper concourse along the third baseline featuring a new concession stand, additional restrooms, and a rooftop “party deck” area.
The majority of the additional seats will make up a new grandstand with an integrated sunshade canopy. Nearly 75 seats will be handicapped- and companion-seating, spaced throughout the new concourse. A new 3,000-square foot concession and restroom facility will also be added. The area will include a rooftop deck area featuring additional seating and spaces for private parties.
A major goal of the renovation is to make the ballpark more accessible for all fans by bringing the main-concourse sections to the same level, minimizing the number of steps required for traveling throughout the ballpark. The new concourse will provide handicapped access from one end of the park to the other, providing easier access to all facilities from the lower historic entrance to the upper south entrance.
Minor League Baseball and Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. also announced Yankees General Manager Betsy Haugh the recipient of the 42nd Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year Award. Since 1976, the Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year Award has been presented annually to a woman who has made outstanding contributions to her club or league, or to baseball. Haugh will receive the award at the Baseball Winter Meetings Awards Luncheon at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
The Yankees also have earned the top sports turf ranking in the Advanced-Rookie League for the 2018 season. The rankings are based on data gathered and compiled by the Sports Turf Managers Association.
Both the Virginia Tech and Radford University men’s basketball team made the right moves and were in the Big Dance in March.
RU took everyone by surprise by winning the Big South Tournament on a buzzer-beater and then their first ever NCAA tournament game before falling to eventual national champion, Villanova. Radford would start the new season with wins over Notre Dame and Texas.
The Hokie basketball program made the news off the court as Chris Clarke was suspended for undisclosed reasons. He has yet to return to the team.
Also, the football team faced a down season, losing to an Old Dominion squad in Norfolk. But the Hokies managed to pick up wins at the end of the season in order to continue its longtime bowl streak.
The Hokies also had to face the season without QB Josh Jackson who was injured early in the 2018 season.
Again off the field, the team also made news with the dismissal of Trevon Hill after an altercation in the locker room after the ODU loss. Several other players also announced plans to transfer from Blacksburg, leaving fans scratching their heads on what is happening in Blacksburg.
The top story ended up touching more than just Christiansburg High School when the Montgomery County School Board unveiled a new turf football field and soon-to-be turf softball complex.
Christiansburg High School unveiled its new turf field at a benefit game against Carroll County. The new “rug” is part of a Phase 1 project that cost $1.5 million and includes a “rubberized” eight-lane track.
Athletic Director Tim Cromer said one of the biggest differences to the field is the absence of the crown, and the fact that it will be unaffected by rain or weather. “If there is no lightning, we will be playing,” Cromer said.
The average life span of a turf field is approximately 10 years. It is the school’s goal to make it last 12-13 years or more, and their management of the facility will reflect that goal.
Principal Tony Diebler is thrilled for their school’s student athletes. “The turf field for football, soccer, and lacrosse is absolutely beautiful and I am thrilled that our student athletes will have an opportunity to compete in such a great venue,” he said.
The school’s track was laid down by mid-September and will be ready for spring competition.
“We have never been able to host track events in the past because our track simply could not handle it. With an eight-lane rubberized track, Christiansburg and Montgomery County will have one of the best high school track venues in the state,” Diebler said. “We already are scheduled to host the region track meet and we are hoping to have the state track championship at CHS. Events like these will bring thousands of people to our community to use our restaurants and hotels. It will benefit all of Montgomery County and the NRV.”
The next part of the project, at a price tag of $1.9 million, includes the construction of a field house adjacent to the football field along with a new concession stand, restrooms and entrance to the field.
Design work is currently underway with actual construction anticipated to commence sometime in 2019.
There will also be a new turf fast-pitch softball field, which will be located to the right of the current Christiansburg High School tennis courts. The project will include a press box at the new field and, already work is underway on the field’s surface.
“We are extremely excited to have a softball field on campus for the first time. With the addition of the softball field next to our baseball field, tennis courts, and near to our turf field stadium, CHS will have an athletic complex that will bring the students and community together to support our student athletes like never before. It will be a lot of fun to come out here in the spring and watch softball, baseball, tennis, and some soccer or lacrosse all in the same general venue,” Diebler said.
Nearby, work is being done on the school’s baseball field, which will also receive a new press box and restrooms.
As part of the upgrade, there were some major changes to access to the public. In the past, members of the community were able to walk or run on the school’s track. That will change with the improvements.
The stadium and softball complex will not be open to the public. Comer knows this is a change in previous policy but with the significant upgrade and investment that has been made, it requires the school to protect the investment of the public funds.
Before the football season was over, Blacksburg had played three playoff games on the CHS turf. A major fundraising effort was launched to bring a similar field to Blacksburg.