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**Unchained** · August 5th, 2007, 02:55 PM

Lebanon football coach John Adams hates to waste time. The annual media day session for the Pioneers offered an example of that.

As reporters quizzed the veteran educator on the good and bad points of Lebanon's new home in the Clinch Mountain District, Adams moved straight to the point.

"I think the Hogoheegee is happy to get rid of us and the Lonesome Pine is happy to get rid of Gate City," Adams said. "What are you going to do if nobody wants you?"

While many coaches and administrators are increasingly hesitant to make any comment that could be deemed bold, Adams is from the old school. If he has a concern, he isn't afraid to express it.

For example, Adams said Lebanon was given little support from most of the Hogoheegee schools in their appeal to stay in Region C and the Hogoheegee district.

"They threw us out," Adams said. "It's hard to stay in the district that way."

The district shuffle has become routine for the passionate sports fans in Lebanon.

"We started out in the Clinch Valley and old Hogoheegee District, then we went to the Southwest, back to the Hogoheegee, on to the Highlands and then back to the Hogoheegee again," Adams "Now, we went from being one of the biggest schools in our district to the smallest.

"You complain and moan a little about the move, but it's a done deal now. The Clinch Mountain is going to be a good district, and we're ready to play."

Clinch Mountain boys

In the view of some fans and rivals, no school in Southwest Virginia benefited more under the latest round of Virginia High School League realignment than Lee.

After competing in the Group AA Highlands District, the Generals are now the largest Group A school in Virginia with 797 students. Clarke County, a Region B school located in bustling northern Virginia, is second-largest with an enrollment of 755.

"I know a lot of people are kind of upset over the fact that we were granted hardship status and allowed to play on the Group A level, but you have to understand our situation," Lee football coach Bobby Sanders said.

Lee is a consolidated school drawing students from throughout rural Lee County. When the school was first created in the late 1980s, the rivalries from the five high schools, especially Jonesville and Pennington, were still fresh.

"Our school draws from such a large geographical area," Sanders said. "We've got kids living 45 minutes away from our school that aren't going participate in sports. No matter what you say to them or how much you beg, they simply aren't able or willing to play because of the distance. So even though we may have Group AA numbers, our athletic participation is no greater than other schools in Southwest Virginia."

Few schools in Virginia have faced more challenges in terms of travel than Lee. While competing in Region IV in the old Piedmont District, five schools in the Martinsville area were located at least 252 miles from the Lee campus in Ben Hur.

"It's tough to play when you have to drive two-and-a-half hours on a Tuesday to play a regional basketball game, and Lee went about four- and-a-half fours for a regional softball game several years ago," Sanders said. "Our school and community is excited about joining the Clinch Mountain. It's basically the old Highlands District. Hopefully we can be more competitive."

Lee has posted six straight losing records in football. Senior running back Jordan Haynes is eager to bring back the pride.

"I've seen videos of those strong [football] teams from Lee and I've heard how good Pennington and Jonesville used to be," Haynes. "We can have a winning football team here, and I think the new district will help us reach that goal."

Jonesville won the 1988 Group A Division I state football championship, while Lee advanced to the 1990 Group AA, Division 4 state title game against Tabb.
"My father [Jamie] played defensive end for Jonesville around the time of the state championship, so we know something like that can be done here," Haynes said. "We still don't have as many players in our program as we should have, but we do have a bunch of juniors and seniors coming who have played together since youth league."

In addition to a new softball field, Lee officials are constructing a new weightroom.

"People will be expecting more from is now," Haynes said.

Battle Ball

John Battle is known throughout Southwest Virginia for its success in volleyball, baseball and softball.

The Trojans hope to continue that success in their new Clinch Mountain home behind versatile athletes such as senior Cody Calloway.

"The new district is going to be more of a challenge, but we're looking at the bright side," said Calloway, a three-year starter in baseball and starting quarterback in football. "We'll be going to different schools, making new rivals and traveling shorter distances."

The two new foes for Battle will be Lee and tradition-rich Gate City, which spent a highly-successful six-year run in the Lonesome Pine District. Calloway, who said he followed the prolonged realignment debate, has already done some field research.

"Gate City will be a big game," Calloway said. "I've never seen a game there [Legion Field], but I have gone there on my own and I've heard the stories."

Battle principal Jeff Hawkins understood the reason for the jump from Region C to Region D, which will feature four districts.

"The Clinch Mountain is going to be a very competitive district, no doubt about that," said Hawkins, a former Trojan quarterback.

The most recent district homes for Battle has included the Southwest, Highlands and Hogoheegee. Convenient or not, it's all part of the Virginia High School League plan.

"They [the VHSL] just had several large Single A schools that they needed to move," Hawkins said. "I think it is a lot to do with our location. We're down here at this end of the state."

Tony Dodi, entering his 10th year as the Lebanon principal, can relate to the far-Southwest Virginia blues.

"We've had to start with the very beginning of a new district and a new region, so we spent a lot of time getting all the schedules full," Dodi said. "We were in an eight-team district, and now we're in a five-team district. It's pretty much like when we were in the Highlands."

Like the Lebanon football coach, Dodi feels the time for debating is over ? at least for now. Another football season approaches for the Pioneers.

"The decision was made and we're in pretty good shape," Dodi said. "We're adjusting and rolling on."

**Unchained** · August 5th, 2007, 02:57 PM

Another related one

Virginia High posted a 19-3 regular season record this past year en route to the Highlands District title in girls basketball.

The Bearcats were rewarded with a 170-mile journey to the Martinsville area to face Magna Vista for the Region IV tournament.

"That was one long trip,'' VHS post player Ashley Grimm said. "It took about 2 hours and 45 minutes on a bus, so we were pretty tired by game time.''

Thanks to the latest round of Virginia High School League realignment, Virginia High athletes and fans can stow away their road maps and save some gas for at least the next two years.

New Home

The crowded high school sports landscape in Southwest Virginia will feature a new district this fall.

In addition to Virginia High, the Region D based Clinch Mountain District includes John Battle, Lee, Lebanon and Gate City. The four-team Highlands District, formed in 1986, is now history.

While the move from Region IV to Region D will require an adjustment period, athletes former Highlands members Lee and Virginia High should have a more level playing field in the Group A ranks.

Barry Reed coaches girls basketball and softball at VHS while also serving as athletic director. He's receptive to the change in scenery.

"We think we're going to be more competitive in all sports as a Group A school,'' Reed said. "And we're really happy to have the other teams in the Clinch Mountain District with us.''

With an enrollment of 700 in grades 9-12, Virginia High has the second-largest enrollment in the Clinch Mountain District. VHS athletic teams often faced much larger schools during the playoffs in recent years.

Lee, a consolidated school surrounded by Group A rivals in rural Lee County, becomes Virginia's largest Group A member with 797 students.

New Rivals

At both the college and high school level, administrators depend on rivalries to pump money into the athletic programs.

The marquee matchup in the Highlands District pitted Abingdon versus Virginia High. Crowds were especially strong in baseball.

"We expect to have even better attendance in the Clinch Mountain,'' Reed said. "Instead of having that one big matchup with Abingdon, we will have natural and longtime rivals like Gate City and John Battle.''

Veteran fans of Gate City and Virginia High can remember when the rivalry between those two schools was among Southwest Virginia's most intense when both competed in the old 11-team Southwest District.

Virginia High and Abingdon tied for the first Highlands District football championship in 1986, while Gate City either won outright or shared the football title from 1993-98.

The Bearcats defeated Gate City for the first time since 1991 last fall en route to their third straight Highlands title and fourth district championship in the past five years.

"I look for the Gate City-Virginia High rivalry to pick up where it left off before Gate City moved to the Lonesome Pine District,'' Reed said.

Hannah Shankel is the starting point guard for the VHS girls basketball team and record-setting goal scorer for the girls soccer team. The rising senior is looking forward to a new challenge and more convenient travel in Region D.

"It will be a good change to play different teams,'' Shankel said. "The old rivals like John Battle will still be there, but now we can make some new rivals and go different places."

Big Picture

The most dominant group in the Highlands District over the past decade was the Abingdon boys tennis team.

The Falcons reeled together nine straight district titles, while Adam Henderson and Randall Carter of AHS won the Group AA doubles crown this spring.

Abingdon will now compete in the Southwest District and the revised Region IV which features tennis powers such as Blacksburg and Hidden Valley.

"Our regional road is going to be tougher,'' AHS boys tennis coach Adam Smith said. "We've faced Blacksburg at the state tournament several times, so we know what kind of challenge we're facing there.

"Hopefully, our kids will accept the challenge and work even harder. Some of our guys have already been working on their games this summer.''

There is a bright side for Smith and company. With just a four-team district in the Highlands, scheduling could become an issue. Due to multiple rainouts, the Falcons were able to play just 12 or their allowed 16 regular season matches this past season.

"Playing in a bigger district will be a plus,'' Smith said. "And we already have a rivalry with Graham after facing them in the regional tournament the past few years.

"We will adjust.''

The Next Step

Given the declining enrollments of some Southwest Virginia schools, the district shuffle will resume in two years.

The Virginia High athletic director has some ideas for increased stability.

"I'm very much in support of going to four classifications, and I think that scenario will eventually happen once people realize the benefits,'' Reed said.

Taking a cue from the football playoffs, Group A schools recently moved to divisional setup for the basketball playoffs.

"That's a step in the right direction,'' Reed said. "I think Group AA will go to divisional play next year in basketball. We may eventually see a divisional arrangement in all team sports.''

Country Roads

Reed said he can relate to the frustration of his athletes after surviving the winding trip to Magna Vista this past winter.

"That wasn't the first time one of our teams was rewarded with a long trip to a Piedmont District school after winning the district,'' Reed said. "Over the years, we traveled to places like Laurel Park (180 miles) and Dan River which was about 220 miles. "Our longest trip now in Region D will be only 80 miles.''

Those numbers add up to a smile for Grimm.

"I'm pretty excited about that,'' Grimm said.

Goodbye, Highlands District

Abingdon ? 965 students (Moved to the Southwest District)

Marion ? 797 students (Moved to the Southwest District)

Lee ? 797 students (Moved to the Clinch Mountain District)

Virginia High ? 700 students (Moved to the Clinch Mountain District)

**Unchained** · August 5th, 2007, 02:59 PM

...and one more

Tri-Cities Christian school begins football

Friday, Aug 03, 2007 - 12:10 AM

BY Kasey Marler
Sports Reporter
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Few student athletes will ever have the opportunity to do what a group of Tri-Cities Christian School students will do this year. That is pave the way for future students as the first ever varsity football team.
The football team put on the pads and practiced fo rthe first time on Thursday.. No one has a position but they all have a love of the game. Many of these athletes have never played organized football before so it's back to the basics for the coaching staff. What they lack in game situations they more than make up for with pure enthusiasm for the game.

I'm always glad to see a school ADDING football.