Friday, March 21, 2008
Pulaski to honor Hicks
Joel Hicks is still a teacher at Pulaski County High School. He is still a competitive age group distance runner.
"Retirement" is a relative term in Hicks' case.
Hicks did stop coaching football at Pulaski County after the 2002 season, ending a 24-year tenure at the school in which he won 210 games and a VHSL Group AAA Division 6 championship.
This fall Pulaski will honor Hicks by naming the playing surface at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium in his honor. The ceremony will take place during the Cougars' season opener against Northside.
Hicks, who won 301 career games including a 12-year coaching stint in West Virginia, credited his family, coaching staff and players for the honor.
"It's quite an honor," Hicks said. "My wife, I'd probably be up in a pool room in West Virginia if it wasn't for her."
Pulaski principal Rod Reedy said the final details of the ceremony have not been finalized.
"Joel's efforts have long been recognized," Reedy said. "He is certainly very deserving of the honor."
Hicks will become the fifth ex-Timesland football coach in the last four years to receive such an honor, joining Norman Lineburg (Radford), the late Merrill Gainer (Patrick Henry), Willis White (Salem) and Jim Hickam (Northside). Northside will name its field after Hickam this fall.
Timesland runners named All-American
Peter Dorrell of Blacksburg and Tim Smith of Cave Spring earned All-American honors by virtue of their performances last weekend at the Nike Indoor national track and field championships in Landover, Md.
Smith finished fifth in the 5,000 meters with a time of 15 minutes, 29.71 seconds, while Dorrell placed sixth in the 3,200 in 9:01.70.
Salem's George accepts Hokies' offer to walk on
Salem's George George, a first-team All-Timesland tight end in 2007, has accepted an offer as an invited walk-on at Virginia Tech.
George said he picked the Hokies over a similar offer to walk on at Virginia and also turned down an appointment at the Naval Academy.
The 6-foot-4, 246-pound George started at tight end and defensive end at Salem, leading the Spartans to a 12-1 record in 2007. George said he is uncertain whether Tech plans to try him at tight end, elsewhere on the offensive line or on the defensive line.
George is still recovering from a broken right foot that he suffered in late December while playing for Salem's basketball team.
"It's doing a lot better," George said. "I'm off crutches and out of the boot. I'm maybe a month away from being 100 percent."
Lord Botetourt fullback/linebacker Darryl Stone and Patrick Henry running back Brandon Keith have signed scholarships with Division II Shepherd (W.Va.).
The 5-foot-10, 205-pound Stone was a two-year starter at Botetourt after transferring from William Fleming.
Keith started at running back and was a second-team All-Western Valley District choice. He scored on a 98-yard touchdown run last fall against E.C. Glass.
Marcus Bratton and Amondre Johnson of William Fleming will play football at UVa-Wise.
Bratton, a defensive back who has been selected to play in the VHSCA East-West all-star game this summer, has already signed with the Highland Cavaliers.
Johnson, a 5-10, 205-pound linebacker who was a first-team All-Timesland selection last fall, will sign with UVa-Wise in early April, Fleming head coach Rob Senseney said.
Senseney said Bratton might get a look at wide receiver, while Johnson could be tried at fullback, long snapper or punter.
Two area distance running standouts have signed scholarships with NAIA Division II Milligan (Tenn.).
Pulaski County's Sabrina Hall, who placed 10th in the VHSL Group AA cross country championships in November, chose a full ride from Milligan over offers from Memphis and Eastern Kentucky.
Hall owns indoor school records in the 1,600 meters (5:17.86) and the 3,200 (11:36). She placed fifth in the 1,600 and seventh in the 3,200 earlier this month in the Group AA indoor meet in Lynchburg.
Christiansburg's Caleb Hughes, who placed seventh in the 1,000 Group AA indoor meet and was 27th in the Group AA cross country, also has signed with Milligan.
