Correction (Feb. 27, 2013): An earlier version of this story had the incorrect date and state tournament quarterfinal opponent for Radford's boys basketball team.

Eight high school boys basketball coaches in Virginia entered the 2012-13 season with more than 500 career victories.

Two of them still have a shot at a state championship and both are at Timesland schools.

Parry McCluer’s Nelson Fox ranks seventh among active prep coaches in Virginia and is No. 5 among public school coaches with 537 career victories.

Standing right behind Fox on both lists is Radford’s Rick Cormany with 528 career wins.

Parry McCluer (20-6) plays Region D champion Castlewood in a Group A Division 1 quarterfinal at 4 p.m. Saturday at UVa-Wise. The winner advances to the Division 1 state semifinals March 7 at VCU’s Siegel Center in Richmond.

Radford (25-2) plays the last of three games on Friday night at Salem Civic Center against Region D runner-up Virginia High.

Fox has been a head coach for 34 seasons, all at Parry McCluer. The Fighting Blues reached the Group A final in 1994, losing 51-43 to William Monroe.

Cormany has compiled his 528-223 career record at three schools — Rocky Gap, Grayson County and Radford — interrupting his prep coaching tenure in the late 1980s for a brief stint as a men’s basketball assistant coach at Radford University.

Radford has won two of the last four Division 2 state titles under Cormany, defeating James River 66-63 in 2011 and stopping Dan River 60-49 in 2009. Cormany also led the Bobcats to Group A runner-up finishes in 2001 and 2003.

Dan River looms as a potential semifinal opponent for Radford in Richmond on March 7.

Jack Baker of Maury High in Norfolk is the state’s career leader in victories among active coaches with 668 wins.

Salem first school to win three hoops titles

Salem’s girls will seek a third straight semifinal berth when the Spartans play Lord Botetourt in a Group AA Division 4 game at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Salem Civic Center.

However, the Spartans would be far from the first Salem team to notch a three-peat if they win.

The VHSL record book lists Salem as a three-time boys champion from 1916-18. Salem was the second school to be crowned a VHSL champion after Lane High of Charlottesville won the inaugural title in 1915.

Salem Civic Center director Carey Harveycutter said Tuesday that the old high school was on the site where City Hall now sits, and that the school burned down sometime during the early 1900s, forcing students to attend class in local churches.

Salem is one of six VHSL schools that has its boys and girls teams still contending for state titles. The others are Heritage, Spotswood, Brunswick, Altavista and Castlewood.

Martinsville’s Adkins had success as player

Martinsville coach Jeff Adkins starred on Bulldogs teams that won back-to-back Group AA boys titles in 1980-81. He is one victory away from the semifinals as a coach as Martinsville plays Spotswood at 8 p.m. Saturday at James Madison University.

Adkins, who coached Carlisle to six VIS Division III championships, said he recently missed his first practice in more than two decades two weeks ago when he drove to Richmond to watch his daughter, Claire, win the 200-yard freestyle for Carlisle in the VIS swim meet.

Floyd girls can add to mark for semifinals

Floyd County has made a Group A-record 10 trips to VHSL semifinals, and the Buffaloes can make it 11 with a win Friday night in Salem against Gate City.

Gate City was the Division 2 girls runner-up last year to George Mason with just one senior on its roster.

Floyd hasn’t made the semifinals since a four-year run from 2006-09. Gate City defeated the Buffaloes in the 2006 semis en route to the title.

Floyd won the Division 2 championship in 2008 and was the runner-up in 2009,

Carroll County boys hope to end dry spell

Carroll County is seeking to become the first boys team from the school to reach a semifinal since back-to-back trips in 1979-80.

The Cavaliers play the final game in Salem this weekend at 8:30 p.m. Saturday against E.C. Glass.

Carroll County’s other trip to Salem this year resulted in a loss to another Lynchburg school, Virginia Episcopal.

Carlisle, North Cross could meet in semifinal

A fourth meeting this season between Virginia Independent Conference rivals Carlisle and North Cross is possible, but it would have to be in the VIS Division III semifinals.

Carlisle is the No. 1 seed in the tournament and North Cross is No. 4., meaning a fourth matchup would take place at noon Friday at Virginia State University in Petersburg.

Carlisle has beaten North Cross three times, including Saturday’s 44-41 win in the VIC tournament final.

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