By Sports Editor Brian Hoffman
The William Byrd girls and boys basketball teams played host to Staunton
River last Friday, and it proved to be so successful they’re going to do it again
this Friday.
Actually, the lineup is the same but not for the above reason. This week
the games are first round action for the Blue Ridge District tournament. As it
turns out, the Terrier girls and boys both drew home games with Staunton River
to open the three day BRD tourney, with semifinals next Monday and
championship games on Wednesday, February 14.
This Friday’s girls’ game will tip off at 5:30 pm. The girls are the fourth
seed for the district tournament and, if they win, they would play at top-seeded
Lord Botetourt on Monday. LB and second seeded William Fleming drew first
round byes and Fleming will host the winner of a first round game between
Franklin County and Northside on Monday.
The boys’ are also the fourth seed and if they win on Friday they’ll travel
to top-seeded Northside on Monday for a semifinal game. Northside and Fleming
get byes on Friday and the Colonels will host the winner of a Friday game
between third seeded Lord Botetourt and Franklin County in the boys’ semifinal.
Last Friday in Vinton the doubleheader yielded mixed results, with the
Byrd girls beating Staunton River, 42-29, but the boys losing to the Golden
Eagles in a nail-biter, 65-61.
The girls were led by Mia Martin, who scored 12 points in a balanced
attack. Kaylee Makuch had eight, Sam Martin had seven, Maggie Zimmerman
six, Heidi Dixon five and Logan Andrews scored four points.
“We competed well,” said Byrd coach Randy Bush. “I’m very proud of
the girls in all aspects of the game. They responded to each run and did not
panic.”
On Tuesday at Northside the girls closed out the district regular season
with a 56-51 win over the Vikings. Sam Martin had 17, Mia Martin had 14,
Andrews had eight points and Elena Mullen scored seven. With the win the girls
improved to 10-11 and they can get back to .500 tonight when the wrap up the
regular season with a non-district game at Craig County.
The boys are 11-10 on the season. Last Friday against Staunton River they
trailed by a point after one quarter, 17-16, a point at the half, 37-36, but got 10
points by Isaiah Board in the third period to grab a 52-46 lead after three quarters.
However, the Eagles rallied down the stretch and took the 65-61 win. Board led
the Terriers with 21 points.
“We could have done a lot of things better, but give credit to Staunton
River,” said Byrd coach Brad Greenway. “Staunton River played really well.”
The Terriers wrapped up the district regular season with a home game
against defending state champion Northside on Tuesday and it got late early. The
Vikings led 29-11 after the first quarter and went on to a 101-62 win. Drew
Lindsay hit four threes and led Byrd with 13 points. Hayden Eads and Jaden
Holmes had 11 each.
The Terriers were scheduled to wrap up the regular season with a non-
district game at Glenvar on Wednesday.
The Region 3D tournament will open on Friday, February 16. The top 10
teams in the 13 school region make the tournament with the top six getting first
round byes. Both the Byrd boys and girls will make the tournament but their
seeding was yet to be determined at press time.
“We’re seven right now and that would give us a home play-in game next
Friday, but that could change,” said Greenway.
