Thursday, July 6,  2006

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by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
    Jeremiah Lester won virtually every award possible during his senior season at Twin Valley. Now he gets to extend his high school career with one more honor.
  The 6-foot-3 Lester has been chosen to play for the West squad in the VHSCA East-West All-Star boys basketball game, Tuesday, July 11 in Hampton.
  Another recent TVHS graduate, Kent Goodman, and former Haysi standout Kevin Viers were selected to the West squad as alternates.
  Another former Haysi great Josh Yates, is a member of the West football Squad.
  Lester and Goodman helped lead Twin Valley to Black Diamond District and Region D titles and the state finals.
  Lester was named BDD, Region D and Group A state Player of the Year for his efforts as an all-around standout for the Panthers. The strong forward came close to a rebounding record for a state tournament and averaged some 16 points per game as a senior.
  Goodman and Lester are both headed to Bluefield State College late this summer, while Viers will continue his career at Emory & Henry College.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.

Haysi's Compton Commits To Play Softball at ETSU

by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
    Basketball was Whitney Compton’s first love. Softball has become her passion.
  Compton considered a number of small college offers to play basketball and, in several cases, both softball and basketball. But the best Division I offer to come along made her college choice a little bit easier.
  The 6-foot-1 Compton, a four-year great in both sports at Haysi High School and in AAU play, signed a letter-of-intent last Tuesday (June 27) to play softball at East Tennessee State University. It was not an easy decision, she says, but ETSU’s offer was just too good to pass up.
  Over the past couple of years Compton was recruited by a number of colleges in both sports, including Pikeville College for basketball and Lee University (Tenn.) and Emory & Henry for both softball and basketball. 
  “Actually I was verbally committed to Lee University for basketball and softball,” Compton said. “But I love the (tri-cities) area around ETSU and I like the thought of playing Division I.”
  For Compton, choosing between two sports was as difficult as choosing among several different colleges.
  “I grew up and breathed basketball all my life,” Compton said. “When I was six years old I started going to basketball camps with my dad. Then I just kind of fell in love with softball. The past few summers that’s what I’ve concentrated on.”
  The past couple of summers Compton has played with an AAU softball team based in northern Virginia. She found an academic program she’s interested in at ETSU, where she joins a softball program that is rebuilding under Coach Andrea Roberts. The Lady Bucs finished 22-36 overall in their first year in the Atlantic Sun Conference.
  “Coach Roberts is trying to develop a really good program,” Compton said. “I feel good about the situation there. And they have what I want academically. I want go into sports management.”
  Compton, whose brother Jordan will resume his college baseball career this fall at Pikeville (Ky.) College, is the daughter of Ron and Carolyn Compton.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.

    Haysi claimed the top honors on the All-Black Diamond District baseball team for 2006.
  Senior Ryan Jones was named BDD Player of the Year, while Dewayne Stanley and his staff received Coach of the Year honors. Overall, the Tigers placed seven players on the All-BDD First Team.
  Jones, who went 7-3 with a 1.96 ERA and 109 strikeouts in 57 innings, made the First Team as a pitcher.
  The Pikeville College recruit also hit .577 with six home runs and 34 RBIs. Jones had an on-base average of .700 and a slugging percentage of 1.028.
  Also representing Haysi on the first unit are seniors Adam Hill (catcher), Kevin Viers (utility) and Elijah Owens (outfield) and juniors Lance Compton (pitcher), Justin Stanley (second base) and Justin Kiser (outfield).
  Honaker, which won the BDD tournament, placed five player son the First Team: senior shortstop Chance Dye; junior Michael Tiller (first base); sophomore pitcher Logan Ball and freshman outfielders Justin Hall and David Keene.
  Hurley placed four on the first unit: senior Justin Hall (outfield) and juniors Shane Shelton (pitcher), Josh Childress (DH) and Joey May (outfield).
  Twin Valley had two first-teamers: senior pitcher Jeremiah Lester and freshman shortstop Hunter Simpson.
  Council had one player named to the first unit: senior third baseman/catcher Daniel Lester.
  All-Black Diamond District Baseball:
First Team:
  P—Ryan Jones, sr., Haysi; Jeremiah Lester, sr., Twin Valley; Lance Compton, jr. Haysi; Logan Ball, so., Honaker; Shane Shelton, jr., Hurley;
  C—Adam Hill;
  1B—Michael Tiller, jr., Honaker;
  2B—Justin Stanley, jr., Haysi;
  SS—Hunter Simpson, fr., Twin Valley; Chance Dye, sr., Honaker;
  3B—Daniel Lester, sr., Council;

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.

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