All-stars come out tonight

By Ted Allen

Published: July 1, 2008

HAMPTON — The eight senior all-star games are certainly the main events of the Virginia High School Coaches Association All-Star Week in Hampton Roads. But the VHSCA has assembled a group of coaches with at least as much star power as the players for its annual series of clinics, which opened Monday.

Former Altavista girls basketball coach Betsy Blose, who coached former Colonel Stacy Shepard for the past four years at UNC Asheville, led clinics on “Building Man-To-Man Defense” and “Team Building” in Monday’s first sessions. Today, before the girls and boys all-star basketball games tip off at Hampton Coliseum starting at 6 and 8:30 p.m., respectively, Randolph-Macon College men’s coach Mike Rhoades (8:30, 9:30 a.m.), JMU women’s coach Kenny Brooks (8:30 a.m.) and Virginia men’s coach Dave Leiteo (10:30 a.m., 1 p.m.) and assistant women’s coach Angel Elderkin (9:30, 10:30 a.m.), who formerly coached at Tennessee, will also direct clinics.

Then, the stars will come out at night, with Brookville’s duo of Brittany Campbell, bound for Liberty University, and Joyous Tharrington, who will play at Richmond, competing together one final time, on the West squad in the girls all-star game. After that game is completed, Thomas Brown, who guided Nelson County to its first Group A, Division 1, state title, will represent the East all-star squad in the boys game that follows, with his coach, Brandon Garrett, on the sidelines as an assistant.

Though track and field is not a featured event of the All-Star Week, on Wednesday there will be a clinic offered by one of Lynchburg’s own — new E.C. Glass principal Kevin Latham, who coaches the Hilltoppers’ throwers. He will direct a shot put clinic at 9 a.m. and a discus clinic at 10:10 a.m., the same times Virginia Tech assistant coach Mike Gambino offers baseball clinics. Later in the day, at 2 p.m. and again on Thursday at 9:30 a.m., Hokies’ head men’s soccer coach Oliver Weiss will put on two clinics.

In competition, the spotlight turns to volleyball, with Heritage’s Vavon Jones playing on the West all-star team, starting at 4 p.m. Wednesday at Christopher Newport University. That’s also the site for the girls and boys soccer games, beginning at 5:30 and 7:30 p.m., respectively. E.C. Glass’ Jeanine Johnston, who will play at LU, and Heritage’s Brielle Spencer, destined for High Point, will represent Lynchburg on the West squad in the girls game before Jefferson Forest’s Timothy Bullock and Scott Zaring, Nelson County’s Luke Longanecker and Amherst’s Ellis Turner compete for the West in the boys game.

Thursday’s action includes softball at 11 a.m., with Liberty’s Casey Bartholomew and Group A state champion Gretna’s Teresa Dalton playing on the East all-star squad, and baseball at 2 p.m., with JF catcher Josh Huffman competing on the West team. Both games will be played at CNU.

Highlights of the clinic schedule will be former UVa defensive coordinator and current Richmond head coach Mike London’s two-part series entitled “Leadership — Good to Great Line Play” at 8:45 and 9:45 a.m. West Virginia running back coach Chris Beatty will put on clinics at 2 and 3:10 p.m. That will set the stage for Friday’s grand finale, on the Fourth of July, when Virginia Tech strong safety and outside linebacker coach Jim Cavanaugh and offensive line coach Curt Newsome offer instruction at 9 and 10 a.m. before the all-star football fireworks kick off at 7:30 p.m. at Darling Stadium in Hampton.

Area representatives in the football game include Bryant Vennable and Tyon Bennett of Group A, Division 2, state champion Gretna on the East All-Star squad, with coach Chris Thurman on the staff, and Derrick McCoy of Group AA, Division 4, state champion Amherst, Heritage’s Korrey Davis and Dallas McDaniel and E.C. Glass’ Clifford Pennix on the West All-Star team.