Arts, Leisure and Sports
Photo: Roanoke Outside
Some of the world’s elite cyclocross racers will compete this weekend in Roanoke, in an event that showcases local efforts to build the region’s image as an important cycling destination. It’s the Virginia’s Blue Ridge Go Cross, tomorrow and Sunday at Fallon Park. Cyclocross features bike courses that include muddy stretches and various obstacles and challenges. The competition begins at 8:00 am both days; the elite bikers compete at 2:30, and those races are streamed in the U.S. and internationally, which organizers say will only further enhance the region’s outdoor recreation image. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here for full event information.
The32nd annual Henry Street Heritage Festival returns Saturday to Elmwood Park in downtown Roanoke, and in a change from the past, there is no admission charge for the afternoon hours between 1:00 and 5:00 pm. After that, you must pay to enter, and that includes the evening concert by SWV (Sisters with Voices) and Robin Thicke. The festival celebrates the Roanoke’s area’s African-American community and culture with live music, children’s activities. The proceeds go to the all-volunteer Harrison Museum of African American Culture. WFIR’s Evan Jones has more:
Click here for full festival information.
Two years since the last Smith Mountain Lake Wine Festival the event will be making a comeback this weekend. Organizers say ticket sales indicate that the crowd will be coming from all over the nation. WFIR’s Emma Thomas has that story:
Image: LU Athletics Facebook
(Liberty.edu) Another stout defensive effort and a balanced offensive attack allowed Liberty to open its home slate with a hard-fought 21-14 win over UAB Saturday night at Williams Stadium. Following a game where they forced five turnovers in a four-overtime road win at Southern Miss, Liberty’s defense finished the night with four more turnovers. The Blazers fumbled the ball away four times, while Liberty only gave the ball away once in the rain-soaked contest.
The Flames outgained UAB on the night, 390 total offensive yards to 355. Liberty evenly distributed its offense, rushing 40 times for 188 yards and passing 25 times for 202 yards.
(JMU.edu) HARRISONBURG, Va. – James Madison used a balanced offensive attack and stout rushing defense to cruise past Norfolk State, 63-7, in non-conference football action on a rainy Saturday evening at Bridgeforth Stadium. The Dukes improved to 2-0, while the Spartans fell to 0-2. JMU also moved to 3-0 all-time against NSU, having now outscored the opposition 155-21 in the series. JMU more than doubled up Norfolk State in total yards, at 462-212, which included a 235-9 margin in the run game.
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Chase Brown rushed for 146 yards on 20 carries, Tommy DeVito threw for 196 yards and two scores and the Illinois defense stifled Virginia’s once-potent attack to lead the Fighting Illini to a 24-3 victory on Saturday. Things looked dicey for Illinois (2-1) after DeVito threw an interception on his first pass attempt of the day and when Brown fumbled after a first-down run.
However, a dominant defense cleared the path to victory as the Illini held Virginia (1-1) to 1 of 16 on third-down conversions. “This was a big statement to me about where we were a year ago to where we are now,” Illinois coach Bret Bielema said. “Obviously, they’ve got new coaches and everything, but the majority of a lot of there players were there, some of ours are back and I wanted to see where we are as a program.”
Brendan Farrell put Virginia ahead in the first quarter with a 42-yard field goal for the Cavaliers’ lone score. Virginia’s Tony Elliott shouldered the blame for a “rough day at the office” in his first loss and first road trip as a head coach.
Hopefully this will be the catalyst that sparks us to make sure that we don’t take anything for granted,” Elliott said. “I also said last week, especially after halftime of the (Richmond win) offensively, ‘Don’t look at the stats.’ We have a lot of room to improve, we’ve got to get better and can we handle success? Offensively, we did not handle success well.”
Bailey and safety Kendall Smith intercepted Armstrong twice in the fourth quarter to halt a pair of Virginia drives.
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — Grant Wells threw for 140 yards and a touchdown to lift Virginia Tech to a 27-10 victory over Boston College on Saturday. The Hokies (1-1, 1-0 Atlantic Coast Conference) also got a strong performance from their defense, holding the Eagles (0-2, 0-1 ACC) to 155 yards and sacking BC quarterback Phil Jurkovec six times.
The win marked the first for first-year Virginia Tech head coach Brent Pry, a former Hokie graduate assistant in the mid-1990s. Virginia Tech cornerback Armani Chatman intercepted Jurkovec on the second play of the game to set up Jalen Holston’s 1-yard run that gave the Hokies a lead they would not relinquish.
BC cut Virginia Tech’s lead to 17-10 in the third quarter on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Jurkovec to Jaden Williams, but the Hokies immediately answered, scoring on a 2-yard pass from Wells to Kaleb Smith for a two-touchdown advantage. Jurkovec finished with 135 yards passing to lead BC. Virginia Tech will play at home Saturday against Wofford.
When Virginia Tech runs onto Worsham Field at Lane Stadium in Blacksburg tomorrow night on national TV – as they Hokies take on Boston College in the football home opener – the turf will look pristine. That’s not an accident – and Tech students are part of the reason, as WFIR’s Gene Marrano reports:
(2nd version)
Under the bright lights of a national TV broadcast tomorrow night Virginia Tech will take on Boston College. If Worsham Field at Lane Stadium looks to be in good shape, thank Tech students in part. More from WFIR’s Gene Marrano:
