Today's Sports

"When you're 4-16 (the previous year), you need to get better on all aspects of your game."

So stated Brian Divers when asked about the prospects for this season's version of the Staunton River baseballers.

Last year's young squad took its lumps en route to the basement of the Seminole District. This year, most of the faces from that team return, a bit older and, it is assumed, a bit wiser.

Most of us realize our athletic primes during our high school days. Others blossom during their college years or during their twenties. A few of us hit a peak in our thirties.

Bill Kesler waited until he was in his nineties before becoming the big man on campus.

Kesler, a 98 year old resident of the National Elks Home, astounded his peers last week when he rolled five straight strikes in competition at the AMF Lynchburg Lanes.

The ?Five Bagger? helped push Kesler to a one-game score of 184.

While no team came close to winning a title, there were enough standout performances by local athletes at the state meet this past weekend to cause rejoicing.

Liberty?s Kenara Hurt and Staunton River?s James Bell won it all at state. Hurt blistered a 41.26 in the 300 meter dash, while Bell went 14? 4? for top honors in the pole vault. The two gold medals doubled last year?s county haul (Forest?s 4 X 800 relay took first in 2007).

Need directions? Just ask Staunton River, who holds the road-map to success.

Route 24 rival William Byrd succumbed to the Lady Eagles? tenacious defense, 53-37, for the fourth time this year. ?It is a great rivalry between these two schools. It is competitive in a good nature,? William Byrd coach Fran Recchia said.

Staunton River?s victory propelled them to the Region III Quarterfinals vs. Turner Ashby on Tuesday night. ?Our goal was to make it further than we did last year, and we did. The girls are very excited,? Staunton River coach Kim Jones said.