The Cave Spring boys basketball team won the regional championship Friday, defeating Martinsville 68-55 in Hillsville.

T.J. Witten shares two photo galleries from the game.

Above is his highlights reel.

Below is the full gallery.

Do you have photos involving teams or players — or people or events of any kind — around Southwest Roanoke County? You can share at news@swo-co.com.

Here’s your chance to recognize them!
Or the best teacher.
Or the best bus driver.
Or the best in lots of other categories.
The polls are now open for the 2nd Annual Best of SWoCo reader survey.
You can see the survey and cast your vote here.
The polls are open until midnight, March 21 and we’ll publish the results in our April 30 edition of SWoCo.

Cave Spring Knights 12U AAU Basketball team is off to a great start in 2010. January 24th the team played in the Pulaski Cougar Classic.  Nine area 12U teams competed in the always strong Pulaski tournament.  The Knights played two days of solid basketball and came away with the Championship Trophy. On the first day Cave Spring defeated Floyd and Salem 55-27.  The Knights went onto the Championship Bracket and faced long-time rival the VA Sonics; they had only beaten them once in many attempts.  This day went to Cave Spring with a victory over a quality team.  In the Championship; the Knights defeated the Botetourt Magic by a score of 32-28.
On the weekend of February 13th, the 12U Knights team participated in a strong Broadway Invitational.  Playing with a lot of intensity, the Knights beat some scrappy  opponents including the West VA Rising Stars, ERSC-Laughlin, and the Bridgewater Ballerz.  The 3 preliminary wins qualified them for the championship round versus other undefeated bracket winners.  Broadway beat VBC in the first game.  Cave Spring and VBC locked horns next with the Knights winning by 5.    The Championship Game was between the two undefeated teams, Broadway and Cave Spring.  The Knights played strong in the first half and held a 16-10 half-time lead.  However, the home Gobblers tied it up by the end of regulation, 32-32.  In triple overtime, the Knights were victorious with a final score of 38-32.

For the season Cave Spring is now 12-3 with an average score of 40-29 (this includes two 13U opponents).   A great start to our 2010 season! Go Knights and Good Luck Coach Hicks and his Varsity Knights!!

(Picture:  Cave Spring Knights 12U AAU after winning Broadway Invitational in triple overtime)

Front row: Khal Clary, Zach Shannon, Paxton Daniels, Davis Call, Trevor Lee, Walker Champney

Back row:  Coach Clary, Jordan Stovall, Adam Sledd, Mason Reyer, Brody Hicks, Mr. Daniels

Submitted by Kimberly Daniels.

The Women’s Brunch Bunch of Roanoke Valley invited you and your friends for “Is It Spring Yet?” brunch at Hidden Valley Country Club, Tuesday, March 9 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m.  Cost is $13.50 all inclusive.  Our program will feature a Fashion Show by Ponnie’s of Shawsville, guest musicians Becky and Creed Frazier, accompanied by Marie Huff.  Then the “let Go Lady–Shades of Wonder Woman” will inspire us.  Reservations by Thursday, March 4 to Sally 562-4365 or sassysally1492@cox.net.

In case local schools are closed, there will be no meeting that day.

The Women’s Brunch Bunch is a non-profit affiliated with Stonecroft Ministries.

Submitted by Elaine Parks.

Kathleen Grissom. Courtesy photo

The Roanoke County Public Library announced that author Kathleen Grissom will discuss her new book, The Kitchen House, at the HQ/419 Library, 3131 Electric Road, S.W., on Tuesday evening, March 16 at 7:00 pm.  Grissom will be the featured speaker in the Friends of the Library author series, “Virginia Voices” for March.  This event which includes book talk, book signing and reception is open to the public at no cost.

When a white servant girl violates the order of plantation society, she unleashes a tragedy that exposes the worst and best in the people she has come to call her family.  The Kitchen House is a tragic story of page-turning suspense, exploring the meaning of family, where love and loyalty prevail.

Here is what some of the reviewers are saying about Grissom’s book,  “[Grissom’s] debut twists the conventions of the antebellum novel…provides a trove of tension and grit, while the many nefarious doings will keep readers hooked to the twisted, yet hopeful, conclusion.” – Publishers Weekly.  Also, “a gripping tale of the South during the days of slavery…Kathleen Grissom’s first novel explores the well-known side of the dark world of slavery as well as the not-so-well-known world of white slavery, or indentured servitude. The book is written in a manner that is fast paced and action packed, making it difficult to put down.” – Bookreporter.com

Born and raised in Saskatchewan, Kathleen Grissom is now happily rooted in south-side Virginia, where she and her husband live in the plantation tavern they renovated.  The Kitchen House is her first novel.  You can visit her website at www.kathleengrissom.com.

Submitted by Michael Meise

By Keisha Graziadei
Special to SWoCo

The montage of trophies in their bedrooms spoke for the two young dancers, before the interview. Some stood from the floor to eye-level, while others densely covered shelves and dresser tops.
The Southwest Roanoke County home of Jim and Beth d’Alelio houses two of the Divine Dance Center’s very accomplished competition dancers, brothers Tony and Joey d’Alelio, 16 and 12 respectively. Tony is a sophomore at Cave Spring High School, and Joey a sixth-grader at Cave Spring Middle School.

The boys dance nearly any form: ballet, hip hop, jazz and clogging. Tony favors contemporary while Joey’s favorite is musical theater.

Both brothers started dancing at age 9 but were inspired for different reasons.

“At first it was because of girls,” Joey said and cracked a smile. “But then later I realized I really liked it.”

Tony was first inspired after seeing videos of his mother singing, dancing and acting while attending Shenandoah University. Anything that was on a stage and in the spotlight would have been fine for Tony, so he decided to audition for “The Nutcracker.” He landed a part as “Fritz,” discovered he was good at dance and pursued it.
Read more »

Barbara Gray submitted these photos of Hidden Valley High School at the state championships.

Thanks, Barbara!

The public is invited to attend the Roanoke County Science Fair to be held on Saturday, February 27, 2010 in the gymnasium at William Byrd Middle School, Vinton, Virginia. There will be approximately more than 60 Roanoke County students participating. These students will be coming from five middle and five high schools. Exhibits will be displayed from 11:30a.m. until 1:30 p.m. Awards will be presented in the auditorium at 12:30 p.m.

Thirty high school and 10 middle school winners will be chosen to compete in the Western Virginia Regional Science Fair to be held at Roanoke College on Saturday, March 20, 2010.

Awards at the Western Virginia Regional Science Fair include scholarships from Roanoke College to the Grand Award winners and to each category winner.  Hollins University also will award a large scholarship to the top female Grand Award winner from the Alice Bull Memorial Scholarship Fund.  Virginia Western Community College will award one-year of tuition to the first place winners in each category.  Grand Award winners from this Regional Fair will compete at the International Science and Engineering Fair. The two Grand winners and two sponsors receive a paid trip to San Jose California to compete in the International Science and Engineering Fair to be held May 9 – 14, 2010.

For further information, please contact Julian Barnes, Science Coordinator, Roanoke County Public Schools at (540)562-3900 x 10254.

Submitted by Chuck Lionberger

The regional final boys basketball game between Cave Spring and Martinsville will be played at Carroll County High School on Friday at 7 p.m.

The location and date were announced today.

Miss Roanoke Valley and the other pageant titleholders were at the Southern Hills IHOP this week to help raise money for the Children’s Miracle Network.

Jacob Manthey shares this photo gallery.

Among the folks you’ll see are Abby Erdman of Hidden Valley, who reigns as Miss Teen Roanoke Valley, plus Miss Roanoke Valley herself, Madison VanDuyne — plus Danielle Foutz of Franklin County, Miss Pre-Teen Roanoke Valley; and Emily Allara of Salem, Little Miss Roanoke Valley.

OTHER RECENT PAGEANT COVERAGE:
* Jan. 5: Join the Abby Erdman fan club!
* Dec. 7, 2009: Photos by Abby Erdman performing her Miss Teen Roanoke Valley duties at the Azario Salon open house
* Oct. 19, 2009: Photos from the Miss Roanoke Valley pageant