A pair of players from Southwest Virginia earned first-team recognition on the Associated Press All-Group A girls’ basketball team, which was voted on by sportswriters from across the state.

George Wythe’s Ashley Buckhannon and Ervinton’s Kelly Rasnick represented the area on the five-player first-team.

Buckhannon, a 5-foot-11 junior, averaged 22 points, five assists and four rebounds per game en route to earning Hogoheegee District player of the year honors. She also surpassed the 1,000-point career mark this season.

Rasnick, a 5-foot-9 sophomore, put together an impressive season.

She averaged 24.3 points, 13 rebounds, six steals and two assists per game en route to helping Ervinton advance to the Region D tournament and earning Bristol Herald Courier Southwest Virginia player of the year honors.

Her final count for the season was 17 double-doubles and six triple-doubles.

Clintwood’s Kristin Mullins was the lone local player on the second team.

The 5-foot-11 senior averaged 21 points, 11 rebounds and two assists per game en route to earning Lonesome Pine District player of the year honors for the second straight season.

Group A, Division 2 state champion Floyd County swept the top honors as point guard Brittany Avanacini earned player of the year honors and Alan Cantrell was tabbed as coach of the year.

DRAG RACING

Grudge match set  for dragway

The May 8th edition of Bristol Dragway’s Street Fights will feature a grudge match between a station wagon and Pro Mod Chevrolet Astro Van capable of 175 mph speeds.

"Blastro," an old-school alcohol blown Pro Mod will face "Grocery Getter," a nitrous-injected Pontiac Super Stock wagon.

The Charter Bandits also return, with the fastest rides at the track battling in a heads-up competition. Gates open at 5 p.m., with racing at 6.

OUTDOORS

Elk Foundation meeting

The Appalachian Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will meet May 13th at 7 p.m. at Pardner’s Barbecue in Piney Flats, Tenn.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

Bucs fall again

East Tennessee State University’s baseball team could not hold on to an early lead, and would fell to James Madison 8-4 on Tuesday night at Cardinal Park.

ETSU (18-32, 9-18) starter Josh Means went 4.1 innings for the Bucs, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and struck out two while walking three. The Bucs were outhit by the Dukes 12-9, as Turner Phelps came in and threw seven scoreless innings for James Madison and shut down ETSU’s offense.