Today's Sports

HILLSVILLE –– Each of us has our own parallel universe. We never see it, and we never know what goes on there. It’s easily-imagined (There but for the grace of God go I), but it can be real enough.

It’s the place we would be, individually, had we made a different choice here or made a different friend there, had we turned left at the light instead of right. Or if fate hadn’t intervened.

Chris Smoot, a senior wideout-defensive back at Carroll County, is one of the few people who know what that parallel universe is like.

 Two weeks ago, I would have found the idea of Carroll County entering the Mountain Empire District as ludicrous. When I first heard a rumor that Carroll was pursuing such a move to avoid placement in the Roanoke-centered River Ridge District, my reaction was what I imagine a lot of others’ would be. I laughed.

 This year the Galax Riptide Capped of a great season at the annual Blue Ridge Swim Conference swim meet in Mt. Airy, N.C.  The team finished with 1166 points to finish second to the Elkin Wet Lightening’ 2139.5. Finishing a close third only four points behind the Riptide were the Reeves Rapids with a score of 1162, followed by the Dobson Dolphins (1006.5), the AquaTechs of Wilkesboro (638), the Wytheville Waves (631) Carroll Wellness Center Tigersharks (590).

Seniors 50 and older in the Twin County area have an opportunity to participate in the first-ever Twin County Senior Olympics on Sept. 14 and 15, but time is running out to register.
The deadline for registration is this Friday — Aug. 31.
The recreation departments from Carroll, Galax and Grayson, along with the Hillsville Rotary Club and Carroll Wellness Center, have teamed up to sponsor the Olympics. “They have worked very hard to make this a reality for us,” said Dennis Ward of Hillsville, the event’s organizer.