The Roanoke Times du lieu suivant : Roanoke, Virginia • 6

SPORTS will The way after PAGE aside Holtz for retire 2 the Associated Steve as season, for coach Spurrier Press at stepping apparently to South reports replace Spurrier? Lou paving Carolina him. Holtz the THE ROANOKE TIMES FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 1 19, 2004 VT Virginia Tech 55 Maryland 6 TERRAPINS SOUP GENE DALTON The Roanoke Times football early in the first quarter on Thursday night. Imoh scored two touchdowns in the first 4 minutes before injuring his hamstring. Hokies get to work to honor Herma Beamer BLACKSBURG Maybe she waited, just to see. Herma Beamer was never one to take a day off work, and she certainly didn't want her kids to, either.

She always liked to mess with her son Frank anyway. Like when she'd give him a Guidepost daily McFarling devotional magazine every aaron.mcfarling Christmas, without fail, a little 981-3222 reminder of what this family stood for. Frank Beamer would laugh. Every Christmas, mom? You question- taught: ing my faith, woman? "I The matriarch of the Beamer family said. died early Thursday morning, peacefully in her sleep, about 15 have liked this.

Four Tech touchdowns hours before her son's pivotal in the first A 55-6 romp of the Virginia Tech football game against Maryland. Terrapins? First place in the ACC? coach Frank Beamer Maybe, after 86 years, Herma Right up her alley. All of it. mourns the Beamer decided to choose the "Grandma was always talking Tech loss of his busiest of days to leave this world sports," said Brandon Semones, Frank mother, Herma a day full of meetings, team Beamer's nephew and a former Hokies Beamer, while meals, last-minute preparations linebacker. "She would be the first to tell coaching the Hokies to a and finally, an important ACC you if you weren't doing good." 55-6 win over game just to see how her He laughed.

Maryland. "I youngest boy would react. "But she would definitely be the first know where I The Virginia Tech coach re- to tell you if you were, too." need to be," acted the only way he was always They did good Thursday. No ques- Beamer said. "I know what she He went to work.

tion about it. wants me to know where I need to be," Frank Frank Beamer got the word about 5:30 do." "I know what she wants me to do." fan would See MCFARLING, 5 GENE DALTON The Roanoke Times Fancy Gap's biggest Hokie Inside this section VIRGINIA OPENS HOOPS SEASON TONIGHT ACC NOTEBOOK HIGH SCHOOL PLAYOFFS Elton Brown, who didn't make the all-ACC team last Florida State fans weren't impressed Liberty expects an overflow crowd for its first-round season despite ranking in the top 10 in the with the Seminoles' victory over N.C. football playoff matchup against Salem, and Dere Hicks conference in scoring and rebounding, needs to do State last week because FSU leads William Fleming against Amherst County. Also, more this season to earn the league's respect. managed only 17 points and 121 yards.

capsules on the Group A and AA volleyball semifinals today. 3 7 BEST BET Ford 200 Bobby Hamilton tries to hold off Dennis Setzer for the Craftsman Truck points title in the series' season finale. 3 p.m., SPEED 3A Hokies win big to keep ACC lead By Mark Berman mark.berman@roanoke.com 981-3125 7 Virginia Tech's Mike Imoh carries the BLACKSBURG The Virginia Tech football team's string of close ACC games ended Thursday with five takeaways and a prime-time rout. The Hokies took advantage of three Terrapin turnovers in Maryland territory to build a 28-3 cushion early in MORE the second INSIDE quarter. Vir- Game notes.

ginia Tech 4 cruised to a 55-6 win at Lane Stadium to remain in first place in the ACC. The Hokies (8-2, 5-1), hadn't had an easy ACC game since their league debut, a 41-17 win over Duke in tember. In league games since then, Tech lost to North Carolina State 17-16; won 17-10 at Wake Forest on a Mike Imoh run with 2:10 to go; scored three touchdowns in the final six minutes to win at Georgia Tech 34-20; and won 27-24 at North Carolina. Tech fans didn't have to sweat out this game. Maryland (4-6, 2-5) turned the ball over four times in the first half.

The Hokies led 41-3 at halftime and improved to 10-1 on ESPN Thursday night telecasts. Maryland's first four turnovers paved the way for three touchdowns and a field goal. On the fifth turnover, Tech cornerback Jimmy Williams did the scoring himself, returning an interception 34 yards for a third-quarter touchdown. Imoh, the Hokies' leading rusher this season, ran for two touchdowns in the first quarter before leaving the game with a hamstring injujry, Tech quarterback See HOKIES, 5.