Local fisherman to show off skills

Local angler Andy Montgomery will get the opportunity to showcase his skills in front of a national audience this weekend.

Recently competing in the Toyota Texas Bass Classic held at Lake Conroe, Texas, the Blacksburg native's skills will be on display as the fishing tournament will be broadcast on CBS this Saturday at 2 p.m.

Montgomery finished second in the three-day competition that included 60 other anglers from both the BASS and FLW circuits. His weight of 46 lbs., eight ozs. was a mere four ounces off the winner's final amount. He brought home $33,000 as a result of being the tournament's runner-up.

Chiefs blast Blacksburg

Gaffney Middle boys basketball team defeated Blacksburg Middle 68-9 on Tuesday.

Jalen Sims led the Chiefs with 18 points while Teheran Leach added 17 and Calvin Leach had 13.

Gaffney Middle will next play in the Granard Tournament on Tuesday, Nov., 24.

LC swimmer earns honor

Limestone College's Marta Stepien was named the Bluegrass Mountain Conference Female Swimmer of the Week on Wednesday.

She won three events in Limestone's dual meet with Wingate last Saturday.

She took home first-place finishes in the 100 breaststroke, 200 breaststroke, and 200 individual medley with times of 1:07.87, 2:23.55, and 2:10.61, respectively. All of her swims were season-best times. Stepien also earned NCAA “B” cuts in the 200 breaststroke and 200 IM.

Limestone will begin competition at the Charlotte Invitational on Nov, 21 at 10 a.m. in Charlotte, N.C.

Some baseball teams lose money

Some teams lost money in 2009, baseball commissioner Bud Selig said Thursday after the final owners meeting of the year.

“There was no question about that,” Selig said. “I don't think the concerns have been ameliorated at all. I think the concerns are still there because all these people have their own economists.”

Selig said final figures for this year are still being calculated and everyone is living in the most difficult economic times since the Great Depression. He declined to identify the teams.

“I think of all the heartache that's in the world,” Selig said. “We live in this environment. We don't live in a bubble.”

Major League Baseball's average attendance dropped 6.7 percent last season from an average of 32,528 in 2008 to an average of 30,350.