Lisa Boatright is a U.Va. grad and William Boatright played football for Virginia Tech. Their respective football teams will go head-to-head today. CHRISTOPHER WEHLING/THE FREE LANCE-STAR

Boatwrights are a house divided for U.Va.-Tech game

Date published: 11/24/2007

BY JIM McCONNELL

Several years ago, William and Lisa Boatwright made a deal: The winner of the annual football game between Virginia Tech and Virginia would have its colors displayed on a flagpole outside the Boatwright home every day until the teams' next meeting.

While Lisa's blue-and-orange U.Va. flag sits neatly folded in a box, looking as new as it did the day she bought it, William already has lost two maroon-and-orange Virginia Tech flags to the weather and is working on a third.

That speaks volumes about the recent history of the commonwealth's fiercest gridiron rivalry, the 89th installment of which will take place today at noon in Charlottesville's Scott Stadium.

"Right now everybody knows us as the 'Hokie house,'" Virginia alumna Lisa Boatwright said with a laugh earlier this week. "It's how everybody finds us: Just look for the Hokie flag. But this year the tide is going to turn, and I'll get to fly my brand-new flag."

Her alma mater's football program hasn't given Lisa much to brag about since she married William, a former Tech football player, in March 1994. The Hokies have won nine of their last 12 games against the Cavaliers, including the last three by a margin of 93-24.

That success has helped William, principal at A.G. Wright Middle School in Stafford County, turn two of the couple's three daughters--5-year-old Aaryn and 2-year-old Alivia--into ardent Tech fans.

Instructed by older sister and U.Va. loyalist Alex to wear a Virginia T-shirt to bed, Aaryn adamantly refused until her father assured her it was OK.

Even more recently, Lisa was horrified when Alivia began pointing at her husband's Tech flag and squealing, "Go Hokie Bird!"

"She won't say 'Go 'Hoos!' for me," Lisa said. "It's even more personal for me now because the man has converted two of my kids."

William, whose freshman year was Frank Beamer's first year as Tech's head football coach, won't apologize for trying to raise his children to be Hokie proud.

"This isn't going to come off sounding very good, but I really believe there's a difference between Tech fans and U.Va. fans," he said. "Tech fans are rabid. They fill up the stadium every week, and they don't mind telling anyone who they cheer for. U.Va. fans support their team, too, but I don't think they're the same."

Date published: 11/24/2007

Most recent reader comments: