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Luckless Raiders persevere
Oct 14, 2007Aren’t these guys due a good break at some point?
Poor J.I. Burton. Just when you think it’s due a whopping stroke of luck, it gets another big obstacle in its path.
No, it’s not going to stop the Raiders from winning, at least for now. But Jaycob Coleman’s season-ending elbow injury is a blow the four-time Region D, Division 1 champion didn’t need.
The versatile Coleman is precisely the type of player few Division 1 schools offer—a legitimate game-changer who can affect a game on every play.
“He’s our leading receiver, one of the best defensive players in the state and really helps our special teams,” Burton coach Jim Adams said after Friday night’s 32-14 win at Honaker.
“There’s no way you can replace him.”
It will be easier for the Raiders to make up for his loss on offense. Sophomore Martinez Miles can go 0-to-60 yards in just seconds and Jaymil Sensabaugh can break open a game on any touch.
Yet both will have to work on ball security. Burton put it on the ground a couple of times at Honaker, losing fumbles at its 32 and 27, respectively.
“We thought that might be a concern,” Adams said of the fumbles.
Tackling 101
Neither of the aforementioned fumbles, though, cost the Raiders a single point. That’s because their defense rose up each time and denied the Tigers.
Of all the things Burton does well on defense, tackling is at the list’s top. Few high school teams anywhere form tackle as soundly as the Raiders.
Honaker tailback Logan Ball finished with 88 yards on 20 carries, but he got 33 of those on his last run of the game, a touchdown which made the score 32-14.
Ball is one of the best running backs in Group A, but he broke few tackles against Burton. This is a team which wraps up and brings you down.
“We work on [tackling] drills every day in practice,” Raiders safety/quarterback Ethan Stewart said.
The Raiders get lower than the ball carrier almost every time. Unlike many teams or players who think the way to tackle is just to collide with someone as hard as possible and figure the impact will do the job, they wrap up.
Audibles
1. Having survived one playoff elimination game Friday at J.J. Kelly, Powell Valley now has another one this week against Gate City. There is simply no room for error in Division 2, especially if Honaker beats Haysi on Oct. 22 and wins the Black Diamond title to take away a possible wild card spot.
2. This is clearly a down year for the Southwest District. Even if Graham or Richlands makes it out of Region IV, Division 3, it’s hard to see either one winning a state semifinal game unless they get more dynamic offensively. And by week seven or eight, it’s hard to change who you are.
3. Maybe it’s because of the awful call they got in last year’s state championship game, but Burton fans are now overreacting on routine flags which go against their team. A simple procedure call at Honaker Friday night was greeted with profanities and prolonged booing—and this was with a 25-7 lead.
4. Few athletes are as good and polished an interview as Burton QB Ethan Stewart. If southwest Virginia writers elected an All-Interview team, he’d be at the head of the list, no doubt about it.
5. I just can’t stop marveling at how plush the TenCate Grass artificial surface is at Honaker, which used to have one of the area’s worst fields. It’s so soft that players get tackled and bounce forward for a yard or two.
Touchdown Friday Night
Oct 12, 2007About 2 1/2 hours until kickoff for local high school football teams. Here are some things to look for tonight:
--- Sullivan East is off to a 5-1 start but the Patriots will get their biggest test of the season when they travel to Colonial Heights to face Curt Phillips-led Sullivan South.
--- Will Sullivan Central end its 16-game losing streak at Unicoi County?
--- Lebanon will travel to Virginia High in an important Clinch Mountain District contest. Lebanon head coach Jon Adams formerly coached at Virginia High and led the Bearcats to a Highlands District crown during his time at the Bristol school.
--- Chilhowie running back Robert Gonzalez transferred to the Smyth County school this season. He’ll play his former team tonight as the Warriors travel to PH.
--- Powell Valley travels to J.J. Kelly in a crucial Lonesome Pine District contest. Both schools are in dire need of a victory if they want to reach the postseason.
--- There are four winless teams in Southwest Virginia at the present time. One of those schools will break into the win column as Pound (0-6) travels to Twin Valley (0-6).
--- Honaker has one of the best running backs in the area in Logan Ball. Will that be enough for the Tigers to upset J.I. Burton tonight? Burton (6-0) is the only unbeaten team in Southwest Virginia.
--- Clintwood’s contest at Gate City could be an old-school clash. Both teams rely on hard-hitting defenses and tough-running running backs. Crucial VHSL power points are also at stake.
Posted by Tim Hayes Falcon good, but far away from the playoffs
Oct 05, 2007They handed out placards in Abingdon Friday night that read “Falcon Awesome.”
And while awesome might be a stretch, there’s no doubt this is a pretty decent Abingdon football team. Its 35-14 win over visiting Carroll County gave it a 4-2 record and a pretty good shot at getting to seven or eight wins by season’s end.
In most years, seven or eight wins buys you a playoff ticket. Yet the Falcons’ only entry into the Region IV, Division 4 fray might be if they go and purchase tickets for a game in Salem, Bassett, Blacksburg, Christiansburg or Pulaski.
Simply put, Division 4 is stacked. Even at 4-2, even with one of the area’s top pitch-catch combos in Adam Henderson and Tyler Bailey as well as an improving running game, Abingdon is 7th in the division with only four teams assured of a playoff berth.
First-year coach John Bowles said all the right things after last night’s game about not worrying about other games or the points system and about how his team just needs to worry about its business.
But you know that the Falcons would love to have their two losses back now—both come-from-ahead jobs. Had they held on at Richlands and Honaker, this would be a 6-0 team with a serious chance at winning the Southwest District.
Instead, barring collapses by the likes of Pulaski County, Blacksburg and Hidden Valley, Abingdon could go 8-2 and sit at home.
“We’re not thinking about [the playoff scenarios],” Henderson said after Friday night’s win. “We’re just going out there and playing ball, trying to win games.”
Were Abingdon in Division 3, it would be playing for homefield advantage in the first round. As it is, it needs a Colorado Rockies-type run just to get a sniff at the postseason.
Scores - Oct. 5
Oct 05, 2007A rundown of Friday night’s prep scores:
Northeast Tenn.
Mountain Lakes Conf.
Tennessee High 17, Sullivan North 6
Sullivan East 20, Elizabethton 14
Sullivan South 49, Sullivan Central 6
Johnson Co. 17, Unicoi Co. 0
Non-conference
Knox Bearden 21, Science Hill 7
Southwest Va.
Cumberland District
Rye Cove 40, Coeburn 29
Hogoheegee District
Chilhowie 42, Northwood 7
George Wythe 38, Patrick Henry 0
Rural Retreat 17, Holston 13
Lonesome Pine District
J.I. Burton 59, Pound 14
Southwest District
Abingdon 35, Carroll Co. 14
Graham 28, Grundy 0
Richlands 16, Marion 14
Non-District
Haysi 55, Ervinton 7
Virginia High 33, Honaker 32
Big Creek (WVa.) 38, Hurley 0
Giles 49, Lebanon 21
Powell Valley 46, Thomas Walker 13
Prep Picks for Oct. 5
Oct 04, 2007Here’s a look at tonight’s games and predictions, courtesy of the BHC staff:
NORTHEAST TENN.
Mountain Lakes Conf.
Tennessee High at Sullivan North
The Vikings have the top overall defense in the conference. Tennessee High is allowing an average of just 9.8 points, 122.6 rushing yards and 184 total offensive yards per game. Meanwhile, the Raiders’ offense leads the conference with an average of 236.2 rushing yards per game. Something’s got to give. It’ll most likely be Sullivan North. The Raiders’ defense is suspect, which means Vikings running back Jeff Baker should run wild.
Prediction: Tennessee High 28, Sullivan North 10
Elizabethton at Sullivan East
The Patriots are on the rise, while the Cyclones are still rebuilding and are 0-3 on the road this season — this is East’s game to win (and lose). Patriots running back Caleb Looney should be the difference. Looney has 71 carries for 439 yards (6.18 average) and four touchdowns this season, and Elizabethton coach Shawn Witten said the Cyclones spent this week focusing on Looney and East’s impressive spread offense.
Prediction: Sullivan East 35, Elizabethton 14
Sullivan South at Sullivan Central
The Cougars are at home, and this may be Central’s only advantage. Quite simply, the Rebels should roll. Quarterback Curt Phillips (564 yards, 12 touchdowns, 914 pass yards, four TDs), and wide receiver Kaleb Kitzmiller (19 receptions, 323 yards) are going to feel like they’re back in junior high. However, should Central pull off the unthinkable, what a story it’ll be.
Prediction: Sullivan South 49, Sullivan Central 7
Unicoi County at Johnson County
It’s Longhorns quarterback Austin Phipps (555 yards, five touchdowns) against the Blue Devils’ stingy defense. Phipps and Johnson County should have the upper hand — the Longhorns’ offense ranks second in the conference with an average of 289.6 yards per game — but defense and experience go a long way, and the Blue Devils have plenty of both.
Prediction: Johnson County 14, Unicoi County 10
SOUTHWEST VA.
Clinch Mountain District
Gate City at John Battle
It seemed like old times at Legion Field last week as Gate City employed a full-house backfield. That traditional look produced 178 yards rushing and a 35-0 blowout over rival Virginia High. With hitters like Cameron Browder and Jason Begley, GC remains among the most physical teams in the area. John Battle will try to counter that approach with a diverse passing game and the athletic ability of Joe Cadle.
Prediction: Gate City 42, John Battle 7
Cumberland District
Rye Cove at Coeburn
It’s been a long time since Rye Cove has had a season this shaky. The Eagles have lost their first five games and have struggled in all of them. Coeburn has played a tough schedule with non-district games against Clintwood, J.J. Kelly and J.I. Burton. That has prepared the Blue Knights to make a run at the Cumberland District title.
Prediction: Coeburn 16, Rye Cove 14
Hogoheegee District
Chilhowie at Northwood
These Smyth County rivals were both off last week and have had extra time to prepare for one another. Northwood is off to a 1-3 start and the Panthers need to turn things around soon if they hope to reach the Region C, Division 1 playoffs. Chilhowie hasn’t played since a 3-0 shutout to Virginia High two weeks ago. The Warriors’ offense will fare much better against a Northwood defense that has struggled defending the pass. That is a good sign for Chilhowie wide receiver Curtis “Tuff” Williams, who has seven receptions for 130 yards and three touchdowns this season.
Prediction: Chilhowie 39, Northwood 16
George Wythe at Patrick Henry
Patrick Henry took a step in the right direction last week with a 21-14 win over previously unbeaten Holston. However, it doesn’t get much easier for PH tonight. George Wythe features impressive running backs Larry McCoy (457 yards, eight touchdowns) and Seth White (382 yards, three touchdowns) and the Maroons blasted Fort Chiswell last week. Quarterback Trey Johnson has come into his own for PH in the last two weeks, but the Rebels will not have an answer for GW.
Prediction: George Wythe 35, Patrick Henry 16
Rural Retreat at Holston
If Holston is to earn the top seed for the Region C, Division 1 playoffs, the Cavaliers will have to beat the three-time defending regional champions. Rural Retreat is off to another strong start this fall and the Indians have a plethora of talented running backs. Holston must rebound from last week’s controversial loss to Patrick Henry. That’s a pretty tough task against the Indians.
Prediction: Rural Retreat 30, Holston 13
Lonesome Pine District
J.I. Burton at Pound
This one has mismatch written all over it. Burton is Southwest Virginia’s only unbeaten team and the Raiders haven’t missed a beat from the success of past seasons. Pound has shown improvement under first-year head coach Chris Crabtree but that will not equal many wins this season for the Wildcats.
Prediction: J.I. Burton 55, Pound 12
Southwest District
Carroll County at Abingdon
Last week’s come-from-ahead loss at Honaker put the Falcons’ playoff hopes in peril. Abingdon must win out and get help to make the tough Region IV, Division 4 field. The enigmatic Cavaliers are in town following two straight blowout losses against teams which they figured to at least compete well against, if not beat.
Prediction: Abingdon 24, Carroll County 20
Graham at Grundy
Winning three straight games by a total of 12 points, the G-Men sit atop the SWD. The Golden Wave couldn’t run the ball last week against Marion, dropping a 27-0 decision. Graham has been tough against the run lately, so this doesn’t appear to be a good matchup on paper for Grundy.
Prediction: Graham 21, Grundy 6
Richlands at Marion
Fueled by some position changes and motivational ploys, the Blue Tornadoes swamped hapless Tazewell last week to bounce back from their first loss in 34 regular season games. The physical Scarlet Hurricanes are looking at this as a statement game, but Austin Fuller and Co. might have something to say about that.
Prediction: Richlands 28, Marion 13
Non-District
Haysi at Ervinton
Haysi has dominated this Dickenson County rival for years and the trend should continue tonight. The Tigers have a Region D, Division 1 playoff appearance as a goal and they have played well through the season’s halfway point. It’s been a long season in Nora, as Ervinton remains winless. The Rebels will not get that first win tonight.
Prediction: Haysi 52, Ervinton 8
Thomas Walker at Powell Valley
Nobody figured that Powell Valley would be 2-3 and have a three-game losing streak at this point in the season. The Vikings have dropped consecutive games to Richlands, J.I. Burton and Clintwood, all quality opponents. However, Powell Valley has scored just 12 second-half points in those three contests. The Vikings will take out their frustration on Thomas Walker.
Prediction: Powell Valley 58, Thomas Walker 6
Lebanon at Giles
Giles dusted both Lebanon and Powell Valley last year en route to the Division 2 state title game. The single-wing is paying dividends again for coach Steve Ragsdale and the 3-1 Spartans. Lebanon running back Skyler Musick has compiled an array of impressive stats while earning attention from the likes of Liberty, Richmond and William Mary. Musick has rushed for at least 126 yards in every game but one this season. It will be a fun night at Ragsdale Field.
Prediction: Lebanon 28, Giles 27
Honaker at Virginia High
Virginia High hopes to use this homecoming game to ease the sting of last week’s demoralizing loss at Gate City. While guys like Shaka Andrew, Brent Davenport and Robbie Stout continue to deliver, youth is a problem for VHS. Honaker rallied from a 14-point halftime deficit to stop Abingdon last week. Players to watch are Logan Ball (691 yards rushing, 13 TD’s) and Justin Hall, who has thrown for nearly 900 yards. Andrew made 25 tackles at Honaker last year, yet the Bearcats fumbled away a 14-7 loss.
Prediction: Virginia High 17, Honaker 14
Big Creek (WV) at Hurley
Finally, the Rebels get to play a home game, their field having been approved by Buchanan County Schools after their first two home games were moved to Grundy. The 3-1 Owls are ranked 14th in Class A, good enough for a playoff berth at the moment. Hurley will have to play without starting linebacker Jay Tester and Brandon Justus, which could be a difference-maker.
Prediction: Big Creek 22, Hurley 14
Saturday
Appalachia at St. Paul
St. Paul moved a step closer to the Cumberland District title with a 27-26 double overtime win over Castlewood on Monday night. The Deacons can pick up some more important power points tonight against Appalachia. The game was originally scheduled for Friday, but was moved to accommodate St. Paul, after the team played on Monday night. The Appalachia duo of Brett Leedy and Morgan Ireson might be too much for St. Paul to handle.
Prediction: Appalachia 28, St. Paul 20
