Month: June 2018

A scorekeeper’ view of 2017-18 high school sports

Dublin…Sports fans, another high school sports year has come and gone. It was exciting and at times, disappointing. It was “The thrill of victory and the agony of defeat“ just like the old Wide World of Sports show use to say.

There are many people I need to recognize for this past sports season such as Fort Chiswell Pioneer athletic director, Jeff Molinary, and Greg Wade, athletic director at Radford High School, as well as Scott Vest, the Pulaski Co. High School athletic director, for their help and for keeping me informed.

Then there are the coaches, Todd Tiller, Fort Chiswell football, and his staff and Matthew Saunders, Radford football and his staff. I appreciate you for letting me have access to both of your programs and letting me hang out. Andrew Hart, the Pulaski Co. Cougar basketball head coach, for allowing me to cover him and allowing me to keep his scorebook along with his assistants, Jonathan Penn and Brandon Smith for their help. Derrick Jackson head basketball and baseball man at Fort Chiswell allowed me to cover him and his staff in both sports. I appreciate Rick Cormany of Radford basketball for letting me cover him and his staff for their help. I also need to say I appreciate Fort Chiswell principal, Dyer Jackson, and Radford principal, Jeff Smith. Other people I’d like to thank are Darden Freeman, Ken Keister, Mike Roop, Shane Roop, Harriet Farris, Guenther Schlottman, Scotty Scott, Rupert Hill and Tina Quesenberry. Todd Davis of the NRV Tigers baseball tam has also helped to keep me up to date with his travel baseball team.

That brings me to baseball, and besides Coach Jackson of Fort Chiswell, Greg Ridpath of Radford has let me be a nuisance. Lastly, I need to say I appreciate Jared King and Zac Chrisley for allowing me to be in the Cougar dugout. Jared King, I hate to see you leave the dugout. I’ve enjoyed covering you these last five years of coaching the Cougars.

As of this writing Pulaski Co. is in the process of interviewing for a new head baseball coach. I understand there’s been a lot of interest and here’s hoping the right person will be hired to head the Cougar baseball program. One finally thing on Jared, the hottest I saw him was this season at Christianburg. A call was made that, in my eyes, was not correct. Jared went from the third base coaching box to home plate in nothing flat, telling the umpire he missed the call. He wasn’t thrown out because, in my opinion, the ump missed the call and let Coach King have his say. I didn’t know Jared could still move that fast. He will be missed.

Speaking of baseball, VHSL needs to step up and find some way of getting this pitch count of pitchers coordinated. In the Radford at Giles game there was a pitch count mistake or error made by the home team. Home team count is suppose to be the official count, but when there’s a miscount in a close game that keeps the home team pitcher in longer, something has to be done to correct that! Then there was a team that tried to re-enter a baseball player versus the Cougars at Cougar Field, but that wasn’t the person that they tried to put back in order for. Things happen that you have to keep an eye on.

Speaking of being at home and being official, there was a problem at Patrick Henry back in late January. The scorekeeper was trying to keep an eye on her child and keep the official scorebook as well. The game came to the seventh foul called on them and she had marked only six. Up to then we both had six on the Patriots. But no, that foul was the sixth instead of Cougars going into one and one. Referee comes over and says that we have to go with home book. They keep the official count. They were wrong, but official! Obviously hard to babysit and try to keep scorebook at same time, well duh.

Basketball saw Salem use a player that his jersey number wasn’t in the book. Coach was told. He wanted to put the name and number in the book and I said sure, after we call the ref over to tell him. Couple shots at free throw line later, the matter was straightened out. At Fort Chiswell during their Christmas Tournament, no foul shots were given on what should have been one-and- one. One of the best times this past season was when I got to keep score for Pulaski Co. versus Gate City at the Adam Ward Basketball Classic in Salem. Cougars played a heck of a game but lost. Gate City’s Mac McClung scored 44 points that afternoon as the Georgetown University bound player hit all sorts of shots. Then to be at Radford University to cover Gate City and Radford State Semifinal game was a big thrill. Gate City played their best defensive game of the year to beat the undefeated Bobcats. The place was packed and the line to get into was all the way around the Dedmon Center. Here’s hoping VHSL goes back to supersites for the regional semifinal and finals. It sure is great to see different teams in one place and the different styles the teams play, instead of one game here, one game there. I’m also happy to say the Cougar basketball team will participate in the Fort Chiswell Christmas Tournament this coming season. It will be three games in three days. Beside the Cougars, Fort Chiswell and Radford both are entered. The other five teams are to be announced. The games are played at Fort Chiswell High School after Christmas but before New Year’s Day. There also is a junior varsity tournament played there over the Holiday break.

Fort Chiswell Pioneer football went 7-4 and made the playoffs for the second year in a row. That’s not bad for a program that three seasons ago went 0-10. They are 16-8 the last two years. They will be competitive again this year as they lost only four starters off of the 7-4 squad. That brings me to Radford Bobcat football. They had one of those seasons that, if it would go wrong, it did. That explains their 2-8 record. They used, I believe, five different players at quarterback. They lost a player to cancer. One player got hurt walking out onto the practice field. Seven of their eight losses were by a total of 37 points. They led going into the fourth quarter in seven of those eight losses. Injuries, inexperience and just plain bad luck cost them that losing season. For those people that have been calling for a new football coach there, things could be lot worse. Try to support and back the coaches. They have won before and will again.

Well, that about does it for me and looking back at the high school sports season. Football is just around the corner. Football scrimmages start around August 10 and benefit games August 17. Regular season gets under way Friday August 24. Before all those dates though, there are seven-on-seven practices, weight lifting and practices. Then there are the good ole two-a-days. Have a great summer and hope to see you on a football field near you.

Former Pulaski Co. Recreation Coordinator passes

Eddie Sutphin worked for the Rec. Dept for over 30 years, has sadly passed away. Just last November NRV recreation departments voted to rename the youth football championship games to be called the Eddie Sutphin Superbowl. He had been ill for some time and condolences goes out to Eddie’s family and friends.

Pioneer football coaches rearranged

The Fort Chiswell Pioneers will have the same familiar faces on the sidelines but in new roles. Head Coach Todd Tiller will take over the offense and call plays. Assistant coaches James Whitlock and Doc Meredith will now run the defense. Coach Tiller has been his own defensive coordinator up to now. Coach Whitlock has been offense and defensive line coach and Meredith was offensive coordinator last year.

Pulaski Co. Cougar coach retires

Pulaski Co. assistant football coach Tom Hale has retired, from coaching. The Cougars have made some changes to their football staff. Bradley Sutphin will now be assistant for the varsity. He had been the middle school head coach. Former Cougar players Bryan Dalton and Randy Dunnigan will join the Cougar coaching ranks. Dalton will be the new middle school head coach, while Dunnigan will help with the varsity.

Mountain Mayhem Jamboree – Football Schedule

Saturday, Aug. 11- @ Twin Valley

** – Schedule is subject to change- $6 admission

10 am – Rye Cove vs Northwood

11 am – Rye Cove vs Riverview (WV)

12 noon – Northwood vs Riverview (WV)

1 pm – Twin Valley vs Castlewood

2 pm – Castlewood vs Rural Retreat

3 pm – Twin Valley vs Rural Retreat

 

 

Spartans have new coach

The Eastside Spartans football program has a new football coach. Mike Rhodes is named to be their new coach. Rhodes was an assistant at Union High School as he was their defensive coordinator. He replaces Jason Hicks as he took an administrative job at Union High School.

NRV Tigers off to great start

The NRV Tigers travel baseball team started their season off by going 3-0-1 in their initial weekend of play, held at East Tennessee State University. The tie was with All Out Baseball by the score of 8-8. That was the second game of the day and after the Tigers had walloped the Short Pump Bandits 18-0. In the 18-0 win, former Pulaski Co. Cougar Bailey Ayers doubled and scored a run, while Fort Chiswell’s Leighton Dunford doubled, walk and scored twice while knocking in two. Chris Meredith, Shawn Campbell, AJ Cacciatorie and Tristan Shrewsbury all had two RBIs each. Galax’s Jacob Stuart got the win on the hill as he struck out four and allowed just three hits.

The tie game saw the Tigers battle back from being down 8-5 going into the fifth. The game was called in the sixth inning by the time limit. It also saw the All Out team walk off and didn’t shake hands with the Tigers. Dunford was three for three , as he had a double and triple. He scored one run and had four RBIs. Keith Reed of Auburn was two for two with two RBIs and two runs scored. Austin Parker of Tazewell and Stuart were the two pitchers used in the the game by the Tigers.

Then on Sunday the Tigers got two pitching gems from Leighton Dunford , Shawn Campbell and Taylor Newcome. They defeated Ktown Bombers 6-0 behind Dunford’s complete game as he tossed a two-hitter. He struck out six and threw just 69 pitches in the seven innings. He also helped himself at the plate as he singled, walked scored a run and knocked in one. Chris Meredith of Grayson Co. hit a home run, was two for three at the plate. His fellow Grayson Co. teammate – Shawn Campbell was two for three with a triple and scored a run. Ayers was two for three and scored a run. The other game saw the Tigers beat the Lenior Oilers 10-1. Campbell went four innings striking out five and gave up two hits. He was relieved by Newcome as he struck out three in his one inning. Meredith went two for four, scored three times as he hit a triple and double. Carter Plunkett scored four runs and had one RBI. Caleb Pritchard knocked in two and Cacciatorie had RBI and two hits. Tiger head coach Todd Davis said,” We hit the ball well all weekend and we got some outstanding pitching ,too. I thought Dunford( Leighton ) was outstanding in his seven inning complete game.” He then added,” We scored what 42 runs and had 42 hits and allowed just 17 hits and nine runs in four games.”

The Tigers will be back in action June 29-30 and July 1 at Va. Tech and Radford.

Eastside needs new coach

The Eastside Spartans football team is looking for a new head football coach , as Jason Hicks has stepped down. Coach Hicks has accepted an administrative job at Union High School. Search for a new coach is already underway.

Maroon Tide hires new coach

The Galax Maroon Tide have hired a new boys basketball coach. He is very familiar with all the Galax people. The new coach is Mark Dixon. Dixon is the football head coach and had been the junior varsity coach and varsity assistant to the now retired Verl Brown. Coach Dixon will remain football head coach as well.