Leaderboard

A survey to determine if your school has a proper high school stadium? -Are there features built by non-skilled labor such as students, coaches, or parents? -Are there any parts of the stadium that were donated used? -Is the field a good soaking rain away from becoming a mosh pit? -Are bleachers, buildings, or fencing mismatched by type, style, or era? -Are doors now secured with padlocks because keys were lost years ago? -Does the field serve double-duty for another activity, such as baseball or a county fair? -Is the stadium close enough to a public road that a vehicle could careen into the stands from above? -Do you pee in a trough? If you answered YES to four or more questions, Congratulations!, your school has a proper high school stadium.

You have some lofty expectations if you are wanting the truth to come from politicians.

A personal note on the Stone Castle. One of my friends and I went to the season opener sometime in the mid-late 90's when THS was hosting Cherokee. THS was comfortably ahead after the 3rd, so we decided to cut out because the Bristol race hauler parade was getting ready to start. We were in an old S-10 truck that my buddy drove to work, and we left the parking lot. We got to the red light, and it looked like the parade had already started, so he hooked a left and we got in behind an SUV that was towing a bass boat. My buddy said that a couple of hundred yards ahead, we could turn down a side road and get out of that mess. It turned out that the SUV towing the bass boat had pro fisherman Bill Dance sitting in the back of it, and directly behind us was the giant motorized Food City shopping cart. We were stuck in the hauler parade. Matters took a turn for the worse when we got to the street he wanted to turn down and it was blocked....as were all of the other side streets. Then, we got to the sections where the big crowds were. There was a cop standing close to where we were, and my buddy yelled and asked him how we could get out of there. The cop responded with "how the Hell did you get in it?" My buddy told him we had left the Castle after a football game, and the cop busted out laughing and told us to just keep going. We decided to relax and ride it out, so we started waving to the ever growing crowd. Some guy in the crowd asked me who I was, and I told him I was Greg Biffle's 3rd cousin. We rode that parade all the way into BIR before security was able to help create a spot where we could pull out. They thought it was hilarious and one even said we should've stayed in it and got out on the track. I was surprised how cool law enforcement and security were with us. If that happened today, we'd probable be dragged out of the truck and beaten or tasered. That was definitely a night to remember. Too bad we had cell phones with crappy cameras back then.

This may be the best thread ever. I'm loving it.

Maybe Graham can play a few games at Mount View's beautiful new facility? I'm sure some of the folks would appreciate not having to drive far to watch their kids play.

Dobyns-Bennett, North Campus.

Wait.......Graham's principal is married to the administrator? The secondhand embarrassment from this soap opera just keeps getting worse and worse.

And a few more coming!☺️

Not to hijack a thread, but more history behind that tidbit.... The Southwest District was probably founded for the primary reason of allowing its member schools to compete for what was then the Division 1 state championship. Although designation as champion was still a highly arbitrary process, there were some standards established in the mid 1950s that included a requirement to play a minimum number of games against other Division 1 schools. For travel and scheduling purposes it made sense for the original members to band together and form the SWD to help meet that requirement. Graham, Grundy, Richlands, Tazewell, and Virginia High were among the founding members. The Western District was formed for similar reasons and mostly included schools from Roanoke and Lynchburg. Since the two areas were still pretty far removed from one another and neither district had enough to fill out a full schedule on their own, there was frequent "cross scheduling" between the SWD and Western District schools throughout the 1960s who were serious about challenging for state honors. Grundy played Glass pretty consistently. Tazewell and Graham both played Jefferson pretty regularly. Richlands played William Fleming and Patrick Henry. Virginia High started scheduling Glass and/or Fleming around 1965 as the standards apparently became a bit more restrictive. Around that time it appears that it became common for the champions of the SWD and the Western District to play each other at the conclusion of the regular season. Although if one of those teams were undefeated (as was the case with Andrew Lewis in 1966) then a game would be arranged with one of the schools further east to decide the state championship instead.

Unless they are prepared to participate financially in offering or building a facility, the Town of Bluefield really has no standing in this issue.

With regards to the question of what next, it did get me thinking. One thing that crossed my mind was the all the old footage of games of local teams from through the years on YouTube now. I guess this is more aimed at Mr. Baker @Bluefield researcher but the thought of having a link on his site straight to the YouTube video of the game. Between the channels strictly dedicated to Bluefield, Princeton, James Monroe, and the old New River District and it's schools, there's 100's of games going wayyyy back. Also, for us junkies that love this sport, this area and it's history, we're lucky. I raise a glass of bourbon in thanks.

So i have one here...Soon the State champs may be playing here

One of them already knows he is about to be a one term supervisor if he doesn't want to play ball.

Or you can go completely lazy and do "Eagles." Yeah, I'm looking at you Buchanan County.

Will Union participate since they only run 2 plays

Home of living legend EH31 and the Pocahontas Indians

The Mayor's a force in local stadium trivia! It's Tenneva Field, home of the Virginia High Bearcats from 1920-36. Both Va High and Tenn High moved to the Stone Castle that last year. The Bearcats returned to the Virginia side of the line in 1974 to its current home. Fun fact: Tenneva Field hosted the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Dodgers in a 1922 exhibition game. 5,000 people turned out to watch Babe Ruth play baseball in Bristol.

This mess reminds me of the consolidation process in Dickenson County, which involved the BOS and the SB suing each other over building a school that the Corp of Engineers was paying for... excellent utilization of taxpayer funds

From videos I am seeing of 7 on 7s Richlands is going to be very dangerous offensively. The QB is chucking it to 2 really good WRs

It's a line from a great Scott Miller song... Lo Siento, Spanishburg, WVa. Well the TV's off because there's nothing on all the hometown fans are in the stands since the team won state because the coach was great and they hired him down in Peterstown But he didn't win so he's back again this next bag of kids could not commit they were big enough but not that tough and thought the single wing was a passing thing I guess the will to win is oft forgotten when old times there are oxycodon Lo siento, Spanishburg, West Virginia

Let’s be honest—are we really expected to believe that the Board of Supervisors was entirely unaware of the more than $5 million in funds held by the Board of Education? That defies all logic and strains credibility. When the practice field was being constructed, are we supposed to believe no one from the Board of Supervisors asked a single question about the source of that funding? That’s not just oversight; that’s willful ignorance—or more likely, deliberate avoidance. The truth is straightforward: the Board of Education did have the resources to fund the lights and stands. But when they refused to rubber-stamp the proposed contract, pressure started mounting—from none other than the familiar power brokers in Bluefield, WV. The car lot magnates and the founders of the local paper's philanthropic arm began applying political pressure, and rather than support the Board of Education’s independent decision-making, the Board of Supervisors once again bowed to that small, entrenched elite. This isn’t a new dynamic. Certain influential figures in Mercer County have long had the ear—and the compliance—of some members of the Board of Supervisors.

Six. But we aren't counting.

I don't think that either side is really bargaining in good faith. Both sides very arrogant. It really wasn't smart of Graham (Tazewell County) to build a half stadium because they didn't have all the funding committed for a full stadium. It really wasn't smart of Bluefield to pour all the money into the superficial upgrades to Mitchell Stadium hoping to get the WVSSAC to move the championship games to Mitchell when they had made several best bids before and were still denied. They should of known the contract is not awarded to the best bid it is awarded by the good ole boy network. New director at that time is from Charleston area and it went to Charleston. Old director was from Wheeling and it went to Wheeling. So now Graham is holding the bag with a half stadium and Bluefield is left with the costs of the superficial upgrades with no championship games. Both are looking to cut their losses and the students are going to pay for the incompetence. Not the same way the children in Gaza are paying but they are going to pay nevertheless.

You have to add in the case of my alma mater zero doors on the toilet "stalls". You had to be a heckuva man to take a dump there:)

Another idea would be for Graham to play their games at Bullet Park. They already own it! Sorry but had to go there!

At one time it was Maroon Wave Stadium, located in Junior Poca (a suburb of Welch). My dad played for Welch on that field back in the 1950s. Including one 1957 game against Northfork when he lined up directly across the line against his own brother (who played for the Blue Demons).

Shorthorns is a unique mascot. Much like Sugar Leafs or something that was near Marion. I wish these consolidating schools would become original in their mascot names.

If Graham is paying $60,000 per year, plus $5,000 per playoff game, we can estimate an annual cost of approximately $75,000–$80,000. Over three years, that totals between $215,000 and $240,000. In comparison, the offer from the City of Bluefield, WV, was $324,000 over three years—or $108,000 annually. This means the proposed agreement asks for approximately $28,000–$33,000 more per year than the current arrangement. Is it really worth disrupting Graham’s football program for the next two or more years over this difference? This decision affects far more than just scheduling. It risks displacing home games to other schools, disregarding the impact on student-athletes—particularly seniors whose final seasons will be disrupted. Additionally, the local youth football (little league) program would need to modify its schedules and locations to accommodate Graham's Saturday daytime games. If youth games are moved to daytime slots elsewhere, this could reduce fan turnout for the varsity team—ultimately affecting community support and revenue. Furthermore, the rationale that visitors shouldn’t have to bring their own seating, while expecting local taxpayers—who fund many public resources—to do so, feels inconsistent and dismissive of the community. In the bigger picture, altering the sports ecosystem for multiple groups—especially student-athletes—for a difference of under $35,000 annually appears to reflect poor planning and limited foresight. The more reasonable approach would be to honor the current contract, complete the field without rushing, and ensure a smooth, well-planned transition when the time is right.

Wow, that's a really nice football fiel.., I mean, "Outdoor Learning Facility"

The people that would be voting for said person are educated. You are in another district. Pretty simple.

Graham needs their own place. They have the chance to make a cozy, right-sized stadium and have it be theirs. The hell with Mitchell.....I always hated playing there....just didn't feel right....like a neutral game. They can make it work using Tazewell's field, especially if they will consider the occasional Thursday game. If I'm Tony and I have a "gimme" game I'd consider a Thursday night game. They could get Graham's field serviceable fairly quickly in terms of brining in some bleachers and a couple of food trucks and portable restrooms.

I myself am not going to specifically blame them but in turn I will ask another question. In the past 15-20 years, what have they done besides spend (waste) funds on projects and determine that they can't manage money so now they need an advance on their funds in June instead of being able to make it last until Dec. I know of one representative for sure that I hope gets voted out. Was glad to see him get in there to oust the previous one but he is worthless in my book. I won't put specifics on here to try and remain civil and not call someone out specifically but will be glad to tell anyone in private messages.

Panthers-one of the most widely-used generic names from the 80s-2000s for consolidated schools. Northwood, Twin Valley, PikeView. Not necessarily in our coverage area, but Wolf variations seem en vogue now with schools with Ridge in the title. Ridgeview Wolfpack/West Ridge Wolves. (I really like Ridgeview’s. The Sullivan County school obviously didn’t look hard to find something unique.

They'll participate and do well. Then, not use a single bit of it in the regular season.

I saw my first concert there 28 summers ago, Aaron Tippin

I predict Williamson in will be in the running for Defensive POY the next 2 years

He's still an outsider

Shame on the city of Bluefield WV for their greed and the school board of Tazewell Co for their lack of preparation. In the words of Donald Trump, they don’t know what the f they are doing.

I actually think this is a good compromise. They get three true home games at their place. I think they rebounded pretty well. If I'm Graham, I'm pushing for five home games in 2026 (whether they are Saturday or not) and then all five home games under the lights by 2027. Once they get there, this will all be a blip.

Brother is it really that impacting on a kid to play 5 games out of Mitchell and still play 3 games at Graham in which those kids make history? 3 home playoff games at Tazewell? Is that that big of a stressor or setback for kids? Dude, there's Lou Gehrigs disease, possible nuclear war, metastatic brain cancer, losing a job you had for 20 years, those are setbacks. The kids are worried about their girlfriends and the next social media post. They won't be scarred for life by traveling some for one year. You are describing a true first world problem. I don't claim to know the details on planning, but I do know Eric. I played against him and kept in touch. Betcha Graham has a fully functional home stadium by August 2026. Won't be 3 years. Even if the planning was bad and sounds like it was, everyone in the situation is now here at this point and there's no going back. All you can do now is plan correctly or for the future.

What is the Stone Castle

Not a smart choice. By reading this article, they are still fighting for a way to play at Mitchell Stadium. Suffer, travel, have some pain, going to be a struggle for 12 months for Graham and Bluefield, VA, but you benefit for the next 50 years by doing that. I read that article and I don't get the feeling the town guy is fighting to play at Graham High this year. I get the feeling he's trying to play at Mitchell Stadium and negotiating without the School Board. That type of thinking is what cost Graham at stadium around 8 years ago. Even if you want to play some games at Mitchell, pretend for the moment you don't want to if you are Bluefield, VA, officials. They should focus on doing anything possible to get the stadium built at Graham High, then when the money is there, start back up with the Mitchell Stadium stuff again. Doing that stuff before the stadium is built is going to cost Graham from having a stadium at Graham High.

Max Simpson - Bluefield QB has received his first D1 offer from ETSU.

Also, another former Appy League ballpark. Home of the 2 time league champion New River Rebels.

Photo Credit: Fourseasonsfootball.com -Last hosted a high school game in 2014 -Named for its Hall of Fame Coach -Sadly this venerable stadium no longer exists

The Cliff't

Honestly i don't know who to be mad at- Bluefield-for their greed, knowing Graham most likely couldn't pay the inflated amount if they wanted to and screwing these kids. Stacey-for budget mismanagement leading to money being removed for stadium that wasnt allotted in the first place. Tazewell Co. BOS- knowing they were not going to pay the stupid crazy amount and not be prepared for it- Playing at Tazewell? Yeah their really warm and fuzzy with Graham. I think I'll be mad at all the above!

Bigfoot would prefer to throw sticks and rocks then do that.... Besides, I already told you what I think. Bluefield, Va has been treated like 2nd class citizens by the board for 80 years now. That's all you're getting, sorry I can't give you any dirt on anybody (or won't). No offense to you. I've been around long enough to see how one end of the county gets the raw end of the deal consistently.

Thank you so much for sharing this. I lost all of my yearbooks a long way back, and being able to see the field brings back so many good memories. There was nothing better than Friday nights @ RVHS.

Ansel Ponder and Jake Lilly for Bluefield and Barreras for Graham