EHC87

I was at the pre-season controlled scrimmage. It appeared that both teams were evenly matched. Northside has a good running back who is shifty and runs hard. Northside also has a solid defense as well. What is really hard to tell is how much better did both teams get since that time. I believe that the Falcons have a chance if we play well in all 3 phases of the game. I will be there cheering on the Falcons. Good luck to the rest of the SWVA teams next Friday and Saturday. Hope everyone plays well and stays injury free.

Congratulations to all the area schools who won tonight. AHS, Richlands, Graham all won....not sure on everyone else since I just signed on. Was at the Abingdon game and it was a very good one.... Too much drama for me but I'll take an ugly win any day. Hope that Derrick Yates is ok......he really took a hard shot to the head. I can only speak for me, but I am grateful to have sports to take my mind off some of the tragic events that are taking place today.

Prayers for France, the victims and their families. This evil will not prevail.........I truly believe that there are vastly more good people in the world than evil ones. A really sad day for all of us.

West12aaa, we would love to have you at Falcon Stadium Friday night, Going to be a great environment.

pdfan, I am going to use our past experiences to relate it to a somewhat similar, though not exactly the same, situation in SWVA football. When Drewry Mason, F-C, Carver and Chatham dropped to 1A to form The Foothills District, we had a very unusual situation. Drewry Mason and GW Carver had the 2 best Group A basketball teams in the state for at least 3 years in a row. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that Carver would have won state basketball titles IF NOT for being in the same district and region as DM. However, Carver was never able to win a regional title and didn't advance to the state tournament. Only the 4 region winners made it to state tournament.....we now have 8 teams. Currently, Union and Richlands are two of the best 2A football teams in the state. I am in favor of cross bracketing in the final 4 to potentially allow a championship game from the same side of the state. I've always believed that you want the best teams in the championship game, even if they are both from the West or East. What I don't know is this.....when we go to a regional format in the next cycle (at least I think that's what is being done), does anyone know the format that will be used once we have 4 teams remaining? Will there be a cross bracketing of sorts?? Just curious.

Hope the Blues stay injury free Friday night. Would wish good luck but I don't really think you all are going to need any luck :)

Good luck to the Bearcats! Pulling for you all.

Good luck to Ridgeview...hope you all can pull this one off!

Thanks to all who have served our country!

pdfan, Played baseball at DMHS and basketball through 10th grade year. Tim Martin was 1 year behind me but we had several other Carver kids who were at DM. Eric Hairston, Lee McDaniel, Chris Dalton and others went to DM while living in the Horsepasture area. Does that mean I am part of the problem????? Transfers from one school to another....some for the purpose of sports :) :) And yes, I have thrown some stones on that issue. LOL.........at least we didn't poach from F-C. I went to Martinsville City schools through my 8th grade year until we moved to Ridgeway. One other thing pdfan......I was a huge Jimmy Hensley fan....his niece, also Horsepasture resident, graduated HS with me. I guess the issue of transfers isn't new is it??

As someone who played in the Piedmont District, (Drewry Mason), I thought the trip from RIdgeway to Ringgold (Dan River) was a killer road trip!! :) It must have taken 50 minutes by bus each way.....the way we viewed things as teenagers. Now as an AHS parent, I'd give anything for that long trip of 50 minutes....especially for 3A opponents. It's all a matter of perspective :)

Bigrhsfan, I agree with you about consolidation....especially a 1 county high school, regardless of the county. When looking at Carroll and Franklin County, it is easy to see the disadvantages of a centralized high school. I guess it has worked ok for Pulaski County....most of the folks I've known that attended Pulaski didn't live a tremendous distance from the school. Money, or the lack thereof, sometimes makes 1 large county school the best option but I don't believe that those situations are in the best interest of all the students. Merging of 2 schools within reasonable proximity makes financial sense in many cases. Even if we don't like it, the trend to consolidate smaller schools together will continue....the powers just don't want to or are unable to justify duplicate operating expenses.

For the first time in a long while, the signs and support have started to re-appear in Abingdon. As to the consolidation issue....I believe that both communities will come on board for support after a little while.....it sometimes takes a little getting used to the new dynamic. City of Raven, you are correct in your statement that the overall support for HS Football isn't what it used to be. I've had this conversation many times with my peers. Back in the 70's, 80's and early 90's, Friday night football WAS the social event for people.....small towns in particular. With the advances in technology, many people, especially students not involved in the band or other sports, found other means to entertain themselves on Friday night. Gradually, this has resulted in smaller crowds (generally speaking) and less interest in the game. To me, HS football still offers a great entertainment value and opportunity. I know that everyone on this board loves it. Why can't the rest of the world see what we are seeing?? :) :)

Abingdon will have to stop the run...no doubt about it. The Falcons need to take care of the football and try to create turnovers from Rustburg. Turnovers aren't easy to get when a team primarily runs the ball. I hope the Falcons can get an early lead and maybe try to force Rustburg to throw the ball. It will not be an easy game but the birds have the ability to win this one if we play to our potential in all 3 phases of the game. Am expecting a huge and enthusiastic crowd...should be a great atmosphere Friday night. GO FALCONS!!

One of those mink coat appearances was at the King College Gym when Emory and King played basketball. It was either 1985 or 1986.....still remember watching Sandy walk in with that coat on.....like the Nature Boy Ric Flair! LOL

#22 was a decent running back.....LOL. He may have made all ODAC once :) Mountain man, you and I might not have any eligibility left but I'll bet we could give the AHS trainers all kinds of work/practice. They might have to call in an extra supply truck for tape, aspirin, ice packs, heat pads, etc......and that would be just my portion of the repair project.

Ryan4VT, I am obligated to say "Go Heels"! A disclaimer, my wife received her undergraduate degree from UNC-CH in 1989. My first game in Chapel Hill was 1987 and we've seen some good times, see Mack Brown, and some really lean times as well. Glad to see their football on the upswing. My wife and I are totally disgusted by the academic scandal (UNC)......no justification for it.....it does come with the territory in big time sports. Beamer is a class act all the way...hope the fans remember what VPI football was like in the Bill Dooley era....I certainly do and Coach Beamer's contributions are tremendous...and that is not nearly a strong enough adjective. Hope they hire well....good for everyone when the local schools do well.

Mountain man, c'mon.....I know that you don't have any eligibility left.

Definitely pulling for the Warriors over GW......gotta go with the Henry County connection :) Martinsville has a really, really tough schedule, especially being the only 2A team in the PD. Coach Martin seems to be doing a good job in tough circumstances. MV and Danville would not be on anyone's wish list of teams to play and Halifax is a decent 5A school. I wish coach Bobby Dalton could have turned it around (I knew him growing up and is a fine person) but am glad that they are making progress. I look for Devonte Holland and company to be TOUGH again this year in the 2A hoop ranks.

I think Amherst will have the edge in this one. No doubt that Appomattox is very good but Amherst has played some very, very good teams. I think having played better competition might be the edge needed when 2 good teams meet. For you number crunchers out there, could an Appomattox win propel them back to the top of 2A West, even if the other top teams win?? Just curious and I know there are many moving parts for the answer to my question....and I'm not taking the time to run the scenarios.

For Abingdon, I think the Blackburg win over PH-Roanoke really helped. I didn't look at the formula, just going by the fact that PH is a 5A school with an ok record. To the rest of AHS's opponents that we've already played......good luck Friday night :) In a serious note, hope that all area teams play to their maximum potential and that there aren't any injuries. From a selfish standpoint, let me make out some of the schedules for the next few weeks......I'd stagger some games for Friday and some for Saturday.........to allow me to attend multiple games of my choice :) Yeah, that would be nice :)

Mountain man, I think you would agree with me that Emory would be a FINE place for Blankenship to play on Saturdays! Would love to see him there next Fall. Unfortunately, I saw more of him than I wanted last Friday :)

Union_Fan, you also left out one other variable not related to officials, fans or the other team's facilities......Turnovers!!! I know that you all are going to a place that might not be an easy place to play....I hope that you all will take care of the ball. Not saying that either team will turn the ball over but that is a "wild card" that can allow a lesser team to hang with or even win against an opponent with more talent. I hate turnovers, especially fumbles, with a passion. I wish you and Union the best of luck tomorrow night! Hope that no one gets injured and that the ball is treated like gold :) I think you all have a better team than Letcher Central.

pdfan, This thread and others have discussed transfers/holdbacks, etc. I am not condoning holdbacks at all unless it is for a legitimate academic reason. As to the transfer thing.....well you guys, Fieldale Collinsville, lost Jeff Adkins to Martinsville for his junior and senior seasons in basketball. My elementary school principal was Mel Cartwright who was the Martinsville basketball assistant during the late 70's early 80's. The next thing I knew, Mr. Cartwright was heading to Maryland to be one of Lefty's assistants and Adkins was in tow :) That has been over 30 years and it just goes to show that there really isn't anything "new under the sun" when it comes to most of the high school sports issues we are CURRENTLY discussing. I've enjoyed interacting with you pdfan......heck, I even had some cousins who graduated from F-C but there were just a few years after you. Thanks again!

pdfan, In Pete Carter's book, it stated that the old rule on the books may have had something to do with preventing some schools from playing in pre-segreation. See statement by Dr. Calkins on page 30 of Carter's book. The stipulation was already in place, the principals just took advantage of it and it effectively became known as the Martinsville Rule. Like you, I thought it was an excellent read..especially when I actually lived part of it. You had to be there to have believed some of the talent MHS had for a 4-5 year period. Dennis Mahan, Doug Law, Jamie Mason, Keith Burgess, Rex Varn and many, many others. Truly a special time for high school football. I was only 10 when the Dogs won the 1975 state title, but can remember it well. Great times. Also pdfan, thanks for your input as well. The story seems almost like a tall tale...you almost had to witness it to believe it.