Hats off to the Union Bears. Those kids played like gaged possessed animals yesterday. No quit in them and they really play with tons of emotion and intensity. That's a reflection of pride in their programs history (PV-Appy) and it's a reflection of their Head Coach. That game with Central is one I will surely watch. Should be a fantastic game. With only 12 minute quarters in High School Football, if you can stop the run and then run it well offensively, the game is shortened and it gives you a chance. Union did exactly that and they just clearly weren't going through the motions. That bunch came to Mitchell Stadium to play.
That Calpreps projection is not yet updated from the games on Friday and Saturday (this weekend). Monday afternoon, the projections will be updated reflecting this weekends games.
Honestly how do you not set the edge on that play? Looked like they gave up.
LOL, that's the kicker and funny part to me. Union fans have talked about how well it was executed (and rightly so), but that AGAIN goes back to Graham and mental toughness. Mental toughness is a certain character and concentration in ALL phases of the game, before the game starts and how you behave and during the game, preparation, etc. Mental toughness or LACK of it is putting on the new shiney uniforms which may scare Lebanon (no offense) but they don't scare Union or Bluefield. Worry should be in how you play and prepare, not how you look. The 1950's through 1980's are over, you can no longer "fake out" a team on your last play with the old pitch left or pitch right and win the game from 60 yds out on the last play on a run UNLESS you are playing a team that doesn't seem to like concentrating on every play. That's mental toughness. You clearly tell your kids on defense to set the edge. Those very under the table, little tiny letdowns in concentration that Graham is so prone to having caught up with them....again. It's that simple. You could see the emotion from Union's kids when they come out of the locker room. You could see it when they were down 7-0 and driving on Graham that they wanted the game more. Mental toughness or lack of it, the perfect example today on NFHS.
Graham has a problem with mental toughness I know, they won the state title two years ago and credit them, but they have a mental toughness problem. It starts with their star player not playing today because of Mental Toughness. It's why he made the decision he made that allowed him to not be on the field. You could see which team wanted more when Graham was u 7-0 and Union come storming back down the field. It was a GIVEN if you know football. 90 plus percent of the time, the mentally tougher team wins. Graham's ole nemesis, not Union, but lack of mental toughness jumped up and bit them again today.
Major Mistake by Union right here. Should line up and go for two. You've gashed Graham on the ground and they are gassed and have no answer. If you go for two right there, you lead by 1 point.
Graham is in major trouble. The 40 yd pass completion by Union on 3rd and 20 and the 3rd and 1 play and hit in the backfield by Union. You can feel it. the energy, everything, they are fooling Graham on offense. Union is going to win this game. I'm calling it now at 7-7 in the first qtr. Graham is in trouble.
Best wishes to Thad Wells. I could never fault a coach for wanting to move on to bigger and better things, or climb up the ladder when an opportunity were to present itself. Thad Wells would not have been offered the position if he were not successful in his past, and that past included hard work. He told the principal at Richlands immediately when he decided to take the position and that's what you are supposed to do. The decision for him to move on and not coach the Ridgeview game was the Principal's, not his. Folks, we are talking about UVA here, not Wise. This is a big deal. Richlands folks should be incredibly happy for guy who is coaching at a FBS-BCS school. That's an incredible opportunity and he would have to be a fool to turn that down. He's going to quadruple his pay.
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Union vs Central Region D Championship
in SWVA Football
Posted
Hats off to the Union Bears. Those kids played like gaged possessed animals yesterday. No quit in them and they really play with tons of emotion and intensity. That's a reflection of pride in their programs history (PV-Appy) and it's a reflection of their Head Coach. That game with Central is one I will surely watch. Should be a fantastic game. With only 12 minute quarters in High School Football, if you can stop the run and then run it well offensively, the game is shortened and it gives you a chance. Union did exactly that and they just clearly weren't going through the motions. That bunch came to Mitchell Stadium to play.