MavsRock

Wow!!!! That's a huge loss for a team returning a lot of talent, and with the dirty laundry they had after the Bluefield game. I also thought it would be that other coach. It'll be interesting to see how all of this affects their program next season. We all saw what happened to Oak Hill after their coach left.

At the very least, he should be suspended from coaching for this, I don't know if he's worthy of banishment, because I didn't see it. This guy should thank that player, and the police for keeping him from going into the stands, because I hate to think of what they would've done to him after that play call.

Not to my knowledge. Maybe I will next year if James Monroe plays for the championship . Have a safe trip. That should be another good close game this week.

IMO the only thing controversial is what happened on the Weir sideline with 2:38 left. Why do you pass in that situation? WHY????? You're up 2 TD's the other guy has no time outs, they have stooped you for under 3 yards maybe 3 or 4 times, and are obviuously wearing down, and even if you don't convert, what had been a pretty ineffective offense has to go 65 yards, and then put another drive together IF they get the onside kick. So, instead of using common sense, you throw the ball aound the fastest defense in the state, and thanks to the INT return, now they only have one 50 yard drive after the onside kick, and all of that work you're team put in for 47 minutes 22 seconds is all for not. Because of that stupidity and arrogance on the part of Weir, they deserved whatever happened to them afterwards, and now they'll get to watch someone else hold the AA championship trophie in their own back yard!!!

I would never call a kid like that my "best" player. If the kid catches alot of flack for this when he gets back (as he certainly will, and totally deserves), keep us posted as to what happens. If it's any consolation something like that happended to Wayne 2 years ago when there best RB quits before the Bluefield playoff game. WARNING TO JAMES MONROE STARTERS!!!! IF YOU EVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THIS, YOU HAD BEST STAY OUT OF THE COUNTRY!!! because I will personally pass out pitch-forks and torches to the mob that will await you're return!!! That's just pathetic.

has a game turned around that fast. I left with just under 3:00 left, just in time to hear Bluefield's radio announcers talk about basketball season. There will be alot of controversy, as well there should be about passing the ball in that situation, especially with the fastest defense in the state in Bluefield, but give credit to Bluefield, 1 play totally changed the momentum in that game. Bluefield got 1 lucky break, but earned everything afterwards. This ranks right up there with the infamous "Miracle at the Meadowlands" between the Eagles and Giants. I'm sure we'll eventually find out exectly what happened with the fight after the game, I didn't see it so I won't speculate. It wasn't that big of a surprise to me with the emotions that Weir had to be feeling, but you've got to keep you're composure better than that. Head's up to the Bluefield PD for kepping a volatile situation from looking like the Pistons-Pacers game. I wouldn't want to be on a Weir team bus right about now. I'll talk more about the Bluefield-Wayne title game this week. One note, I had picked Bluefield to win, but no one, and I do me NO ONE saw something like this coming.

I hope WVU doesn't get a good bowl with a hard opponent. Maybe this time they can keep it within 30 points unlike to last two bowls.

I'll have to agree that when you've won 7 titles that does cut you some slack. However, even if Bluefield didn't have any of those titles, that doesn't make this team they have right now any easier to beat, and as much as I hate to say it, I just have a gut feeling that Weir's going to find that out the hard way Saturday. One thing I think I can say with some degree of certainty is that Bluefield won't have to worry about losing 4 in a row next year, because I seriously doubt we'll be talking about them this time next year with the young team they'll have.

Contrary to popular belief in Bluefield, there are those in Monroe County who want to see Bluefield win Saturday because they think last week was a run-up. Personally, I think it was on James Monroe to stop Weir so that a game like that doesn't happen, but they didn't and we've done the same thing to other teams in the past, so I won't say much about that. Having had time to digest what happened last week, I do think that Bluefield will win a close game against Weir. I was dead wrong when I said that no one was suspended last week, I thought they were injured. Anthony Scarfino and Shariff Mohammad, who were wingback, and blocking back resctfully, and also starting DB's were suspended for a hazing incident that they were stupid enough to film, and that's as far as I'll discuss that. While Weir almost certainly have won anyway, this has to be factored into the blowout, and the 8 TD tosses. James Monroe had everyone against Bluefield. It's also important that 5 scored came from Weir's # 21 Jack Crow, and IMO, Fred Davis can shut him down 1 on 1. Another thing is that Weir's QB loves to scramble outside the pocket, and I'm not sure that's going to be very healthy against a fast team like this. Weir has VERY good receivers, who could catch a 30 lb. greasy rock, but they're going against a secondary that is probably the fastest they've seen this year. The 2 biggest things I think Bluefield has going for them is the turnaround that Weir has this week, 2 consecutive 300 mile trips, and probably a lost day of practice on Thanksgiving. Think back to the lst team that made the trip south like this, Martinsburg. The result, Martinsburg got beat by Bluefield. The second is that the element of surprise is gone. I think the Bluefield underestimated Weir last season, and nearly paid the price. This year, there is 0% chance of happening, especially when Weir's beaten the first 2 teams as bad as they have.

Unfortunatly I believe you're right.

Missed you Saturday, although I must say I wish I hadn't been there either. I think Jason Goodman said it best at halftime, "Man I'm going home, this is terrible". I simply replied to him that at least on the rare occasion that they lost they were at least competitive. I could have seen a loss, but I never imagined this. I like Coach Witt, but I can tell you a lot of other people don't right now. I believe that he has a lot of promise, but I think that the single wing has to go back to Giles and stay there. I was pretty disppointed with our offensive problems after Shady and G. East, this is 2 years in a row that we haven't been competitive against better teams, and something's got to change or Witt risks losing his job. I'm intersted in hearing your thoughts on the subject.

Thanks for the encouragement, but somehow that doesn't take much sting out of a 63-22 playoff loss, especially at your own field.

Maybe you can throw out of it and maybe you can't. I've noticed several times that this offense, as has been notited, it vulnerable to a complete shutdown, especially in the 2 TE look. After what's happened against good teams lately you'll have a hard time telling the Monroe County faithfull that this is the way to go. I do have to disagree on the statement that the single wing didn't contribute to the blowout. When you don't get a 1st down the entire first half, that can have as much to do with a rout as the defense. In some previous years, James Monroe stayed competive with teams they couldn't stop be scoring many points as well and getting some first downs. As of late, they haven't even been competitive with better teams. The single wing IMO will have problems being ran in Monroe County because the middle school coaches at Peterstown won't run it, and performances like last Saturday won't encourage them too.

I wouldn't be too happy. In case you haven't paid attention, Bluefield has to try to stop Weir next week, and they didn't do a real good job of that last time they played. They also put more points on James Monroe in one half than Bluefield scored the entire game! The big thing Bluefield has going for them is that James Monroe's one-dimensional offense didn't seem to be much of a challenge for Weir, I suspect the Beaver offense will quite a different story.

Next season start freshman Taylor Robertson at QB. I know he'll be in 9th grade, but he's probably the best option we have right now. He's thrown very well for Peterstown the last 2 years in middle school. Know one has any real experience throwing anyway right now on the returning varsity team. The schedule should have the weaker teams early, and even if you do drop a couple of games in the season, it may just prevent what happened yesterday from happenning again in the post season. Honestly though, I have no clue what will happen this winter.

I agree 100% as to why this happened. The Maverick offense has to get some kind of air threat, or they'll keep on going home crushed. As for the pass defense, I kind of suspect that the lack of passing plays on our offense is contributing to the problem. When you don't have a QB, or in most cases, wide receivers, IMO that makes it much tougher to read them when the real thing comes around. I don't think it's any accident that the teams who lack a passing game themselves, usually have the hardest ime trying to stop it.

It is nice to see new face around here going deep into the playoffs. Ibelieve that Shady has a good sense of reality in all of this. I will say that they MUST eliminate the turnovers to give themselves a chance. I also believe that this is a much better matchup than Weir or Bluefield for the Tigers. Weir's offense may be better than Bluefield's and I'm not sure that Shady's D can contain them. If Shady wouls pull it off either this week or both, it would be very impressive. Whatever happens now, that bunch had given their fans reason to cheer, and has greatly impressed me, along with many others.

No one was suspended. We just got lit up by a very good team, and couldn't get any first down for the offense to ease the suffering. When you can't stop drives, and you give it right back to them, this is what can happen. Bluefield will have their hands full. Safe to say that they haven't seen an offense this balanced since Martinsburg, and they probably have a better running attack than they did. Let's just put it this way, if Weir plays like they did today, and Bluefield has the kind of execution problems I heard they had early on today, don't reserve a hotel room in Wheeling.

Weir QB Brandon Sperlazza tied a AA playoff record throwing for 8 touchdowns to lead Weir to the semifinals. The 63 points was the most ever put on James Monroe in it's 11 year history. James Monroe got down 42-0 before it scored, and went 3&out on it's first 4 or 5 possesions. Needless to say, the pressure for Witt to scrap the single wing is pretty intense right now, and for maybe the first time, I agree with that criticism. This is twice in a row that a team has rocked us out of the playoffs in a blowout. This one will hit the fan. Wier vs. Bluefield will be huge, and I may go see it. Maybe Bluefield's defense will be able to slow Weir down, we certainly couldn't. I wasn't exactly expecting a shoutout, by I thought our defense was a lot better than this. James Monroe couldn't stop the run or the throw today.

[ QUOTE ] [/ QUOTE ] Hey, I've already said that a one point win ine all of the 4 playoff games for James Monroe would make me more than happy. Whether you win by 1 point or 51 points, it makes no difference this time of year.

It's intersting to note that most of the rankings I've seen have Weir picked as a 10 point favorite. I find that intersting for a few reasons, not the least of which is that Weir's having to make over a 300 mile trip with a bunch of teenagers. That's not a big deal if your at the next level, but I think that trip makes home field at least a 5-10 point advantage. It just seems to me that these predictions are based on 2 things: 1. James Monroe's performance the past 2 weeks, and 2. Weir close game at Bluefield LAST YEAR! While James Monroe was the only team to have a game within 20 points in round one, it was a remath against a Liberty team who also help a very powerfull Shady Spring team to 14 points in the season. The biggest thing I think James Monroe has going for them is that I've heard a lot of people saying that Weir's looking forward to coming to Bluefield. I can say fairly certainly that if Weir hasn't adequately prepared for James Monroe, and is simply looking ahead, they'll never want to come south of Charleston again, as the game could be over at halftime. Don't think that can happen? Ask Shady Spring about week 2. I'm not saying this will happen, but don't be shocked if James Monroe not only wins Saturday, but wins big.

Shady's certainly got a good shot, but even if they pull off the upset, the likely reward is a trip to play a very good Wayne squad. I will say that I'm impressed that we're still talking about Shady after what happened in Lindside with the 46-13 loss to James Monroe in week 2. Shady bounced back well from the devastating losses to James Monroe and Bluefield, and if they play like they have lately, they may get to play one of those 2 again.

First, I think Bluefield is a much too powerfull squad for Keyser, and will beat them by someting like 31-13, pulling away in the third quarter. As for my Mavericks, they understand what they're dealing with, and I think they can learn a lot from the Bluefield game and apply it to this. From what I've hears, Weir's offense is very strong, but the D may be a little shaky. Last week there was a combined 22 points, and I seriously believe the loser this week may have more than that. This most points that James Monroe ever gave up and still won was a 42-26 win over Wayne in the first round of the '99 playoffs. I think that record will be broken Saturday, win a 34-32 win be James Monroe.

Not only do I think it will be competitive, the Mavs me turn some head in the process.

Ain't that the truth! Last time I watched him in high schoolwas the 2001 game with James Monroe on Laidley Field's turf. I remember that despite the 26-19 won by Wyoming East, Tunstall's speed didn't impress me at all. I believe that his longest run was 12 yards, and I expected much better than that after I'd watched him run a 63 yard punt back on James Monroe's 1999 team. I actually think he slowed down during that time. He was alot like Princeton's Will Albin, and I don't think you'll see him do much exept blocking. Tunstall was much slower than any of Bluefield's feature backs this year, and probably slower than both Andrew Robertson and Jason Jackson of James Monroe. Looking back, it's easy to realize that Tunstall benefited greatly from a good line down at East, and pretty descent QB play from Gunter and McBride. If he'd have been a year younger, he'd have looked pretty average his senior year. This wasn't hard to see coming. By the way, the only championship East had was his sophomore year. So much for senior leadership, Bridgeport blasted them out of the playoffs 38-6 in his final game.