GrahamPride

Congrats Robert on a terrific season and best of luck at the next level!!!

Congratulations Richlands. This was one heck of a game. Good luck in the state semi's and bring a championship back to the SWD.

Congrats to Graham on a fantastic season. You guys overcame alot this year and as I said in another thread the Graham faithful are very proud of you. Coach is smiling down on you guys!!! Best wishes to the seniors as they begin the next chapter in their lives and I can't wait until next season. It will be an awesome one!!!

Graham 17 Richlands 14 In OT

Here is an editorial from Larry Hypes that is in the BDT today... Column: G-Men, Blues, Bulldogs make loyal fans proud Posted: Monday, Nov 21, 2005 - 11:17:17 pm EST By LARRY HYPES Bluefield Daily Telegraph Richlands and Graham. Now, where have we heard that one before? It does make sense that the two teams with the best records in Region IV Division 3 should meet for the championship. The unbeaten Blues, who have been so close to a championship in recent years, want to make that trip to Lynchburg so bad they can taste it. Graham, a decade removed from their last big trophy, is just as anxious. On the Graham side, it is not only a quest for the title but a ruggedly sentimental journey in honor of their late, lamented Glynn Carlock Sr. These fellows with the G-star on the sides of their helmets would like nothing better than to cap this year with a championship. I doubt if the old school could sit solidly on its foundation with the cheers that would rock the building should that happen. The intensity level is pegged out. Richlands is well coached and there is not one person, especially among the older fans, who does not want to win for the simple reason of respect. This amazing shutout streak and well-organized offense has made the '05 Blues a team ranked No. 1 across the state. Greg Mance and his staff have created a team the town will be talking about for years to come. An undefeated regular season this year comes right on the heels of two straight unbeaten Southwest District campaigns. This team has truly earned the ink they have been given. So has Graham. Don't underestimate Doug Marr's squad. These guys are getting better as the days roll along. Either school will represent both Tazewell County and the Southwest District well at the next level. Whoever wins deserves the united support of the other teams. The emotional drama associated with this game will be incredible and it may inspire the largest crowd anyone has ever seen at Ernie Hicks Stadium. Meanwhile, the Tazewell Bulldogs are already planning for next season. They were handled efficiently by Graham on Friday. Both THS and Graham had already lost to Richlands and both knew they were likely to be the next opponent for the powerful Blues but it did not appear that either was looking past that particular game. Robert Henry has elevated his game in the second half of the season but he has good help. It will be interesting to see how his brother, Mike Henry, one of the Tornado assistants, helps to plan the way to slow down No. 1. Mike, of course, was a star athlete at Graham not too many years ago, so his two favorite teams will be playing Friday. Congratulations are certainly in order for Bobby Wyatt and his coaches. They have turned the program around. Tazewell is winning now. The Bulldogs are a playoff team. THS is now winning the games they are supposed to. The younger players are becoming solid parts of the new system and their attitude is changing for the better. Bulldogs fans can see the light at the end of the tunnel. It has been, and continues to be, a fine football season for Tazewell County's Southwest District teams. Larry Hypes is a columnist for the Daily Telegraph.

9 hours and counting....man I am already excited!!! Too bad I will have to listen to the game on the radio (been sick all week). This will be a great game. The G-Men have really stepped it up several notches these past few games. The talent of Will Cole and the speed of Henry, Brown, and Carter, along with a heck of a line are just a few of the shining stars of this 2005 team. I know Coach is smiling down on you and is just as proud of you as all of the G-Men faithful are. I predict Graham by 10. GO G-MEN!!!

[ QUOTE ] Have you seen any of grahams last 2 games.I dont want this to turn personal,I post my opinion like everyone else so leave it at that. [/ QUOTE ] ghs84...i was thinking the same thing only you beat me to it

Beavers start title defense Posted: Thursday, Nov 10, 2005 - 10:13:58 pm EST By DUSTY HARMAN Bluefield Daily Telegraph CLARKSBURG - The last time Bluefield met Liberty-Harrison, the scoreboard at Mitchell Stadium could hardly keep up with the action. That matchup was a record-breaking classic during the 1999 postseason that Bluefield coach Fred Simon remembers all too well. “The 1999 game was something else,†Simon said of the unbelievable 71-46 final score. “We set a lot of state records with that one.†The Beavers finished as the state runner-up at 12-2 after that meeting, but Bluefield had to scramble to advance past Liberty . “We were up 21-0 at one point, and before you could blink an eye, it was 21-apiece,†he said. “I remember coach (John) Chmara looked at me and said, ‘We need another score on the board, and we need to do it quickly.' “And before the half ended, we had another score. It was pretty neat.†The two teams also met in 1997, with the Beavers then holding the top seed in Class AA. Bluefield won that contest 32-20 en route to a 14-0 season and the school's seventh state title. The Beavers went 14-0 and won state last year, but this year the Bluefield will have to win on the road to repeat. It all starts tonight versus the Mountaineers at Hite Field at 7:30 p.m. “We've had them at home, but now we have to go to their place and we've never been there,†Simon said. “Our kids love to travel, so we'll see how the atmosphere is up there.†No. 11 Bluefield (5-4) stumbled near the end of the regular season this year, losing two of its final three against ranked and eventual playoff teams. The No. 6 Mountaineers (9-1), meanwhile, have won five straight. In fact, the Mountaineers' only loss came against Class AAA playoff-bound Bridgeport , but Liberty coach Chris Columbo isn't underestimating the Beavers. “The way I look at them is that they are still the defending double-A champs until somebody beats them,†Columbo said. Bluefield 's offense is engineered by sophomore quarterback Eric McClanahan, who has three touchdowns and 396 yards passing. Mark Page (309 yards, 1 TD), Maurice Jordan (166/3) and Jonathan Payne (147/1) have been viable targets for the signal-caller. Allen Carter leads the Beaver running game with 524 yards and seven scores. Payne has a team-best nine touchdowns to go with 498 yards. Payne also has 12 interceptions, while the rest of the Bluefield defense is led by Ryan Albert, Matthew Carter and Jeff Hutchinson. “They have a good amount of size and a good amount of speed,†Columbo said, adding that the play of Payne has been very impressive. “He looks like he can score from anywhere on the field,†the Mountaineer coach. Liberty 's defense has been an anchor all year, led by middle linebacker Dustin Lister. Offensively, Liberty looks to dual threat QB Marcus Broadwater to run or pass, while Eric Robey keys the rushing attack. “They've got a talented football club; they're a good football team,†Simon said. The winner of this game will advance to play either Herbert Hoover or Grafton.

O'Henry: Again Posted: Wednesday, Nov 02, 2005 - 11:31:52 pm EST By BRIAN WOODSON Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD, Va. - Robert Henry went to Virginia High last Friday needing 254 yards to reach the magic one-thousand yard mark for the first time in his career. He returned with 1,018 yards on the campaign. “During the game I didn't think about how many yards I had or how many yards close to 1,000 I would be, but Saturday morning I woke up and read the paper,†Henry said. “That felt good.†Henry, who has won the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week Award for the second time in three weeks, finished with 272 yards and three touchdowns in the G-Men's 49-23 win over the Bearcats. For the game, Graham accumulated 576 yards on the ground, with Steve Brown (154) and T.J. Carper (123) also eclipsing the century mark. “I didn't really think about how many yards I had rushed for,†Henry said. “I just kept running, running and running until I got tackled. T.J. and Steve and those guys, once I come out, they're ready to run too and that helps out a lot.†Much like Graham head coach Doug Marrs, Henry gave most of the credit to his linemen, led by tackles Jonathan Bovenizer and Brent Cook, guards George Damron and Bobby West, and center Brandon Robinson. “Jonathan does a great job of helping out and Brandon does a great job of calling out the blocks for them,†Henry said. “Our two guards do a great job as well as the ends. If it wasn't for those guys, none of the plays would start. “Since day one, we've been trying to get the plays right and those guys up there have been working hard since day one and they've been putting a lot of stuff together. They've come a long way to help us out this year and that helps.†So does having other threats. While the 6-foot, 211-pound Henry is a lethal combination of speed and size, Brown and Carper are all about speed. Virginia High didn't have an answer for any of them. “We started out a little shaky at first, but I felt like we could pull it off if we just come together,†Henry said. “T.J. and Steve took a lot of pressure off me so the linebackers wouldn't notice me a lot and that helped out a lot and we were able to prevail.†Henry, a senior, also captured this award three weeks ago after Graham's 25-17 win over Tazewell. Henry was held in check for three quarters, but then rushed for 104 yards and two touchdowns in the final two minutes. Then, as now, Henry credited the guys in front, and his fellow backs. Henry has now rushed for 1,016 yards and 16 touchdowns this season . “It helps when you have blocking, the offensive line does a good job, and Steve and T.J. run pretty well too,†Henry said. “Those two guys, they're funny and we have a lot of fun out there and they will run all day long, and that helps out a lot. “I try to tell them a lot of things and when we get in the huddle they will listen to me and that's what I like about it. I'm out there for leadership and they will listen to me and I listen to them if they've got something to tell me too.†While Henry gets plenty of headline for his offense, his defensive contributions from his linebacker position are just as important to the G-Men (7-2). Graham will host Carroll County (7-2) Friday at Mitchell Stadium in the school's homecoming game. “I like playing linebacker and I like I running the ball,†Henry said. “At linebacker, I call the defenses and try to make the checks and that is just fun.†It's also fun to see four figures after his name on the stat sheet. He just hopes to keep adding to those totals in what is left of the season. “I've been working hard trying to help out the team,†Henry said. “When I found out I hit 1,000, it felt real good, but 1,000 yards is just 1,000 yards. “I rushed for it. It's an accomplishment, but the season is not over yet. I've just got to keep going.†--- Honorable Mention Steve Brown, Graham: Ran for 154 yards and two touchdowns in Graham's win over the Bearcats. T.J. Carper, Graham: Also 123 yards for the G-Men on the ground, and intercepted a Virginia High pass. Brent Cook, Graham: Had an interception and recorded 14 tackles against the ‘Cats. Thomas Willis, Bland County: Set six school records in the Bear's 44-30 win over Galax, including receiving yards in a game (177), along with season receptions (19), yards (438) and yards in a career (546). Matt Morris, Bland County: Set a pair of marks on his own, including 227 yards passing against the Maroon Tide. Ricky Dunford, Big Creek: Scored five touchdowns, including three on the ground and two through the air in the Owls; 44-0 blanking of Hannan. Eric McClanahan, Bluefield: Completed 9-of-12 passes for 114 yards and a touchdown in the Beavers' 17-14 loss to James Monroe. Mark Page, Bluefield: Caught three McClanahan passes for 32 yards, and also recorded six tackles. Garon Marcum, Grundy: Dashed for 172 yards and two scores, and passed 3,800 yards in his career in a 61-28 loss to Tazewell. Logan Ball, Honaker: Rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns in Tigers' 61-8 thumping of Hurley. Andrew Bostic, Honaker: Accounted for three touchdowns, one on a scoring pass, another on a scoring run, and also returned a punt for six points. James Jackson, James Monroe: Rushed for 150 yards, including an 84-yard scoring run, and also threw a touchdown pass in the Mavericks' 9-0 win over Bluefield. Andrew Robertson, James Monroe: Rambled for 114 yards in the Mavs' win over the Beavers. Adam Havens, Montcalm: Ran for 114 yards on 14 carries, scored on a fumble recovery and threw a touchdown pass in the Generals' 51-28 win over Beckley Christian...Has passed and run for 1,000 yards in two consecutive seasons. Tony Poff, Montcalm: Scored three touchdowns in three different ways, including one on the ground, another on a pass from Havens, and also scooped up a fumble and took it for a score. Brandon Cunningham, Mount View: Rushed for 106 yards and scored a touchdown in the Golden Knights' 21-14 upset loss to Oak Hill. Jon Butler, Narrows: Rushed for 67 yards and two touchdowns and intercepted a pass, all in the first half of the Green Wave's 40-22 win over Pocahontas. Shayne Dillon, Pocahontas: Threw three touchdowns passes in the Indians' loss to Narrows. William Gardner, Princeton: Rushed for 120 yards and 12 carries, and also scored a touchdown in the Tigers' 34-0 win over Spring Valley. Phillip Finley scored two touchdowns for Princeton. Chris Belcher, Princeton: Threw for 120 yards and two touchdowns to Alvin Gardner in Princeton's win over the Timberwolves. Caleb Jennings, Richlands: Ran for 90 yards on 20 carries in the Blue Tornado's 7-6 squeaker of a win over Carroll County. Justin McCracken, Richlands: Threw for 105 yards in the Tornado's win, also added 57 yards on the ground. Eric McDaniel, Tazewell: Ran for 189 yards and three touchdowns in the Bulldogs' 61-28 win over Grundy...also recorded seven tackles and intercepted a Golden Wave pass. David Saunders, Tazewell: Added 178 yards and two scores on the ground in Tazewell's win...added eight tackles and a sack on defense...Justin Wilson and T.J. Rasnick also scored two touchdowns apiece for the Bulldogs. Josh Wallace, Haysi: Scored two touchdowns in the Tigers' 47-7 romp over Letcher, Ky.

AFL championship game pits Barons and Knights Posted: Wednesday, Oct 26, 2005 - 09:52:23 pm EDT By JESSICA DAVIS Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD - Two times wasn't enough. A third time would be a worth a charm, and a championship. The Bluefield Barons, ranked 12th in the nation and second in the south region among semi-pro football teams, won the Alliance Football League's (AFL) regular season title, finishing the regular season with a 10-0 record. They'll play Knoxville Sunday in the AFL championship game at Mitchell Stadium starting at 4 p.m. Bluefield won at Knoxville 44-14, but the Knights played the Barons much tougher on Oct. 2 in Bluefield, dropping a 17-8 decision. Knoxville reached the title tilt by defeating the Greeneville Raptors last Saturday 44-15 "We knew our defense would have to play big in order to beat the Knights, and they did,†Bluefield head coach Bill Dudley said. “Our defense has been key this season.†Injuries have hampered the Barons late in the season, but Dudley said that running backs Suge Graves, Devontae Royal, and Shea Moore, and linemen David Bailey and Rich Tuifao are expected to return. Glenn Keene, who started at quarterback before breaking his elbow, might also be back. Dudley hopes the return of those players will help the Barons win Sunday and move on to the Eastern Football Alliance playoffs. “All of our starters will be back, hopefully Keene will even be back as quarterback,†Dudley said. “He practiced for the first time yesterday after having surgery on his elbow earlier in the season. “Before his injury Keene threw for almost 1,000 yards and had eight touchdowns in only six games. We have struggled offensively without him.†The Barons will add a little something extra this week for their fans. With Halloween approaching on Monday, Dudley said prizes will be rewarded to the kids and adults that wear the best costumes to the game. “We are trying to get as many people to the game as possible,†Dudley said. “Community support has been big this year and a loud environment will help us out. “Along with the (Halloween) contest we have been pre-selling tickets at local schools in an attempt to get as many people to come out as possible.â€ÂÂ

This game will be the AFL championship. In my opinion, Knoxville is the only team that has been able to give the Barons a "real" game. The last time they met up, the score was close going into the 4th quarter. Should be a good one.

Sweet Saturday Posted: Wednesday, Oct 19, 2005 - 09:50:51 pm EDT Oh! Henry By BRIAN WOODSON Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD - It looked glum for Graham. Down 17-10 with just over two minutes to play, Graham trailed Southwest District rival Tazewell last Saturday, and seemed destined to defeat. Enter Robert Henry. "The main thing that was on my mind is that we have to keep on working, that we can pull this off," said Henry, a 6-foot, 211-pound senior tailback and linebacker for the G-Men. "I tried to get everybody's momentum up and tried to pep them up and get them ready to go, and then the last few minutes we turned it up." Did they ever. Especially Henry, and the 26-fullback trap. "It's one of our bread and butter plays and we run it and run it and run it," said Graham head coach Doug Marrs, whose G-Men trailed 17-7 after three quarters. "He ran it two times and got two great runs off of it." And, two touchdowns. On the game-tying drive, Graham had the ball at its own 2-yard line, but behind Henry, the offensive line and a key late-hit call on Tazewell, the G-Men drove to the Bulldogs' 31-yard line. Henry then took the pigskin, broke over the right side and dashed to the end zone to tie the score at 17-17 with 2:23 left on the clock. "We kept going down the field and we were gaining yards and they had a late hit on us and the next play we ran the same play,†Henry said. “It was the 26-trap, the same hole opened up and I just accelerated through it. My offensive line did a great job of blocking for me." Graham got the ball back and Marrs figured the huge crowd would be the beneficiary of free football. "We were trying the second time to just take care of the ball and maybe get to overtime," Marrs said. "The next thing we know he's scooting down the sidelines. He'll tell you, the offensive line did what they're supposed to do and he made some good runs." Once again Henry went to the right side, following the blocking of Bobby West and Tyler Barreras, squaring his shoulders and dashing 73 yards for the winning score in the 25-17 win. "In the huddle, I felt we could score, the line opened up a real big hole and I felt it was my duty to run through it so I gave everything I had and left it all out there on the field," Henry said. "I went to the right side and Bobby pulled for me and our fullback, Tyler, made a kick-out block and Bobby led me up the field and I just went off his block and went to the house." Henry, who finished with 148 yards, got 104 of those on those two carries. The rest were tough to get for three quarters. "I felt once I got to the open field, if I could just accelerate through the hole that, at the time I didn't feel like I could be brought down," Henry said. "But, of course, earlier in the game they brought me down quite a few times. "They were bringing a lot of linebackers against us and the line didn't know which blocks to pick up. (Center) Brandon Robinson was calling out the blocks for us to pick up. They did a great job of catching onto it at the end of the game and that's how we were able to prevail." Marrs has said all season that the talented Henry could be ‘as good as he wants to be'. Henry proved that in this one. He's now rushed for 796 yards and 12 touchdowns, and caught another seven passes for 123 yards and another score. He's also a hard-hitting linebacker, who stripped a Tazewell back of the football in the first half to set up the G-Men's initial touchdown. "I feel like if you believe then you can achieve, that's what my dad has always told me," said Henry, whose 6-2 G-Men will travel to Virginia High on Oct. 28. "I felt at that particular time that if I could do this, then this would be a great thing for me. I just believed in myself and my offensive line and it happened and I'm glad it did." Honorable Mention Allen Carter, Bluefield: Rushed for 100 yards and two touchdowns in the Beavers' 21-13 win over Mount View. Jonathan Payne, Bluefield: Picked off two Mount View passes, giving him 10 for the season. Eric Smith, Mount View: Caught five catches for 77 yards in loss to Bluefield, also had nine tackles. Adrian Thomas, Mount View: Threw for 225 yards and two touchdowns for the Knights. Ricky Dunford, Big Creek: Ran for 148 yards and a touchdown, also threw for another 75 yards in Owls' 14-7 win over Bland County. Derek Bailey, Big Creek: Rushed for 101 yards in win over the Bears. Joey Gilbert, Big Creek; Passed for 126 yards and a touchdown. Matt Barker, Bland County: Rushed for 88 yards in loss to the Owls. Ryan Hevener, Giles: Ran for 75 yards and three touchdowns in the Spartans' 41-0 blanking of Auburn. Will Cole, Graham: Freshman quarterback threw for 116 yards and a touchdown in 25-17 win over Tazewell. Theo Justus, Grundy: Threw for 183 yards and two touchdowns, and also ran for another score in Grundy's 32-7 win at Abingdon. Garon Marcum, Grundy: Rushed for 124 yards and two touchdowns, also returned an interception for a score. Ryan Jones, Haysi: Scored three touchdowns in Haysi's 28-7 win over Lee...Two were on the ground and the other was off a scoring toss from Lance Compton. Lance Compton, Haysi: Passed for 105 yards and two touchdowns. Andrew Bostic, Honaker: Ran for two touchdowns and threw for another in Honaker's 28-21 win over Virginia High. Adam Havens, Montcalm: Ran for 117 yards and two touchdowns, and also threw for another in Montcalm's 24-20 win over Duval. Anthony Graham, Montcalm: Made numerous tackles in Generals' win, including fourth down stop in final seconds to preserve the win. Justin Wilson, Tazewell: Ran for 70 yards and scored a touchdown in loss to Graham. Gavin Angle, Tazewell: Had several tackles, including a sack for a 15-yard loss, in the Graham defeat. Phillip Finley, Princeton: Ran for 87 yards and a touchdown in 32-6 win over Greenbrier East. Jack Woods, Princeton: Led the Tigers with five tackles in win over the Spartans.

Barons close out 10-0 regular season Posted: Sunday, Oct 16, 2005 - 11:05:53 pm EDT By JED LOCKETT for the Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD - The Bluefield Barons clipped the wings of the visiting Virginia Crimson Cardinals Sunday afternoon, winning 34-6. It was clear from the beginning that the Barons' defense would rule the day. The Cardinals' first three offensive plays were all sacks by Barons' defensive lineman Jerry Simon. Virginia started their first possession with first down on their own 45 and ended it with fourth down on their own 14. The second Cardinals' possession would be even more fruitful for the Barons. With over five minutes to go in the first period, Cardinals' quarterback Donald â€ÂÂDuck“ Mays appropriately lofted a lame duck that was intercepted by Corey Panel and returned for the opening touchdown of the game. â€ÂÂI made a good read on the ball and took it in for six,“ Panel said. â€ÂÂI look at it like this. If it weren't for our defensive line I probably wouldn't have even got the pick. Their rush is so, so tough. It's like my pick was their pick.“ The Barons' defensive line manhandled the Cardinals' offensive line and often sent Mays running for his life. Mays only completed one pass out of nine attempts for minus-1 yard and the one key interception. Mays also fumbled twice, was sacked four times, and lost 46 rushing yards running away from the Barons before giving way to TJ McCray late in the second quarter. Another Cardinals' miscue would set up the Barons' second score. With 10 minutes to go in the second quarter Cardinals' punter Lawrence Knight dropped a snap in his own end zone. He avoided the safety by running the ball out to his own nine, but the Barons were given a golden opportunity. It only took Bluefield three plays to cash in. Devontae Royal powered the ball over for a three-yard touchdown. Rick Brown added the extra point and the Barons led 13-0. Royal, who has been coming off of a shoulder injury, finished the game with 90 yards on 11 carries and the touchdown. But Royal credited his success to his teammates. â€ÂÂMy offensive line and my fullbacks, they block great,“ Royal said. â€ÂÂThey got the 11 carries and the 90 yards.“ Following another Cardinals' three-and-out, the Barons' Jersey Stewart took a punt at his own 43, crossed the field to his right, and bolted down the sidelines for a 57-yard score. The touchdown was set up by several crunching blocks, particularly one from a lesser-known Baron. â€ÂÂCorey Wilkins plays receiver for us. He blocks and plays on special teams and does all the things (we need him to),“ said Barons' head coach Bill Dudley. â€ÂÂThere's been several times that he's sprung plays and this one was very evident. He crushed somebody and opened the way for Jersey.“ On the following posession, Mays fumbled a shotgun snap and the ball was recovered by the Barons' Rick Dissibio on the Cardinals' 15. On the following play, Barons' quarterback Nate Wilson found a hole in the line, broke three Cardinal tackles, and scampered into the end zone to increase the Barons' advantage to 27-0. The Cardinals finally got on the board when backup quarterback McCray sneaked into the end zone from one yard out, but it would be the Cardinals' only score of the game. The Barons' defense protected their lead by holding the Cardinals to 32 yards in the second half and making a goal line stand in the fourth quarter. The Barons got the final points of the game in the final period when Wilson capped a 75 yard drive with a 23 yard pass to Jon Jessup. Brown kicked his fourth extra point and the Barons had a 34-7 win. After finishing the regular season a perfect 10-0, the Barons' attention now shifts to postseason play and the Alliance Football League's championship game. â€ÂÂ(We will play) the winner of the Knoxville-Greenville game next weekend,“ Dudley said. â€ÂÂWe're actually gonna see if they can move the (championship) game here. We're gonna try to work that out. It's a pretty good thing for a first-year team. We've done well.“ If the championship game is moved to Bluefield, it will be played at Mitchell Stadium on Oct. 30 at 4 p.m. Virginia Crimson Cardinals.........0 6 0 0- 6 Bluefield Barons.......................6 21 0 7-34 First Quarter Bluefield-Corey Panel 21 Interception Return (Kick failed) 5:05 Second Quarter Bluefield-Devontae Royal 3 run (Rick Brown kick) 7:57 Bluefield-Jeresy Stewart 57 punt return (Brown kick) 6:40 Bluefield-Nate Wilson 15 run (Brown kick) 5:39 Virginia-TJ McCray 1 run (Kick failed) :11 Fourth Quarter Bluefield-Jon Jessup 23 pass from Wilson (Brown kick) 3:15

Congrats to the G-men on a hard fought win. They came out and played strong in the 4th. Just goes to show you that teams have to play a full four quarters. The heart and soul of this Graham team is one that will remembered for quite some time and I am sure that I speak for alot of G-Men faithful when I say that we are very proud of you and all that you have overcome this season. Hats off to Tazewell for a great game. You guys definately came to play some football. Good luck with the rest of your season....that is unless we have to meet again

Also the starting center was out for that game and Carper was on defense that night. Thank goodness they are both healthy now. You will most definately see a different Graham team than the one you saw in Richlands.

[ QUOTE ] well i seen that fresman qb play at richlands, and the team as a hole. Graham hung with Richlands for about 9mins!! Tazewell hung with Richlands down to the end of the 3rd quater!! Yeah i know that dont mean nothing, but that young qb will be pressured like he was at richlands and he want have time to throw. If tazewell dosent turn the ball over they win. You people say tazewell is nothing like last year team, no they are not last year they pound up the middle with the big backs and then give it to jr to the out side, now they got a horse that runs it up the middle and since the Richlands game he has come alive (wilson). Then they have there back that can get to the outside and there gone i think there is 3 or 4 of them. The defense will do its job. Tazewell as a whole leads the SWD in rushing so my point is proven!!!! [/ QUOTE ] The Freshman QB is Will Cole....the QB you are referring to that you saw at Richlands is Matt Yost. Will took over the QB position in the Bluefield game when Yost got hurt.

[ QUOTE ] Thanks I thought it might be but wasnt for sure.That will be SR night to i suppose? [/ QUOTE ] Copied from the GHS webpage.... October 31 - November 4 - HOMECOMING WEEK! Thursday, November 3 at 6:00 p.m. - Homecoming Parade Friday, November 4 - Homecoming Game vs. Carroll County This will also be Senior Night.

According to the Graham High website, homecoming will be the week of October 31st which means Carroll County will be the homecoming game.

[ QUOTE ] How many people have been attending the games lately??? Has the novelty worn off yet??? [/ QUOTE ] According to the article by Jim Nelson in todays paper there have been between 2,000 and 6,000 at each home game. I do agree that there was a rather large crowd at the first game. The home side was packed at that game. I have attended each home game since then and the attendance has definately dropped. There was a decent size crowd at the game last week but I noticed that after the smurf football players played for halftime entertainment that several of the people left. Maybe the large crowd for the first game was just a curiosity thing or maybe people want to actually see a game if they have just spent $8.00 to get in the gate. For whatever reason, the attendance has dropped and I for one will not be attending games next season if they do not get into another league. They have dominated the AFL and their competition has been a joke. The game with Knoxville was the only one this entire season that was worth watching.

Barons pick up another out-of-league game Posted: Monday, Oct 03, 2005 - 11:23:07 pm EDT By JIM NELSON Bluefield Daily Telegraph BLUEFIELD - With the Alliance Football League's regular season title and a playoff berth already assured, the Bluefield Barons have added a tough out-of-conference game to their schedule. The Lynchburg Cardinals, members of the North American Football League, will visit Mitchell Stadium to face the Barons on Oct. 16. Kickoff has been moved up to 2 p.m. Bill Dudley, Barons' head coach, announced the schedule addition on Monday, while also noting that his team has been informed by representatives of the Virginia Rebels that their team will forfeit its scheduled October 9 contest against Bluefield. That pushes the Barons' record to 10-0. Last weekend's 17-8 win over Knoxville assured Bluefield of a first place regular season finish in the AFL, along with a berth in the league's title game on the weekend of Oct. 29 against the winner of the Knoxville-Greenville (Tenn.) contest that will be played a week earlier. Faced with the prospect of a nearly-monthlong layoff without a game, Dudley said, "We wanted to stay sharp by playing an excellent football team from a quality league and giving our fans the opportunity to see a great game. That's why we're playing Lynchburg." The North American Football League (of which Lynchburg is a member) has more than 100 teams and is ranked as one of the top leagues of its type in the nation, according to Dudley. Last week's victory over Knoxville was important on several fronts, Dudley explained. "Last Friday, we were ranked by Minor League Football News as the number 13 team in the country among more than 1,800 teams," he stated. "By beating a quality opponent like Knoxville, we could move into the top 10 this week. "Second, we beat Knoxville without being at full strength because of injury. We had eight offensive starters who missed all or part of that game because they were hurt. "This week's open date will help because it gives us a chance to get healthy, and the game against Lynchburg will help us get ready for the playoffs."

[ QUOTE ] ...Its a football game!! We SHOULD be loud!!!... [/ QUOTE ] I agree!!! At the Graham/Blackburg game there was a couple sitting near me that got up and moved during the first quarter and as they was leaving they said "I can't handle this noise"

From what I have heard, Carper had a plate put in his hand and both him and Damon are supposed to be back Friday and Workman is out with a broken ankle.

According to the papers that I have he was at 225 and was a sophomore that year...and yes that was the year that they won state.

OK..had to pull out the scrap book on this one... Eric Workman 273 lbs Jeremy Carbaugh 225 lbs Chris Austin 250 lbs Brian Denham 246 lbs Marcus Latimar 205 lbs

It was Richard Goodpasture. Salem had recovered a fumbled punt on the Graham 46. Seven plays later Richard took a pitch over the left side on 3rd down and 10 and took it 13 yards for the score. A flag was thrown but the ref overruled the umpire's call and waved off the flag putting Salem up 6-0.