FBDevotee

I am not sure what to make of this game. I was convinced that Graham would be the best team the Bears have faced but final score 37-0 does not match my assessment. It is hard to predict performances of high school kids. Bears were ready to play G-men not so much.

This is only the 7th edition of Union High School football but I think the 2017 Team is the most fundamentally sound group of Bears so far. James Mitchell deserves the accolades he receives but I think excellent blocking and tackling has propelled Union to a 12-0 record. The 2015 team had a little more flash & style but this year’s team is just plain solid. A friend’s son who plays for a rival school summed up the distinction. After the game against Union in 2015 we were tired. After the game this year we were sore. I’ve been saying that the 2015 Bears reminded me more of the great PV teams and 2017 reminds me more of the great Appalachia teams. No matter the outcome Saturday - it has been a good season for football fans in Big Stone & Appy!

The Bears have overcome the loss of their QB and pulled together to win ten games and repeat as district champions - quite an accomplishment! And Turner isn’t just any QB. At 6’ 190 lbs and the head coaches son, he had started 14 straight games compiling some impressive passing stats. His loss for the year was & is a big deal. I look for the team to continue to rally together. I don’t know how they’ll do in the playoffs but I look for a focused effort.

Each week the Union Bears look better to me than the week before; and I am convinced that they have the tools to defeat Morristown West. In broad brush analysis: I believe both teams go into the game without the QBs that started the season; so loss of Turner for the Bears may be somewhat mitigated. Union's depth along the line of scrimmage is impressive and I suspect will match up well against the Trojans. Morristown has a number of swift athletes but Union has speedy players in Jenkins, Qualls, and Mitchell. I think home field advantage is important but I predict the game comes down to which team can avoid penalties and turnovers. I predict Union 24 & West 21.

I've had the opportunity to check out both squads. This year's Lee Generals have a couple of really good lineman and several swift backs. I think they are playing with more confidence than they did last year. Ridgeview's Wolfpack have some mighty fine skill players and play with a real determination and toughness - but RV may have to concede line play to the boys from Lee County. I think the game should be very competitive, and assuming both teams are healthy, suspect it will likely be determined by turnovers and penalties. One team will make a big mistake somewhere along the way - enough to make the difference. In evenly matched games here is SWVA, I go with home field advantage. Also I do think Ridgeview has played a better schedule so far this season. So I pick the Pack by 6.

Both the offensive and defensive lines for Union have played very well this year; and I look for them to have an advantage again this week when the Bears host the Devils. I think the linemen are the biggest that UHS has had to put on the field - the O-line is certainly impressive in stature. Based on the announced starting line ups as compared to my roster "cheat sheet" from last week's game against Ridgeview, the front five's weights in pounds were 315, 270, 265, 265, 290. I think those big fellows may help explain why Union is rushing for 400+ a game! The loss of Turner at QB is a serious blow to the Bears gridiron squad, but I think they are still a formidable opponent. I've been a fan of SWVA high school football too long to count out Gate City but I think Union wins this game by a couple touchdowns.

It was a pleasant surprise for this Union fan that the Bears, without Owens & Turner, rushed for 530 yds and racked up 55 pts during a tough road trip to the hollers of Eastern Kentucky. Driving over Friday night, I honestly thought the game might be a toss up - and I would have been happy with a 1 point win. I was impressed with all the running backs, as well as the awesome O-line. Because the ground game was so successful there was simply no need for the Bears to pass. Although the game left fans with unanswered questions about the future of our teams' passing attack, the receiving crew is extremely talented. I'm still looking for breakout plays from the big targets; Falin and Guerrant and at quarterback it is nice to have several options. This is the best defense the Union Bears have had to date and I see them continuing to get even better. Coach Mullins, Ridgeview, is one of very best in our area and he may be able to devise a plan to limit Mitchell; but I think the Bears will fight hard for a victory during their homecoming game this Friday.

The current weather forecast is an 80% chance of rain/thunderstorms for tomorrow evening. If the game is played on Friday, I plan to attend; the weather will likely have a real impact on the outcome. I think Union is very comfortable playing out of the old school "T" formation but I'm not sure that's the best approach against Richlands this season. With the bad weather, turnovers and penalties become the most important statistic.

Good luck to both teams. Union appears to have a very physical team that will try to pound the ball and, based on some of the previous postings, Richlands may be more inclined to run the ball this season. So I think maybe a game winning field goal and a lower score such as 17 to 14.

It was a good scrimmage for the Bears and a good opportunity for Union fans to evaluate a lot of players and their potential for 2017. With the score 14-0, and over 9 minutes to go in the second quarter, Union began the substitution process. I enjoyed seeing a number of quality players that the Bears have to utilize this season. They will need to settle on the O-line; but I'm encouraged to see how many kids can legitimately compete for playing time/starting spot. The initial D-line and inside linebackers looked very intimidating and played well & not one of those six boys played a down on offense during the scrimmage. Just a couple of my favorite highlights - Avery Jenkins, for Union, had a nice 12 yard touchdown run for Union - he's fast! The Davidson kid who played flanker for Virginia High is small but has some terrific hands - he made a couple of really difficult catches!

The Black Diamond District turns Gold this season! Hurley is rebuilding, Honaker is not their historical self, and Twin Valley will not be very strong. Grundy has good numbers and they had a young team last year.

How about an all senior defensive backfield for Union of Collins (6'1" 175), Owens (6'1" 190), and Qualls (6'2" 185)? They would have experience and speed. We'll soon know the answers. Go Bears!

To Jarhead - do you know/suspect who the starting defensive backs are likely to be for the Bears? Or the safety? (As a Bear's fan, I realize that there are a number of exciting possibilities.)

On the positive side, the 2017 Union Bears will be an experienced and veteran team with 20+ seniors. The O-line will have some new members but I believe it will be big and deep. I think the overall speed of the skill players will be outstanding. I think the potential is there for a fantastic season. On the negative side, the schedule is very challenging and I suspect the team's regular season record will suffer as compared to the last couple years. Although I am excited about the visits of Morristown West, Richlands, and Gate City to Bullitt Park this year, that is quite a gauntlet! Those programs will bring some fired up teams and great fan support. When you consider that Union also plays the larger classification schools of Letcher County Central and Abingdon, as well as traditional rivals Lee High and Wise Central, you've got to acknowledge a tough schedule. Although I am a little uncertain as to number of wins to be expected, I'm certain that Union High's game will be very entertaining.

About 65 "Bears" practicing at Union. The team looks big and fast. I see no reasons why the young men from Appalachia and Big Stone Gap shouldn't be able to continue the successes they've enjoyed during the 2015 and 2016 seasons (13-1 and 11-2).

Because of consolidation and district changes, I think there may only be two true "rivalry" games left in our area; Virginia High/Tennessee High and Graham/Bluefield. These games have the requisite age and history. But, with all due respect to Virginia High, Tennessee High, Graham, and Bluefield, I offer to this court of posted opinion that SWVA's greatest rivalry game was Powell Valley/Appalachia. The proximity of the schools, span of time, and the quality of the contests produced a gridiron legacy that is impossible to equal. During a particular period of this rivalry game, played the last week of the regular season every year, the contest involved defending and/or eventual state champions an amazing fifteen times. The football fans at Bullitt Park back in 1997 could offer recollections of that year's Vikings & Bulldogs game as sufficient evidence in defense of my allegation. It was the greatest game between these greatest of rivals. Video of the Vikings celebration after the game still makes Bulldog fans furious. Can I get a summary judgment?

Here are my preseason picks for VHSL Class 2 Region D playoff teams (I think 4 wins gets you in): Union, Graham, Gate City, Richlands, Central, Lee, Marion, Ridgeview

Tennessee High has 40 returners from last years team; but not as many big linemen as in years past. Lee will likely have a larger line. Tennessee High will have a speed advantage over most VA 2A size schools.

The obvious response for Union is the team's senior tight end, number 82, James Mitchell. He's about 6'5"/220 and currently anchors the Bears 4X100 relay team. But the squad from Big Stone Gap/Appalachia will have many other talented football players. I offer the names of five Union players I plan to watch carefully for big performances this year: 16 Bailey Turner 6'0"/190 QB, 17 Dakota Owens 6'0"/190 RB, 23 Brice Lane 6'0"/200 MLB, 50 Jeb Stidham 6'4"/295 T, & 80 Justin Falin 6'2"/200 WR.

Union has had very good football teams the past two seasons; but a valid argument can be made that the 2017 team will be the best squad to date in the school's short history. First, if you include big Jeb, 6'3" 290 pounds, who started on offense his sophomore year but played mostly defensive line last season, the team returns eight experienced offensive starters. That would be the most returning offensive starters so far for the Bears and the only time two first-team all-state players are back. It also includes James Mitchell as a 6'5" 225 pound senior and a battle tested Bailey Turner at QB. I think Turner did a surprisingly good job last year for a sophomore but I suspect his improvement this year will be significant. Of course the team was extremely deep last year and has all kinds of talent and size from which to pick. All four top quality linebackers return and this may be the most important reason to expect big things from the orange and blue. I will concede that 2018 will likely be a rebuilding year; but I think the current run has one more lap.

I think Union has a solid chance to defeat the Wildcats but, either way win or lose, Coach Turner has built the Bears into a strong VHSL 2A program and deserves credit. Two consecutive seasons with 10 plus wins - and this is a fairly young Bears team. Zirkle, Owens, Turner, and of course Mitchell, all return on offense next year. All four linebackers, and big Jeb, seven defensive starters, coming back. Several excellent sophomores. The Bears are a very deep team and I think they will continue to contend for the next few seasons. Maybe not this year but I think a state football title trophy could eventually make its way back to Union High School; and join the other 14 that are on display. Big Stone Gap and Appalachia are really great fans of, and supporters of, high school football.

Any time a SWVA VHSL football team is 5-0 it is an occasion to be proud; but mid-season record often has less to do with a team's quality than with the quality of their opponents. Schedule means everything. 1997 is a good example. Rye Cove was 10-0 & district champs - but had played a weak Cumberland District schedule. They lost in the first round of the playoffs to Appalachia 74-12 and were beat after the first 10 minutes of the game. I sincerely hope this year's Hurley Rebel team is good but I think they would also be 0-5 like Gate City if they had faced the same difficult schedule as the Blue Devils. I suspect GC would beat them this year if they played - I don't think the game would be over in 10 minutes; but maybe by halftime.

Gate City can beat Union this week if they keep the game close early and dictate the pace of the contest. I say the outcome depends on turnovers and penalties - the team that has the most will lose. I think that this year's Bears, more than last year's team, appear to be improving and making adjustments but still have some growing; their best performances are still ahead. I'm sticking with my 8-2 record prediction for Union and my 5-5 record prediction for Gate City with this game a big consideration in that pre-season prognostication. I am on record as saying that Union would lose the two away games against Richlands and Gate City. Of course that was before Collier was injured but I'll still say Gate City 20 and Union 17.

I'm still thinking the Bears regular season record this season will be 8-2; but I believe they will be just as serious a playoff team as they were last year by season's end. If the defense can continue to improve, Union will again be a title contender. At this early point in the season, I think we've got Graham, Richlands, and Union all in that category for VHSL D2. I don't see anybody down here contending with Galax for D1 and I wish Abingdon could contend for D3 but I am not yet a believer. The Falcons need to beat up on Richlands to show me.

I predicted that Richlands would defeat Union by a couple of touchdowns last week. After watching the game, I say the Bears defense is better than I originally thought and Union is right in there with last year's team at this point; and the game turned out to be another over-time classic. Therefore this week I'm predicting a lower scoring game than last year's Union vs Davy Crockett. I'll say Union 31 and Davy Crockett 14. Union will run the ball effectively and that makes the game move a little quicker and limits scoring opportunities for both squads. An interesting note for Union so far is the variety of players that have scored. Mitchell leads the team with 4 TDs but I think 7 other players have scored points after just two games. Union is not as explosive as last season but may have more weapons. Certainly Union will experience growing pains throughout the year but I suspect they will be a serious threat come playoff time.