FBDevotee

I would rank Powell Valley as the third best team in Division 2 - but they were soundly beaten by GC. With Pinkston out and sophomore QB Huff hurt, the Vikes played their worst game of the season last Friday night. The younger PV linemen showed their inexpereince and GC was able to play ball control football. Down 21 zip, it was the first time this year that the game was over by halftime for the Viking squad. It has been a rough season for Viking fans and yet it is still possible for the Vikings to avoid a losing record and/or make the post season playoffs. The highlight of this season for PV seniors will likely be the shutout win at Wise over previously unbeaten JJK for their coach's 300th victory.

I have little doubt that some of Coach Robbin's football victories and state titles at Powell Valley came at great cost to some other darn good football teams. A head coach could not win 300 games and 7 state titles without dashing other teams & fans dreams of winning.

Powell Valley's defeat of JJK in Wise last night gave Phil Robbins 300 career wins as a VHSL head coach. An amazing accomplishment!

The Powell Valley Vikings celebrated 50 years of HS football by defeating the JIB Raiders on Friday night at Bullitt Park. The Vikes wore red "throw back" jerseys and played a style of football that was a tribute to the old days. They beat up on the Burton line and won the game in the trenches 12 to 6. The defense played well and hit hard. Although Powell Valley turned the ball over 3 times, JIB turned it over 4 times, and the Vikes were able to hang on in the rain. A long time Viking fan, sitting next to me, commented that losing to the Raiders 5 times in the past 25 years might not seem like much but it was more than he could stand. He was glad to see the boys in blue (and red) get an important win over their nearby rivals.

I've watched many great high school football games in Gate City and I enjoy the atmosphere at Legion Field. There is a unique connection between that community and Devil football - a connection that generates a special blue spark on Friday nights in the fall. But that spark can create some negatively charged consequences that you'll not find at other HS football venues in SWVA. The overflow of home fans onto both sets of bleachers would be unusual at other stadiums in our area and it creates a level of intimacy at Legion that visiting fans are not used to experiencing. Plus Gate City fans always seem extra passionate about their teams.

Last Friday's game at Bullitt Park was a good high school football contest. Lebanon has a solid HS football team with experienced quality skill players, a fine coaching staff, and some good size. Consistent with every pre-season rating offered, they are a better team than Powell Valley - but I suspect last Friday's game could have been won by the Vikings. I think the Vikings played hard. The Vikings had 250+ yards of offense and the score at halftime was close (13 to 7). Three important PV turnovers plus the muffed punt immediately after halftime were the critical factors in this game. My assessment of the Vikings remains unchanged after the first two contests. PV is both an improved and more exciting team as compared to last season - but will have a similar record as last year. I think the games against Richlands, Burton, Clintwood, and Gate City will be entertaining and, like last year, PV needs to prevail in at least one. The Sophomores for the Vikings continue to play key roles and will learn from their mistakes. Because Viking fans have enjoyed 8 trips to the state championship game with Coach Robbins, expectations are excessive. This year the Vikings do have a competitive team.

The Vikings defeated the Lee High Generals 41 to 7 in the 16th "Battle of the Boot" There were many positives for PV fans to get excited about including a good performance by the Vikes defense. Coach Robbins rotated a lot of players into the game on D and it seemed to make a big difference in the second half. After PV scored to make it 21 to 0, Lee appeared physically exhausted. Depth of talent is one of the Vikings' assets for 2009. Powell Valley rolled up a 41 to 0 lead - Lee scored with about a minute left in the game. PV's spread offense looked much improved since last year & QB's Huff and Pinkston looked good. The Vikes have a lot of quality wideouts and offer a lot of different formations - I really liked when Huff was at QB and Pinkston was placed in a stack of receivers. Lee High never figured out a way to line up against that unbalanced formation. Sophmores contributed a lot to the Vikes success - Huff, Baker, Tackett, Orr, etc. form a good nucleus for the future. Because a lot of youngs guys play, PV will experence growing pains - but the Vikings will be a more exciting team this year and next week's game against Lebanon should be interesting.

The PV Vikings O-line looks to be improved this season. Also, the crew of receivers is very very deep. I think the Sophomore Baker is going to catch some big passes plus Fannon & Burke (QB from last year) have great potential. With that said, the Vikings have so many kids that could play wideout that I'm not sure Baker, Burke, & Fannon will be the starters. I look for some games where the Viking opponents will not be able to match up with the spread because of the depth of receivers. Also, the backup QB is definitely Jacob Huff and he played real well during the scrimmage. The PV ViKings D looks to be small again this year. Both ends are listed as 200lbs. Orr played tackle some and he weighs 280lbs but other tackles were used that were small. David Bldesoe is one of the linebackers that played well - but he only weighs about 160lbs. I'm still predicting another 5-5 season but a more competitive team. I'll post the results of the next scrimmage.

Tennessee High scored three times against Powell Valley's first unit defense and Powell Valley's first unit offense scored only once against Tennessee High. THS was a stronger team than PVHS and continued a string of beating up on the Blue Vikings during pre-season scrimmages - but not nearly as bad this year as last. PVHS has a sizeable offensive backfield with Pinston at QB, as anticipated, plus Lusk @ 205 lbs and Rentfrow @ 210 lbs - but worked almost exclusively on the spread passing attack. Powell Valley's O-line allowed just one sack of the QB against a fast Maroon Viking defense, and considering that Coach Robbin's first unit offensive must have ran 30 passing plays, that was a good sign for the Blue Vikings. I think Powell Valley fans saw the potential for improvement that everyone in the Gap are hoping for this year & and I am sure the Tennessee High fans were glad to see their Vikings dominate the scrimmage after losing in the jamboree on Thursday.

The Vikings host Tennessee High @ Bullitt Park in Big Stone Gap this evening for a pre-season scrimmage. I understand that Myron Pinkston will start at QB. Myron is a senior and an impressive football player. He is a good runner and has a strong arm - but has had some injury issues during his career with PV. If he remains healthy, I'd anticipate a solid season from him. (I think he's about 6' & 210lbs: and will wear no. 16.) I think one of PVHS gridiron strengths this season will be depth at wideout - so Myron should have plenty of targets for his passes.

Fantasy Match Up. 1974 Gate City Blue Devils with Rogers @ RB vs 1998 Powell Valley Vikings with Jones @ RB. These are the two greatest SWVA HS football teams of all time.

Looks like PVHS has about 55 boys (9 thru 12) out for the 2009 football season and early indications are very positive for the Vikings. The Vikes had a small senior class last fall but the 2008 program listed 45 underclassmen. I don't know for sure how many of those players returned - but it appears that most have suited up for another campaign. Fans that followed the team last year noted solid improvement as the season progressed but lack of both experience and physical maturity really limited the squad. I think this team will be much improved & more exciting to watch - but may not post any better record. Last year PV went 5-5 during the regular season and the schedule is more challenging in 2009 - with a long road trip to Harlan, Ky replacing Thomas Walker. There are several sophomores that I am excited about watching over the next few seasons including Evan Orr and Jacob Huff.

Although 2008 PV over Richlands was a major upset, it was not the biggest that PV has been a part. My offering for SWVA's all-time HS Football game upset also involves PV - but on the losing side - the 1986 playoff game between Powell Valley and Garden in Oakwood. Powell Valley was defending state champions and undefeated during the 1986 regular season. The Vikings lined up with three first team all-state players - Robbie Fox, Todd Meade, and Shane Jessee. Garden's record in 1986 was 7-3 and they were a surprise BDD representative in the playoffs. The Green Dragons defeated the Vikes 15-0.

I agree that Richlands has earned top billing in the 2009 pre-season high school football rankings for SWVA. The Blues represent one of our area's larger and stronger HS FB programs and are three time defending regional champions. J. I. Burton and Gate City are deserving of top preseason SWVA considerations as well. The Blue Devils will have a new coach but will continue their successful ways. Clintwood and Lebanon are also defending regional champs but I would place their pre-season rank just a little below the other three schools. I really wanted the Green Wave to bring a state title to SWVA last fall and I know they had a group of players that made such a championship possible. Eight time state champion and long time SWVA football power Powell Valley should be improved from last year - Coach Robbins described last year's squad as the youngest he'd had in his 25 years at PVHS. One of the suprising scores from last season was the Vikings defeat of the Blue Tornado in Richlands by several touchdowns. I don't look for a PV upset this year but it will be one of the early season games worth watching. I'm glad the Haysi and Honaker game will be at the end of the Black Diamond District schedule - it will be another worth watching.

Although the scrimmage lasted a full two hours, PV & TN High 1st units only ran three series head-to-head. Both 1st teams scored two touchdowns. I would guest most PV Viking fans were satisfied with the results and will not change season expectations at all. Both squads appeared to suit up over 50 kids and to get them all some playing time limits 1st team work.

A strong pass rush against Mitchell has been the approach most of Powell Valley's opponents have taken - and I agree it is the best way to attach PV's passing game. But, it is a gamble that can, and most often has, backfired this season. Mitchell can run and there have been many long TD passes when the blitz didn't get to Cedric in time. I believe Powell Valley's best chance will be a wild wide open game with some big plays and broken plays. An all out pass rush may work but it also may result in a game of wild plays for the Viking O. I look for both some sacks and some big gains coming from a Giles blitz. I still think Giles may play it close to the vest on D and let a strong offensive ground game eat up time and the clock. Let me add that Coach Robbins will try to establish a running game & if the Vikings are able to move the ball on the ground, the game will stay close.

I think the game did hinge on a missed opportunity. In the third period of the game, with Burton leading 19 to 13, PV recovered a fumble that put them deep into Raider territory. If the Vikings had scored and taken the lead - which at the time seemed very likely even to the JIB fans who got awfully quiet - the rest of the game may have played out differently. I think that was a classic example of "missed opportunity".

I watched Lebanon's HS football team play twice this season. They had a good team but I do not believe they would have been very competitive with Powell Valley. Giles' rout of Lebanon is not a good test case for predicting the Giles/PV game. I think Giles will beat the Vikings on Saturday but I believe it will be a different sort of game than Lebanon vs Giles. Field position and turnovers decide the outcome with a final score something like 28 to 14. If Giles can kickoff to the end zone, it will negate runbacks and factor into the struggle for field position. Starting on offense from the 20 yard line does impact play calling - especially a team that likes to pass as much as the Vikings. But I'll have to witness the Spartans kicking away to believe it - when other quality Viking opponents, like Breathitt County and J I Burton, got burned and altered their kicking plans.

If Giles kicks away to Powell Valley, they don't want the ball getting to Lawson or Pinkston. The Vikings can score on kicking plays, as they have several times this year. If the game is a track meet, the Vikes will win. I look for squib kicks or kicks out of bounds from Giles (as most teams have used against the Vikings this season.) I think Giles will want to use good field position and good D to stop the Vikings - and not gamble too much early.

The Viking linemen have taken some heat from the spoiled PV fans this year. Coach Robbins' success has established high expectations - it's a program where a 9-3 season & Regional Championship may be considered by some a disappointment. But I see a lot of positives from the line. First, it's led by all-state senior center J Neeley 6' 1" 275 lbs. Fraley and Bentley have become exceptional blockers. Also, it features great depth. No one must go both ways - althought sometimes Neeley & Fraley do. If you saw the Honaker game, you understand the PV line. Honaker's big linemen played about two quarters before they were completely spent. I don't consider Wes Isom, @ 240lbs, small for defensive end! It may be fair to say the line is not the best in Viking history - but that's some history.

The single wing, field conditions, and crowd manners at Giles, are all throw backs to the bronze age. But they do give the Spartans one of the biggest home field advantages in SWVA. It will be very difficult for Powell Valley to win, but the Vikings are athletic, deep, and do have very good team speed. Giles has won 3 state championships and Powell Valley has won 8 titles - so the match up certainly showcases two of our regions finest HS football programs.

The facilities at UVA-Wise are great. I think the school administrators in our area that came up with the idea of playing both regional championship games at the same site should be thanked. For SWVA HS football fans it will be a real treat! Good luck to all the teams that qualified for post season play in SWVA. I think Burton will win the Region 3 Division 1 title without too much trouble. Division 2 will be wide open.

I agree that if we were to have a rematch between Powell Valley and Giles in 2006, it would not likely be a repeat of the 2004 game. (I would hope not as well.) For most impartial SWVA Football posters and fans who saw or read about that game, it was a flop. Giles did not play well and PV put up some big numbers on the scoreboard. A rematch would almost have to be more competitive and more entertaining. Giles apparently never practiced defense in anticipation of the spread offense. This will be the Vikings 5th season using the spread and they've improved technically each year. I suspect the Spartans would be better prepared for the Vikes style if they were to meet this season.

Following are my pre-season Southwestern Virginia HS Football top five for 2006: 1. Powell Valley. The Vikings will be very exciting to watch in 2006 and should improve on their 8 wins of last season. They return all 11 offensive starters. I predict a rematch of the 2004 half state game with Giles. 2. Graham. The Southwest District will be strong again. I see the G-men replacing Richlands as champs. 3. Richlands. Last years best team in SWVA. Blues will again be tough. 4. Burton. The Raiders have earned this ranking. They will be fast again this year and I predict another state championship final. 5. Honaker. I think they will replace Haysi as BDD champions.

A very fine highschool football game was played at Sandlick on Saturday. Haysi kicked a field goal as time expired to win 17 to 14 over Powell Valley. I think both teams played well enough to win and gave the fans their money's worth - but both teams also made enough mistakes to lose and the game could have went either way. Haysi is not a great team but a solid team & Powell Valley's young players made several errors typical of in-experienced kids. I think Coach Colley did an outstanding job and made the right adjustments and right decisions every time the game was at some critical point. He wouldn't let the Vikings get on the kind of roll they did at Gate City. (The Blue Devils would have matched up better against Haysi at the line of scrimmage. But unlike Legion Field, the game at Sandlick was decided in the trenches.) I commented very early in the game that the match-up for the Vikings was similar to the Seymour game and the final score turned out to be the same. Seymour won on a field goal 17-15. I hope Haysi can represent Region D well next week but anticipate Giles to be very good.