Irishman

That was a tremendous game.  I thought that both teams were pretty evenly matched -- and Liberty was ready to play, although their inability to get things going early wound up costing them.  IMO Rob Stanton's TD catch and run in the 2nd quarter was the play of the game.  Liberty kids were dumbfounded that a kid that big could move that well, but they did get their heads together and started to make things interesting after that.  And the point about improvement as the game went on is well made.  If that last minute FG attempt had been good, Liberty would have had major momentum heading into overtime.  In hindsight, it seems to me that Liberty did some of the same things in that game that wound up costing the Blues the next week in Lynchburg. 
 
That game was also unexpectedly difficult for me personally.  I have always been (and shall remain) a proud Richlands alumnus who bleeds blue, but Bedford is my adopted place of residence and LHS is/will be my kids' school.  At that point back in 2005 we had already started to establish roots here.  Coach Watts is a good friend of ours and we knew a lot of the kids on that team personally.  So while I was relieved when the aforementioned field goal attempt was no good, at the same time my heart really went out to the kid who missed it (whose parents are also good friends and we all attend the same church) and to the team in general.  As long as current classification/enrollment trends hold, it seems unlikely that Richlands and Liberty will face each other again.  Which is fine with me because I'd prefer not to have that kind of emotional experience again, and the situation would likely be even more intense as my own sons work their way through the LHS athletic system. 

Va High OT win was one of the more exciting Richlands games I have attended.
 
"Get him Wicks" hit against Hidden Valley is very memorable.
 
Gate City playoff win last year.
 
Not sure if it was 05 or 06 but Richlands defense had a 6 game scoreless streak going into the game @ Tazewell.  Tazewell kicked a FG to go up 3-0 in the 1st quarter and you would have thought that Tazewell had won the state championship. 

(1) Placing the order for cleats in '92.
 
Kidding! :)

That's why I asked, they have a lot that can play D3 or NAIA along with the the other 2 schools in the County, now For D1 that's a different animal, IMO there are no D1 players in Tazewell Co.

http://www.wvva.com/story/29519648/2015/07/10/owner-of-ramey-family-of-dealerships-has-passed-away
 
 
 
Jim was a great man to many in the area, he will surely be missed. 

Merrill Gainer
Ernie Hicks
Harry Frye
Ralph Cummins
Greg Mance
Dave Rider
Glen Carlock
Nick Colabro
Phil Robbins
Burrhead Bradley

This falls back into the whole, "Is Radford really a SWVA team" debate that nearly everyone has a different view on.

They should, they had another stellar recruiting class of kids that have already developed their skill sets elsewhere... Plenty of other good teams in D 2. There is always a lot of wind blowing out of Richland's this time of year...

We didn't lose much from a team that probably should have played for a state title.
 
Asbury will be the QB. He's a lefty, and you rarely see the kid make a bad decision. He's not a runner like River was, but he can move if the pocket collapses. I think we will be fine with him under center.
 
I see us as a favorite in 2A West with GC, Giles, and Glenvar.

I hope Lebron finally brings Cleveland their championship....for all those hypocrites that burned his jersey that are now all over his sack once again....no really i hope he wins it for the loyal Cavs fans that didn't turn on the King

When John Stanton and Logan Forrest were playing the team was pretty good for the area. Made the playoffs their junior and senior year I believe and both players made all state. Will Moir was on their senior team too and he's definitely as good as they were this year.

Not very many lately.  Its been the other way around, kids leaving Graham to go to other schools, Bluefield and Richlands for the most part, Tazewell for baseball a few years ago.  Pretty sure that, since the passing of Coach Carlock, Graham has lost significantly more to other schools than we've gained for athletic reasons.

Touche and excellent point made.  In this particular case I do believe it is equal on both parts.
 
Also very good point on the academic standpoint as well.  I remember in my class one person rode in with his father to go to Tazewell instead of going to Pocahontas.  He played some sports but I know it was more about the academic in general.  Also how many players cross over from WV to go to Graham for that exact reason.
 
I don't know about now but guidance counselors when I was in school didn't serve the most useful purpose in the world.  Actually went a long time that I never understood their point.  I thought they were there to get you to sign up for classes that you didn't want just to fill out some of the classes.

You really didn't need to confirm that...if I post it, its the truth. You should know that by now...

Without adding much new to the discussion, I will offer the observation that this is not a new issue by a long shot.  It’s complicated by economics, personal objectives, and family dynamics and further so by the varying policies among individual school divisions.
 
My dad had an interesting example from his own experience growing up in McDowell County, WV back in the 1950s.  Due to economic necessity, my grandfather relocated the family from Roderfield to Peel Chestnut Mountain circa 1955.  Having formed a great personal attachment to Welch High School, Dad opted to stay in Roderfield with his grandparents (although this wasn’t a matter of a residential “listing†– he actually lived in the house with them).  The property that my grandfather purchased straddled the Virginia/West Virginia state line, with the net effect that one of my uncles attended schools in the Northfork attendance zone on the WV side while the other went to Pocahontas on the VA side.  So essentially the three children in my father's family attended three different schools at the same time.
 
And as chance would have it, my dad and my Uncle Jim not only played against each other when Welch and Northfork met in 1957 – they literally played head to head.  Dad was the starting center for the Maroon Wave that season and Jim was a nose tackle for the Blue Demons.  (The makings of a fun trivia question that nobody has ever asked.)

As the Apostle Paul states in scripture "I come not with enticing words of man's wisdom," but as a sports fan, hopefully, as one who can inject without rejecting others views.  Last year when the G-Men made the playoffs and faced Gate City, we knew they had a monumental task in front of them.  I made a post to the effect,  they use that opportunity as a building block for the upcoming year,  and  stay "G-Man strong."  I believe most Blues fans agreed with that.  The difference the way  I see it, the only time Tazewell and Graham are "rivals," are the night we Blues play them, other times they are Tazewell Countians, just as we are, and I root for them in their games. As a Richlands fan, I remember going to Bulldog Stadium and rooting for Tazewell the year they won the state championship.  Not just there to observe the game, BUT CHEER FOR THE DAWGS!!!  Just as the nation is loosing its identity as Americans,  and becoming nationalities instead, aren't we who post here doing the same to these kids and schools.  When our communities and county is faced with more pressing issues facing our children, are we not as the scripture says, "straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel."
 
I love my  Blues, but I BELIEVE more in our kids and their accomplishments,  not their school color. 

Guys,  a lot on here ( NOT everybody )  acts like this is new,  that kids moving to a school that they and/or their parents think is a better fit for their kid,  whether it be for academic reasons,  or as for most,  athletic reasons,  has been going on for many decades.  It may be happening more often now,  but back in the 70's when I played,  I can remember hearing about the kids that transferred to Bluefield, Graham, Gate City and especially Salem.
I am not saying it is right,  as a matter of fact,  I stated in my other post that I didn't like it.  I have seen the good and bad of it from both sides,  from both my favorite high school and my favorite college team.
 I transferred to Richlands back in the mid 70's when my family moved back here from Maryland.  
The county schools in Maryland where I lived and played ( Harford Co ) have several high schools that are VERY close together and I saw kids transfer a lot back then.  One would go to Edgewood High because their basketball program was better, and one would go to Bel-Air High because their football was better, and to Aberdeen High because their baseball, soccer and Lacrosse were better ( Lacrosse is a great game by the way ! )  point being that it has been going on for a long time,  but in today's world with the net ( fan forums ) and social media such they way it is,  we hear a great deal more about it.
It is happening more today,  I understand that,  but just pointing out that kids have been moving around for a long time and will probably continue to do so,  mostly the names of the schools have changed.  I would love to see kids stay home and rep their home town school,  and most still do,  it is just a small percentage of kids that move,  but usually it is a kid who is well thought of as far as his talent goes that usually decides to transfer,  and that usually makes the school he goes to very happy,  and the school he leaves ......very sad and angry. This is just my opinion,  and what I have seen,  playing for, and living in 2 very different towns and states. 

Razor and I are doing our best !  ( sarcasm font needed ! )
 
This goes on everywhere and at every level,  from the pros with free agency, to the college level with hundreds of transfers every year,  a lot are 5th year kids,  but there are a bunch that aren't.  It has trickled  on down to the high school level and it happens nationally,  it is not just a local occurrence !  There is also AAU that sees kids move from team to team.  Where ever the kids and parents think it will benefit them the most ! 
 You hardly ever heard of it back when I played, ( no internet or social media ) but it has grown to an almost epidemic stage now.  A couple of days ago I was reading a college recruiting blog and he stated that there are over 275 basketball players looking to transfer this coming year.  It seems to be a part of the culture now.
Richlands seems to be where a lot of the kids want to go now days because of the facilities,  the stability and quality of the coaching,  the huge fan base, and the winning tradition over the last 15 to 20  years,  but Graham has had their share in the past as well as Bluefield  and Gate City and a few of the other programs in the area .
In the future,  the kids will still transfer,  but it will probably be to a different school.  
 I don't care much for it,  but it seems that that's the way it is now days.

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