ThomasDenton

No. We do lose I think around 12 seniors this year, many of which are very good players, but we have a good foundation, a very good coaching staff to guide them, higher expectations to go by, and some younger players that look very promising. People can't expect us to become a powerhouse program in just a few short years. It takes time and dedication and we are just beginning. I look for very good things in the future for Battle's football program. As long as we can get the kids out to give the team good depth and as long as they are all dedicated, then I'm not going to worry too much. You should still keep an eye on this program in the coming years. Losing Justus did really hurt because IMO he's the most aggressive defensive player we have and is a very good athlete. However, we've had trouble stopping the run all season (we're up against very good run teams at the end of the season to make things worse). It all starts with the line of scrimmage. Our defensive line is a bit smaller than some of the offensive lines they've been up against (look at Honaker and GC) and some of them are young. A few on here and the MD forum, including myself, were more worried about the line than anything when the season started. We do lose some good linemen this year, but we should have some good ones coming up. Our team will be on the younger side next year compared to this year, but they will grow, starting with offseason workouts, camps, etc.

I agree. The injuries we already had hurt us and we had a handful get hurt in the game last night. Not sure really how bad any of them are (hopefully not bad) but we just couldn't do much all beat up like that. Congrats to Lee on the win. I didn't expect them to spread it out sideline to sideline like that and run it. It was very interesting to watch. Should be a good one between them and VHS next week. I just hope our kids that got hurt can get healthy before we travel to Union next week...it's going to be a tough game.

Rough one here at Lee. Battle becoming riddled with injuries and just can't seem to stop the run. Under 6:00 left and Lee grabbed an INT. Lee is up 21-6.

He's been racing all season and just now got hurt. The races weren't at the same time as practices or games, so I don't see anything wrong with it. Of course it can be a dangerous sport, but so can football for that matter. Also, you can get hurt running track (or doing field events) as well. Imagine you're at a track meet or practice the day before a baseball game and end up pulling or tearing something, then can't play in the baseball game. It can (and has) happened. Some sports are more physically demanding than others, so I see the point you're trying to make there, but how can you tell a kid to give up one of two sports they love when there's not scheduling conflict? His brother, Justus, also rides, but he didn't get hurt riding...it was in a football game.

They've been racing motorcycles for as long as or longer than they've played football. I'm sure motocross is just as important to them as football is and he was competing for a championship. It's unfortunate that they two sports were going on at the same time and that he got hurt during football season, but you can't ask a kid to give up a sport they love so much. You just have to hope that something like this doesn't happen.

Takes more than two players to win a game. No one has won until the final whistle blows.

Not sure how many we have out exactly, but I know of Justus Blaylock for sure (went down with leg injury in the Central game) and apparently now his brother Wesley. It's not good for the Trojans. Both of these boys bring a lot to the team for offense, defense, and special teams. The coaches will have a plan however and we'll just have to see if it works out.

Hat's off to GC's offense. Our defense just couldn't do anything about that offensive line and 20 and 41 are very tough runners. The QB was really good too. Battle just couldn't stop the run (we seem to be struggling with that this year) and couldn't catch much. I don't know if it was because of the cold or what, but I haven't seen our passing game that bad before. GC had at least one interception and could have had a couple more. A couple things that impressed me was the number of penalties (I think there was only 3 or 4 total) and how much GC has improved condition-wise from last season (last year they had to call a time out just to give the players a rest). We're gonna have to get ready for a tough road ahead with Lee and Union away (it was really cold tonight, but I can only imagine what it might be like the next couple of games).

I think Honaker is just a junior this year. Some from Battle that I can think of might be Justin Stoots (FB), Josh Matney (WB), Carter Harlow (HB), Matthew Chapman (FB), Chase Hileman (G), and Samuel Martin (C ). Not sure if any of them plays basketball or not.

Don't take that comment so literally. Of course I know that not every other fan has one. But one of the things that GC fans are known for are those cowbells, so it just seems that way sometimes (especially at some games I've been to in the past).

It wasn't too many years ago that we were ecstatic just to get a first down, let alone a TD. I think that's when that cheer became a really popular thing at Battle. I've never had any problems with GC...then again, when I was at Battle, we didn't play them and since Battle started playing them the year after I graduated, I've always been in the press box filming at the games where they treat you nice, lol.

Whenever we get a first down, Coach Posey leads the crowd over the PA by saying "And that's another Trojan...FIRST DOWN!" Honaker fans at the homecoming game started doing it when they'd get a first down too, lol. Bill Brooks leads the Trojan cheer where the crowd spells out Trojans and cheers.

When I read through it, the spot that you pointed out (page 6) said just for indoor events...which I can understand, like in a gym where it'd echo and seem much louder. Heck, one of our school board members (Bill Brooks) uses a megaphone to lead cheers at the game (though he's not using it toward the field, just the home stands facing the press box). I reread the link you provided and it says that artificial noisemakers are prohibited at indoor events on page 6 and the second to last page. Says nothing about outdoor events. Also, the whole thing is talking about VHSL Tournaments (the main heading on page 5).

Healthy or not, I just don't see Richlands losing at home to Abingdon this year. Richlands may be down compared to the last handful of years and Abingdon does have some really good players, but it would be a pretty huge upset if AHS could beat RHS in Richlands (or even in Abingdon for that matter). Richlands is still Richlands (a very tough team) and Abingdon is still Abingdon (coaching staff and not pulling it all together with their program).

It says for indoor events.

In theory, it's simple. As you said, if they are caught using a banned noisemaker, they are asked to stop or escorted out. In practice, it would be impossible for this game. You can sneak in an air horn, cowbell, or whatever reasonable sized noisemaker very easily (in a purse, your pocket, coat, etc.). Pretty much every other GC fan has a cowbell and it's nearly the same way this season at Battle. If HUNDREDS of people in the stands (on both sides) start using noisemakers during the game, then there's no way they'll escort out the entire stadium and even if they stopped the game to tell people to stop, there'd be a fair amount of people who wouldn't just for spite. So I don't think it's possible.

That would make some sense. Jethro seems oddly nice towards Battle this week and hasn't been trolling us and then this greenlightning person pops up like they did.

I believe the person on the Mtn District forum is either misinformed or getting everyone fired up. No way they'll be able to enforce a rule like that at this game. Anyway, I also expect this to be a close, hard fought game like the one with Honaker. If Battle pulls off the win, it'll be pretty huge with two tough road games coming up that could decide who wins the district. Each game this season just seems to get more and more exciting.

http://msn.foxsports.com/nfl/story/peta-comes-up-with-new-logo-idea-for-washington-redskins-to-keep-their-name-101613?ocid=ansfox11 I still believe whole heartedly that PETA is a ridiculous organization run by morons who started with a good idea, but now just want attention and I really don't want the Washington Redskins to change anything (and this coming from a Dallas fan).....that being said, I still got a kick out of this. Good job not being too crazy PETA....even if you are actually serious about this logo change.

According to the VHSL, 1A-3A do the same thing as single A did the last two years. When each section (VHSL still calls them Regions on their website) reaches it's final two teams, instead of having an East Section championship and West Section championship, these final four teams cross bracket to start the 4 team state playoff. So there can be 2 west teams, 2 east, or 1 each. 4A does the same thing except their final four do not cross bracket (so they get an East champ vs. West champ state title game). http://www.vhsl.org/doc/upload/tournament-format-football2.pdf

Fort Chiswell/Honaker Honaker/Haysi (especially if the regular season game is close) Fort Chiswell, Honaker, or Haysi vs Essex

SWVA has dominated in the 1A category for two years now and is predicted to do so again this year. As far as 2A goes, there's a lot of teams that aren't really playing as well as they used to or as well as everyone (unreasonably) expected, but most of these teams are rebuilding and straightening things out. I believe 2A will be strong in SWVA in the very near future (2 or 3 years from now) as long as fans and schools are patient.

Just give VHS time. Just look at what happened with Battle. We started to really turn the corner when Witten was the head coach (he brought a lot of excitement to the program and got so many involved) but of course he didn't work out for multiple reasons we all know and then we got Wright and his crew and they took all that excitement and momentum and added discipline and the fundamentals to build the program we now have. It seemed to me that Wheeler got some excitement going after VHS's coaching woes before he came back and now if VHS gives their new coach a few years to build this program like Battle did with Wright, they could be very strong in the near future. They have good athletes and a good coach, just need time (and by time, I mean a few years at least....not overnight).

I shouldn't have laughed at that........but it was hilarious.

I'd really like to see that matchup. Or if it's an all West state title game, then Fort Chiswell and Honaker.