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Maroon Tide gets early start Galax and Mount Airy brought a Friday feeling to a Wednesday evening in the Tide’s opening scrimmage.By Craig Worrell, Sports Editor Tuesday, August 18, 2015 at 8:44 am e MOUNT AIRY, N.C. –– It wasn’t exactly Christmas in August, but it was at least Friday on hump day. Getting a two-day jump on the normal first scrimmage date of the 2015 season, Galax and Mount Airy, N.C. got together for a rare Wednesday workout as the Maroon Tide continued preparations for its Aug. 28 season opener. Galax coach Mark Dixon picked no slouch to face in his team’s first action of the year, facing a Granite Bears program that has averaged 10 wins a season over the past decade, including a 10-2 campaign in 2014. “Really good work. Maybe the best work we’ve had, ever, in a scrimmage,†Dixon said. “They’re really challenging and really physical. We needed that and it gives me a chance to evaluate. We’ll go back tonight and look at everything we did against other people and see where we’re at.†Preserving its stadium surface for the real thing, the Bears conducted the workout on their disjointed practice field, which consists of two 50-yard grids placed at right angles. Fittingly, with the grounds laid out like a passing league tournament, the two clubs started off with some 7-on-7 work – no shoulder pads, no tackling – while the linemen went at each other live on a side field. After about 45 offensive plays each, the teams suited up and went at it for real. As far as scoring went, Mount Airy came out on top 2-1 with both touchdowns coming through the air in the latter down-and-distance portion of the workout, and while the Bears’ offense looked sound, Dixon was far from unhappy with his defense. “I was pleased, believe it or not, with the defense overall, considering we hadn’t worked on it much,†said Dixon, whose Maroon Tide is coming off a 9-4 season. “So many kids are brand new. We’re so young and it’s all brand new to them, so defensively they picked things up better than I thought they would.†Dixon has the unusual task of trying to replace a 3,000-yard rusher for the second straight season and Charles Harris had carries on four of Galax’s first nine snaps, including a seven-yard gain that in which he bowled over a Mount Airy cornerback, while Dougie Peoples and Ty Rector got the bulk of the rushing attempts after the Tide’s first 10-play series. Peoples most likely saw his stock increase with several physical carries and Rector ripped off a 25-yard gain on a sweep. “I thought Dougie ran the ball really hard,†Dixon said. Third-year starting quarterback Carson Orton was on target on several short routes, and his bootleg pass to a wide-open Jordan Peoples for a 23-yard touchdown was the final snap of the two-hour scrimmage. But Orton was sacked four times behind an offensive front that has undergone some shuffling about, including all-state center Caleb Spurlin returning to the backfield as an H back, the position in which he began last season. “Obviously right now the major, major concern is the offensive line,†Dixon said. “Going into the year most people probably think that’s going to be a major strength for us but it’s not, and it’s not for several reasons. No. 1 is I’ve pulled kids off of it. Basically you have three or four new kids who have never played there, now they’re starting. Good kids and very capable, but we’re a month away from where we need to be. It’s not going to come in a hurry. But I like their talent and I like how they work.†Galax will host Carroll County in the two teams’ annual benefit game on Aug. 21 and the Maroon Tide opens its 2015 season on the road at defending Group 2A state champion Glenvar on Aug. 28.

roanoke.com sports â€@timesland7m Essex has one penalty for 0 yards. Fort Chiswell 5 -30 Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More roanoke.com sports â€@timesland9m Dallas Ward has 80yds on 20 carries. Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More roanoke.com sports â€@timesland10m FCHS was then called for a false start after converting the 4th down, then failed on the replay. Essex took over and scored Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More roanoke.com sports â€@timesland11m The chain crew extended the chains a yard past where it was supposed to an the officiating crew did not notice. Expand Reply Retweet Favorite More roanoke.com sports â€@timesland12m Essex's second TD came after a suspect measurement spotted FCHS short, creating a 4th and inches situation (cont)

Essex scores misses 2 pt, Essex 12 Fort 7 Essex converts on 4th & 7 to set up their score

Great kid! Will be tuning in to watch him play in the years to come. Wonder if he will end up on defense?

I like the idea of putting the ball in the hands of your most talented as much as possible. Gives Haysi some nice wrinkles the defense has to consider. Good luck to your boys, it's going to be uphill sledding for Haysi but I like their chances (no matter how remote) of pulling the upset at Sandlick.

I don't know BlueRazor kinda liked the "Faint" versus "Can't." Nice play on words even if it was unintended by you...your phone knew what to say...LOL

Yeah, I was listening via wwwj1360 (Galax) and one announcer was professional as usual. There was one (maybe the color guy, I hate to listen to him) announcer that protested a little too much. First, it was a hit in the back by a Haysi player that was not called a penalty. Haysi should of had the ball (which they did at the 50) but the announcer wanted the officials, who was looking right at the play according to the color guy, to flag the hit in the back that caused the injury (and take some yards back). I think the color-guy was caught up in the potential score by Dixon(who fumbled) which would have put Galax within two with 5+ minutes left. Way I see it...sometimes a call is just missed (ref's can't see everything) but Haysi would of had the ball anyway, and it was up to Galax to keep Haysi from scoring and they didn't. That announcer (sure sixcat knows who I'm talking about) could of said what he saw once but he did carry-on too much and it was not appropriate for that situation. Good luck to Haysi tonight.

UVAObserver, what do you make of this lengthy period of time the DA is exercising in their decision to charge Winston? Is this good or bad for Winston in your experience?

The Florida Gators video will have you scratching your head .....

Good picture of Peoples and you can see the field all over him and the player chasing him...LOL Drill in further on the picture and look at his cleats in this shot. Sure hate to see him out so soon but they definitely got beat by the better, well-balanced offensive TEAM. http://roanoke.com/sports/highschools/2401323-12/haysis-big-plays-beat-galaxs-big-player.html

Nice write up in Roanoke times. Take a look at the grass and mud all over Steven Peoples...looks like he was in a war! http://roanoke.com/sports/highschools/2401323-12/haysis-big-plays-beat-galaxs-big-player.html

Back from work. Talked to my cousin who was at the game. He said Peoples was his usual self. He said Galax made too many mistakes and that they were one-dimensional (we all knew that). He said Haysi was the better team. Congratulations to Haysi, sounds like the game plan was solid and Bowen played a heck of a game on defense. Good luck to you guys next week.

gotta go to work, appreciate the updates fella's

Haysi recovers onside kick on opening second half...great call.

According to wwwj1360 Galax Radio Program Half Time Stats: Haysi 20 Galax 12 Galax: 14:35 Passing: -1 (1 of 3) Run:158 (Peoples 145 Dixon 12 Orton 1) Total: 157 Fumbles 0 Penalties: 5 - 65 yds Haysi: 9 plus minutes (could not keep up with announcer) Passing 84 (4 of 14) Run 58 Total: 144 Penalties: ? did not catch but less than Galax, I think 30-ish Hill with 57 yard (nice catch) A little sloppy field for both teams but a nice performance by Haysi so far. It's been a game of field positions so far and that has been with Haysi up to the half. Bowen playing great on defense. Home crowd making some great noise for Haysi. Look forward to 2nd half.

Haysi with short field positions and are taking advantage...looking impressive.

According to my cousin at the game Haysi O-line winning the line of scrimmage too.

Who said Bowen was out? Bowen is playing well. Field is slooopppy. Haysi playing like their number 1.

Here's an article from Roanoke on the trick plays run tonight. by LLOYD COMBS | Special to The Roanoke Times Saturday, November 23, 2013 HONAKER — In far Southwest Virginia the set is known as the Emory & Henry formation. In Covington it’s known as the polecat. By any name it adds up to six points for the Cougars. Brandon Phillips scored three touchdowns to lead Covington to a 25-0 win over Honaker in the second round of the Group 1A West playoffs Friday night at Emats Stadium. While the Honaker offense struggled most of the night, Covington thrived with a little trickery that included its single-wing and an odd formation used decades ago at Emory & Henry College and employed on occasion by South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier. Phillips scored on a 64-yard run to break a scoreless tie just before halftime and improvised again for a third-quarter score out of the same set as the Cougars (9-3) pulled away in the second half. “We call it the polecat, it’s been a staple of ours the last 10 years,†Covington coach Rodney Tenney said. “I got it from Steve Isaacs at Bath County about 10 years ago. “We’ve actually scored 11 times out of it this year. We’ve been real lucky with it. We spread the field and get kids into space.†Phillips got into space on his own on his first TD and called his third score, a 22-yard pass from Raquann Matthews to Phillips that gave Covington a 19-0 lead late in the third period. Both plays were out of the polecat formation, where four lineman are set on one hash mark and the center and a signal caller line up on the other. Both times it called for an option pass by the Cougar setback. “We just really needed a touchdown,†Phillips said of his first score. “I got by the first couple of kids who chased me. They were putting pressure on me and I couldn’t find a receiver and I saw a running lane and I just took it. “Actually I called the [TD reception]. It’s a play we’ve been practicing and it’s been working so I said ‘let’s do it’. It was the first time we’ve done it in a game.†The Covington defense did the rest, handing Honaker its first shutout all season and holding the Tigers to 150 total yards. “I know our defense played lights out against a good football team,†Tenney said. “Traveling down here we knew we were going to have to play hard and we did. “I couldn’t be prouder.†Gavin Hunter and Austin Waddell were each in on two sacks as the Cougars kept pressure on Honaker quarterback Casey Dye the entire game. “I thought they were fast,†Honaker coach Doug Hubbard said. “We had plays what we think are going to be 5 or 6 yards and they were sliding off and making plays. They were catching us from behind and putting a lot of pressure on us.†Turnovers plagued the Tigers, who fumbled away the second half kickoff to set up Phillips’ second score, a 2-yard touchdown run. Honaker lost another fumble on the Cougars’ 40-yard line in the third quarter. Jordan Miller capped the scoring for Covington with a 35-yard touchdown run with 3:32 remaining.

That's what I meant red tiger, starting at 80 looks like a tough run on a bus. Can we get a field goal or safety for that ride on 80? I think this is going to be a great game.

Oh my God, I just did a google flyover of 81 to Haysi and I think Galax should be given 3 points just for making that drive...looks to be brutal on a bus once you get off 81...LOL

No worries, glad you cleared that up

I don't believe speed is the only factor to be a good or better back. It's tough comparing two different styles of running. Moreover, most back's in the end are valued for their production. The Jones boys and Peoples have production that no one can argue with. Case in point, I watched Emmitt Smith his entire career at Escambia High School (also h.s of Trent Richardson) and Emmitt was 5'10'' 200 (sophomore/junior) and 5'11" 205(senior year) 4.6ish speed, but he had vision and ran hard...we all know his story now. His brother Emory was bigger by 25Lbs and ran faster than Emmitt (my wife and I are personal friends of Emory and know Emmitt) but his history was not as productive. So, it's tough comparing two different backs on size and speed but the numbers are what most of use to size up a back historically. I'd say Peoples is proving himself and he has his own style and has to make his own way, just like the Jones boys.

Yeah, when you lose those big boys in the trenches it has a tendency to erode what might have been a better season.

To help provide some guidance for Greenwavefan#5 on the "who!!! crap!" is an article on a few rusher's making news across Va, Steven Peoples is one of them Roanoke times: http://roanoke.com/sports/highschools/2386329-12/rushing-records-falling-like-rain.html by ROBERT ANDERSON | 981-3123 Tuesday, November 19, 2013 The 2013 high school football season has been the year of the running back. It’s perhaps a year like no other. Two Timesland running backs — Steven Peoples of Galax and Chris Thompson of Lord Botetourt — already have set single-season school rushing records, and a couple of other stars are about to join the party. Peoples has rushed for 2,739 yards heading into Saturday’s Group 1A West second-round playoff game Saturday at Haysi. The 5-foot-11, 200-pound senior needs just 72 yards to break the Timesland single-season mark of 2,810 set by Lee Suggs of William Fleming in 1997. Peoples also has tied Timesland’s single-season record for touchdowns with 40, equalling the mark set in 2011 by Cave Spring’s Sam Wright. Peoples is within 580 yards on the VHSL’s listed single-season rushing record of 3,319 held by former Powell Valley star Thomas Jones. Thompson has broken Botetourt’s single-season rushing yardage record with 2,281 yards heading into Friday’s home game against Hidden Valley. The senior has 31 TDs and 226 points this year. Parry McCluer junior Ryheem Dawson set the Fighting Blues’ single-game rushing record with 374 yards last Friday in a first-round win over West Point. Dawson has 38 touchdowns and 230 points. Parry McCluer plays at top-seeded Essex in a Group 1A East game Friday. William Byrd quarterback Zac Hill topped the 2,000-yard rushing plateau in the Terriers’ first-round victory over Christiansburg. Hill has 2,098 yards, putting him 199 shy of Byrd’s single-season record of 2,297 set in 1999 by O.J. Thomason. Byrd plays at unbeaten and No. 1 seed Heritage on Friday in a 3A West game.