Bearcat Bob

I think this team may have been the best VHS since the 1981 Thornton "Bean" Stringfellow led team. Both were very deep in pitching and could hit 1-9.

Austin Mills had a perfect game through 6.2 innings before giving up a walk. Then an error threatened to spoil the shut out but the Madison player was thrown out at the plate on the play. Chris Stine hit a monster pinch hit homerun over the scoreboard, across the street and into a tree! One of the longest HRs I've seen by a high schooler. The Bearcats get a tough one in the Strasburg Rams in the finals Saturday. They beat Randolph Henry 6-0.

VHS 10 Randolph Henry 2... Bearcats play Madison County at 10:00 Friday in Salem

So the state matchups will be VHS, Randolph Henry, Madison Co. and Strasburg?

VHS ensures return to State with shutout win over Dan River to reach Region finals. VHS has won their playoff games by a collective score of 45-3 so far.

As painful as it is for me as a Southerner to say this, General George Sherman had it right: "War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over". Machiavelli said, "..it is much safer to be feared than to be loved..." And Curtis Lemay may have said it best, albeit rather crudely, when he said, "If you kill enough of them, they stop fighting". I cannot for the life of me understand why our government does not get it that appeasement does not work, will not work and has never worked. Time to get out the Big Stick...and use it.

And what about soldiers who were killed looking for this guy when he went AWOL? This whole thing stinks to high heaven but it will be pooh poohed away just like the rest of the administrations scandals.

wrong thread...

He taught me a valuable lesson...get low!

Only thing I remember about Graham football is a big, hairy RB named Eddie Hall (I think was his name) running over me when I tried to tackle him high. That was way back in the day but that dude about killed me on that play. Still cringe thinking about it. Never was hit so hard before or since.

I am hoping that Coach Crist will be the start of a long football tradition at VHS. It will take time but a strong head coach can do wonders. I remember when Riverheads, Richlands and Gretna (just to name a few) were not very good football programs. Look at them now. And a strong JSB team will only help VHS. I wish both schools the best as there is a lot of talent in the area. Just need the right leadership to get everybody pulling in the same direction.

Football and Bristol (the Virginia side anyway) aren't exactly synonymous with football tradition

Sorry to hear about the unfortunate incident. Hope he heals quickly.

Too bad...here in Harrisonburg, I watched parts of all the boys games (and all of the Dan River/Bruton game). No commercials either.

I hope he is as good as advertised. I dislike VT but if they are strong, it only helps basketball in all of VA and the ACC.

I watched several of the state final games on Comcast TV stations. Are they not broadcast statewide?

Honestly, I have no idea. I assume they live in Bristol.

They both live in Gate City....

Beamer...You know that was not the gist of the comment. But let me explain for you. If you are an athlete at a huge school like D-B, you will have a better chance of playing sooner at a smaller school. Example: My nephew played at DB. They had about 100 players on the Varsity roster. They were 5 guys deep at his position. He didn't start until halfway through his junior year. He played behind an equally gifted player who was a year ahead of him. But he waited his turn and ended up playing at a D-1 college on a full scholarship and is now an officer in the military. Some are not that patient. If he would have crossed the street to Gate City, he probably starts as a freshmen or sophomore. Or at least he would have had less competition for field time. I'll break it down into even simpler terms: Big school = lots of bodies/more competition: Small school = less competition/fewer players. Therefore, more opportunity to play sooner at a small school. And I'll wager a great deal that more than a few have jumped the state/county line just for that reason...

Great City...I'd say at least 15-20. You are taking this out of context I think...or I am failing to communicate properly. I think/know that Gate City benefits from having kids attend school even though they live in TN. Sports or otherwise doesn't matter. It is a fact that Gate City benefits from being so close to several TN schools. And you are fooling yourself if you do not think that (on occasion) a kid who is marginal at a huge school like DB does not cross the line to play at a small VA school. I am not knocking Gate City (Scott County) for allowing this. They obviously take advantage of the set up. Just like the hold back thing. It is legal and all schools can choose to do it. Most just don't. Doesn't matter to me one way or the other. And my first "jab" about TN annexing Gate City was tongue in cheek and not meant as a serious provocation.

Ryan...ever ride through and look at the tags on the vehicles in the Gate City parking lot? A whole lot of TN tags there. And not all of them are teachers...or they have a really good student/teacher ratio. It is routine and common knowledge that many TN athletes that can't cut it at the bigger TN schools in close proximity to Gate City transfer to Gate City. You won't hear anybody from Gate City denying it either...it is easy enough to prove. To my knowledge, there are no TN residents attending VHS. You are aware that Gate City and Kingsport are very close are you not? I guess it would make no sense to someone who is not familiar with the area or that practice. Beamerball. Thanks for your 2 cents. Never said Gate City doesn't have good programs. Just pointing out that they aren't all home grown or even from same state. You denying that is the case?

Nothing personal Great City but I say let Kingsport annex Gate City...they probably have more TN athletes on their squads than they do from VA.

Isn't Radford 1A? Either way, they are very solid...great program.

I would say that VHS, Gate City and Lebanon are definitely in the conversation, at least among 2A schools.

The 10-1 Bearcats take on Gate City. Haven't seen Gate City this year. I assume they are down a little from last year but they usually field a solid team. Anybody have any ideas about this matchup?