Galax versus Grayson County

[wave316 64]

Two undefeated teams play this friday...What's your thoughts? I'm going with Galax by a td... Galax hasn't had a close game this yr.. Grayson nearly lost to Ft. Chiswell... Should be the game of the week...will determine playoff seeds also.. :)

[birddog 13]

Should be an awesome game, guess I'll go watch Marion lay one on us.

[sixcat 2,937]

Just a thought but my opinion is Galax has the edge in athletes, experience and coaching. Galax by 17.

[futbolking 766]

I'll go with Galax also. I'd say it'll be a high scoring affair.....something like 49 to 35....

[rjhall71 61]

Having seen both play I think Galax is a much better team. Grayson did not impress me that much and IMO they are overrated; but this is High School football and anything can happen on any given night.

Edited October 30, 2011 by 2dalejrfanz

[GMan 3,569]

I think Galax wins fairly easily...

[hogo_sportz 19]

Having seen both play I think Galax is a much better team. Grayson did not impress me that much and IMO they are overrated; but this is High School football and anything can happen on any given night.

 

Nice avatar ;)

[Counts 156]

I think Galax wins fairly easily...

 

Grayson has a few key kids out so I think that Galax comes out on top......One interesting thing is if i am not mistaken Galax has only faceed 1 team with a winning record so far this season

[sixcat 2,937]

Grayson has a few key kids out so I think that Galax comes out on top......One interesting thing is if i am not mistaken Galax has only faceed 1 team with a winning record so far this season

 

Glenvar is 5-4 and Radford is 7-2. Fort Chiswell was 3-2 at the time of the game.

[sportsfan 21]

Wish I could come up from Florida to see it...should be a dandy. I think galax wins this game by 7. They need a tough game (close game) to season them for a run in the playoff's. Being a rivalry high school game, should make this one fun to see in person.

[greenwavefan#5 12]

grayson co. is one of the best high school football teams that i have seen. if they play decent and dont turn the ball over devils by 14. galax is also tuff ,this game should be a good one. I think both of these teams should have played george wythe (w). that would be two good games to watch.

[Counts 156]

Glenvar is 5-4 and Radford is 7-2. Fort Chiswell was 3-2 at the time of the game.

missed Glenvar.....and I meant now

[sixcat 2,937]

missed Glenvar.....and I meant now

 

The total wins of both teams opponents are fairly even. MED competition is a wash as they have to play those teams. Radford and Clintwood are both 7-2, Chilhowie and Glenvar are both 5-4, Craig and East Mont are both 3-6, Alleghany (2-9) and Carroll (2-7) are even. The only real difference in schedule is Grayson beat Rural Retreat who is 8-1 and Galax beat Floyd who is 2-7.

[starcityfootballfan 517]

I think Galax wins fairly easily...

 

you got that one right!

[ISOaPBR 15]

Galax hasn't had a close game this yr.. Grayson nearly lost to Ft. Chiswell...

 

Week 1

Galax 17, Glenvar 14, OT

 

Grayson's the 1 seed in D2 win or lose.

[wave316 64]

Week 1

Galax 17, Glenvar 14, OT

 

Grayson's the 1 seed in D2 win or lose.

 

Wow! Overtime...must have been a great game... After the Glenvar game Galax starts scoring bunches of points... How did George Wythe barely beat Radford 10-7 and Galax crushed Radford 43-0... Was Radford just having a terrible off night that night... ? Who knows maybe Grayson can contain the offense of Galax...will be interesting to see how this plays out friday night!

[mnhokie 10]

Galax 43 Radford 0

Grayson County 61 Clintwood 6

 

These are two great teams. Having watched both teams whip my G-Men, I have to give the edge to Galax. Grayson lost two key players at the end of our game. Also, A. Jackson did not play against Grayson. Galax was unreal. The best coached team I have seen this year. BTW, I put those two scores at the top to exhibit how they dominated two good teams from outside of the MED.

[RoughNeck69 11]

Having watched both teams play on multiple occasions, Im gonna say Galax by 14+ and thats being generous. Galax is better coached, they have better athletes, and these kids having been so close to making the state playoffs last year, only to lose a close one to East Mont in regions, they just flat out want it more. Another factor working against Grayson is they have experienced multiple injuries to a roster thats not so deep. The only thing I see working against Galax is the location but with the two schools being so close, I honestly dont know that this being @ Grayson is too big of an advantage. But i think it was best said earlier when it was stated that this is indeed high school football and anything can happen any given friday. Goodluck to both teams.:)

Edited November 2, 2011 by RoughNeck69

[VHSLhelper 571]

Week 1

Galax 17, Glenvar 14, OT

 

Grayson's the 1 seed in D2 win or lose.

 

 

Really ???

[ISOaPBR 15]

Really ???

 

Not mathematically. Just my bet.

[bhs7695 185]

Big game is an understatement....

 

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/300669

 

INDEPENDENCE — Visitors are expected here today.

 

Nautilus, the famous locally based fitness equipment manufacturer, is making its parking lot available. The elementary school's will be open too. The high school grounds right there in the middle of town? Parking will be first-come, first-served, friends. Get there early.

 

The July 4th parade draws a crowd. The outhouse races last month brought fun-lovers to town in handsome numbers.

 

"But that's not anything like this is going to be," said Independence Police Capt. Matthew Adams.

 

Businesses are expected to close early.

 

Do that banking first thing.

 

They'll be coming from all over.

 

"I've had two people today text me from Atlanta that are coming up," said Galax athletic director Yerrick Stoneman, who will only be traveling the 13.9 miles from Galax. "I know a guy from a small town in Pennsylvania who's going to come down, get together and go."

 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

 

"Everybody has been talking about it," said Chuck Burress, Galax Gazette editor.

 

A DJ will spin, food will be served, games will be staged, young children will be entertained, canned goods for the hungry will be gathered, fellowship will be had.

 

Chad Wright, Grayson County's athletic director, has been charged with planning today's goings-on. He expects a crowd of 5,000 to 6,000. Grayson County, according to the 2010 Census, has a population of 15,533; Galax 7,042. The town of Independence: 947.

 

For the entertainment of the masses, they're also planning a high school football game.

 

The game

 

Host Grayson County is the traditional Group A Mountain Empire power that charismatic coach Brett McPherson has led from hard times (0-10 when this year's seniors were freshmen) to prosperity.

 

The Blue Devils have a gifted sophomore quarterback in Max Rodgers, who's kin on his mother's side to former Major Leaguer Benito Santiago. Grayson also has a great mix of country-strong linemen and blinding speed. Back Xavier Rodriguez once attended Galax.

 

The Maroon Tide of Galax, which won the Division 1 state basketball title for the first time last spring and is coming off its fourth state golf title in the last seven years a couple of weeks ago, is hotter than a street dragster running low on antifreeze, athletically speaking. Galax has pounded teams in football this year with its former National Football League lineman Mark Dixon as the brilliant young head coach, assistants with combined experience of a century or more, and a pile of athletes with state championship pedigree.

 

Both teams are a never-before 9-0 when facing each other. Both lead their divisional (1 for Galax, 2 for Grayson County overall) power ratings in Region C. Grayson County comes in at No. 4 in AP's state poll, Galax is No. 5.

 

Grayson had been top-ranked until a tight 41-40 win over Fort Chiswell in Game 8.

 

A scheduling quirk set in motion when the Mountain Empire District expanded by adding Graham this year has added to the immensity. Nutty as it seems, Galax and Grayson County have never met in the season's last game.

 

"And whoever's idea it was to put this game where it belongs, on the final week of the regular season," wrote veteran Gazette columnist Craig Worrell this week, " ... should at least get an arm's length worth of free tickets for the 50-50 drawing."

 

The planners

 

Wright has been working on contingency plans the past two weeks. So have the police, sheriff's department and the volunteer fire department, which will help with parking. If Wright is nervous about all this, he doesn't sound it.

 

"We've done everything we can to make this thing run smoothly as possible," he said, adding he expects a box office bonanza in the five figures.

 

"I think Chad's done a great job," said Stoneman, Wright's Galax counterpart. "He's got his plan laid out; everything's going to be fine. Financially, I wish we had his problems at Galax."

 

Extra bleachers have been brought in from the recreation park outside town. Shuttle buses from satellite parking areas will run.

 

"We ask that folks just be patient with us as we get everybody parked," Capt. Adams said.

 

The rivalry

 

"This is bragging rights," said Jerry Reynolds, who played for the great Kenny Alderman-coached Galax teams of the mid-1980s.

 

This is also the championship of the floor at Nautilus, the offices of Vaughan Furniture, the loading dock at the Christmas tree farm at harvest time. These people work together, go to church together, chat with each other at the store. They've played ball with and against each other, their fathers and grandfathers, mothers and grandmothers, too.

 

Mountvale Methodist in Fairview has athletes and partisans of both schools in the congregation. The youth group is sponsoring the canned food drive — bring one with you when you come to the game. We are reminded that even as both communities are being remade before our eyes into prosperous 21st-century localities, elsewhere in the twin counties of Grayson and Carroll is poverty of which many can't conceive.

 

These are good people here in this city and county, good as gold. They raise good children, too.

 

As for the nastiness found in some rivalries:

 

"We don't worry about our players that way at all," said Dixon, the second-year coach who patterns his plan after his college coach at the University of Virginia, the now-retired George Welsh. "Grayson's players either. These are good kids."

 

Less than a week earlier, McPherson said almost the same thing verbatim.

 

"These are friends," Galax quarterback Austin Pack said. "After this week, we'll be rooting hard for them in the playoffs."

 

Dan Shaw, Grayson County center: "We're friends and it's respectful off the field. On the field, it's a little different."

 

The coaches

 

Dixon and McPherson have been given much credit for all this good football and rightfully so, but the influence of an older generation is here, too.

 

The game is going to be played at Bill Strong Field, named for the former Blue Devils coach who turned old Independence then Grayson County into a district power. He's coaching at Ashe County High School in North Carolina now but still lives in Independence. His team is in the playoffs now, but he'll monitor what's going on across the border.

 

Over at Galax, when Dixon was appointed football coach two years ago, he went to basketball coach Verl Brown (Dixon is his assistant coach), decades an assistant football coach, and asked who besides him would make up a good football staff.

 

On board came former Tide head coach Kim Gillespie. Also John Patterson, 33 years a multi-sport coach at old Fries and Galax. He's won basketball and tennis state championships at Galax.

 

Patterson and Strong used to live together.

 

"And managed to survive," Strong said.

 

Larry Spangler, 69, the longtime Tide baseball coach and assistant football coach, signed on. Jeff Combs and Patrick Buckner had been around Galax athletics since the 80s.

 

"Keeps us young," Spangler said.

 

Game time

 

There's an old blues song, guy moaning and groaning about his fate.

 

"I want to play a game the good guys win," the song goes.

 

Such a game will be played at 7:30p.m. tonight at Grayson County. Get there early. You'll only see this show once.

[wave316 64]

Big game is an understatement....

 

http://www.roanoke.com/news/roanoke/wb/300669

 

INDEPENDENCE — Visitors are expected here today.

 

Nautilus, the famous locally based fitness equipment manufacturer, is making its parking lot available. The elementary school's will be open too. The high school grounds right there in the middle of town? Parking will be first-come, first-served, friends. Get there early.

 

The July 4th parade draws a crowd. The outhouse races last month brought fun-lovers to town in handsome numbers.

 

"But that's not anything like this is going to be," said Independence Police Capt. Matthew Adams.

 

Businesses are expected to close early.

 

Do that banking first thing.

 

They'll be coming from all over.

 

"I've had two people today text me from Atlanta that are coming up," said Galax athletic director Yerrick Stoneman, who will only be traveling the 13.9 miles from Galax. "I know a guy from a small town in Pennsylvania who's going to come down, get together and go."

 

This is a once-in-a-lifetime event.

 

"Everybody has been talking about it," said Chuck Burress, Galax Gazette editor.

 

A DJ will spin, food will be served, games will be staged, young children will be entertained, canned goods for the hungry will be gathered, fellowship will be had.

 

Chad Wright, Grayson County's athletic director, has been charged with planning today's goings-on. He expects a crowd of 5,000 to 6,000. Grayson County, according to the 2010 Census, has a population of 15,533; Galax 7,042. The town of Independence: 947.

 

For the entertainment of the masses, they're also planning a high school football game.

 

The game

 

Host Grayson County is the traditional Group A Mountain Empire power that charismatic coach Brett McPherson has led from hard times (0-10 when this year's seniors were freshmen) to prosperity.

 

The Blue Devils have a gifted sophomore quarterback in Max Rodgers, who's kin on his mother's side to former Major Leaguer Benito Santiago. Grayson also has a great mix of country-strong linemen and blinding speed. Back Xavier Rodriguez once attended Galax.

 

The Maroon Tide of Galax, which won the Division 1 state basketball title for the first time last spring and is coming off its fourth state golf title in the last seven years a couple of weeks ago, is hotter than a street dragster running low on antifreeze, athletically speaking. Galax has pounded teams in football this year with its former National Football League lineman Mark Dixon as the brilliant young head coach, assistants with combined experience of a century or more, and a pile of athletes with state championship pedigree.

 

Both teams are a never-before 9-0 when facing each other. Both lead their divisional (1 for Galax, 2 for Grayson County overall) power ratings in Region C. Grayson County comes in at No. 4 in AP's state poll, Galax is No. 5.

 

Grayson had been top-ranked until a tight 41-40 win over Fort Chiswell in Game 8.

 

A scheduling quirk set in motion when the Mountain Empire District expanded by adding Graham this year has added to the immensity. Nutty as it seems, Galax and Grayson County have never met in the season's last game.

 

"And whoever's idea it was to put this game where it belongs, on the final week of the regular season," wrote veteran Gazette columnist Craig Worrell this week, " ... should at least get an arm's length worth of free tickets for the 50-50 drawing."

 

The planners

 

Wright has been working on contingency plans the past two weeks. So have the police, sheriff's department and the volunteer fire department, which will help with parking. If Wright is nervous about all this, he doesn't sound it.

 

"We've done everything we can to make this thing run smoothly as possible," he said, adding he expects a box office bonanza in the five figures.

 

"I think Chad's done a great job," said Stoneman, Wright's Galax counterpart. "He's got his plan laid out; everything's going to be fine. Financially, I wish we had his problems at Galax."

 

Extra bleachers have been brought in from the recreation park outside town. Shuttle buses from satellite parking areas will run.

 

"We ask that folks just be patient with us as we get everybody parked," Capt. Adams said.

 

The rivalry

 

"This is bragging rights," said Jerry Reynolds, who played for the great Kenny Alderman-coached Galax teams of the mid-1980s.

 

This is also the championship of the floor at Nautilus, the offices of Vaughan Furniture, the loading dock at the Christmas tree farm at harvest time. These people work together, go to church together, chat with each other at the store. They've played ball with and against each other, their fathers and grandfathers, mothers and grandmothers, too.

 

Mountvale Methodist in Fairview has athletes and partisans of both schools in the congregation. The youth group is sponsoring the canned food drive — bring one with you when you come to the game. We are reminded that even as both communities are being remade before our eyes into prosperous 21st-century localities, elsewhere in the twin counties of Grayson and Carroll is poverty of which many can't conceive.

 

These are good people here in this city and county, good as gold. They raise good children, too.

 

As for the nastiness found in some rivalries:

 

"We don't worry about our players that way at all," said Dixon, the second-year coach who patterns his plan after his college coach at the University of Virginia, the now-retired George Welsh. "Grayson's players either. These are good kids."

 

Less than a week earlier, McPherson said almost the same thing verbatim.

 

"These are friends," Galax quarterback Austin Pack said. "After this week, we'll be rooting hard for them in the playoffs."

 

Dan Shaw, Grayson County center: "We're friends and it's respectful off the field. On the field, it's a little different."

 

The coaches

 

Dixon and McPherson have been given much credit for all this good football and rightfully so, but the influence of an older generation is here, too.

 

The game is going to be played at Bill Strong Field, named for the former Blue Devils coach who turned old Independence then Grayson County into a district power. He's coaching at Ashe County High School in North Carolina now but still lives in Independence. His team is in the playoffs now, but he'll monitor what's going on across the border.

 

Over at Galax, when Dixon was appointed football coach two years ago, he went to basketball coach Verl Brown (Dixon is his assistant coach), decades an assistant football coach, and asked who besides him would make up a good football staff.

 

On board came former Tide head coach Kim Gillespie. Also John Patterson, 33 years a multi-sport coach at old Fries and Galax. He's won basketball and tennis state championships at Galax.

 

Patterson and Strong used to live together.

 

"And managed to survive," Strong said.

 

Larry Spangler, 69, the longtime Tide baseball coach and assistant football coach, signed on. Jeff Combs and Patrick Buckner had been around Galax athletics since the 80s.

 

"Keeps us young," Spangler said.

 

Game time

 

There's an old blues song, guy moaning and groaning about his fate.

 

"I want to play a game the good guys win," the song goes.

 

Such a game will be played at 7:30p.m. tonight at Grayson County. Get there early. You'll only see this show once.

 

Is this not a great article about a great final season game! Wish I could be there to watch...but will be at the Clintwood-Gate City game...anyone going to this great battle between Galax and Grayson County??

[bugsbunny 12]

That was a great article! I am going to watch Battle try to get into the playoffs for the first time since 1998. If not for that, I would be right there in Independence tonight. Sounds like it will be a great game.

[Unchained 587]

Watching WARRIORS-Raiders tonight,but were I not I'd be there. My mom lives in Hillsville-bet she'll hear the rumblin' :)

[UNIONFAN 10]

I hope the Warriors win tonight!