Honaker at John Battle

[ThomasDenton 79]

HONAKER ... AGAIN For second straight year, Tigers put 1st blemish on John Battle’s season


Posted: Saturday, October 5, 2013 1:06 am | Updated: 3:19 am, Sat Oct 5, 2013.

Johnny Wilson | Sports Correspondent




BRISTOL, Va. – Doug Hubbard has seemingly been in charge of the football program at Honaker since the beginning of time, and Friday night the 32-year veteran went old school to knock down homestanding John Battle.

In a battle of unbeatens, Honaker controlled the clock and the line of scrimmage, running for 316 yards and holding on for dear life in a 26-24 non-district victory over the Trojans.

“We felt like coming in that if we had an advantage anywhere it was with our power running game,†Hubbard said. “But I didn’t realize we would be this effective.

“One of the things we’ve always tried to do since I’ve been here is run the football. You’ve got to run it to win, in my opinion.â€

Austin Smith was Honaker’s workhorse out of the power-I, following blocks of running back Shey Bunn and senior tackle Chandler Miller and company to bull for 203 yards and three touchdowns on a whopping 31 carries.

The Trojans (5-1) had no answer defensively, as Honaker (5-0) ran 65 plays to Battle’s 42.

“They’ve got a big offensive line that comes off the ball and they are well coached,†said Battle coach Steve Wright. “We just weren’t able to get ’em stopped.â€

A 5-foot-9, 187-pound junior, Smith was tremendously effective in the second half, lugging it 20 times for 136 yards as Honaker rallied from a 10-6 halftime deficit.

“Our strength and conditioning coach [John Dye] pounded us all summer and he knew what we needed to do for games like this,†said Smith, who was celebrating his 18th birthday.

“Tonight once we saw that we could run it, we just kept on and kept on. The way the offensive line was blocking I felt we could run it on them all night.â€

However, it was all Honaker could do to deal with Battle’s big-play abilities, and it wasn’t until Casey Dye intercepted a Logan Honaker pass at the Tiger 30 with 30 seconds to play that the outcome was sealed.

Honaker had taken its 26-24 lead when Smith scored from the 1-foot line on fourth and goal with 1:58 left in the game, culminating an 11-play drive that covered 54 yards.

“When we missed that last extra-point kick I figured they would get down there and kick a field goal and beat us by one,†Hubbard said. “But time was a factor and that all but eliminated their running threat and forced them to pass.

“We were able to get a little pressure on their quarterback and we finally were able to make a play.â€

Honaker began to recover from a 10-0 deficit when Dye turned in another big play for the Tigers, scrambling for a 33-yard touchdown run on fourth and 11 with 7:04 left in the second quarter.

“Big play right there,†Hubbard said.

The Tigers gained their first lead by moving 77 yards in 16 plays, with Smith scoring from the 4 with 2:34 left in the third period. A 26-yard pass from Dye to a diving Casey Harmon was a big play of that drive.

Battle responded by driving 62 yards in 13 plays to take a 17-13 edge with 9:58 left in the game, scoring on a 6-yard pass from Honaker to Josh Matney.

Matney carried the Trojans offensively, also scoring on dazzling 65-yard run in the first half and then later on a 70-yard catch-and-run of a Honaker pass.

“They are scary with their speed,†Hubbard said.

Every time Battle would regain its advantage, Honaker would return the favor with a drive of its own.

“I felt like Honaker blocked and tackled better than we did tonight,†Wright said. “Usually the team that blocks and tackles the best wins the football game.â€

Down 17-13, the Tigers drove 62 yards on the shoulders of Smith, who scored from the 5 with seven minutes remaining to give Honaker a 20-17 lead.

One play later, Matney hauled in a 30-yard pass from Honaker, cut back and finished his 70-yard TD reception to lift Battle back out front at 24-20 with 6:38 to play.

That left plenty of time for Honaker to hook its wagon to Smith and find the end zone one more time. Smith began the Tigers’ final drive with back-to-back 12-yard runs between the tackles.

“We hope this makes a statement for us,†Smith said. “A lot of people have underestimated us since we lost a lot of people from last year, so hopefully this proves how good we can be again.â€

Honaker, which finished as the state runner-up a year ago in Group A, Division 1, finished with 368 total yards of offense to John Battle’s 282.


http://www.tricities.com/sports/article_dc9b57ac-2d7b-11e3-bdc2-001a4bcf6878.html                       
 

[ThomasDenton 79]

The game last night rivals the Richlands/Union game for the game of the year so far in SWVA IMO. My only complaint is that Honaker waited until the pre game prayer was started to run through the sign... And the band played during the moment of silence. It was so well timed that I'm fairly certain it was planned. Other than that, hats off to Honaker. A Battle- Richlsnds game would be fun to see. Wright and Mance have a good relationship and I wouldn't be surprised if this became a regular season game in a few years.

I don't really think it was on purpose. I believe it was just really poor timing. The girl that does the prayer doesn't speak very loudly (sometimes I even have some trouble understanding what she's saying and I'm up on the press box) and Honaker, down in the corner of the endzone, was getting ready to run out as our team had just done. Imagine you're in that huddle, getting pumped and ready to run out and the fans and band are eagerly waiting on your cue, you probably wouldn't be paying attention to what was being said on the PA.

 

Anyway, it really was a great game. Battle had a 10 point lead in the first quarter and that was by far the biggest lead of the night (every other lead was by 3 or 4 until Honaker got the final lead by 2). Especially in the second half, it was like these two teams were going tit for tat, one would make some plays and score, then the other would respond. Honaker just came out as the stronger team last night. Also, it was a pretty good crowd too. Took me over half an hour to get off Battle Hill, lol.

[biggreen 11]

I don't really think it was on purpose. I believe it was just really poor timing. The girl that does the prayer doesn't speak very loudly (sometimes I even have some trouble understanding what she's saying and I'm up on the press box) and Honaker, down in the corner of the endzone, was getting ready to run out as our team had just done. Imagine you're in that huddle, getting pumped and ready to run out and the fans and band are eagerly waiting on your cue, you probably wouldn't be paying attention to what was being said on the PA.

 

Anyway, it really was a great game. Battle had a 10 point lead in the first quarter and that was by far the biggest lead of the night (every other lead was by 3 or 4 until Honaker got the final lead by 2). Especially in the second half, it was like these two teams were going tit for tat, one would make some plays and score, then the other would respond. Honaker just came out as the stronger team last night. Also, it was a pretty good crowd too. Took me over half an hour to get off Battle Hill, lol.

Agree with Thomas. Watched Hubbard coach for years and blatant disrespect such as run on the field during prayer is not his mantra. I felt at the time tht it happened that JSB was just as at fault than Honaker because we didn't give Honaker the time to run on the field before we started the prayer. Just don't believe that it was staged by Honaker.   All that aside. It was a great nail-biting game. one team had to lose. just hate that it was JSB.

[dshreeves 37]

I agree that Honaker running out during the prayer was just bad timing. Couldn't imagine Doug Hubbard letting that happen on purpose. Great game last night and both teams played with class as usual and as expected. I hated to see either team lose.

 

Honaker has a tough one again next week...

[battlechick 12]

Agree with Thomas. Watched Hubbard coach for years and blatant disrespect such as run on the field during prayer is not his mantra. I felt at the time tht it happened that JSB was just as at fault than Honaker because we didn't give Honaker the time to run on the field before we started the prayer. Just don't believe that it was staged by Honaker. All that aside. It was a great nail-biting game. one team had to lose. just hate that it was JSB.

I also think the same, its hard to hear any of the announcements down on the field house side of the stadium, so there is no way they heard it or I dont think they would have ran through until it was over. Great game, clean no disrepect between one another. I do wish we would have been able to get down there and kicked a field goal, but it just wasnt our night. With that being said lets get on with next week, "Bounce back Friday" lets go big green!!!! Good luck Honaker the rest of the season.

[TigerValley 22]

THANKS TO ALL THE BATTLE FANS WHO SPOKE OUT ABOUT HONAKER RUNNIN OUT DURING THE PRAYER.THAT WAS A HUGE MISTAKE THAT I HOPE IM NEVER SEE AGAIN.WE HEARD THE BOOS.WE FANS WERE KIND OF PUT IN A BAD SPOT,DO WE CHEER OUR BOYS OR SHOW THEM NO SUPPORT AND LET THEM RUN OUT IN SILENCE IN THE BIGGEST GAME SO FAR THIS YEAR.NOTHING BUT RESPECT FOR ALL BATTLE NATION Will SEE EVERONE IN HONAKER FOR ANOTHER GOOD ONE NEXT YEAR.GOOD LUCK BATTLE REST OF THE WAY!

[Bearcat Bob 491]

"...the bearcats haven't been relevant in SWVA football as long as I've been alive.    The best group I'd guess is the group in the late 80's with Lucky Daggs?"   

 

We were a very good football team in the late 70's to early 80's under Fred Fisher. Lee Wagner, Milton Franklin, Oakley Clay, Allen Helton, etc were all really good. Rat Chansler before that but back then, an 8-2 team seldom made the playoffs.

 

Can't say we have done much since then (at least on a consistent basis).

 

Hope not all VHS fans are lumped in with Jethro...he is just a little naïve and insolent.

[Jethro 113]

Exit 7 got knocked off their high horse this past week. I love it

[battlechick 12]

Exit 7 got knocked off their high horse this past week. I love it

Too bad you havent had the chance to get knocked off of something.......Have no fear though 2 wins is better than none:) have a great day!!

[Jethro 113]

Let me know when Battle plays Tennesee High and Richlands. Sorry we don't play the tiddle winks in Holston and Patrick Henry. Battle suffered it's 1st loss of a few more to come in the next few weeks. Union and Lee will beat Battle like a drum. The way Battle struggled agaisnt an awful Lebanon team, Gate City may throttle you considering they blew Lebanon out and wasn't down 14-7 at the half like the Trojans were.

[battlechick 12]

Jethro, the schedule thing is old...the above teams you have mentioned are not undefeated!!!! You forgot to thow Battle in there too, we beat yall........and look out dont you have Gate City this week? Bahahahahaha.......I got a new user name for.you J.J. short for Jealous Jethro:)

[Bearcat Bob 491]

There are just way too many distractions on homecoming week. That is why you should try to schedule a weaker opponent for that game. I know, you can't tell from one season to the next who is going to be stronger but I would try to schedule a historically weaker program for HC. And I know that many will say that playing a weaker team hurts in the long run. I say bull crap. These are teenagers and are easily distracted. I doubt it is as harmful by beating a cupcake than losing to a team you probably beat w/o all the distractions. Not taking anything away from Honaker. They may well have won this game at any point in the schedule. Next cycle, JSB should schedule the Little Sisters of the Poor for HC.

[ThomasDenton 79]

There are just way too many distractions on homecoming week. That is why you should try to schedule a weaker opponent for that game. I know, you can't tell from one season to the next who is going to be stronger but I would try to schedule a historically weaker program for HC. And I know that many will say that playing a weaker team hurts in the long run. I say bull crap. These are teenagers and are easily distracted. I doubt it is as harmful by beating a cupcake than losing to a team you probably beat w/o all the distractions. Not taking anything away from Honaker. They may well have won this game at any point in the schedule. Next cycle, JSB should schedule the Little Sisters of the Poor for HC.

We used to play PH and Holston about every year for HC. And when we played Holston, it seemed like we would lose to them at our HC and beat them at theirs. I've always thought it'd be better to play a tougher team on HC, but you do make a good point about there being too many distractions (though I don't really think HC distractions was the main cause of our loss this year, Honaker is just big and strong up front and that'll give any team an advantage). I still wouldn't schedule a cupcake team though...maybe a team that (you could predict) is about the same level or only slightly weaker. I think Honaker is about the same level as JSB, they just played better at the line of scrimmage that night and it could've gone either way. Win or lose, they made a great homecoming opponent. I still wish JSB could play VHS one year at our homecoming just for the excitement.

[Bearcat Bob 491]

In my day, we played JSB on our HC.