Honakers Football Stadium

[Stelley]

Curious as to see if the tigers get to play at home this season. Their stadium did not pass a VHSL safety check and it will cost almost a half a million dollars to repair the turf

[jeffro]

Hmmm if they can’t play there, wonder if they’ll donate bleachers to Graham 

[Gridiron60]

2 hours ago, Stelley said:

Curious as to see if the tigers get to play at home this season. Their stadium did not pass a VHSL safety check and it will cost almost a half a million dollars to repair the turf

I wouldn’t be surprised if Jordan Stout pitched in to help cover some of the cost if he’s asked. 

[1inStripes]

Hes a punter, not a QB and not really in a tax friendly state at that.

[Gridiron60]

2 hours ago, 1inStripes said:

Hes a punter, not a QB and not really in a tax friendly state at that.

A 3 million dollar  signing bonus  , he could manage a little bit 😂 but yes, your point is valid. 

[SXSW]

I am sure the combination of Bowerbank, Miller and Stout could handle the repair bill.

[VHSLhelper]

I read two weeks ago that the RCSB had authorized $416,000 for repairs.

[Gridiron60]

14 minutes ago, VHSLhelper said:

I read two weeks ago that the RCSB had authorized $416,000 for repairs.

 Well, a school board that actually cares enough to make the kids get to play home games at their own stadium. 

[CPF]

32 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

 Well, a school board that actually cares enough to make the kids get to play home games at their own stadium. 

It's not the school board. Lol

[Gridiron60]

8 minutes ago, CPF said:

It's not the school board. Lol

I think there’s plenty of blame to go around.  

[Real Sasquatch]

On 4/19/2026 at 3:28 PM, jeffro said:

Hmmm if they can’t play there, wonder if they’ll donate bleachers to Graham 

We were asked to take down our umbrellas at Graham's field last year and told by the administrator that umbrellas were not allowed in the "stadium".  Of course, our reply was - "I don't see a stadium".....

[Real Sasquatch]

30 minutes ago, CPF said:

It's not the school board. Lol

 

21 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

I think there’s plenty of blame to go around.  

Until the good citizens of Bluefield Virginia get out their pitchforks and torches, not much is going to happen.  Bluefield, VA residents are the most passive people on earth, I believe.  I think it will get done, but just like everything else in Tazewell County, it will move at the pace of a disabled sloth.  (See - Project Jonah and the Bluestone Industrial Park....and many more "projects").  I am hoping that after the restroom renovations at Tazewell and Graham High Schools, early in the summer (from what I hear) - something might happen at GHS .  Some lights and visitors bleachers would be a good start.  Followed by a Grandstand - They can make due with restrooms and concessions in the existing buildings for now (At least, that's what I would try to do).  It wouldn't hurt to open up the gyms behind the school for concessions and restrooms during games and have the gyms blocked off...  The smaller concession near the field could be opened up too.

On a side note - why doesn't Graham and Tazewell play Honaker in more sports?  they bring a good crowd and they are pretty competitive in just about every sport.  I would schedule those guys, if I could in several sports.  They also bring a lot of fans and would generate some good gates.

[Gridiron60]

1 hour ago, Real Sasquatch said:

 

Until the good citizens of Bluefield Virginia get out their pitchforks and torches, not much is going to happen.  Bluefield, VA residents are the most passive people on earth, I believe.  I think it will get done, but just like everything else in Tazewell County, it will move at the pace of a disabled sloth.  (See - Project Jonah and the Bluestone Industrial Park....and many more "projects").  I am hoping that after the restroom renovations at Tazewell and Graham High Schools, early in the summer (from what I hear) - something might happen at GHS .  Some lights and visitors bleachers would be a good start.  Followed by a Grandstand - They can make due with restrooms and concessions in the existing buildings for now (At least, that's what I would try to do).  It wouldn't hurt to open up the gyms behind the school for concessions and restrooms during games and have the gyms blocked off...  The smaller concession near the field could be opened up too.

On a side note - why doesn't Graham and Tazewell play Honaker in more sports?  they bring a good crowd and they are pretty competitive in just about every sport.  I would schedule those guys, if I could in several sports.  They also bring a lot of fans and would generate some good gates.

I thought the TCSB or Chris Stacy nixed playing against Honaker but I can’t recall the reason maybe Aaron Lowe situation. I swear I read on this board somewhere. 

[Real Sasquatch]

17 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

I thought the TCSB or Chris Stacy playing against Honaker but I can’t recall the reason maybe Aaron Lowe situation. I swear I read on this board somewhere. 

Maybe.  I think I heard something similar.  I would still play them in other sports.

[tornado99]

16 minutes ago, Real Sasquatch said:

Maybe.  I think I heard something similar.  I would still play them in other sports.

 

35 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

I thought the TCSB or Chris Stacy nixed playing against Honaker but I can’t recall the reason maybe Aaron Lowe situation. I swear I read on this board somewhere. 

I think this may be specific to Richlands. That said, Honaker could probably, and often did play Tazewell and compete with them in football and basketball. I don’t recall baseball. That said with the revenue sports, especially football, Graham is a stretch. 
When thinking of the Aaron Lowe situation, I think the biggest issue wasn’t with Aaron himself, but the number of kids that immediately transferred from Richlands to Honaker particularly in the classes around Parker Lowe. I can’t speak to the entire class, but I believe it is safe to say that the moves took a big chunk of talent from Richlands, especially Parker Lowe. (You can’t blame him for obvious reasons. Reportedly, for similar reasons some of the transfers were related to other problems real or perceived with TCS administration.) Regardless of what you believe or what is right, I think they made the rational decision not to play based upon Richlands having nothing to gain, and more to lose than Honaker by playing. Part of the benefit of playing for Honaker is that greater potential of being a standout and winning more games by competing in Class 1 and avoiding the Class 2 tougher competition, such as Graham. Again, much like Richlands, for the same reason Graham formerly refused to play down during the Carlock years, there’s little for them to gain as well.

[Gridiron60]

18 minutes ago, tornado99 said:

 

I think this may be specific to Richlands. That said, Honaker could probably, and often did play Tazewell and compete with them in football and basketball. I don’t recall baseball. That said with the revenue sports, especially football, Graham is a stretch. 
When thinking of the Aaron Lowe situation, I think the biggest issue wasn’t with Aaron himself, but the number of kids that immediately transferred from Richlands to Honaker particularly in the classes around Parker Lowe. I can’t speak to the entire class, but I believe it is safe to say that the moves took a big chunk of talent from Richlands, especially Parker Lowe. (You can’t blame him for obvious reasons. Reportedly, for similar reasons some of the transfers were related to other problems real or perceived with TCS administration.) Regardless of what you believe or what is right, I think they made the rational decision not to play based upon Richlands having nothing to gain, and more to lose than Honaker by playing. Part of the benefit of playing for Honaker is that greater potential of being a standout and winning more games by competing in Class 1 and avoiding the Class 2 tougher competition, such as Graham. Again, much like Richlands, for the same reason Graham formerly refused to play down during the Carlock years, there’s little for them to gain as well.

I’m pretty sure Graham and Tazewell were told by powers that be that they couldn’t participate in Honaker’s 7 on 7s. I know Graham would never likely schedule them regular season but they did participate in the 7 on 7s Honaker hosted and then they didn’t. I could be wrong but I swear someone said that. 

[tornado99]

59 minutes ago, Gridiron60 said:

I’m pretty sure Graham and Tazewell were told by powers that be that they couldn’t participate in Honaker’s 7 on 7s. I know Graham would never likely schedule them regular season but they did participate in the 7 on 7s Honaker hosted and then they didn’t. I could be wrong but I swear someone said that. 

I did not know that. I don’t know why it surprises me. I never knew the reason, but I distinctly remember we played no Russell County teams when I was in high school and I thought it was strange. I think it only changed when Lebanon re-entered the SWD and then later EMATS sponsored the Clinch River Classic.

[cityofRaven]

12 hours ago, tornado99 said:

I did not know that. I don’t know why it surprises me. I never knew the reason, but I distinctly remember we played no Russell County teams when I was in high school and I thought it was strange. I think it only changed when Lebanon re-entered the SWD and then later EMATS sponsored the Clinch River Classic.

The reason you guys didn't play any Russell County teams in the late 90's was an apparent fight during a Richlands/Lebanon game in the early 90's. It wasn't until 2003 when both Lebanon and Honaker found their way back on our football schedule, Honaker in a preseason tilt then.

[tornado99]

I thought I had heard something like that before. Thanks for the response.

[Bulldogs52]

On 4/20/2026 at 7:51 PM, Real Sasquatch said:

 

Until the good citizens of Bluefield Virginia get out their pitchforks and torches, not much is going to happen.  Bluefield, VA residents are the most passive people on earth, I believe.  I think it will get done, but just like everything else in Tazewell County, it will move at the pace of a disabled sloth.  (See - Project Jonah and the Bluestone Industrial Park....and many more "projects").  I am hoping that after the restroom renovations at Tazewell and Graham High Schools, early in the summer (from what I hear) - something might happen at GHS .  Some lights and visitors bleachers would be a good start.  Followed by a Grandstand - They can make due with restrooms and concessions in the existing buildings for now (At least, that's what I would try to do).  It wouldn't hurt to open up the gyms behind the school for concessions and restrooms during games and have the gyms blocked off...  The smaller concession near the field could be opened up too.

On a side note - why doesn't Graham and Tazewell play Honaker in more sports?  they bring a good crowd and they are pretty competitive in just about every sport.  I would schedule those guys, if I could in several sports.  They also bring a lot of fans and would generate some good gates.

I recall a couple brawls during soccer games could be part of it.