No surprise, Beaver state title story of the year.

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The BDT sports story of the year is Bluefield's run to the state title.

 

http://www.bdtonline.com/articles/2004/12/31/sports/01.top%2010.txt

 

Bluefield's perfect gridiron season tops '04 sports stories

Posted: Thursday, Dec 30, 2004 - 11:38:40 pm EST

By BOB REDD

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

 

BLUEFIELD - A year can bring much excitement, joy, pain and disappointment to those involved in the world of sports. In 2004 there were many bright moments involving sports teams and individuals in Four Seasons Country.

 

Listed are the Top 10 local sports stories of the year voted and compiled by the Daily Telegraph sports staff.

 

No. 1 - Bluefield wins championship

 

After finishing as runners-up in 2002 and 2003, the Bluefield Beavers romped through their regular season schedule undefeated and marched to a 69-24 victory over the Wayne Pioneers in the championship game in Wheeling, finishing the year a perfect 14-0.

 

The Beavers set a school scoring record, averaging more than 42 points per game behind All-State quarterback Rusty Coeburn and All-State receiver Michael Davis. Coeburn passed for more than 2,000 yards, a BHS record, and Davis hauled in catches for more than 1,000 yards, also a school record.

 

Defensively, the Beavers were led by All-State linebacker Daniel Wells and second-team All-State performers Ryan Albert and David Perdue.

 

Lucas Stone was a first team All-State kicker for the third consecutive year and set a state championship game record with a 41-yard field goal.

 

No. 2 - Virginia Tech wins ACC championship

 

Picked by experts to finish as low as eighth, Virginia Tech in its first year as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference shook off a 2-2 start to finish the season 10-2 and to claim the football championship of the ACC.

 

After falling to No. 1 Southern California and losing two games later to North Carolina State, the Hokies reeled off victories against ranked opponents West Virginia, Virginia and Miami to wear the ACC crown and earn a berth in the Sugar Bowl against undefeated and third-ranked Auburn.

 

Senior quarterback Bryan Randall was named ACC Player of the Year and Frank Beamer was tabbed as Coach of the Year.

 

No. 3 - Tazewell turnaround

 

One of the most remarkable turnarounds not only in Four Seasons Country but in the state of Virginia involved the Tazewell Bulldog football program.

 

Under the guidance of first-year THS coach Bobby Wyatt, the Bulldogs rebounded from a 1-9 campaign in 2003 to finish the 2004 season 9-4, one game shy of the Virginia Division 3 state championship game.

 

Relying on a strong running game led by J.R. Wilson, Tazewell defeated rival Graham twice, once in the playoffs, before falling to eventual Division 3 champion Gretna in the semifinals.

 

No. 4 - MCA girls return to action

 

The 2002-03 season did not pan out for the defending Class A champion Mercer Christian Academy girls basketball team. Facing dwindling numbers, the team was disbanded and the school was unable to defend its championship.

 

MCA returned to action in the 2003-04 season and let Class A schools in West Virginia know that they were back, ready to roll. Behind first team All-State players Brittany Cook and Scarlett Steele, the Lady Cavaliers advanced to the state championship game, falling just short of a ninth state title.

 

No. 5 - Richlands' football run

 

The Richlands Blue Tornado reeled off 12 consecutive wins after a season-opening overtime loss, won the Southwest District championship and advanced to the Virginia Division 4 semifinals, ending one game short of the state title contest.

 

Senior running back Cain Ringstaff led a powerful Richlands offense, and the defense was renowned statewide for its staunch play.

 

No. 6 - Ramblin' Rams on the national scene

 

For the second time in three seasons Coach Tommy Brown's Bluefield College Rams advanced to the NAIA Division II national playoffs.

 

Playing an up-tempo, fast breaking style of basketball, BC rambled through the Appalachian Athletic Conference, winning both the regular season and tournament championship.

 

No. 7 - Jones in charge at BSC

 

After leading the Graham G-Men to the state basketball tournament the past two seasons, Don "Wee-Cee" Jones was named head basketball coach at his alma mater, Bluefield State College.

 

Jones, a former Bluefield High standout, played at BSC in the early 1980s.

 

No. 8 - Bradshaw thundering for Herd

 

Ahmad Bradshaw, former Graham High star running back, enrolled at Marshall University and played a significant role in helping the Thundering Herd land a berth in the Fort Worth Bowl.

 

Originally committed to the University of Virginia, Bradshaw left Charlottesville after a legal situation and enrolled at Marshall where, as a true freshmen, was second on the team in rushing.

 

No. 9 - Passing of coaching legends

 

Bluefield lost two great coaching legends in 2004. John Chmara, head football coach at Bluefield High School from 1968 to 1984 and Elhanier Willis, coach of all sports at the old Park Central High and basketball coach at Bluefield High School passed in 2004.

 

The playing surface of Mitchell Stadium was named in honor of Chmara in October.

 

No. 10 - WVU lands Gator Bowl bid

 

Expectations for the West Virginia football team were high this season, hopes set on a BCS bowl. But a late-season swoon left the Mountaineers tied for the Big East championship and a trip to Jacksonville for a second straight season.

 

The Mountaineers will face former WVU coach Bobby Bowden and the Florida State Seminoles on New Year's Day in the Gator Bowl.

 

Honorable mention

 

Prep basketball teams from Four Seasons Country earned trips to various postseason locales in 2004. The Bluefield High School squad, with Ernie Gilliard in his first year at the helm, finished 20-5 and reached the Class AA semifinal game in Charleston.

 

The Mercer Christian boys reached the state tourney for the second straight year, and landed senior Ben Shrader on the all-tournament team.

 

Graham's G-Men claimed the Southwest District championship and bowed out with a two-point loss in the Region IV semifinals, finishing 21-5.

 

On the college level, Lewis Muse, in his first season at Concord College (now University), led NCAA Division II in scoring in 2003-4, averaging 28.5 points per game while taking nearly 500 shots and hitting 62.1 percent of them. Muse made the Daktronics All-America first team.

 

Heath Miller of Swords Creek, Va., the starting tight end for the University of Virginia, was named on Dec. 9 to receive the John Mackey Award as the best collegian at his position. His 20 career collegiate touchdowns is the best in ACC history for a tight end.

[bluefieldRocks 14]

I agree with that 100%