Dukes Defeat Orioles
By David Gravely

There is a long history in the rivalry between the Dublin Dukes and the Pulaski Orioles.  The first score that can be found is from 1944, when the Pulaski High School Orioles beat the Dublin High School Dukes 25-0.  In 1948, the Dukes fought their way to a 14-14 tie, and in 1949 the Dukes defeated the Orioles 7-0.  In 1953 Kenneth J. Dobson, the man whom our high school stadium is now named after, was the new head coach and backfield coach for the Dukes.  That rivalry continued Thursday in Dublin, with the Dukes earning a 36-12 victory over the visiting Orioles.

The Orioles took the opening kickoff and got to work at their own 15 yard line. Two bad shotgun snaps in a row sent the ball over the quarterbacks head, and on the second snap defensive end Austin Ellison brought down Pulaski quarterback Brandon Walters for a safety.  The Dukes took the ensuing kickoff to the Orioles 29 yard line, and with 4:40 left in the first quarter Dublin running back Malik Eaves caught a dump pass over the left middle and took it into the endzone from three yards out.  The two point conversion was no good, leaving the score at 8-0 Dublin.   Pulaski took the kickoff but after a strong Dublin defensive effort, the Orioles were forced to punt.  Dublin took over at their own 23 yard line, and with 1:06 left in the quarter Eaves cut back over the right side and headed 40 yards for his second score of the game.  The elusive back took the ball in himself for the two point conversion, giving the Dukes a 16-0 lead. 

The Orioles weren't ready to throw in the towel however, and with just seconds left in the first quarter Pulaski's Tyler Harrison took the pitch and headed 62 yards down field to flip the field position for Pulaski.  The Orioles were unable to take advantage of the opportunity, turning the ball over on downs, but the Pulaski defense stepped up and held the Dukes to short yardage and forced a punt.  During the punt, a Duke player stepped in front of the punter and the Orioles got the ball deep in Dublin territory.  With 1:09 left in the half, Walters flipped the ball to Harrison who was heading to the left.  Harrison stopped and threw the ball back across the field to Walters, who went six yards into the endzone for the first Pulaski score.  The two point run was no good, but the scoring was far from over.  On the kickoff, Eaves took the ball and after a couple of good blocks headed 73 yards for his second kickoff return score of the season.  Eaves again ran the two point conversion in himself, putting the score at 24-6 Dublin.  The Orioles got the ball back to their own 46 on the kickoff, and after trying a flea flicker the Dukes forced a fumble.  Hunter Neal picked the ball up for Dublin, and then Jake Callahan took it a few yards before being tackled and the half ended.

The second half started with a Pulaski onside kick attempt that was recovered by Mark Southern, giving the Dukes the ball at their own 38 yard line.  With 6:52 left in the third quarter, Eaves rambled 58 yards for his fourth touchdown of the game.  The two point attempt was no good, moving the score to 30-6 Dublin.  The Orioles again made a good return on the kickoff, moving the ball to their own 47 yard line.   Both teams moved the ball back and forth, but the Orioles were the team to strike next.  With 3:33 left in the third quarter Brandon Walters broke loose on the Dukes defense, cutting around and across the field before finally going 43 yards for the Pulaski score.  The two point conversion was again no good, putting the score at 30-12 Dublin.  The Dukes started moving the ball down the field, one of the big runs on the drive came from Elijah Booth for well over 40 yards before a Pulaski defender finally wrestled him to the ground.  With 1:05 left in the quarter Dublin's Jesse Draper took the ball into the endzone from 4 yards out to put the Dukes up 36-12 after the failed two point conversion.

The final quarter saw action from many of the reserve players, and while there was some strong running from each team, neither was able to put the ball into the endzone.  With the two teams gathered at midfield at the end of the game, the coaches pointed to a banner which had been hung in the far endzone that read "Orioles + Dukes = Cougars" and reminded them that the two groups of eighth graders would now become teammates.  Pulaski County Head Football Coach Todd Jones was in attendance at the game, and was impressed with what he saw from the two schools.  "It looks like we've got some hard working young men coming to us next year" said Jones.  "Their parents can be proud of their efforts tonight.  We are looking forward to getting to know them and working with them as Cougars".

The two teams will have one more chance to put on their jerseys, when they walk down the 63 steps of Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium on Friday, October 22 at the Pulaski vs Hidden Valley game to be recognized during rec league and middle school recognition night.  Players, cheerleaders, and certified coaches are to meet at the gate near the fieldhouse by 5:45 pm.

Rec League Football Roundup

Rec League Football Roundup
By David Gravely

The recreation football season is moving along, and several of our Pulaski County teams are continuing to do well against competition from around the area.  Congratulations to all of our teams on their success.  As I mentioned before, if you don't see your favorite rec league team mentioned in here, please let your head coach know to contact me at cougardave23@comcast.net.  We want to highlight all of our County teams, but we cant do it without your support.   Also, don't forget that next weeks Cougar home game is rec league recognition night.  All players and cheerleaders in jerseys, along with their certified coaches are requested to meet at the side gate near the fieldhouse by no later than 5:45, and those cheerleaders, players, and coaches will get free admission to the game.  Please contact Rod Reedy or Mark Hanks at Pulaski County High School if you have any questions.  Get out and support our Cougars as they face Hidden Valley.

Mite League

Panther Pride

The Panthers got a big win against the Christiansburg Blues by a score of 39-19.  Scoring for the Panthers,  Logan Burchett ran for five touchdowns and two extra point conversions. Burchett also threw a 59 yard touchdown pass to tight end Ryan Clark who out ran everyone down the right sideline. Burchett carried the pigskin 19 times for 330 yards. Tailback Simon Lytton ran 11 times for 92 yards, and also scored on an extra point conversion. The defense was anchored by defensive tackle Tristan (Moose) Bowden who recorded 3 sacks and a fumble recovery, and had 7 solo tackles.  Outside linebacker Davis Farmer had 5 tackles for a loss and caused the Christiansburg backfield trouble the entire game.   Eli Warden and R.J. Phillips recorded their first solo tackles of the year.   A.J. Bryson had two tackles for a loss and also caused a fumble. Defensive end Logan Burchett also got his first interception of the year late in the fourth quarter.

The Snowville Panthers earned their third win of the season in a real battle over the Pulaski Pirates. The Panther offense scored midway through the first quarter on a 26 yard run by quarterback Logan Burchett, but the extra point conversion failed, putting the Panthers up 6-0.  The Panthers and the Pirates played tough football the next three quarters, but both defenses held strong. The Panthers threatened again in the fourth quarter. but fumbled the ball on the Pirates 7 yard line. The young Panther defense played tough team football, making tackle after tackle with two or more defenders on the ball.  Playing much bigger than his 51 pounds was middle linebacker Ben Stike who made 6 tackles, cornerback Ryan Clark made three touchdown saving tackles to preserve the win for Snowville. Fullback Tristan Bowden carried the ball 7 times for 56 yards and several key first downs to help run the clock in the second half. Other players coming up big for Snowville were defensive tackle R.J. Phillips, outside linebacker Davis Farmer, and defensive ends A.J. Bryson  and Simon Lytton. The Panthers next game will be October 14 at Cool Springs at 6 p.m. against Auburn.  The Panthers coaching staff are very pleased with their young Panther team.  They only have 13 players, none of which have ever played football before this year, but it looks like they are learning fast. The Panthers will be in action again at cool springs on October 11^th.

Jets Playing Strong
The Dublin Jets are currently 3-1 on the season, with several big wins.  During their 36-0 win over the Auburn White team, Alex Parmalee caught a 50 yard touchdown pass from quarterback Peyton Blackburn, followed by the point after run by Christopher Shay.  Not happy with just a conversion, Shay ran the ball on his next carry for a 30 yard touchdown run, followed by the Blackburn conversion run.  Gage Mannon got the Jets on the board next, taking the ball on a reverse and going 20 yards for the score.  After a 30 yard run by Blackburn, Parmelee scored again on a two yard run, and then Shay added another touchdown with an 80 yard touchdown run, followed by the Blackburn conversion run.  Parmalee added his third touchdown of the game on a four yard run to finish out the Jets scoring. 

The Jets next faced the Auburn Blue team, winning again by a final score of 33-6.  Parmalee scored on a 50 yard pass from Blackburn early in the contest, and a two yard run later in the game.  Christopher Shay added two touchdowns on  40 yard and 70 yard scoring runs.  Blackburn scored one conversion point,  Zack Roark added a defensive score when he intercepted an Auburn pass and took it 30 yards for the score.  In both games Gage Mannon was the leading tackler, with 7 against the White team and 8 against the Blue team.  Blackburn and Hunter Williams had fumble recoveries, and Luke Russell ran an Auburn player down after a 60 yard gain to prevent a touchdown.  More information on the Jets will be available next week.

Junior League

Cowboys Continue To Roll

The Dublin Cowboys were in action on Oct. 5th against the Eastern Montgomery Mustangs.  The Cowboys took the field first on offense. On the the second play of the game Conner Martin took the handoff and ran 73 yards for a touchdown. Kellen Dalton ran in the conversion and the Cowboys lead 7-0. The Cowboys scored in the second quarter on a 55 yard run by Jaceri Eaves. Conner Martin ran in the conversion making the score 14-0. The Cowboys ended the first two quarters with a goal line stand to hold the score to 14-0 at half.  The Cowboys in the second half scored in the third quarter with a 45 yard run by Conner Martin.  Drew Mabry ran in the conversion to make the score 21-0.  The Cowboys scored in the 4th quarter on a 8 yard run by Drew Mabry. Cameron Scott ran in the conversion to make the score 28-0. Late in the 4th quarter the Cowboys scored on a 35 yard run by Jaceri Eaves. The conversion failed to make the score 34-0. The Cowboys played well on offense and defense. The victory made the Cowboys record to 4-1. The Head Coach praised the kids for their efforts.

 

Senior League
Chiefs Crush Bruins
The Dublin Chiefs took home an impressive 33-0 win over the visiting Blacksburg Bruins this past week.  Scoring in the game came early and often for the Chiefs.   Brandon Piland started things off with a 26 yard touchdown reception from Logan Smith.  Justin Shatto added a 40 yard touchdown reception from Smith later in the game, and Smith also added a 7 yard touchdown run for good measure.  Hunter Thomas led the rushing attack with touchdown runs of 32 yards and 45 yards, as well as three extra point conversion runs.  The win moves the Chiefs record to 2-1-1 on the season, and they were back in action Wednesday against the East Montgomery Mustangs at Randolph Park.  The Cheifs hit the road on Monday for a contest in Blacksburg at old Bill Brown Stadium.

County Rivalry Game Thursday

Orioles and Dukes To Play Thursday
By David Gravely

One team has found success on the scoreboard while one team has struggled, but all of that goes out the window this Thursday as the Dublin MIddle School Dukes play host to the Pulaski Middle School Orioles at Dublins Soldiers Field in the season finale for both teams.

Pulaski Middle School, led by Head Coach Donald "Littleman" Baylor, have found the going tough this season to say the least.  The Orioles are coming into the contest winless, but there have been sparks of life throughout the season.  Quarterback Brandon Walters has been able at times to move his offense, but it has seemed like there was a piece missing at times in their attack.  Defensively the Orioles are known as hard hitters who are quick to the ball, but in most games their length of time on the field has caused problems.

"Our kids have worked hard this season, and while we would love to have been able to win a few games the kids have never given up" said Coach Baylor.  "Our main goal has been to continue getting better each week, and I think we've done that.  I think the Orioles are going to send a good group of hard working kids to the high school for next season."

Dublin Middle School, led by Head Coach Richard Lewis, are coming into the game with a respectable 5-2 record.  The Dukes have been effective on offense, scoring 178 total points.  Several players have stood out for Dublin this season, but of those Malik Eaves has seemed to be the offensive "go to" guy.  Eaves comes into this weeks game with over 20 touchdowns.  The Dukes have won by large margins in some games, but have also had to come from behind in a few to get the win.  Defensively, the Dukes have also performed well with several goal line stands and numerous forced fumbles and interceptions.

"We don't have very many big kids, but we have had a good group of kids that have worked hard and played as a team" said Coach Lewis.  "I'm very proud of the way our team has battled throughout this season.  They ran hard, they hit hard, and they never quit.  We're all looking forward to seeing these young men move on to the next level at the high school."

For years, the Pulaski vs Dublin game has been the game that players from both teams have looked forward to the most.   Fans who may not come to any other game during the season find a way to make it out to this game.   This is the County rivalry game that has a history dating all the way back to the days of the old Pulaski High School and Dublin High School.   Unfortunately, at times there have also seemed to be some pretty intense bad feelings surrounding this rivalry.  From talking to current players, parents, and coaches....those times may be over.

Plans are currently being put together for a tailgate for players from both schools before the game against Hidden Valley next week.  Next week is also recreation league and middle school recognition night at the high school, and all players will be recognized prior to the game.  This season, for the first time ever, the middle school players are planning to walk down the steps side by side.....black and orange jersey beside blue and white.....as a sign of unity as they look forward to becoming team mates in the coming future.

One current player put it best when talking about the game.  "When we go out on the field or the court, we're going to play as hard as we can.  We want to win.  When all that's over with though, we'll shake hands and get ready.  We've worked all our lives for what's about to happen.  We are finally going to be Cougars, and that's all that matter."

Game time at Dublin's Soldiers Field is set for 5 pm on Thursday.

Dukes Pound Pioneers

By David Gravely

Dublin Middle School running back Malik Eaves took the opening kickoff of Thursday nights matchup between the Dublin Middle School Dukes and the Ft Chiswell Middle School Pioneers 83 yards for a touchdown, and the Dukes never looked back as they defeated the Pioneers 44-6 in Ft. Chiswell.

The opening kickoff return for a touchdown was a tone setter for the game, which was filled with big plays by the Dukes on both sides of the ball.  The two point conversion was no good for the opening score, but there would be many more to come.  After the Dukes kicked off to Ft Chiswell, the Pioneers looked like they were going to drive the ball down the field on Dublin, but a hard hit at the two yard line sent the ball to the ground, and Jake Callahan came out of the bottom of the pile with the ball to put Dublin back on offense.  Dublin put together a few first downs, and with 2:42 left in the first quarter Callahan finished what he started when he took the pigskin off the left side of the Dukes line and ran over and through several Pioneer defenders for a 22 yard touchdown run.  Eaves took the pitch from quarterback Jesse Draper to earn the two point conversion, putting the Dukes up 14-0.

Ft Chiswell had the ball to start the second quarter, but were denied and turned the ball over on downs on a fourth and short yardage situation.  Dublin took over the ball, and with two minutes left in the half Eaves dipped and ducked his way through the line before speeding down the hash marks for 32 yards and his second score of the game.  A two point conversion pass from Draper to Ryan Spangler was no good, leaving the score at 20-0 Dublin.  Ft Chiswell would have another possession in the second quarter, but the Dukes held them and the half ended.

The second half found the Dukes kicking off to the Pioneers, but the Callahan kickoff sailed out of bounds, giving Ft Chiswell the ball at the 35 yard line.  On the next play, another hard hit sent the ball bouncing again, and this time it was Eaves who recovered the fumble.  Dublin took the ball at the Pioneers 37 yard line, and two plays later with 5:44 left on the clock Eaves scored his third touchdown of the game on a 32 yard sprint.  Adam Lawson took the ball on a criss cross play and crossed the goal line for the two point conversion.  The Dukes defense held strong near the end of the third quarter, and the Dukes coaching staff began to send in the reserves up 28-0.

Seventh grader Kevin Smith came into the game at quarterback for the Dukes, but on his first drive the Pioneer defense held strong and Dublin was forced to punt.  On the Pioneers first possession of the fourth quarter, they finally broke the shutout at the 6:38 mark when Dallas Moore took the ball through the right side of the Dukes defense and into the endzone from 19 yards out.  The two point conversion attempt failed, putting the score at 28-6 Dublin.   Dublin took over the ball and Smith again began to march the offense down the field.  With the aid of strong runs from Darion Brown, Adam Lawson, Bren Stamper, and Jared Lucado the Dukes were able to effective keep the chains moving until Jared Lucado finally took the ball in from 2 yards out for another Dublin score.  Mark Southern ran the ball in for the two point conversion, giving the Dukes a 36-6 lead.  The final Dukes score came with 1:05 left on the clock when Darion Brown broke loose down the left sideline and went 50 yards to paydirt.  Southern took in the two point conversion again, putting the final score at 44-6 in favor of the Dukes.

The Dukes finish out their season on Thursday October 14th when they host the Pulaski Middle School Orioles.  Kickoff is set for 5:30 at Dublin Soldiers Field. 

Rec League Football Roundup

Rec League Football Roundup
By David Gravely

The leaves have finally started to change, the air is feeling cooler by the day, and the smell of burning leaves is in the air.  It finally feels and smells like football season!!  The Pulaski County recreation league football teams have continued their seasons this week, and despite the rain we saw many teams were able to get their games in.  As I wrote in last weeks article, if you would like to have the information about your team reported each week, feel free to contact me at cougardave23@comcast.net and I'll get you started.  Also, just a reminder that if you dont see your favorite teams information in this article each week, then feel free to remind your teams coach to contact me with those stats and scores so we can include them.

Mite League

Dublin Jets
The Dublin Jets are off to a fine start, with a solid 2-0 record.  The Jets started the season off with a 36-0 win over the Auburn Blue team, followed up by a 32-6 win over the Auburn White team.  The Jets go on the road Tuesday, with a game in Christiansburg at the high school.   Coach Ryan Blackburn will be reporting more stats and scored next week for the Jets.
Pulaski Giants
On October 2nd the Pulaski Pirates played the Christiansburg Gold team at Cool Springs in Pulaski.  Coach Dirk Compton reported that the Pirates played their best game of the season against the Gold team, with very few penalties and very good interior line play on defense.  The Pirates were able to move the ball well at times on offense, but werent able to score against an older and more experience Christiansburg team.  The Giants are showing improvement each game, however, and the coaches are looking for good things in the near future.  The Pirates next game is October 11th at Cool Springs against the Snowville Panthers.

Patriots
The Pulaski Patriots are apparently going into stealth mode, as the coaches have ask NOT to have their players names that score listed.  They did send in scores for the games they have played so far though.  The Pulaski Patriots lost in their first game to Christiansburg Gold 18-36, but then defeated the Christiansburg Navy team 18-0.   The only other score reported so far is from the Patriots game with the Radford Bobcats, as the Patriots won 13-6.  The Patriots will play again on Monday October 4 against the Snowville Panthers at Cool Springs in Pulaski.

Junior League

Cowboys Continue to Roll

The Dublin Cowboys faced the Radford Bobcats this past week.  The Cowboys took the opening possession of the half and drove 80 yards for a touchdown, with the score coming when tailback #21 Conner Martin took the ball on a sweep to the left for 30 yards. Quarterback #9 Kellen Dalton took the snap from the shotgun formation and ran around the left end to score the conversion to give the Cowboys a 7-0 lead. The Cowboys defense stopped radford and, got the ball back, and the Cowboys offense drove down the field again behind the running of #24 Lucas Boitnott, #2 Jaceri Eaves, and #21 Conner Martin.  The Cowboys scored on a 3 yard run  by #3 Drew Mabry.  The conversion failed, leaving the score 13-0. Radford scored in the second quarter to move the score to13-6. The Cowboys defense held on a goaline stand just before half. halftime, and the second half began with the cowboys defense stopping Radford on 4 plays.  The stops were lead by #53 Joe Reynolds, #65 Brody Fields, #62 Brock Draper, and #10 Noah O'dell who all made big tackles.  The Cowboys offense controled the ball for much of the second half, scoring another touchdown late in the third quarter as #3 Drew Mabry ran in his second touchdown from 30 yards out. The conversion failed Cowboys, leaving the score 19-6. Radford was able to score late in the fourth to make the score 19-14 with 40 seconds to go. The Cowboys offense took a knee and ran out the clock to preserve the victory.

The Cowboys improved their record to 3-1 with a victory over the Snowville Panthers 19-0 on Saturday.   The Cowboys started the game on defense and on the third play of the game Snowville fumbled and it was recovered by #3 Drew Mabry of the Cowboys on the panthers 25 yard line. The Cowboys #2 Jaceri Eaves took the hand off to the right for four yardsto start the drive, and then #21 Conner Martin took a pitch to the left and ran for 19 yards to the two yard line. On the third play #3 Drew Mabry took the hand off and scored the game's first touchdown. The conversion failed Cowboys, leaving the score at 6-0. The Cowboys and Panthers exchanged several possessions in the rest of the first half, but neither could score.   The Cowboys started the second half on offense, and were able to put together an 80 yard drive  for a touchdown. The drive had several good runs by #2 Jaceri Eaves, #21 Conner Martin, and #3 Drew Mabry. The drive was capped off on a1 yard run by #9 quarterback Kellen Dalton. The conversion failed, leaving the score 12-0.  Head coach Troy Dalton credits the long drive to his offensive line, which includes  #65 Brody Fields, #53 Joe Reynolds, #20 Kelly Dalton, #82 Chandler Dunnigan, #62 Brock Draper, #52 Austin Clyburn, and #14 Nathan Asbury. The Cowboys scored in the 4th quarter on a 40 yard run by #2 Jaceri Eaves and #21 Conner Martin ran in the conversion to make the score Cowboys 19 Panthers 0. Coach Dalton noted that  the defense played extremely well. #62 Brock Draper had 9 tackles #5 Austin Gallimore had 7 tackles.  The Cowboys go back into action on Tuesday October 5th at Randolph Park against Eastern Montgomery.

Senior League

Dublin Chiefs

The Dublin Chiefs are currently 1-1-1 on the season.  They tied their first game of the year with Radford 12-12, and then defeated the Christiansburg Navy team 13-6 at Randolph Park.  On Saturday the Chiefs lost a tough game to Radford 12-7.  Hunter Thomas has scored twice so far this season for the Chiefs, with one rushing and one recieving touchdown.  Dante Brown has rushed for one touchdown, while Brandon Piland has one touchdown catch.  Logan Smith has rushed for one touchdown, passed for a touchdown, and scored two extra points on the ground for Dublin.  Randy Brunk finishes up the scoring for Dublin with a passing touchdown.   The defensive line, made up of Drew Allen, Josh Holbrook, Michael Seagle and Brandon Tickle are playing very well.   Defensive ends Gage Levine and Logan Smith are playing well, and Piland is also doing a fine job punting for the Chiefs.  Dublins next game at Blacksburg on Tuesday at 7:15.

Dukes Crush Cavaliers

Dukes Crush Cavaliers
By David Gravely

The Dublin Dukes football team traveled to Carroll County Monday night to face the Cavaliers, and after allowing an early Carroll County score the Dukes roared to life and took over the game, finishing strong with a 36-22 win.  The win moves the Dukes record to 4-2 on the season.

In the first possession of the game the Carroll County Cavaliers were able to drive the ball the length of the field and put the first score of the game on the board, but two point conversion was stopped.  On the first play after the kickoff, Dublin quarterback Jesse Draper handed off to running back Malik Eaves, who took the ball to the right and headed 73 yards for the Dukes touchdown.   Draper passed the ball to fullback Jake Callahan for a successful two point conversion, putting the score at 8-6 in favor of the Dukes.   After the Dublin defense held the Cavaliers and forced a punt, the Dukes offense went back to work with a short field.  Callahan put the Dukes close with an 18 yard run, and then with 36 seconds left in the first quarter Eaves scored his second touchdown of the game on a 20 yard dash to paydirt.  Elijah Booth ran the ball in for the two point conversion, and the Dukes were ahead 16-6.

The second quarter found the Cavaliers showing signs of life again, and on fourth and eight yards to go, the Cavs faked a punt and ran 40 yards for a first down.  On the very next play, Draper came in from his defensive end spot and sacked the Cavalier quarterback, forcing a fumble which he then recovered to put the Dukes back on offense.  With time running down in the second half, the Dukes began to move the ball again.  With 2:21 left in the first half, Draper dropped back and threw a 32 yard pass to Eaves, who then ducked and weaved his way into the endzone.  Another two point conversion pass from Eaves to Callahan put the score at 24-6 in favor of the Dukes, but they weren't ready to call it a half just yet.  Carroll County took over the ball again, but a hard hit by Austin Ellison knocked the ball loose and Hunter Neal was quick to pounce on it to give Dublin the ball back again at their own 42 yard line.  A quick pass from Draper to Levi Clark moved the ball to around the 25 yard line, and then as time expired off the clock Eaves fired to Clark again, who fought through defenders to catch the ball, then pulled two defenders into the endzone for the Dublin score.  Unfortunately for the Dukes, the play was called back for an illegal man downfield, and the half ended.

The Dukes received the ball to start the second half, but a fumble turned possession over to the Cavaliers.  The Dublin defense held strong, forcing the Cavaliers to punt.  While driving the ball, a pass from Draper to Callahan that appeared to be incomplete was ruled a catch and fumble, again giving the Cavaliers the ball.   Carroll County drove the ball in short bursts, and with 4:51 left in the game were able to cap off their drive with a four yard touchdown run.  The two point conversion made the score 24-14 Dublin.  The Carroll County onside kick attempt was recovered by Dublin at their own 45.  With 2:06 remaining, running back Darion Brown took the handoff, but it fell to the turf.  He picked the ball up, avoided two Cavalier tacklers, and took off around the right side of the offensive line.  After cutting through three more tackles, he cruised 32 yards for the score.  The two point conversion run by Jared Lucado was stopped, but the scoring was not over.  After the Dukes kicked off, the Cavaliers scored quickly on a 50 yard pass play.  The two point conversion was good, and the score was up to 30-22 Dublin.  The Dukes put the issue to rest and ate up the remainder of the clock, finishing off the drive with a final score as the time ran out.  Eaves took the ball to the left on a sweep, cut through two defenders at the line, made a spin move, and after cutting back across the field he crossed the goal line from 34 yards out.  The two point conversion attempt by Mark Southern was no good, and the game ended with the Dukes ahead 36-22.

While Eaves highlighted the offensive side of the game with two rushing touchdowns, one receiving touchdown, and over 150 yards total rushing, the defensive star of the game was Jesse Draper.  Draper finished the game with eight tackles for a loss, a forced fumble,and a fumble recovery.  The Dukes have a short recovery time this week, as they get back into action on Thursday on the road against Fort Chiswell.  Kickoff is set for 5 pm.

Virginia Sports Academy Start With Win

Virginia Sports Academy Start With Win
By David Gravely

There were plenty of people who said it would never get off the ground, but a determined effort on the part of the coaches and players pushed them over the top.  Having the backing of a church never hurts either.  After all of the planning, preparation, and practice was finished, the Virginia Sports Academy Saints football team finally had the chance to strap the helmets on and play this past Sunday.  The Saints hosted the Durham Raiders at Auburn High Schools football field, and after taking an early lead and losing it, they were able to tie the game up with a 25 yard field goal near the end of regulation and then take home the win with a 35 yard field goal. 

Former Pulaski County Cougar and current Saints Head Coach Kirk Hendricks was very pleased with his teams efforts.  "We made some mistakes early in the game when we had a chance to add more points to the board, but we held our heads up and kept working" said Hendricks.  "I cant begin to tell you how proud I am of these young men.  They have a great work ethic, and they never say quit.  We're all looking forward to being able to build on what we're getting started here today."

Virginia started the scoring early after recovering a Durham fumble on a bad punt snap.  Running back Alvin Butler ran it in from five yards out for the first score of the season, and then former Patrick County running back Josh Walker ran the ball in for the two point conversion, putting the Saints up 8-0.  Durham held things together, and on the next play scored on a 55 yard touchdown pass.  The two point conversion tied the game, but the Raiders weren't ready to rest just yet.  With 1:48 left in the first quarter Durham added another touchdown pass and two point conversion, bringing the score to 16-8 Raiders.

The second quarter found the Saints on the move, and with 12:13 left in the half former Florida A & M quarterback Timothy Reynolds took the ball off the left side of his offensive line and scampered 26 yards for the second Saints score of the game.  The two point attempt was unsuccessful, leaving the Raiders with a 16-14 lead.  Durham would add a final touchdown to the scoreboard with 7:29 left in the half, and after the two point conversion both teams went to the locker room with Durham leading 24-14.

The Saints came into the second half ready, and drove the ball down the field on a combination of running and short passing plays.  With 8:36 left in the third quarter, Reynolds sent the ball to the sideline where wide receiver Ernest Jones, formerly of Jean Ribault High School in Florida, snatched it away from a defender and spun to his left and headed eight yards into the endzone.  Former Allegheny kicker Dustin Billings was good for the point after, putting the Saints behind 24-21.  Both teams swapped punts until near the end of the third quarter, and then a turnover gave the ball back to the Saints.  A pass attempt was tipped at the line of scrimmage, and Virginia's Roy Owens Jr. suddenly found himself with the ball.  After a short return, the Saints were back in business. 

The fourth quarter found the Saints working the clock and moving the ball with a power offense.  With 1:24 left in regulation, Billings hit his first field goal of the season to tie the game at 24-24.  Durham attempted to pass deep and get into field goal position, but a stubborn Saints defense held strong.  The Raiders were forced to punt, and after several long pass attempts by Virginia the regulation time expired and the game went into overtime.

With the ball placed at the 25 yard line, Durham had the chance to go on offense first.   Three plays later, the Durham quarterback sent the ball to a waiting receiver, but the pass was batted around until finally Willie Yates intercepted for the Saints to end Durhams drive.  The Saints were then given the ball on the 25 for their offensive chance.  The first two plays resulted in lost yardage, but on third down running back Josh Walker broke loose for positive yardage and put the Saints into field goal range.  Billings calmly came out and connected on the 35 yard attempt to give the Saints their first win ever, 27-24.

The Saints get back to business this weekend, as they will face off against the Radford University Highlanders Club team.  The game is set to be played at Shawsville Middle School, with a 2 pm kickoff.  There are several local players who will be on each side of the ball, and this is an excellent chance to see some good hard hitting football.  Come out and support our local football teams.

Dukes Open Season With A Win

Dukes Open Season With A Win
By David Gravely

The 2010 season got off to a wild start for Dublin Middle School on Thursday, as the Dukes were forced to come from behind in the final three minutes of the game to win 22-20 at Dublin's Soldiers Field.

The game got underway with Giles successfully executing an onsides kick.  The Spartans then marched down the field using their long used Single Wing offense to grind out yardage.  Giles got on the scoreboad first with a short touchdown run, but the extra point was denied by the Dukes.  Dublin answered immediately, when on the very first play from scrimmage Malik Eaves took the ball around the left side of the offensive line and went 75 yards untouched into the endzone.   Fullback Jake Callahan ran the ball into the endzone for the two point conversion.

After holding the Spartans in check on their next drive, the Dukes began a long drive of their own.  Callahan finished the drive off when he ran over a Giles defender on the right side of the line and went into the endzone from two yards out.   After a blocking in the back penalty on the two point attempt forced the Dukes back ten yards, the score remained 14-6 Dublin.

Just before the end of the half the Spartans were able to break off several long runs to move into scoring position.  With under a minute left in the second quarter Giles scored from eight yards out, and then were able to score the two point conversion to end the half tied at 14-14.

The toughest thing about defending the single wing is simply getting the offense off the field, as the Dukes quickly found out.  Giles started the second half with the ball, and drove the length of the field before finally scoring just before the end of the quarter.  The extra point attempt was no good, putting the Spartans up 20-14.  On Dublins next possesion there was a problem with the option pitch from Jesse Draper to Malik Eaves, and Giles recovered the ball inside Dublin territory.  The Spartans drove the ball towards the Dukes goal line, before finally being stopped on fourth and goal at the two yard line. 

The stop seemed to bring new life to the Dukes, who came out re energized but 98 yards away from a game tying score.  On first down Elijah Booth took the ball around the left side of the line on a sweep for a Dukes first down.  Malik Eaves took the ball to the right side of the field looking for daylight on the next play, but was quickly cornered by a tough Giles defense.  With just over two minutes left in the contest, Eaves lined up in the shotgun.  At the snap he drop back, avoided a tackle, and then put the ball over the outstretched hands of two Giles linemen towards the center of the field.  Jesse Draper ran right under the ball and after a one handed grab headed 78 yards to paydirt.  Eaves took the ball off the right side of the line and headed towards the corner of the endzone, diving through three Giles players to score the two point conversion and put the Dukes up 22-20.

After receiving the kickoff, Giles got to work in an attempt to move into scoring position.  The Dukes held for three downs, but then the Giles quarterback got off a pass to an open receiver for a first down.  On the next play Giles gained five yards, moving them to around the 50 yard line, and called a timeout.  With 15 seconds left on the clock the Spartan quarterback dropped back and sent the ball sailing to what appeared to be an open receiver.  Eaves came in at the last second in an attempt to intercept the pass, but missed it and the receiver caught the ball and headed to the endzone.  Elliot Brewster came in and to hammer the ball carrier, sending the ball loose on the ground, and Levi Clark recovered the fumble for the Dukes.   Draper took a knee with three seconds left on the clock, and the game ended with the final score of 22-20.

The Dukes will be back in action on Thursday, September 2 when the host Blacksburg Middle School.  Kickoff is set for 5 pm.

Dublin Middle School Has High Hopes

D.M.S. Football Has High Hopes
By David Gravely

When you look at the 2010 Dublin Middle School football team, you don't see alot of players that you would consider large.  In fact, one of the biggest players on either side of the line may not be as big as the smallest lineman from seasons past.  Fortunately, there is alot more to being a football player than just being big.

"This group of players is not very large" said Dukes Head Football Coach Richard Lewis.  "We don't really even have very many kids who are tall.  What we do have though are a solid group of kids that work well together and they are working hard.  We also have some kids who are quick.  Faster is always better, but with what we're trying to do this season we really need that quickness on the lines."

What he and his team are doing is starting to put in some of the new offensive and defensive schemes that Cougar Head Coach Todd Jones is putting in for the Cougars.  "The kids are excited about both of the new schemes" said Lewis.  "We will be trying to use as much of that as possible so that the kids can start getting a little more comfortable with the system they will see when they get to the high school.  Coach Jones, as was the case with Coach Turner and Coach Hicks, has been very supportive of the efforts at both middle schools.  These kids are the future Cougars, and we want them ready."

Coach Lewis, who has been coaching for thirty years and has been the head coach at Dublin for twenty three years, has some solid help on the sidelines.  John Myers has been involved with coaching the Dukes for fifteen years, and Randy Grubb joined the Dukes this season after coaching at Pulaski Middle last season and PCHS in his first year.  "I'm very much looking forward to this football season.  I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to teach and coach the students of Dublin Middle School."

The offensive line for Dublin has done well to this point in the preseason.  "Our current starting offensive line is Tanner Dotson, Shane Chrisley, Ryan East, Tyler Gravely, and Sam Grissom" said Lewis.  "They've been blocking well, and it looks like we have some very solid players backing them up, but we need to get more aggressive." 

At quarterback there have been three players rotate in and out.  Jesse Draper has been the starter to this point, and has shown that if things go bad he will tuck the ball in and run....sometimes over top of a few defenders who get in his way.   When not at quarterback, Draper lines up either in the backfield or on a wing as a running back.  Malik Eaves has seen time under center and in the shotgun, and he provides a dual threat with his ability to take off and slash through the defense or pull back and throw the ball.  Seventh grader Kevin Smith has also seen considerable time at quarterback in the preseason, and while he has had a few ball handling issues at first, Smith is quickly proving to be a solid player at the position.

There are a good assortment of running backs, with the majority of the carries so far going to Malik Eaves, Jesse Draper, Jake Callahan, Elijah Booth, and Levi Clark.  Elliot Brewster has shown that he has the speed and skill to do some damage when he gets the ball, as well as Adam Lawson, and Mark Southern.  There are several other backs that could see playing time throughout the season.

"The defensive secondary has made a good showing to this point, showing solid open field tackling and the ability to see the ball well" said Coach Lewis.  "Darion Brown, Kevin Smith, Ryan Spangler, and Elliott Brewster are currently our starters in those spots.  Our linebackers are starting to see the ball better as well.  They are making better reads and moving to the ball.  Again, we just need to continue to improve each day.  Our defensive front is coming along pretty well, but we have more work to do on stance and technique."

So with thirty years of coaching, I ask Coach Lewis what he thought the Dukes would have to accomplish to have a successful season.  "As would be the case in any other year, we will feel like this team is successful if we work to the best of our ability "together" to become the best "team" that we can possibly be.  If we do that, we will have success winning some games and developing in other areas.  We try to impress upon the players that we know that if they will first show a great work ethic in the classroom, and great and unselfish character in working with their teachers and classmates, then we know they will also be great teammates on the Dublin Dukes.  We want them to realize that each one of them as teammates has an important role to play in making this years season a success.  We also want them to take what they learn here and continue it on at the high school as Cougars."

After competing in the Tazewell Jamboree this coming weekend, the Dukes will kick off their season as they host Giles on Thursday, August 26.  Game time is set for 5 pm.

Dukes Trounce Titans

Dukes Trounce Titans
By David Gravely

Dublin Middle School's Malik Eaves ran for three touchdowns and passed for another as the Dukes defeated the Blacksburg Middle School Titans 36-22 Thursday night at Dublin's Soldiers Field.  The win moves the Dukes to 2-0 on the season.

Dublin scored first after driving the ball sixty-one yards in the opening drive of the game, with Eaves taking the ball in from twelve yards out.  Levi Clark carried the ball through the left side of the line for the two point conversion.  With 4:40 left in the second quarter, Blacksburg got on the board with a 14 yard run by their quarterback, but the two point conversion failed, leaving the score at 8-6.  The Dukes would add another score with 1:01 left in the half when Eaves rolled out to the right from the quarterback position and tossed the ball over the heads of the Titans to Ryan Spangler for a 3 yard touchdown pass.  Jesse Draper ran the ball in for the two point conversion, and the half ended with Dublin up 16-6.

Blacksburg started the second half off strong, and with 4:27 left in the quarter #22 Hendricks took the ball in from 9 yards out.  Hendricks also ran in the two point conversion, bringing the score to 16-14 Dublin.   The Dukes were forced to punt on their next possession, but stood strong on defense.   Dublin's Austin Ellison, Kevin Smith, and Jesse Draper stepped up in a big play to end the drive. 

The Dukes took the ball back, and with 7:07 left in the fourth quarter Eaves broke loose on the left side of the line, got a good block from Spangler at wide receiver, and went 71 yards untouched for his second rushing touchdown.  The two point conversion was no good, leaving the score at 22-14 Dublin.  With Blacksburg back in control of the ball, the Titans began looking for a way to get into the endzone and tie the score, but Ellison sacked the Titan quarterback and forced a fumble, then he picked it up and ran the ball 22 yards into the endzone to put Dublin up 28-14 after another failed 2 point attempt. 

Blacksburg again went on the offensive, but another hard hit from a Dublin defender sent the ball loose, and Taylor Gee came out of the pile with the ball to put the Dukes back in business.  With the backups coming into the game, Kevin Smith rumbled 35 yards for a score on a quarterback keeper, but a holding call brought the ball back.   Dublin continued to leave the reserves in the game, and Blacksburg #22 Hendricks broke loose for a 65 yard touchdown run.  After #32 took the ball in for the two point conversion, the score moved to 28-22 Dublin. 

Dublin Coach Richard Lewis took no chances, and put the first team offense back in.  While trying to run out the clock, Eaves broke another long run for 43 yards for the final touchdown of the game.  Jake Callahan bounced in for the two point conversion to bring about the final score of 36-22 Dublin.  The Dukes hit the road for their first away game of the season next Thursday when they travel to Roanoke to face the Hidden Valley Titans.  Game time is set for 5:30.

Hidden Valley Defeats Dublin

Dukes Fall To Hidden Valley
By David Gravely

Turnovers, poor tackling, and a strong Hidden Valley running game and defense proved to be too much for Dublin Middle School Thursday in Roanoke, as the Dukes dropped their first game of the season to the Eagles by a final score of 21-8.

Dublin received the ball to start the game, but were forced to punt without a first down.  Hidden Valley drove the ball down the field, and with 3:37 left in the first quarter #22 for the Eagles scored on a 34 yard run.  The two point conversion was stopped, leaving the score at 6-0.  On the kickoff the Dukes returned the ball to the 43 yard line, but a fumble on third down gave the ball back to the Eagles.   Jake Callahan recovered a fumble by the Eagles three plays later to put the Dukes back in business, but Dublin couldn't get the first down and Hidden Valley took over.  The Eagles again drove the ball down the field, and with 3:36 left in the half #44 took the ball in from three yards out for the score.  Hidden Valley's #22 took the ball into the endzone for the two point conversion, putting the score at 14-0 Eagles.

Dublin started to move the ball with a good mix of runs and passes, but the Dukes fumbled the ball again at the Hidden Valley 17 yard line to end the drive.  The Eagles decided to try to finish the game with a long pass, but the ball was tipped and #7 Darion Brown intercepted the ball for Dublin and returned it to the Hidden Valley thirty yard line.  The Dukes attempted a long pass, but in was incomplete and the half ended 14-0 Hidden Valley.

Hidden Valley took the second half kickoff and drove the length of the field before a solid hit knocked the ball loose and #62 Tanner Dotson recovered the fumble on the Dukes two yard line.  Dublin began to move the ball again, but on the first play of the fourth quarter a pass from #2 Malik Eaves was intercepted by Hidden Valley.  With 2:18 left in the fourth quarter Hidden Valley finished off another long drive when #22  took the ball in from four yards out for the score.  The Eagles #58 kicked the extra point to put the score at 21-0 Hidden Valley.

After another good kickoff return, Dublin finally put together a solid drive and moved the ball down the field.  With 26.8 second left in the fourth quarter #32 Levi Clark took the ball off the right side of the offensive line and drove into the endzone for six.  The Dukes #5 Jesse Draper met stiff resistance at the line while attempting the two point conversion, but he bulled his way over three Eagle defenders to convert, putting the score at 21-8 Hidden Valley.  The Dukes attempted an onside kick on the kickoff, but Hidden Valley recovered and took a knee to end the game.

The coaches agreed to let the backups play an extra session, giving each teams offense ten plays.   Dublin's #17 Kevin Smith came to take over the quarterback duties, and the Dukes began to move the ball.  Running backs Mark Southern, Jared Lucado, Darion Brown, and Elliot Brewster all got their chance to carry the pigskin, but the highlight of the Dukes offensive series was a 70 yard touchdown run down the visitors sidelines by Kevin Smith.  The Dukes defense held strong and did not allow Hidden Valley to score.

Dublin, now 2-1 on the season, come back home next week to host Andrew Lewis on Thursday September 16th.  Kickoff is set for 5 pm.

Dukes Fall To Andrew Lewis

Dukes Fall to Andrew Lewis
By David Gravely

The Dublin Middle School Dukes football team dropped to 2-2 on the season Thursday night as they were overwhelmed by an extremely aggressive and effective Andrew Lewis offense and defense.  While the Dukes were able to move the ball inside the Wolverines 10 yard line early in the first quarter, an Andrew Lewis interception ended that drive and the Dukes fell by a final score of 49-0.

The Dukes received the ball on the opening kickoff but were forced to punt.  The Wolverines hit paydirt quickly, with a 57 yard touchdown run, followed by the extra point at the 5:41 mark of the first quarter.   The Dukes returned the kickoff to their own 48 yard line, and a big run by Levi Clark moved the ball to the nine yard line, putting the Dukes into scoring position.  The Wolverines then intercepted a pass attempt to end the drive, and drove the ball the length of the field to score again with 2:14 left in the first quarter.  The PAT put the score at 14-0 Andrew Lewis.  Andrew Lewis intercepted a second Dukes pass in the first quarter, and with 7:46 left in the second quarter scored on a 12 yard run.  Touchdown runs of 80 yards and 45 yards finished out the first half for the Wolverines, leaving the score at 35-0.

Andrew Lewis took the kickoff in the second half and began to drive down the field again.  With 3:55 left in the third quarter on a running clock the Wolverines scored on a 28 yard run.  The final score of the game came from the Wolverines on a 48 yard run, followed by the seventh successful extra point attempt of the game to put the final score at 49-0 Andrew Lewis.

The Dukes hit the road this week, as they travel to Christiansburg to face the Blue Demons at Christiansburg High School.  Game time is set for 5:30.