Mitchell Paces Lady Dukes Past Blacksburg

Mitchell Paces Lady Dukes Past Blacksburg
By David Gravely

When only two players on your team score, the outcome normally isn't the one you want. When the final buzzer sounds, however, and one of those two players has outscored the opposing team all by herself, you get the results that the Dublin Middle School Lady Dukes found as they defeated Blacksburg on Wednesday by a final score of 28-20.

The first quarter found both teams playing solid defense, but having trouble finding the bottom of the basket. After six minutes of both teams being force to take hurried shots and having shots blocked, the score was tied at 4-4.

The second quarter found the Lady Dukes getting better looks at the basket, but still missing many of their shots and free throws. As was the case in their previous game the night prior, the offense looked confused at times as Head Coach Buddy Farris continues to teach his younger girls the offense. Dublin continued to apply pressure on defense, however, and were able to keep the Lady Bruins off balance offensively. The Lady Dukes outscored Blacksburg 8-4 in the second quarter to take a 12-8 lead into the locker room at halftime.

Dublin was able to hold Blacksburg in check until the final thirty seconds of the third quarter. Blacksburg scored four of their six points in the final thirty seconds to bring the game back to within reach. The quarter ended with the Lady Dukes holding on to an 18-14 lead.

Blacksburg started the third quarter off with more defensive pressure, and with 3:12 left on the clock hit a three point shot from the top of the arch to get within three points, 21-17. The Lady Dukes were able to add five more points in the course of the next two and a half minutes before Blacksburg hit another big three pointer with 39 seconds left, putting the score at 26-20 in favor of Dublin. Steals from Meredith Mitchell and Moriah Hinton, along with a final second layup from Mitchell put the game on ice for the Lady Dukes.

The 28-20 win moves Dublin to 7-4 on the season. Meredith Mitchell led all scorers with her 25 point effort. Moriah Hinton added three points.

Dukes Fall To Wolverines

Dukes Fall To Andrew Lewis
By David Gravely

The Dublin Middle School basketball team hosted Andrew Lewis Tuesday evening, and despite a third quarter rally to get the score close the Dukes fell 37-23 to the Wolverines.

After a first quarter of tough defense by Andrew Lewis and poor shooting by the Dukes, Dublin quickly found themselves down 8-2. Dublin regrouped in the second quarter, however, and after regaining the composure offensively they began to attack the basket. Good passing and shot selection put the Dukes back in the game by halftime, with Kevin Smith scoring six points as the Dukes brought the score to 12-17 at the half.

Both teams exchanged baskets in the third quarter, but Dublin added enough defensive pressure to continue to chip away at the Wolverines lead. With 3:18 left in the third, Issac Poe pulled up and hit a three point jumper to tie the score for the first time and give the Dukes some momentum for the first time in the contest. Andrew Lewis changed up their tactics and began to press on defense, going on a nine point run to retake the lead. Miguel Garcia put an end to the Wolverines run with a block with 25 seconds left in the quarter, and Head Coach Richard Lewis went into the fourth quarter searching for some offense.

The fourth quarter found the Dukes struggling again, as Andrew Lewis put the press back on and increased their lead to 32-20 with 4:50 left in the game. Unable to press the ball up the court far enough to run their offense, Dublin was forced to foul the repeated attacks by the Wolverines. Dublin was held to three points in the final quarter, allowing the Wolverines to take home the 37-23 win. Isaac Poe led the Dukes in scoring with eight points. Elliot Brewster followed closely behind with seven, while Kevin Smith added six. Bradley Church added two points to round out the scoring.

Andrew Lewis Outlasts Lady Dukes

Andrew Lewis Outlasts Lady Dukes

By David Gravely

Dublin Middle School sixth grader Taylor Dickerson hit a jump shot from just outside the free throw box to give the Lady Dukes their first lead of the game in the opening seconds of the third quarter, but Andrew Lewis was able to outscore Dublin in the second half to take home a 30-24 win.

The Wolverines started the game off on a hot streak, taking a 6-0 lead before Lady Dukes Head Coach Buddy Farris called a time out to calm his team down and get them on the right track. The Lady Dukes responded with tough defense and more aggressive drives to the basket, and by the end of the first quarter the score was tied at 6-6.

The young Lady Dukes team had trouble offensively for most of the night, missing multiple opportunities at the free throw line to take the lead. The half ended with Andrew Lewis holding on to a 11-10 lead. The Lady Wolverines should have had another two points, but a split second before the buzzer sounded to end the quarter Alexis Phillips came through with a huge block to end the half.

"We've made some changes to our offense, and the girls are still learning" said Coach Farris. "We've got some young players out here, and while we can play solid defense, we really need our girls to settle down and run our offense. They just need some confidence and they need to take better shots. We also need to work on hitting our free throws."

Dickersons third quarter jump shot was immediately answered with a layup by Andrew Lewis on the other end of the court, but the Lady Dukes continued to play solid defense and keep the game close. A rally by the Lady Wolverines in the final seconds of the third quarter gave them four of their seven points for the quarter, putting the score at 18-14 going into the fourth.

Dublin went into a press defense in an attempt to force turnovers, but the Lady Wolverines were able to break the press and force fouls on the other end of the court for free throws. Down 18-26 with just under two minutes left, the Lady Dukes went on a six point run to bring it close, but Andrew Lewis finished the game strong at the free throw line to win 30-24.

Meredith Mitchell led the Lady Dukes with eight points. Taylor Dickerson, Moriah Hinton, and Amiah Stables added four points each, while Lexi Hurst added three point. Tianna Crockett rounded out the Lady Dukes scoring with one point. The loss moves the Lady Dukes to 6-4 on the season.

The Demands of the "Occupy" Group

List of Demands
By David Gravely

Today, I was made aware of the "unofficial" list of demands that the Occupy Wallstreet group has put together.  While I can certainly appreciate the groups core desire to protest, and applaude their efforts to bring about a change in these times of financial hardship......some of these "demands" are absolutely insane and totally illogical.

Here, for you're consideration, is the list:

-Repeal the Taft-Hartley Act. Unionize ALL workers immediately.

-Raise the minimum wage immediately to $18/hr. Create a maximum wage of $90/hr to eliminate inequality.

-Institute a 6 hour workday, and 6 weeks of paid vacation.

-Institute a moratorium on all foreclosures and layoffs immediately.

-Repeal racist and xenophobic English-only laws.

-Open the borders to all immigrants, legal or illegal. Offer immediate, unconditional amnesty, to all undocumented residents of the US.

-Create a single-payer, universal health care system.

-Pass stricter campaign finance reform laws. Ban all private donations. All campaigns will receive equal funding, provided by the taxpayers.

-Institute a negative income tax, and tax the very rich at rates up to 90%.

-Pass far stricter environmental protection and animal rights laws.

-Allow workers to elect their supervisors.

-Lower the retirement age to 55. Increase Social Security benefits.

-Create a 5% annual wealth tax for the very rich.

-Ban the private ownership of land.

-Make homeschooling illegal. Religious fanatics use it to feed their children propaganda.

-Reduce the age of majority to 16.

-Abolish the death penalty and life in prison. We call for the immediate release of all death row inmates from death row and transferred to regular prisons.

-Release all political prisoners immediately.

-Immediate withdrawal from Iraq and Afghanistan.

-Abolish the debt limit.

-Ban private gun ownership.

-Strengthen the separation of church and state.

-Immediate debt forgiveness for all.

-End the 'War on Drugs'.

So there it is.  Simple, to the point, and in their minds completely rational and the cure to all of our problems.

Or not.

I can't even fathom how far off the deep end some of these people must have gone to believe that ANY of this would be helpful to our country.  Socialism, communism, and the complete disregard for our Constitution would be the only way to impliment these "demands".

I can only hope that sane and sober minds will prevail, and that these "protestors" will be allowed to protest within the limits of the law, but their misguided and flawed logic will be seen for what it is.

Cougar JV's Fall To Salem
By David Gravely

The Pulaski County Cougar junior varsity football team finished out their season on Thursday, and in a great game between two solid teams it came down to the wire as the Spartans took home the 33-26 win.

Pulaski received the opening kickoff, and surprised Salem with a long pass attempt on the first play of the game. Cougar quarterback Jesse Draper put the ball on target, but the Pulaski receiver couldn't hold on. After a Cougar punt, the Spartans went to their ground game, and with 7:11 left in the first quarter were able to put the first points on the board with a 9 yard touchdown run. The PAT put Salem ahead 7-0.

Pulaski took the kickoff, and on the first play running back Brandon Jones rambled 57 yards before being run down, giving the Cougars the ball at the Salem 3 yard line. After a bad snap caused Pulaski to lose a yard, Draper kept the ball on a quarterback keeper and went in for the score. A block in the back penalty against the Cougars took the score off the board, leaving the Cougars with third and goal from the 17 yard line. Draper took the snap, rolled out to his right, and with two Spartan defenders closing in he launched the ball to Jones for the 17 yard score. The Shane Chrisley PAT tied the score at 7-7 with 5:24 remaining.

Chrisley kicked the ball out of the endzone, giving Salem the ball at the 20. The Spartans capped off their 80 yard drive with an 11 yard pass with 1:33 left in the first quarter, and the PAT put Salem back in the lead 14-0. After the two teams exchanged punts on the next few drives, Pulaski was able to move the ball down to the Salem 5 yard line before a dropped pass in the endzone ended the Cougars efforts to tie the score. Salem's Isaah Harris put on a speed and footwork display to move the Spartans downfield, and with 57.6 seconds left he broke free for 45 yards to put Salem ahead 20-7 after the missed PAT. The Cougars would not go down easily, however, and on their first play of the drive Brandon Jones broke free down the visitors side of the field, cut back, and then sprinted for the endzone for a 58 yard score. The Chrisley PAT brought the score to 20-14 in favor of the Spartans.

After both teams punted on their first drives of the second half, Salem was able to add to their score with a 44 yard scoring run with 17.9 seconds left in the third quarter. The PAT was good, putting the scoreboard at 27-14 Salem. Pulaski would not lay down though, and after Draper hit a 54 yard pass to Jones, he connected with Justin Ball on a 23 yard touchdown pass with 8:06 remaining. Chrisleys PAT moved the Cougars closer, and as the Spartans began to move the ball on their next drive until a hard hit sent the ball to the ground where Malik Eaves recovered for the Cougars at the Salem 48 yard line. Another 19 yard pass to Mattox from Draper helped open up the ground game, and then another pass from Draper to Ball put Pulaski back in the endzone on an 11 yard score. The Chrisley PAT was wide, putting the score at 27-26 in favor of the Spartans with 5:21 left on the clock.

Salem was able to burn the clock running the ball, and with 2:25 left in the game the Spartan running back broke free up the middle to go 56 yards for the score. The blocked PAT left the score at 33-26 Salem. Pulaski had one final chance to tie the game, but the Spartan defense held, giving Salem the 33-26 final score.

Draper finished the game completing 7 of 16 passes for 159 yards, with three touchdown passes. Other standouts for the younger Cougars included linebacker J.D. Sutphin, running back Brandon Jones, running back and defensive back Jake Tabor, and linebacker Heath White, and running back Quincy Rollins. The Cougar junior varsity finished up their season with a 4-6 record, winning three of their last four games.

JV Cougars Pound Bruins

JV Cougars Pound Blacksburg
By David Gravely

It started with the first offensive play for Pulaski County's junior varsity football team on Thursday night at Bill Brown Stadium, and it didn't let up until the final snap as the younger Cougars defeated the Bruins 40-9.

After the Bruins kicked off to Pulaski to start the game, running back Brandon Jones took the hand-off from quarterback Jesse Draper and cut left.  He avoided two tackles, and then rambled 62 yards for the touchdown.  The Shane Chrisley PAT was no good, leaving the score at 6-0 in favor of the Cougars.  Blacksburg took the kickoff out to their 28 yard line, but were forced to punt.  Pulaski went to their air attack next, with Draper completing a 33 yard pass to Jake Tabor first, and then a 43 yard pass to reciever Lonnie Mattox for the score with 5:42 remaining in the first quarter.  The Chrisley PAT was good, and after another Cougar kickoff and another Blacksburg punt, Pulaski went back to work on offense with a 13-0 lead at the end of the first quarter. 

The second quarter started off with the Cougars on the attack again, with Draper hitting a 45 yard pass to Mattox to put the Cougars in the red zone.  Despite a stiffening Bruins defense, Pulaski drove towards the goal line with Draper taking the ball in from one yard out with 8:31 remaining in the half.   Chrisley's PAT put the score at 20-0.  Coach Richard Lewis continued to press the issue, and on the next Cougar possession Draper went back to the air with a 63 yard pass to Tabor that would have been longer and six more points, but a Cougar blocker's feet became entangled with a Bruin defender during the race to the goal line and Pulaski was flagged for a block in the back.  Pulaski lost it's momentum and turned the ball over on downs deep in Blacksburg territory.   Blacksburg came out and pressed the issue, hoping to put some points on the board before halftime, but a Bruins pass was intercepted by defensive back Austin Harless.  With time slipping fast off the clock, Draper hit Tabor on a 22 yard pass to move the Cougars close, and then Mattox made a leaping catch above the Blacksburg defender for a 12 yard touchdown catch with just 42 seconds left in the half.  The Chrisley PAT sent the Cougars into halftime with a 27-0 lead.

The Bruins started the second half off with the ball, but after moving a short distance Cougar linebacker J.D. Sutphin stepped in front of a Bruins pass for the interception, but after returning it a short distance the ball was knocked loose and the Bruins recovered again.   Blacksburg finally got on the board shortly after that, when the Cougar defensive back lost his footing and the Bruins were able to connect on a 24 yard touchdown pass.  The Bruins were hit with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty after the score, but the PAT was still good, leaving the score 27-7.  Pulaski took the kickoff and went back on offense.  On fourth down and nine Draper dropped back to pass but missed his reciever, but a late hit on the quarterback moved the chains for the Cougars.  With 5:24 remaining in the third quarter, Draper called his own number for the second time and ran the ball to the left side of the line, crossing the goal line from six yards out.  The Chrisley PAT moved the score to 34-7.

The scoring slowed down throughout the fourth quarter, as the Cougars tried to get as many players into the game as possible.   With Pulaski pushed back deep into their own territory, quarterback Brandon Walters was tackled in the Cougar endzone for a Bruins safety.  The Bruins tried to attach the Cougar secondary again, but Austin Harless was the man on the spot again, as he got his second interception of the game.  The Cougars couldn't get a first down, so after a punt the Bruins went back to work again.  Blacksburg sent the ball deep, but this time it was intercepted by Lonnie Mattox.  After getting past the Bruins recievers, Mattox weaved his way for a few yards picking up blocks, and then picked up the pace as he went 93 yards for the pick-six.  The PAT was no good, giving the Cougars the final score of 40-9.

Draper finished the game with over 270 yards passing, throwing two touchdown passes and running for two more scores.  The win moves the junior varsity team to 4-5 on the season, with one game remaining next week as they host the Salem Spartans at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium.  Kickoff is set for 6 pm.

JV Cougars Blast Titans

JV Cougars Blast Titans
By David Gravely

The Pulaski County junior varsity Cougar football team is quietly making big strides this season, and Thursday they earned their third win of the season in a 39-7 blowout win over the visiting Hidden Valley Titans at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium.

The lone Hidden Valley score of the game came after a Cougar fumble on the opening kickoff gave the Titans the ball deep in Pulaski territory. With 8:50 showing on the clock, the Titans took the ball into the endzone on a nine yard run. The point after kick gave the Titans a 7-0 lead, which they held through the end of the first quarter.

The second quarter found the Cougars moving the ball, and with 9:41 left in the half Jake Tabor took the ball across the goal line on a four yard run. Shane Chrisley added the point after to tie the score, but the Cougars weren't finished. After an interception by Cougar Brandon Jones, Pulaski took over and started to drive the ball again. With 4:19 left in the half, quarterback Jesse Draper dropped back and sent the ball to a leaping Jason Ball. Ball made the catch, forced a Titan defender to miss, and went 39 yards for the score. The PAT was no good, giving the Cougars their first lead of the game 13-6. Pulaski had another shot to score before the end of the first half, but time ran out before they could take advantage.

Hidden Valley received the kickoff to start the second half, but the junior varsity Cougars defense continued to dominate and hold the Titans in check. The Titans were forced to punt, but the ball was bobbled by the Hidden Valley punter and the Cougars defenders rushed to attack, giving Pulaski the ball deep inside Titan territory. A few short plays later, Draper took the ball around the corner of the Hidden Valley defense and crossed the goal line at the corner of the endzone on a four yard run. The Chrisley point after gave the Cougars a 20-7 advantage with 5:20 remaining in the third quarter.

The Titans came back out on offense, but a hard Cougar hit forced a fumble which was recovered by Daniel Puckett for the Cougars at the Titan 26 yard line. On the next play, Draper lobbed the ball up towards a streaking Jason Ball, who rambled into the endzone after the catch. The failed PAT left the Cougars ahead 26-7.

The fourth quarter found the Cougars clearing the bench, but the younger players were in no mood to simply run out the clock. After a run dominated drive by the Cougars, Damon Akers took the ball into the endzone from one yard out for his first score of the season with 5:59 remaining. The failed PAT left the Cougars ahead 32-7. With the Cougars throwing more and more backups into the mix, the Titans attempted to move the ball through the air, but they failed to notice the secondary was still strong. With 4:34 remaining, Ball intercepted a Hidden Valley pass and went 46 yards for the final score of the game. Chrisley's PAT put the score at 39-7 in favor of the Cougars.

Hidden Valley had one final chance to operate their offense, but another hard hit by a Cougar defender sent the ball rolling on the ground where it was recovered by Jack Ratcliff. In the final seconds of the game Pulaski took a knee to allow the clock to expire, giving the JV Cougars their third win of the season, moving them to 3-4 overall with games remaining on the road next week against Blacksburg and then back at home for their final game against the Salem Spartans.

It should be mentioned that several key junior varsity players have been moved up to the varsity team over the past two weeks, but even without those players the Cougars have continued to show improvement as the younger players have stepped in and taken those spots.

Dukes Win In Giles
By David Gravely

Dublin Middle School put on their own version of Monday Night Football this week, and despite the cold and windy conditions the Dukes won a tightly contested game over the Giles Spartans by a final score of 28-22.

Giles used their single wing attack to eat up most of the first quarter on their opening drive, before finally taking the ball into the endzone on a two yard run with 2:37 remaining. The two point conversion run put the Spartans up 8-0. After receiving the kickoff Dublin Middle began a drive of their own, using their speed on the ends to eat up yardage. With 5:51 left in the first half, quarterback Isaac Poe dropped back into the pocket and sent the ball to Alex Ramsey for a 25 yard touchdown pass. Jake Clary took the ball into the middle of the Giles offense for the two point conversion, putting the game at a 8-8 tie.

With Giles back on offense, the Dukes defense made adjustments to try to stop the running game. After driving deep into Dukes territory, Dublin finally made the defensive stop and took over after a strong play on fourth and short. With time running out in the half, the Dukes moved the ball with two solid runs before Dukes Head Coach Ward Angle called his final time out of the half. With seconds left on the clock, Poe dropped back and sent the ball to Hunter Thomas on a 65 yard touchdown pass to put the Dukes in the lead. A penalty after the score moved the extra point attempt back, and the Dukes were unable to convert and the half ended with Dublin ahead 14-8.

Dublin took a page out of the Spartans playbook to start the second half, and used a running attack to eat up most of the third quarter. Thomas made good on the drive at the 1:34 mark of the third quarter when he cut back across the defense and went 22 yards for the score. The two point conversion was no good, leaving the score at 20-8 Dublin.

The fourth quarter saw a shift in momentum, and Giles began to crawl their way back into the game. With 6:35 left, the Spartans went into the endzone on a six yard run, but the two point conversion was stopped. After a short Dukes punt, Giles went back on the attack, and at the 2:33 mark were able to score again on a 5 yard run. The two point conversion gave Giles their first lead since the first quarter, 22-20.

Dublin received the kickoff and were tackled deep in their own territory. Runs by the Dukes were able to gain yards, but a big play was needed as time was quickly slipping off the clock. With only 50 seconds left on the clock, quarterback Poe turned to hand the ball off only to realize no one was there. He quickly tucked the ball and ran to the right side of the line, where he broke two tackles and broke free down the Giles sideline. Poe covered 69 yards before finally crossing the goal line to give Dublin the lead back. Thomas scored the two point conversion to give the Dukes a 28-22 lead.

With one final chance to steal the game, the Giles quarterback dropped back to pass. Under heavy pressure from the defensive front, he sent the ball to an open Spartan receiver. At the last second, Kevin Smith broke on the ball and intercepted the pass to end the comeback effort. The Dukes took a knee on the final two plays to secure the win, 28-22.

"This was a great game for our kids, and they showed a ton of heart out there" said Head Coach Ward Angle. "When you go down late like that, it's easy to just give up, but our kids kept fighting. The long run for the final score, the interception......those were all huge. We're really proud of our guys. We've told them all week that our focus was to finish, and that's what they did."

The Dukes will now finish up their season in grand style, as they face the Pulaski Middle School Orioles in the final game for both teams. "I think everybody is really excited" said Angle. "We're going to play this game at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium. This is where both teams will eventually become teammates, so I think it's great that they get to play their final middle school game on Joel Hicks Field. These kids are all going to be Cougars next year, so we're hoping for a great game. We want everyone to come out and support these young men as they finish out their middle school football seasons."

The PMS vs DMS game is currently set for 5 pm at Pulaski County High School, with the Cougar junior varsity game to take place immediately afterwards.

Dukes Outlast Cavaliers

Dukes Outlast Cavaliers
By David Gravely

The Dublin Middle School football team was outsized by the visiting Carroll County Cavaliers on Thursday, but in the end speed was the deciding factor as the Dukes won their final home game of the season 14-6.

Carroll County received the kickoff to start the game, and after driving the ball down the field for most of the first quarter the Dukes were finally able to make a stand and take over on downs deep in their own territory. On third and long, quarterback Kevin Smith bobbled the snap from the center, and after picking the ball up he scrambled to the right side of the field. After avoiding a few tackles, Smith went 73 yards for the first score of the contest. The two point try was no good, leaving Dublin up 6-0.

The Cavaliers went back to work, and after another long drive were able to take the ball into the endzone from one yard out to tie things up. An attempted muddle huddle two point conversion try was no good, leaving the game tied at 6-6. Dublin drove the ball downfield behind strong running from Hunter Thomas, Alex Ramsey, and Jake Clary, but the Cavaliers were able to stop the Dukes on fourth and goal to take possession back. Several pass attempts failed, and the first half ended with the 6-6 tie.

Carroll County tried an onside kick to start out the second half, but Dublin recovered the ball and went back to work with good field position. With just under five minutes left in the third quarter, Jake Clary broke through the middle of the Cavalier defensive line and bulled his way into the endzone from four yards out. Clary, who is in his first year of football, took the ball in for the two point conversion also, putting the Dukes up 14-6.

Dublin kicked off and went to the defensive side of the ball next, and with the Cavaliers starting to drive the ball Alex Ramsey intercepted a pass attempt to give the ball back to the Dukes. Strong defense by both teams kept the rest of the third quarter scoreless. With time running down in the fourth quarter, Carroll County began to push the ball into Dukes territory. A long pass and several strong runs put the Cavaliers in business at the Dukes two yard line with just 35 seconds remaining and no time outs. Two stops by Dublin ate away at the clock, and then on the final play of the game Bradley Church sacked the scrambling Carroll County quarterback for a ten yard loss to end the game.

"We have several key players out with injuries, so we were worried about that" said Head Coach Ward Angle. "Other players stepped in and filled those spots, and we were pretty happy with the jobs they did. Our center, Logan Smith, was out with a concussion. Jake Turpin didn't miss a beat and did a great job, with no fumbles or bad snaps in the contest and great blocking. We still had too many mistakes though. We can't turn the ball over like we did, and there was some sloppy tackling. We want to be the most physical team on the field, and tonight we didn't hit the way I know we can. I'm hoping to see that improve in our last two games."

The Dukes will hit the road for their final two contests, as they travel to Giles to face the Spartans next week and then Pulaski in the final game of the season.

Dukes Battle To 2-0 Start

Dukes Battle To 2-0 Start
By David Gravely

The Dublin Middle School Dukes football team moved their record to 2-0 last Thursday, as they won a hard fought game against a tough and physical Blacksburg Middle School by a final score of 14-6.

Dublin got on the board first, when Kevin Smith hit Alex Ramsey on a 38 yard pass to put Dublin up 6-0. Ramsey then took the ball in for the two point conversion to put Dublin up 8-0. While Dublin was able to move the ball, neither team was able to score and the half ended with Dublin still in the lead.

Blacksburg Middle got back into the game midway into the third quarter when their back was able to take the ball into the endzone, moving the score to 8-6. Dublin's Bradley Church came up from his defensive end position to tackle the running back for a loss to deny Blacksburg the extra point. With the clock ticking, Dublin continued to move the ball, until finally Kevin Smith took the ball in from five yards out. Blacksburg stopped the extra point attempt, leaving the Dukes ahead 14-6.

Dublin attempted an onside kick in the hopes of ending the game, but Blacksburg was able to recover. With good field position to start with, they began moving the ball down the field, until the Dukes defense finally held on fourth and short from inside their own five yard line with 3:30 left in the contest. Dublin went to their ground game to run the clock out, and were able to move the ball out of the shadow of their own goal post behind strong running from Hunter Thomas. Blacksburg was able to get one final shot at things, however, when a snap went over the quarterbacks head for a fumble. As Blacksburg Middle attempted to pass the ball in the final seconds, their hopes were shot down when Chase Huff picked off the ball to end the game.

"We had a great game defensively, and offensively we were able to move the ball, but we still made too many mistakes" said Dukes Head Coach Ward Angle. "We had 11 snaps go over our quarterbacks heads. That will get us beat. We did well today, but we have to do better."

The Dukes finished the game with 263 yards of total offense, mostly on the ground. Alex Ramsey led the rushing attack with 105 yards on the ground, while also adding his 38 yard touchdown catch. Hunter Thomas finished with 42 yards rushing and 26 yards receiving, while Kevin Smith finished with 27 yards rushing and a touchdown and PAT conversion. Elliot Brewster and Chase Huff rounded out the rushing attack for the Dukes.

"Our offensive line did a great job opening holes for us today" said Angle. "Noah Patterson, Drew Allen, Sam Grissom, Brandon Tickle, Jared Luckado, and Logan Smith are getting better every game. Jake Turpin, Jeffery McDonald, and Caleb Bishop are also showing improvement and providing some depth for us. We also have some multi-position players that are working out well for us, like Brandon Piland, Triston Waddle, Clinton Martin, and Josh Holbrook. Some of these guys have been out injured this week, and we're looking forward to getting them back into the mix."

Defensively, the Dukes allowed only 65 total yards by Blacksburg. "We tell our kids to play lights out, and that's what they do" said Angle. "Mike Seagle had a crucial fumble recovery for us to stop one of Blacksburgs scoring threats late in the game. Huff had the interception. Defensive Coaches Randy Grubb, Trey Angle and Troy Dalton continue to work in new defenses to try to shut down our next weeks opponent. Our goal is to be the most physical team on the field. We want to hit."

The Dukes next game will be a tough one. The Hidden Valley Titans soundly defeated William Byrd last week, and look strong on both sides of the ball. Strong line play, fast and strong running backs, and a stingy defense will test the Dukes in this home contest. Kickoff is set for 5:30 pm on Thursday at Dublin Middle Schools Soldiers Field.

Dukes Start Season With A Win

Dukes Start Season With A Win
By David Gravely

The Dublin Middle School Dukes football team started their 2011 season off with a convincing 20-0 win over Scott Memorial Middle School last week, giving new Head Coach Ward Angle his first win as they head into this weeks game against Blacksburg Middle School.

The Dukes put together 379 total yards of offense in the contest, with 317 coming on the ground and 62 in the air. Kevin Smith lead the charge with 98 yards on 6 carries while scoring two touchdowns. Alex Ramsey added 12 carries for 95 yards, scoring a touchdown and a two point conversion. Elliot Brewster had 5 carries for 64 yards to round out the top three. Chase Huff, Hunter Thomas, Dontay Brown, and Issac Poe also each had productive days carrying the ball for Dublin.

On the other side of the ball, the Dukes "lights out" defense held Scott Memorial to only 53 yards of total offense, while also recovering two fumbles. "We want our offense to be able to move the ball and score, but we know that if we keep the other team from scoring we can never lose" said Coach Angle. "I think our whole team matured to another level on Thursday, but we will need to step things up even more if we want to compete against Blacksburg. They have a very strong team, and they have tons of coaching experience." Blacksburg is coming off of a 32-18 win over Giles last week.

"We made some mental mistakes and we'll need to eliminate those to reach our goals that we have set for the season" said Angle. "Our whole team will need to be more physical across the board to play the type of football we are capable of."

The Dukes face Blacksburg this Thursday, Sept 1, at 5:30 at Blacksburg High School field.

2011 Pulaski County Mini Classic

Middle School Jamboree Set For Saturday
By David Gravely

Football fans will be able to get a taste of preseason action this weekend, as both of our county middle schools will be hosting and participating in the 2011 Pulaski County Mini Classic this Saturday.

The Dukes will be playing at Dublin Middle Schools Soldier Field, and the Orioles will be playing at Cool Springs Field on Dora Highway in Pulaski. In all there will be ten teams in action. Each contest will consist of two ten minute period, with each period treated as a half of a game. There will be no kickoffs, with each possession beginning on the 35 yard line. Teams will be allowed to punt, but the only action will be the snap and the kick, with the ball being spotted where it is caught, downed, or where it rolls dead. All other regular rules will apply.

Dublin Middle School will start the action off at Soldier Field at 9 am, as they take on Floyd. At 10 pm, Blacksburg will play Tazewell. Scott Memorial Middle School will face Floyd in the 11 am spot, followed by Dublin and Tazewell at noon. The final matchup of the day in Dublin will find Blacksburg taking on Scott Memorial at 1 pm.

Pulaski Middle School will get the action started at Cool Springs when they take on Patrick County at 9 am. Radford and Fort Chiswell are featured in the second matchup of the day starting at 10 am, followed by Patrick County and Christiansburg at 11 am. Pulaski and Fort Chiswell are both back in action in the noon game, and the final game of the day will be Radford vs Christiansburg.

Full concessions will be available throughout the day, with proceeds from those sales going to help the middle school sports programs. Be sure to come out and support some of the future Cougar football players as they get their 2011 seasons underway.

Mariners Open 2011 Season

Mariners Open 2011 Season
By David Gravely

The rain, the wind, the mud, and even a cat couldn't put a stop to the opening day festivities Tuesday at Historic Calfee Park as the Pulaski Mariners overcame an early 1-0 lead by the visiting Danville Braves to earn a 5-2 win and start the season off in style. Winning the game was an important thing, but there were other things going on that were even bigger.

The Pulaski County Golden Cougar Marching band welcomed fans as they entered, playing some of their tunes and giving a festive pep rally kind of feel to the moment. The grills were on and cooking, offering a hungry fan everything from a good old fashioned hotdog or pizza, or you could really live it up and enjoy a hamburger, chicken poppers, a bratwursts, french fries or Mariner fries, or a grilled chicken sandwich with all the fixings. Of course you wouldn't want to go back to your seat without a pack of peanuts, or maybe some nachos or a pretzel. A cold drink is always something nice on these hot evenings as well. To top all that off, the grill will be serving pork BBQ during weekend games.

The teams started to warm up, but then came the rain and lightning. The storm rolled in quickly, and then just as quickly it rolled right back out. Dave Hart and his crew got busy on the field, and even though the rain put things behind no one seemed too mind too much. The food was fresh, and it was every bodies first chance to catch up after the off season.

The managers finally met at home plate, the National Anthem was played, and after a long cold winter and plenty of other tough times for our County, the umpire made the call the fans had been waiting for....."Play Ball!!"

While I wont go into the details of the game, as I'm sure that all of that covered in the actual game stories, there are some things I'd like to mention. First of all is the attitude of the team. With some groups of athletes, especially those that are supposed to be at the upper level of their chosen sport, you cant help but notice an attitude of entitlement. Not on this team. The young men under the watch of Field Manager Rob Mummau seem to be hard working, level headed, and very plain and simply nice guys. There really seems to be a "team" attitude in this years squad. The second thing I've noticed is the effort. At the welcome luncheon, Coach Mummau promised that if all else failed, this team would play hard. I would suggest that he is certainly getting that from his players. This team is fun to watch. There have already been some big and exciting plays, and I expect there will be plenty more to come.

Congratulations to everyone involved with the Pulaski Mariners organization on getting that first big win under their belts on opening night. Even though the rain tried to stop you at first, and then the cat on the field tried to hold you up later in the game, you put on a quality show for the entire New River Valley. Fans wearing hats and shirts with Graham Baseball, Radford Football, Carroll County, Fort Chiswell Pioneers, Christiansburg Wrestling, and all kinds of other localities sports teams were spotted at the game. They were there enjoying themselves, and they were helping out the Pulaski County economy by doing so.

We'll see you at the park, and if anybody happens to see that white cat that decided to give playing center field a try last night, go ahead and give her a little tuna or catnip for providing the extra entertainment.

DMS Wins Big In Track

DMS Wins Big In Track
By David Gravely

Good things continue to happen for spring sports in Dublin, as the Dublin Middle School boys and girls track teams both took home wins last week in the Fort Chiswell meet on Thursday.

Both Pulaski County middle schools performed well, with the Dublin boys team finished in first place with a total of 152 points, followed closely by Pulaski Middle School with 126.5 points. Scott Memorial finished in third place with 65.5 points, Carroll County finished fourth with 42 points, Fort Chiswell finished fifth with 22 points, and Rural Retreat finished sixth with 16 points.

On the girls side, Dublin won first place with 144.5 points. Scott Memorial finished second with 84 points, Fort Chiswell finished third with 58.5 points, Pulaski Middle finished fourth with 48.5 points, Carroll County finished fifth with 47.5 points, Rural Retreat finished sixth with 30 points, and Bland finished seventh with 16 points.

For the Dublin Middle School boys, Ryan East finished third in the shot put and third in the discus. Kevin Smith finished fourth in the discuss, tied for first in the high jump, third in the triple jump, fourth in the 100 meter dash, and first in the 400 meter run. Ryan Spangler finished fifth in the discus, while Tyler Gravely finished sixth in the 800 meter run. Malik Eaves finished tied for first in the high jump, third in the long jump, first in the triple jump, first in the 100 meter dash, and first in the 200 meter run. Bradley Church finished fifth in the 100 meter hurdles and second in the 300 meter hurdles, while Turman finished fourth in the 1600 meter run. Johnson finished sixth in the 400 meter run, Isaac Poe finished second in the 800 meter run ahead of Turman, who finished in fifth, and Elliot Brewster finished sixth in the 800. Dublin also first in the 1600 meter relay and second in the 400 meter relay.

For the Lady Dukes, Jesse Lynn finished first in the shotput, third in the discus, third in the high jump, first in the triple jump, third in the 100 meter dash, and third in the 200 meter run. Moriah Hinton finished fourth in the discus and first in the 300 meter hurdles, while Infinity Harmon finished fifth in the triple jump. Smith finished third in the shotput and fifth in the 400 meter run. Redd finished first in the discuss, Pennington finished second in the triple jump, and Madchen Myers finished fourth in the triple jump. Ashley Gunter finished sixth in the 100 meter hurdles, Deeds finished fourth in the 1600 meter run, Lester finished fourth in the 400 meter run, and Ashleigh Powers finished fourth in the 300 meter hurdles. Deeds also finished third in the 800 meter run, Coffey finished fifth in the 800, and Anderson finished second in the 200 meter run. Dublin Middle School also finished first in the 1600 meter relay and first in the 400 meter relay.

Lady Cougar Stop Salem

Lady Cougars Stop Salem
By David Gravely

When you are trying to build your program up, you have to take it one step at a time. Pulaski County took a big step in the right direction and in the River Ridge District race Tuesday night, as they defeated Salem on the road by a final score of 5-3.

"I don't think some people believed in us" said Head Coach Gina Miano. "We've told our girls to believe in themselves since day one, and we know they can compete with anyone. This was the first time we've beaten Salem in a while, and we did it on the road. Tonight was one of those wins we really needed, and I'm really proud of the way the girls played."

Salem got into scoring position in the first inning, but a big play ended that effort. With bases loaded and one out, a Salem player hit the ball to third base, where Bethany Anderson quickly scooped it and threw home for the force out. Catcher Jordan Chrisley tagged home and immediately gunned the ball to first for the third out, ending the Lady Spartans attack.

That wasn't the first or the last time the Lady Spartans would threaten, however, as they were able to load the bases in six out of the seven innings. Strong, fundamental defensive play by Pulaski denied the Lady Spartans the runs throughout the contest. Salem took the lead in the third inning, but Pulaski was able to hold it to 1-0 off of three Salem hits and a walk, even though the first of those hits was a triple.

Pulaski was able to take the lead in the fourth inning. Carli Brewer got things started off with a single, and then she moved to second base due to an error by the first base player. Kasey Holcomb then hit a hard shot up the middle for an RBI single, scoring Brewer and tying the score. Holcomb moved to second base on a wild pitch, and then stole third. Anderson earned a walk and then stole second to put two runners in scoring position. Designated player Tiffany "Chef" Alley stepped into the box next, and with two strikes and no balls hit an RBI single to score Holcomb and give Pulaski the lead. With Anderson on third and Alley on first, Brooke Hundley hit an RBI single to advance Alley and score Anderson to make it 3-1. Katie Hurst was sent in to run for Alley, and then Sara Wright hit a hard double to left center field for two RBI's, moving the score to 5-1.

The Lady Spartans kept the pressure on, and in the bottom of the seventh inning were able to add two runs off of two hits, a walk, and an error before Pulaski was able to shut them down to end the game at 5-3. The Lady Cougars ended the game with seven hits and only one error, Salem finished with nine hits and two errors.

Kaitlin Smith gets the win on the mound for Pulaski, going all seven innings. In that time she faced 37 batters, allowing 3 runs, 9 hits, 8 walks, and one strike out. Hitting the ball for Pulaski, Carli Brewer went 1 for 4 with a run scored, and Hundley went 1 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Kasey Holcomb went 1 for 4 with a run, an RBI, and a stolen base. Anderson was 0 for 2, but stole a base and scored a run after earning her walk. Alley was 1 for 3 with a run scored and an RBI. Kelli Duncan was 1 for 2 with a sacrifice and a steal, but her one hit was a triple. Sara Wright finished the contest 2 for 3 with two RBI's and 2 doubles.

While it wasn't a big night for her with the bat, catcher Jordan Chrisley had a big night behind the plate with no passed balls, holding helping hold the Lady Spartans scoring opportunities in check.

"We knew the girls were wide open on the bus going down, so we had a good feeling about things" said Miano. "It seemed like everybody did their jobs tonight. Our outfielders all made big catches, our DP Tiffany Alley played tough, Jordan played solid behind the plate, and the girls were backing each other up all night. The one error we had is a tough one to call an error, because it was just a hard hit ball that we almost got. The effort was there to get it, but it was just out of reach. Everybody contributed today, and that's how we have to play every game. This was big for us, but tomorrow we have to be 1% better."

The Lady Cougar go back into action on Friday as they travel to Christiansburg. The game location has been moved to the Kiwanis Field. Start time for the contest is set for 5 pm

Lady Cougars Play Tougher Against Floyd

Lady Cougars Play Tougher Against Floyd
By David Gravely

In their last meeting just a few short weeks ago, Floyd rattled off twelve hits while holding the Lady Cougars to only four as they defeated Pulaski soundly 13-0.   Floyd took home a second win over Pulaski on Wednesday, but the Lady Cougars didn't go down without a fight this time as they fell by a final score of 9-8.

"We did a great job of getting the bat on the ball tonight, but we made too many critical errors at key moments of the game" said Lady Cougar Head Coach Gina Miano.  "It was a great game that we should have been able to pull out, but two errors cost us four runs.   You can't do that against a team expected to make a run deep in the playoffs and expect to win."

The scoring got underway immediately in the first inning, as Floyd took advantage of one hit, three walks, a sacrifice, and an error to take an early 2-0 lead.  Pulaski battled back, scoring two runs of their own on two hits, a walk, and an error to tie things up.  The Lady Buffalo's picked up where they left off in the second inning, adding two more runs on two hits, a walk, and an error.   They could have continued to add to their score, but shortstop Kasey Holcomb made a fine double play to end the inning.

Motivated by the double play, the Lady Cougars came out hot in the bottom of  the second inning.  Kelli Duncan started things off with a single, and then Whitney McDaniel sacrifice bunted to move her to second.  Lauren Foster earned a trip to first on a walk, and then catcher Jordan Chrisley stepped in to hit a booming two RBI double to score Duncan and Foster.  Carli Brewer executed another sacrifice bunt to move Chrisley to third, and then Holcomb hit an RBI single to bring the speedy catcher home, giving the Lady Cougars a 5-4 lead.

Pulaski held Floyd in check in the top of the third, and then extended their lead to 7-4 off of three hits, a sacrifice, and a steal.  Floyd got back to business in the top of the fourth inning, scoring two runs on a walk, a hit, and an error before holding the Lady Cougars scoreless in the bottom of the fourth.   Floyd was able to score a run to tie the game in the top of the fifth inning, putting the score at 7-7.

In the bottom of the sixth, the Lady Cougars broke the tie.  With two outs on the scoreboard, Holcomb put Pulaski in business with a double.    With Bethany Anderson up to bat, Holcomb stole third, and then Anderson hit a well placed single to allow Holcomb to cross home plate, giving Pulaski an 8-7 lead.  Floyd contined to fight, however, and after a double and a walk, both runners advanced on passed balls to get into scoring position.  Floyd pinch hitter Heather Fink stepped into the batters box and hit a two RBI single to give the Lady Buffalo's the 9-8 lead, and then tough defense allowed them to hang on for the win.

"We went from having two hits in the last game to twelve hits in this one" said Miano.  "I thought it was a great, competitive game that we should have won, but I'll take the effort.  Some of the girls that have been struggling with the bat come on strong today, and the ones that have been consistent stayed that way.  We lost the game, but we got a little bit of our pride back after the way they beat us last time."

Kaitlin Smith pitched the entire game for Pulaski, facing 35 batters.  In that time, she allowed 7 hits, 9 runs (3 earned), 6 walks, and four strike outs.   Hitting for Pulaski, Chrisley went 2 for 4 with 2 runs scored and 2 RBI's.  Brewer went 1 for 2 with two sacrifice bunts, Holcomb went 2 for 3 with 2 runs scored, an RBI, and two steals, and Anderson went 2 for 4 with an RBI.  Brooke Hundley went 2 for 4 with a run scored and two RBI's, Sara Wright went 1 for 4 with a run scored, and Kelli Duncan went 2 for 4 with a run scored, an RBI, and a stolen base.  Whitney McDaniel went 0 for 2 with two sacrifice's, but earned an RBI on one, and Lauren Foster went 0 for 2 but scored a run when she was walked.

The Lady Cougars go back into action on Friday when they travel to Wytheville to take on the George Wythe Lady Maroons.  Pulaski gets back into River Ridge District action on Tuesday when they take on Salem.  Game time for both games is set for 5 pm.

Reaching Up And Reaching Out

Reaching Up And Reaching Out
By David Gravely

For those who love the game of basketball, it seems like there is always a game or a tournament going on somewhere.   The time of year doesn't matter, because with travel teams, AAU teams, "elite" teams, and all the regular middle school, high school, college and pro teams out there you can usually find something to watch.  This weekend there will be a tournament that is a little bit different, however, as a local group hopes to help raise money for those affected by the recent tornados.

The New River Valley Ballers, a New River Valley travel basketball team, and the Pulaski Church of God are hosting a three on three basketball tournament this Saturday, and all proceeds and donations will be going to assist those in Pulaski and Draper that were affected. 

"We wanted to do something to help, and this was just one of the ways we came up with" said event coordinator Patrick Lawson.  "We know that there were so many people that have needs, and we're just hoping to make a dent in those needs.  We'd like to invite everyone to come out and root for your favorite teams, and while you're here grab something from the concessions stand or make a donation."

The tournament will be a double elimination event, with a $30 entry fee per team.  The games will be to 21 points, scored by two's and three's.  There are currently three different divisions scheduled.  The ladies will be able to compete in a girls/women's only division, while the guys will be able to play in either a 17 and over division or a 40 and over division.

"We want to be able to offer a chance for the teams to be able to compete against each other and have some fun, but the main purpose here is going to be about helping our neighbors that need it" said Lawson.  "There are lots of people who have been affected recently by the bad weather, and it could happen to anyone.  We just them to know that there are people out there that care about them, and that we do want to help out.  We would also like to invite anyone who was affected to come out and join us Saturday.  Sometimes something as simple as getting your mind off of things for an hour or two can be a really good thing."

The full schedule of events will be posted at The Refreshing Center (Pulaski Church of God) on Friday after a meeting with all of the teams.  Spaces are still available if you are interested in participating.  For more information, contact Patrick Lawson at (540)250-2206 or email at patricklawson@vic.edu.

Lady Cougars End Streak

Lady Cougar Soccer Ends Streak
By David Gravely

Four years is a long time to wait for something, but that wait is finally over for the Pulaski County Lady Cougar Soccer team.  On Tuesday the Lady Cougars defeated the Galax Maroon Tide 3-0, giving the program their first win in four long seasons.

"We've told the girls all season that we are less worried about the outcome of the games and more worried about continuing to make progress" said first year Head Coach Eric Martin.  "We know we have a long way to go to reach the goals we've set and to get to the level we want to be at, but this was certainly a step in the right direction.   Galax has a solid team with some good wins to their credit.  This is just really big for us.  I'm really proud of our progress and happy for our two seniors, who have put so much work and time into this program."

Galax, who is now 6-2-1 on the season, has wins over Giles twice, Bland, Floyd, Rural Retreat, and Carroll County.  Their losses came to George Wythe in a 2-1 nail biter, and now to Pulaski County, who also provided them with the tie game on their record just a few short weeks ago in Galax.

The game started off with both teams moving the ball but unable to penetrate each others defense enough to get into a scoring position.  As the time ticked off the clock in the first half, the Lady Cougars were able to press the ball deeper into Galax territory.  With around ten minutes left in the half Pulaski finally got on the board when Hannah Wade sent a pass to Ericka Nash, who beat the Galax goalie for the score.  Just prior to the end of the first half, Kelly Russell moved the ball deep into enemy territory and passed off to Nash again, who nailed the shot for her second goal of the game.  The half ended with Pulaski up 2-0.

Pulaski came out in the second half and continued to work, moving the ball well and putting shots on goal.  With around 15 minutes off the clock, Casey Snider sent a pass to  Lauren McPeake who was open near the goal, who sent the ball into the back of the net to increase the lead to 3-0.  Pulaski continued to push the ball, and missed a chance at a fourth goal in a scramble with a loose ball near the end of the game, but the Galax goal keeper was able to grab the ball and prevent the score.   Tori Duncan posted her first shutout of the season, and ended the game with three saves.

"I'm so glad this happened this season" said senior defensive player Marlena Morrison.  "I've been playing with this team my entire time in high school, and we've been close several times, but to finally win is great.  We know it's only one game, but it's proof to us that we're making progress.  That's all we want to do right now.....just try to get better every game."

Nash, one of the many underclassmen on the team, thinks the program is certainly headed in the right direction.  "We know we're not the best team in the district, and most of the teams are way ahead of us.  We're working on catching up, but it's going to take time.  Alot of us are playing in summer leagues and on travel teams now, and there are alot of us playing on indoor teams in the winter.  We're trying to do the things we need to do to get better, but we know it's going to take time."

Chelsie Testerman was another happy Lady Cougar.  "We're learning more this year, and you can see the improvements we're making.  We want to take this program to a higher level, and we're willing to do the work to get there.  It would be great if we had a place like the YMCA here in Pulaski where we could play indoors locally during the winter, and hopefully something like that will happen soon.  It would help out the boys and the girls teams so much."

Next week the Lady Cougars will go back into River Ridge District action on Tuesday when they travel to Salem.  Junior varsity action is set to get underway at 5:30, with the varsity contest starting at 7 pm.

Richardson Signs With UVA-Wise

Cougar Lineman Moves To The Next Level
By David Gravely

The Pulaski County football program will be sending another player to the next level, as Jimmy Richardson signed his official Letter of Intent to play for Head Coach Dewey Lusk and the University of Virginia at Wise on Wednesday in front of friends, family, and Cougar Head Football Coach Todd Jones.

"Any time we can help a young man get to the next level in his education, that's a special day for us" said Coach Jones.  "This is a great opportunity for Jimmy and his family, and we wish him all the best of luck.  Hopefully we will be seeing some more players get the chance he's getting in the near future."

Richardson, who was one of the team captains for the 2010 Cougar squad, will be going into the Highlander Cavaliers camp this season with high hopes and expectations.  "I want to get there and become a better football player" said Richardson.   "I want to work my way into some playing time, and then I want to compete for a starting spot.  I want to do what I can to help make the team better, and I want to focus on getting my education.  I looked at alot of schools, and UVA-Wise just seemed like a great fit for me.  I'm really excited about this opportunity."

"I think Jimmy is going to have a chance to work his way in" said Coach Jones.  "He's a hard worker, and he's got the size he needs for this level.  I know Coach Lusk will help him become a better player."  Coach Jones, an Emory and Henry alumni, has prior experience working with Coach Lusk.  "He was a skill position and quarterback coach at Emory and Henry when I played there.  He has a great knowledge of the game and knows how to get the most out of his players."

As with most small colleges, sports scholarship money is hard to come by, but Richardson will be receiving a partial football scholarship to help get him started.  With the economy as  tough as it is right now, Richardson offered some advice to the younger players currently in the rec league and middle school systems.  "Start paying attention to your grades now.   Working hard in the weight room and in practice is important, but you really need to be able to perform in the class room to get the attention of the schools.  Not everybody is going to be able to go to a big time school or get a sports scholarship, but having good grades can help get you where you want to go."

Coach Jones echoed those thoughts as well.  "I've been fortunate enough to help alot of student athletes make it into college, but there were so many more that could have made it if they had just had the grades.   Too many times we'll see a player who all the athletic ability and talent in the world, but they cant get to that next level because of bad study habits and not focusing in the classroom.  Hopefully, we can help change that."

Anderson Signs With Wasps

Anderson Signs With Wasps
By David Gravely

Around twelve years ago a young lady picked up a bat to take her first swings at a ball in a tee ball game.  On Thursday, that young lady realized a lifelong dream of getting a chance to play at the college level.  Pulaski County High School senior softball player Bethany Anderson made her decision official as she signed her Letter of Intent to play for the Emory and Henry Wasps softball team.

"I'm so happy to get this chance" said Anderson.  "I've always dreamed of playing at the next level, and I am so excited to be a part of what Coach (Jack) Jordan is doing at Emory and Henry.  They are working on building a solid foundation for their program to take it places in the future.  I hope to be able to help the team out as much as possible, and hopefully earn some playing time early."

Wasp Head Coach Jack Jordan was pleased to hear of Anderson's decision.  "We are so excited to have Bethany join the Emory and Henry family.  She is a very talented softball player who has the ability to play multiple positions.  More importantly she is a solid student and a terrific young lady."  Coach Jackson, who is in his first full year as the Wasps Head Coach, is hoping to take his team to a higher level of play immediately.  "This being my first recruiting class, it has been of particular importance to bring in players who are both committed and motivated.  I am confident Bethany will excel both on the field and in the classroom, and will play a big role in the future of the program."

Pulaski County has had strong ties to Emory and Henry for many years.   Many Pulaski County student athletes have found a home there.   Head football coach Todd Jones and athletic director Mark Hanks are both graduates, and Lady Cougar Head Coach Gina Miano is a graduate and a member of their sports Hall of Fame.  She was equally excited for Anderson.  "Bethany is the ideal athlete for a coach to have the privilege of working with year after year.  She is kind, polite and internally motivated to become better each day.  She has received the Best Sportsmanship Award four years in a row, and that award is team voted so her teammates respect her as an athlete, as a young lady and as a captain.  Some athletes talk the talk but don't walk the walk.  Bethany walks the walk and then turns it into a sprint.   She is an outstanding young lady and softball player and will be greatly missed by our program.  We wish her all the luck and success at Emory and Henry.  This was a perfect match for her.  We all wish her nothing but the best of luck."

When ask what motivates her, Anderson was very clear.  "My team, my coaches, and all of the coaches that I've been honored to work with over the years have all meant alot to me.  I've tried to learn as much as I could from them all.  My main support over the years though has always been my family.   I cant begin to tell you how much my family means to me.  Both of them spent so much time getting me to and from games and practices, as well as helping out my teams.  The time I've gotten to spend with my dad has been really special to me.  He has always been there in the back yard to help me practice and working with me to help me get better.  My mom has always been there too.  Any time I've stepped into the on deck circle, I know I can look into the stands and she'll give me a thumbs up of encouragement.  They and my brother Thomas have always been there behind me, and I am so thankful."

Anderson has played softball in some form since she was first allowed at the earliest levels of tee ball and coach pitch.  After playing in the Pulaski County recreation league every year, she also played for the Virginia Wlidcats and the Southwest Virginia Pumas travel teams.  Her memories of those teams, she says, never fail to put a smile on her face.  "We got to shave a coaches head one year for winning the championship, and we made Coach Ward Angle wear a tu tu and tierra and pose for pictures.  Being on a team with a bunch of girls wasn't always easy, but we always had fun.  That's what you have to do to be successful.  It has to be fun.  You have to love it, and you have to want to be there and want to get better.  It takes alot of hard work, but it's worth it in the end.  My dad always told me I had to put my grades and schoolwork before the game, and now I can see how important that was.  For any of the younger players out there that want to have a shot at this one day, that's the best advice I can give you.  Perform in the classroom first, and then perform on the field."

Anderson's parents are justifiably proud of their daughter.  "She's worked hard for this, and I'm so proud to see her reach her goal" said Alan Anderson.  "I think Emory and Henry is gaining a great young lady."  Bethany's mother Norma Anderson added "We're so excited and happy.  She's worked so hard and I cant wait to see her in her Emory and Henry uniform for the first time.  We're very thankful to everyone who has helped Bethany get to this point."

Rec League Basketball Roundup

The majority of the Pulaski County rec league basketball teams have now either finished up their seasons or are getting ready to play in their final games this week.  Overall the season was a big success for the County and the players involved.   I would like to take this opportunity to thank the coaches that took the time to send in their teams information.  We hope to be able to provide coverage for the older rec basketball teams that are set to start their seasons next week.  Our goals with this column were to get more folks involved, and make sure that the kids get some recognition for all of their hard work.  The plan is to continue that effort into the spring sports seasons as well.  Congratulations to the younger players and coaches on a job well done.

Dublin Tarheels Finish Strong

The Dublin Tarheels of the 8-10 year old division recently completed a solid season under the leadership of Head Coach Troy Dalton.  The team finished with a very respectable 10-1 record that included five wins by more than ten points.  The Tarheels also proved that they can keep their cool when the pressure is on, winning two games that were decided by three points or less.  Their one loss came in a hard fought contest against the Snowville Longhorns by a final score of 29-26.  Coach Dalton also wanted to thank Jamie Reynolds and Billy Fields for stepping in as assistant coaches.  Congratulations to the Tarheels on a great season.

Dublin Suns Finish 9-2

The Dublin Suns improved their record to 8-2 with a win over the Dublin Rockets on Friday, February 25 at Dublin Middle School.  Scorers for the Suns were Benjamin Poe with 10 points, Ryan Castle added 4 points, and with 2 points each were Ryan Smith, Justin Turpin, and Jason Smith.  Leading the team in rebounds with 4 each were J. Smith, R. Smith, and Castle.  Poe grabbed 10 steals, contributing to the Suns' defense. 

Dublin Middle School was also host to the Dublin Suns and Riverlawn Fire matchup on Saturday, February 26.  The Suns earned the victory, finishing their season with a record of 9-2 in a competitive league.  Players for the Suns include Ryan Castle, Chandler Dishon, Preston Eller, Jason Hall, Benjamin Poe, Luke Russell, Jason Smith, Ryan Smith, and Justin Turpin.  As in any basketball game, rebounds and steals play a vital role.  Rising to the occasion in these categories were R. Smith with 7 rebounds and Castle and Eller with 4 steal each.  Poe scored 12 points, leading the way for the Suns.  Adding to the points total were Eller, Castle, and J. Smith with 2 points each.  Randy Turpin and Chris Castle, coaches for the Suns, wish to thank the players and parents for all of their hard work this season.

Cougar Soccer Ready For 2011

The Pulaski County High School Soccer team had plenty of problems in 2010, starting with the snow that kept them off the practice field for an extended period of time.  The 2011 season, however, is looking much brighter for the Cougars as they bring fresh legs and a great attitude to the field.

"Speed and depth" said Cougar Head Soccer Coach Mike Price.  "The two things you need in most sports to be successful are speed and depth, and soccer is no different.  This is probably the quickest team I have ever coached.  We have speed at every level, so it should add a new twist to our offense.  We also have depth at each position.  In the past, our reserves were either too young or there was a drop off in talent.  This is not the case this year.  We have key people that will be able to step in and perform just as well as our starters.  We're excited about what we can do this season."

The team does face a challenge, however, as there is only one lone senior on the team.  "Chris Blankenship will play as our right midfielder" said Coach Price.   "Chris gives us great speed on the side, has a great leg, and volleys the ball well.  He is key to many of our set pieces."  So the challenge is who will be the team leaders?  "To be honest, I can't answer that until the season starts.  So far, all the guys have done a wonderful job stepping up when the time arises.  There has been no complaining about the conditioning, the weather, and what the coaches expect from them.  We have a young group this year, so it will be interesting to see who takes on the leadership role when the matches begin."

While the Cougars only have one senior, they do have several returning starters and several players who saw significant playing time last season.   "Chris Blankenship played midfield for us last season.  He has quick bursts, a strong leg, and crashes the goal well.  Tyler Trussler plays midfield, and has great field vision, is a phenomenal passer and crosser.  Zack Willard is our goalkeeper, and he has all the tools to be the best keeper in the district.  He can play every position on the field well.  He has great jumping/diving ability, and a strong leg.  Neeko Thompson plays defense for us.  He is quick, a vocal leader, always full speed, and reads the other teams offense well.  Gabe LeBlanc plays defense, and he is a physical bruiser who is not afraid to win every ball.  Cory McDaniel plays in the midfield, and he has good ball control and is a great passer.  Josh Dalton is one of our forwards, and he is always in position to make a play.  Taylor Webster plays defense, he is strong and a big body that can play various positions.   Cody Wright is another midfielder, he is a great feeder, has a solid left leg, and always gives 120%."

Price is also pleased with some of the "surprise" players he has found in his ranks this season.  "Zach Akers is a forward with a big body who improves with each day.  He is very unselfish and does whatever is needed to help the team.  Jordan Taylor plays defense for us, and he is quick, quick, quick!  I expect some good things from him.  Cody Linkous plays defensive midfielder, and he wins many balls out of the air, very physical.  Brandon Brock also plays defense, and he is another quick defender who likes to be physical.  Two freshmen have stood out for us also.  Andrew Powers plays forward, and he has great vision and hard shot.  Freshman Tye Saul plays midfield and dribbles and distributes the ball very well."

Rounding out the team are some new players that have stepped into the rank and are quickly proving to be a valuable asset to the team.  "Austin Talbert, Justin Gravely, Cooper Stephens, Trevor Hedge, Dylan Reichner, and James Cressell are going to be really strong assets for us this season " said Price.   "All of these guys made tremendous strives to make the team this year.  Talbert is a talented forward, Gravely is a quick defender, and Stephens brings a bit of size to us.  Hedge is a an aggressive hustler, Cressell is an intelligent defender, and Reichner can play a variety of position as well.  They not only provide us with some depth, but they are great "team guys" with really good attitudes."

So with all these positives, what does Coach Price feel his team needs to improve on?  "Communication is key.  Last year, leadership was lacking on and off the field.  We have to communicate and work well together.  So far, the guys have done a great job of working on this.  Another thing is being more physical.  Last year, we picked up a lot of cheap fouls I was not happy with.  I am trying to stress being physical....not dirty.  We want to play hard and win, but we want to do things the right way.  I expect to see these guys do well."

The Cougars will again be playing in the River Ridge District.  "This is a tough district, but we honestly feel we can make a lot of noise this year.  I am confident that we can compete with everyone in the district.  The guys have to believe it too.  We have to be at the top of our game for each match.  Each team has their own style, so we have to be able to adapt from one day to the next.  Blacksburg will still be the team to beat, they are the preseason favorites."

The Cougars are trying to get some scrimmage action in before the start of the regular season, but the first official game is set to be on Monday March 14 at Radford High School.  Start time for the contest is set for 5:30 for the junior varsity contest, followed by the varsity matchup at 7 pm.

Lady Cougar Softball Aiming High

A new season is bringing fresh hopes to the Pulaski County High School Lady Cougar softball team, and a solid core of returning starters and senior leaders hope to provide Head Coach Gina Miano the punch this team has been looking for as they prepare to start out the 2011 campaign.

 

"We're very excited about our chances this season" said Coach Miano.  "I feel like we should be very competitive.  Often, when a team consists of lots of returners, there is resistance to learning and trying new things. Sometimes players think, since they are returning, that they know all there is to know about the game, but that's not this group.  These kids.....returners and new players.....are absorbing all the new information and not only executing the skills, but being sure the new players are understanding the concepts also.  It is a team attitude of winning and doing what it takes to acquire that goal.  They want to learn, crave new suggestions and work very hard to execute new ideas.  As coaches, we are very excited about this "We Not Me" attitude and the daily work these young ladies put in to be the best they can be!"

 

The Lady Cougars will be led by three senior captains this season.  Kasey Holcomb is back at her position at shortstop, Tiffany Alley will be holding down third base again, and Bethany Anderson will rotate between outfield and third base.  "All these girls are seniors and have great assetts to add to the Varsity program with leadership, confidence, ability and drive to be the very best young ladies and players they can be while leading a group eager to follow" said Miano.

 

Another thing that will help the Lady Cougars out are the other returning starters from last season.    In all, there are ten Lady Cougars who started at one point or the other last season.  Sarah Wright will be taking charge of first base, while Brooke Hundley will handle second.  Holcomb will be your shortstop, Alley will be at third base, and Anderson in the outfield.  Kelli Duncan will and Carlie Brewer will be Pulaski's other two outfielders, and Jordan Chrisley will be behind the plate as catcher.  The Lady Cougars should be stronger this season on the mound, as Whitney McDaniel....who moved up from JV late in the season last year has shown improvement, and Kaitlin Smith will look to continue what she started last season on the mound.

 

When ask if any of her players had surprised her this spring, Coach Miano said "I don't think I have a "surprise" player, but we are experiencing a "surprise team attitude".  The girls are really excited about playing, and their expectations are high."

 

The Lady Cougars have some work to do if they want to improve on last seasons performance.   "We need to improve on fielding situations such as paying attention to "secondary runners" and knowing what to do in different situations" said Miano.   "This will improve as the weather improves and we can get on the field for some extended defensive work.  

 

Miano also pointed out some of her teams strengths.  "Our strengths this year will be base running. We are emphasizing "stealing bases" and teaching the DETAILS involved with base running. It is a major emphasis and the young ladies are responding well. Another big positive this season is attitude.   These girls are non selfish and eager to work, a definite strength for any team and I will take it!"

 

The Lady Cougars will also have some new faces on the field this season.   "Evony Coffey, a junior infield player, hits the ball hard and absorbs every piece of information we teach her. She is respectful and eager to contribute to this team.  Brooke Seagle, another junior infielder, also and has a very good swing.  She sees the ball very well and works on her hitting with excitement.   Katie Hurst, a freshman, plays both infield and outfield.  She is fast and loves to dive head first.  She has a good glove and is a sponge every day at practice.  Lauren Shumate, another ninth grader, is very athletic and has speed. She will also be both in and outfield as we need her. Her arm is very strong and she has the mentality of an athlete.  She's a great competitor who will develop quickly.   Junior Lauren Foster played junior varsity for us last season, and she has come along very nicely.  She has some great speed and base running ability, and we hope to be able to continue to develop and use that for the team."

 

There has been another new face on the field as well this season for the Lady Cougars.  "Jade Murray, our team manager, is with us everyday and is a wonderful help to us as coaches and to the team members.  She is great, and she does alot of things to help the team every day.  She will be helping to keep different stats and to help the team evolve."

 

Assisting Coach Miano this season are assistant coaches Vernon Crouch, who works with outfielders and pitchers, and Shannon Brewer, who coaches hitting and base-running.

 

So what are the expectations?   "We are going after the district title. Period" said Miano.  "We've got the girls in place, they have the experience, and they have the talent.  They have worked hard enough, and they continue to do that every day.  We want a District Title, and we are going to work hard every game to get it.  We're not going to run our mouths, we're going to let our bats do the talking for us."

 

While there are several scrimmages set to take place, weather permitting, over the next week or so, the Lady Cougars first official game is set for March 15 against Carroll County.  Game time is set for 5 pm at Pulaski County High Schools softball field.

Fishermen Making A Difference

Fishing has always been a popular past time in our part of Virginia.  Over the years, tournament fishing has become more and more popular as teams and individuals compete to see who get not only the bragging rights, but in some cases some pretty nice prizes ranging from fishing gear to money, and in some cases even vehicles and boats.  One local fisherman has found a way to combine the love of fishing with a way for people to give back and help out some worthy causes, and it's growing bigger each season.

Dwayne Linkous of Dublin is the President and founder of "Fishing For Charities", a tournament trail that holds tournaments throughout Virginia, North Carolina, and Tennessee.  Linkous has been an active tournament fisherman for years.   One of the main motivations behind setting up the club is his son.Raiden, who suffers from Neiman Pick Disease.

While those who participate in these tournaments can still win money and other prizes, the main purpose is to raise money for a variety of charities.  This years tournaments will support such charities as The Wounded Warrior Project, the Make a Wish Foundation of Greater Virginia, the Autism Society of East Tennessee, the Neiman Pick Disease Foundation, Relay for Life, and Victory Junction.

Last seasons schedule included tournaments at Cherokee Lake in Tennessee, Lake Anna here in Virginia, Douglas Lake in Tennessee, Claytor Lake, Lake Norman in North Carolina, and Smith Mountain Lake.   The 2011 schedule looks to include all of those from the 2010 schedule except for Lake Anna, and includes Lake Hickory in North Carolina and South Holston Lake at the Tennesee/Virginia border.  The action is set to get officially underway on April 2 with the Lake Hickory tournament.

If you would be interested in either fishing in this tournament trail or helping out as a sponsor or donor, feel free to visit their website at http://www.fishingforcharities.net/.