Lady Cougar Soccer Ready To Run

Lady Cougar Soccer Working Hard
By David Gravely
Pulaski County High School Lady Cougar Head Soccer Coach Eric Martin took over the reigns of the program last season, leading the Lady Cougars to their first wins in several years. This season he hopes to not only gain a few wins, but is looking to move Pulaski County into a more competitive frame of mind.

"2011 was a transition year for this program, but also a very successful one" said Coach Martin. "Although the numbers did not show it, we established the expectations for this program and we believe we have the girls who want to be here and who want to compete. As for this year we hope to get more wins for the program and also be more competitive in our district which is the most talented district in AA Girls Soccer. Our ultimate goal is to create an atmosphere of extreme competitiveness within each team and apply that to our games. We expect to be in every game this season until the final whistle."

This off season was a busy one for the Lady Cougars. While some play basketball or are a part of the cheer team, there were also many who took the time to get involved with other soccer related groups. "We had several players play club soccer for various clubs in the area" said Coach Martin. "We also took advantage of the new VHSL Out of Season Practice rule and used it as skill development training for the girls a couple days each week. Then from the end of November through the start of the season we conducted weight lifting and conditioning. We also had a portion of our girls play in an indoor soccer league this winter as well."

The Lady Cougars will have a strong core of senior leaders to work with this season. "We have five returning seniors with one senior who is new to the program. Lauren McPeake was an honorable mention last season in the River Ridge District and was our co-leading scorer. We expect a very big season from Chelsie Testerman, who had a very productive off-season. Chelsie may have a set position on paper, but she will be used pretty much everywhere on the field and is an excellent teammate. Casey Snider is also expected to have her best season yet. Casey brings a very positive energy to the team and she is beginning to show that in her level of play as well. Kelly Russell returns for her last season at PCHS and she too has improved. Tori Duncan will return as one of our goal-keepers, and we hope she can keep improving and end her career on a high note at PCHS. Haley Sutphin is our new senior this year, and while she is new to soccer she has a strong desire to learn and great athletic ability. She has the attitude our program needs and we hope that spreads to our younger players."

Four other returning starters will be joining those seniors to help provide direction to the program. "Ericka Nash is one of our returning starters who was second team All River Ridge district as a Freshman last season, but we have her in a different role this year. Last season Ericka anchored our back line and played fantastic. This season, we expect Ericka to continue that level of play in the midfield. We hope she can create goals for herself and for her teammates. Briana Blankenship returns to be the anchor in the back for us this season. Briana was an honorable mention for the River Ridge District last season as a Freshman she had a very productive off-season. Briana brings skill, speed, and attitude to our team, and we expect her continue improving and being a leader in the back. Kourtney Stuart returns for her junior season, and she brings a very intense level of play to our team which spreads throughout the entire group. We hope that continues, and Kourtney is learning more and more every day she trains. Lauren Dunford is returning for her sophomore season, and she brings that hard-nose attitude in our midfield and has been a very strong leader this off-season."

With some holes to fill in the lineup, Coach Martin has had his eyes open looking for players that want to seize the opportunity. "We had several players who have stepped it up during the off season who we expect to contribute to our program instantly. Riley Chitwood is a freshmen who has a high level of fitness and her skills are getting better at a very fast pace. Ciara Sarver is a returning sophomore who we expect to contribute in our midfield. Ciara is a great teammate and we expect her play at a higher level and more consistent this season. Other players who are expected to contribute to our team this season are Alisha Romain, Kristiana Simpkins, Breanna Lowles, and Caitlin Lovell. Alisha will be one our goal keepers and is one of the best athletes in the district. Kristina is a freshmen who is a very intelligent soccer player. We hope to get her injuries sorted out so she can show everyone what she can do. Breanna and Caitlin are both sophomores who we expect to contribute to our program in various spots. Both have a lot of potential and are great teammates."

For the past few years, the Lady Cougars have been plagued with injuries and other issues that have kept them from being competitive. This year, the hope is that all of that is in the past. "We earned a little respect from our opponents last season, and now we want to show them we can compete and be in any game we step into. Our motto this season is "All In." We want our players to completely buy into what we are teaching them put everything they have into what hopes to be PCHS Girls Soccer's best season yet. We hope anyone that watches this group play will see a team that will finish every game and can see a team who will compete for the entire 80 minutes."

The future is looking brighter for the Lady Cougars, as this season has found a large group of eighth graders from both of our counties middle schools involved throughout the off season in hopes of earning a spot on the junior varsity team. As of this time, there are eleven eighth graders on the JV team (Kaitlin Edwards, Michelle Hernandez, Mariah Hinton, Alexis Hurst, Erin McPeake, Morgan Midkiff, Ashleigh Powers, Morgan Ratcliff, Maria Ruvios, Mackenzie Sadler, and Madison Surber), who will be led by four freshmen (A’me Baber, Madison Jones, Casey Reese, and Jamie Vasquez), and three sophomores (Judy Cid, Tabitha Cressell, and Autumn Miller).

The Lady Cougars will travel to William Bryd for a preseason jamboree on Saturday, and have other scrimmages scheduled as they prepare for regular season action. The official opening game will be a home game on March 13 against the Galax Maroon Tide. Junior varsity action is set to begin at 4:30, with the varsity contest set to begin at 7 pm.

Cougar Soccer Expecting Big Things

Expectations High for Cougar Soccer
By David Gravely

The Pulaski County High School boys varsity soccer team was able to win some tough games last year, but this season they are expecting to make a strong showing in the always tough River Ridge District as they return all but one member of last years young team.

"We started off strong last year, but we couldn't close out the season" said Cougar Head Coach Mike Price. "We only lost one senior from last year's squad, so I'm excited about having all the guys back. This is my tenth year as coach, and I can honestly say that not many of the past teams are comparable to the talent of this team. I am expecting more out of these guys. We have 15 seniors on this squad, so I'm looking for many of them to provide leadership."

While having 15 returning seniors is never going to be a bad thing, Price also has plenty of other younger players to work with. "Even though we a senior heavy team, I think we have a good mix. My job is to try and bring them all together, so the first couple of scrimmages and games are going to be crazy trying to find out the most effective lineup. We have a deep bench this year. Basically we have 17 guys who could start, so when we have to make substitutions, we won't lose a step. We have been conditioning since January, so the boys are chomping at the bit to play their first game."

Offensively, the Cougars look stronger than they ever have. Up front, the forwards are junior Zack Akers, sophomore Andrew Powers, senior Josh Dalton, sophomore Austin Talbert, and junior Javier Wagner. Akers is a returning starter who was named to the River Ridge District second team last year, and led the team with 10 goals.

"Zack provides us with a strong physical presence up front, and he is actually good at feeding the ball to others" said Price. "Andrew Powers saw considerable time last year as a freshman, and has a solid shot and great placement. Andrew is so unselfish with the ball, always wanting to set up others. This year I want him firing away a bit more. Dalton is the lone senior of the group, and was responsible for 2 goals last season. Talbert came up big for us last year in big games, and was one of our scoring leaders. He has great breakaway abilities, and will also contribute in the midfield. Wagner is a transfer student who had to sit out last year. He is very skilled with the ball, has a great shot, and is hard to contain. All these guys are unselfish with the ball, and they all will be expected to contribute. No matter who is in at the time, all these guys can find the back of the net."

Further back on the field, the good news keeps on coming. Key returners who started last year are senior Tyler Trussler, senior Cody Wright, senior Cory McDaniel, sophomore Tye Saul, and senior Taylor Webster. Rounding out the midfield are senior Trevor Hedge and senior Dylan Reichner, along with newcomers sophomore Daegan Friend, senior Christian Fore, and junior Jordan Reed. 

"Tyler will be one of our center midfielders and may play on the left side at times" said Price. "The left footer was second team River Ridge District last year, and he can pass well, has well placed free kicks. He is good at keeping the ball at his feet. Wright was named to the district honorable mention team last year, and will be in the center the majority of the time. Wright also has a strong left leg, can provide accurate crosses, and will handle many of our corner kick plays. McDaniel will work on the right side. Cory plays defense very well in the midfield, and we are wanting him to drive the ball down the right side this year. He will also work out of the other center midfield spot at times."

"Taylor Webster will handle our "stopper" duties, which is basically a defensive midfielder position. Taylor's size and height help him stop offensive runs before they start. He also does a great job winning balls out of the air and has a strong leg. Saul saw considerable playing time last year as a freshman. Tye is very good with the ball, and likes to set other up. He will move around the midfield a lot. Friend was a starter for the JV squad last year. Daegan has improved a great deal from last year. He has speed and determination that will come in handy. He may also play up front at times. Christian is a transfer from North Carolina, but originally played at Pulaski County as an 8th grader. He gives some size and height to the midfield. Hedge has shown dramatic improvement in the off season, and Reichner hustles all the time. Reed moves up from the JV squad this year."

While the offensive and midfield players look strong, the Cougars defensive players may be one of their strongest groups. "Defensively, we have more players this year than last year" said Price. "Returning starters from last year include senior Gabe LeBlanc, senior Cody Linkous, senior Brandon Brock, and senior Jordan Taylor. We also have senior James Crandall and senior Cooper Stephens returning for a successful senior year. New to the team this year are senior Kevin Powell, junior Arman Cruise, and junior Ryan Pfeiffer. LeBlanc was named to the first team All District last year. Gabe's size, determination, and leadership were key for us, and we're counting on it again. He is responsible for marking the other team's offensive threats. Linkous was named to the River Ridge District's honorable mention team. Cody plays center back for us, and he brings speed and hustle. Taylor returns to the right side, and he also gives us speed and the ability to bring the ball up out of the defense. Brandon is one of the quickest players on the team. He can recover quickly, and is not afraid to get physical. Crandall and Stephens can bring a change of pace and they both never give up. Crandall will work on the right side with Stephens working on the left. Cruise was a starter on the JV squad last year. He is an intelligent player who uses the sideline well. Powell is a quick and powerful player. We will use him to beef up on some players, and he definitely has some defensive abilities. Pfeiffer is a dedicated defender that can be physical as well. Overall, we have the speed and size to slow down many teams."

The final piece of the puzzle is the goal keeper. Zack Willard returns to try and best his first team River Ridge District and Region IV honorable mention accomplishments from last year. "Zack is a phenomenal goalkeeper, one of the best I have ever seen. His kicks and punts are instant offense, and his diving ability is impressive. He cuts angles well, and he takes a lot of balls out of the air. When Zack is having a great game, it is hard to score on him. He kept a lot of balls out of the goal last year, and had 4 shut outs to his credit. Zack has the ability to keep us in games if things aren't going as planned. If the defense and Zack are clicking, a lot of teams will have a hard time getting off quality shots."

With the official start of the season drawing close, Coach Price is hoping that all the hard work from last year and during the off season will pay off. "I am excited about this year, and I am demanding the best out of these guys. Ricky Wright has been working them hard the whole off season. I honestly would be lost without Rick. He does so many of the behind the scenes things that helps keep things running smoothly. We have a great system in place, and I hope all the hard work pays off. These guys have the ability to do something special, but they will have to continue to work hard and stay focused to get it."

The Cougars kick things off this Friday, as they host Marion in a scrimmage at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium. JV action is set to get underway at 4:30, and the varsity matchup is scheduled to begin at 7 pm.

Spartan Coach Comments Questionable

Spartan Coach Comments Questionable
By David Gravely

While I normally don't get into the battle of words that some coaches seem to want to constantly get into, a recent story in the Roanoke Times caught my attention more than any has recently.

Let me show you what was said first.  From the Roanoke Times article:
But(Salem Coach)Harrell's joy was muted because his star player, junior Tay Taylor, was not named district player of the year. That honor was awarded to co-winners Tyler Evans of Hidden Valley and Sydney Anderson of Pulaski County.
"[Tay] averaged 17 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds and 4 steals for us this year," Harrell said. "Plus she's already gotten 10 offers from colleges to play at the next level, and no one else around can say that. I'm disappointed; I'm upset. She's not getting recognized the way she should be."

I would suggest that while Taylor is certainly a fine athlete and well deserving of the attention she is getting, Evans and Anderson are also in that class, and while I don't have Evans stats on hand, Anderson can certainly boast comparable if not better stats.  Let's also face the fact that they are also getting those stats on teams that are not as well balanced as Salem is this year, and they get their stats in games where most of the times the opponent can focus on them, making those stats even more impressive.  If Taylor was the lone standout player for the Spartans, I would suggest that she may not have those impressive numbers.

And for the record, in the three meetings that Pulaski and Salem have had this season:
Anderson had 22 points in game one, 12 in game two, and 19 points in the last meeting.
Taylor had unknown in game one, 7 in game two, and 17 points in game three.

Anderson is averaging 18.7 points per game, 7.4 rebounds per game, and 3.9 steals per game.  She doesn't get as many assists (.7 per game), but her presence on the court does free up the other players for their shots.

Salem is winning this year because they have a very balanced team and can attack you from many spots.  If Taylor finds an opening, she'll drive the lane for the layup.  If not, she can drive and dish it off to the next girl for the layup, or pass it back out for one of Salem's other effective shooters to hit the deeper ball.  Defensively they play tough as nails, and they have very good team speed and athleticism. 

At the high school level, when you have that many fast players with good ball handling skills and decent shots, you're going to be a hard team to handle.  Salem has proven they have that this season, with an unblemished River Ridge District record.  They won the regular season and tournament titles.  They didn't do that BECAUSE OF Tay Taylor, they did it WITH Tay Taylor and her talented teammates.

Nobody is trying to say that Tay Taylor isn't a fine basketball player who will do well at the next level.  BUT, if she wasn't on the floor for the Spartans, they would still be balanced and athletic enough to make a run at things, while Pulaski would be hard pressed to replace Anderson. 

The Award "RRD Player of the Year" is not only for the best basketball player, but for the player that also best carries the load for their team.  It's for the player that takes on the position of team leader and assumes the responsibility to take their team to the next level.   I would suggest that the selection of Anderson and Evans not only validates the award, but it gives respect to Salem for having such a balanced team this season.

Shame on you Coach Harrell, for disrespecting not only the two young ladies who were selected for the award, but for disrespecting your entire team and their commendable accomplishments this season with your comments.

Win A Car With Cougar Soccer
By David Gravely

The Pulaski County High School Cougar Soccer team has been working hard to raise money for their upcoming season, and in the process of that they have teamed up with the Shelor Motor Mile to raffle off a new car.

The Cougars, along with other teams from around the area, are selling tickets for $1 each. All money made from the ticket sales is to be used by the particular team selling the tickets. Also, anyone buying a car from Shelor can participate in their "Growing the Future" program. For each vehicle sold, the buyer can fill out a donation card, and the participating school will receive a $100 donation from Shelors as part of the program. The individual schools PTA/PTO organizations are distributing these cards. There are currently two schools from our county participating in this program, Pulaski County High School and Pulaski Middle School, and donation cards can be picked up from the main offices of these schools.

The official drawing will be held in the fall, right before the start of the new school year. The winner will get a new compact car donated by the Shelor Motor Mile. The dealership has also set up a scholarship fund, which awards $1000 scholarships to graduating seniors each year. Since the start of this program a decade ago, over $110,000 has been awarded to local youth.

For more information about the Growing the Future program or how you can help support Pulaski County High School athletics, contact Mark Hanks at 643-0747, or Dede Stone at 382-2981.

8th Grade Cougars Win Cougar Classic

8th Grade Cougars Win In AAU
By David Gravely

Winning is contagious, and that's just what the Pulaski County Cougars 8th grade boys AAU basketball team are hoping for as they took home the trophy in the 8th Annual Cougar Classic last weekend.

"The team played great" said Head Coach Todd Brewster. "This is the first tournament of the year, and we have had just a few practices. They are very unselfish and play as a team. They are a great bunch of kids that love to play together and hang out together."

The Cougars got things started with a contest against the Virginia Sonics out of Botetourt County. After a hard fought contest, the Cougars came out on top by the final score of 56-48. Alex Ramsey led the scoring with 17 points. Isaac Poe added 14, Kevin Smith scored 10, Elliott Brewster had 9, Bradley Church scored 4, and Miguel Garcia added 2 points.

The Cougars second opponent of the weekend was the Auburn Eagles. The Eagles found themselves outmatched on both sides of the floor, as the Cougars took home a 47-7 win. The Cougars took the chance to get their bench players some much needed court time, and nine players put points on the board. Isaac Poe, Elliot Brewster, and Bradley Church paced Pulaski with 8 points each. Landon Lawson, Kevin Smith, and Barron Blevins added 5 points each, with Miguel Garcia scoring 4 points. Kevon Houston and Alex Ramsey added two points each.

The final game of the tournament found the Cougars in the championship game in a rematch against the Virginia Sonic. The Sonic came out and hit the first shot of the game to take a two point lead, but Pulaski went on a six point run to set the pace. The scoring went back and forth, with the game staying close throughout, but in the end the Cougars pulled away to win 48-40. Poe finished the game with 15 points, Smith added 14, and Ramsey chipped in 9 points. Brewster and Church added 4 points each, with Jake Clary scoring two points.

According to Coach Brewster, there is a bigger purpose behind this and other tournaments being held locally. "We had three other Pulaski County boy teams play this weekend. There was a 5th grade, 6th grade and 7th grade team representing Pulaski. The 5th grade team won 1 game and lost 2, the 6 graders were 0 for 3, and the 7th grade was 2 and 1. We are trying to establish the 5th through 8th grade boys teams year after year. This is to help build the basketball program in the county for both the Middle School and High School level. The thought is to add another 5th grade team with the rest moving up a grade level next year. Each team is planning to do several more tournaments in the up and coming weeks. In the end, we want to see success on the court here at Pulaski County High School."