By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@ourvalley.org
The giving mood is in the air as we celebrate Christmas Day, and it’s always a surprise what might be under the tree. Many of our area sports teams received their gifts a little early this season.
The Christiansburg High School football team received a big one when they took the Battle of the Burgs for the first time in five years. Not only did they take the crown back, but they also received a special “military bowl” trophy from the U.S. Army as the contest was designated as one of the top rivalry contests in the entire country.
CHS also received a gift last week, via the Montgomery County School Board, with ground broken on a new field house and concession stand to be located adjacent to the school’s new turf field.
And speaking of turf fields, Blacksburg High School will receive a gift in the spring with their own turf football field that will be used for both soccer and lacrosse.
The Pulaski Yankees minor league baseball franchise received an early present when the franchise was spared after Major League Baseball said while most of the Appalachian League rookie teams would be eliminated under a plan that could take effect in 2021. Pulaski could even move up to the Carolina League, creating a Yankee-Red Sox rivalry just down the road in Salem
Motor Mile Speedway is set to open a wrapped box that features another NASCAR season in 2020.
The Washington Nationals found one of those hidden Christmas gifts, unwrapping it to find a World Series win.
Mike Young might be the biggest early Christmas present of all times. Congrats Virginia Tech; he is the right man for the job.
Both Radford and Auburn High School got early presents wrapped in state volleyball titles.
Other gifts yet to be unwrapped:
Another state postseason run for the Radford High School boys’ basketball team and one for the Bobcat girls, who are just as talented this winter;
The Washington Redskins will land a head coach with lots of experience, and Virginia Tech will pull off another big bowl win against Kentucky.
Merry Christmas, everyone, from the world of sports and me.