Marty Gordon
Sometimes true character can be seen on the side of the football field.
When a Hidden Valley football player remained on the turf during Friday night’s contest with Christiansburg, a trainer rushed to his side. The much-shorter female then attempted to help the player off the field. Meanwhile he kept motioning to his sideline for help in order to limp off the field with an ankle injury.
No one responded as the team was huddling around coach Scott Weaver. Christiansburg’s Noah Davis noticed the injured player having trouble and ran over and helped him to the sidelines.
This was probably the true meaning of “sportsmanship”. Davis is this week’s “special” player of the week.
On the field, Christiansburg moved to 7-1 with River Ridge District win.
Christiansburg rushed for 484 yards Friday night in a 62-20 win over Hidden Valley. Tanner Evans scored Christiansburg’s first score on a 59-yard run after Hidden Valley had taken a 6-0 lead. Four Blue Demons rushed for over 100 yards in the game.
Issaih Cotto rushed 13 times for 134 yards with touchdowns of 49 and 37. Matt Annis would add two more scores for the 7-1 Blue Demons on 12 carries for 141 yards. Javier Joplin would also score from 86 yards and rushed four times for 100 yards. Evans rushed seven times for 107 yards before a knee injury knocked him out of the game in the second quarter. He was also four of four through the air for 66 yards and two touchdowns.
Cotto would throw another touchdown on two of four completions. Donavan Richardson had two scoring receptions, while JT Thompson caught a 27-yard pass from Evans for a score.
Radford High School continued to roll, remaining unbeaten after 55-27 win on Friday over Patrick County. QB Landon Clark completed 11 of 18 passes for 173 yards and four touchdowns. He also ran for two more scores and 112 yards.
Radford is now 8-0 on the season.
No real change in the Virginia High School League points standings. Radford remains the top Region 2C with 24.457 points. Glenvar is second at 21.1667.
Christiansburg still holds the second spot in Region 3D at 24.14 points slightly behind first place and unbeaten Magna Vista at 25.667. Lord Botetourt is third at 23.16 and William Byrd fourth at 23 points even. If the season ended today, Christiansburg would have to play Cave Spring or Abingdon in the opening round of the playoffs.
In 1C Grayson County remained unbeaten and tops in the region with 22 points. Narrows is second with 19.333.
Liberty Christian is in first place over in Region 3C as they remain unbeaten at 5-0.
Player of week: This week’s top dog has been playing in the shadows of Landon Clark at Radford but continues to put up impressive numbers week-after-week. J.D. Grubb rushed for another 100-plus yards, scoring once, in Radford’s win over Patrick County. He is this week’s player of the week.
Area Top Five: 1) Salem, 2) Radford, 3) Christiansburg, 4) Narrows, 5) Glenvar.
Games this week:
Patrick Henry at Christiansburg
PH (6-1) had to shake off a stubborn Cave Spring team on Friday night for a 35-28 win. Kwalei Carter rushed for 109 yards on 16 carries with a touchdown. Marcel Murray added 133 yards on 16 carries with three scores.
Prediction: Christiansburg 30, PH 28.
Floyd at Radford
Floyd picked up win number three 20-6 over Carroll County. Lathom Barbieri ran for two touchdowns and 103 yards on 11 carries, and Sam Phillips completed seven of 12 passes for 104 yards.
Prediction: Radford 48, Floyd 7.
Hidden Valley at Blacksburg
Hidden Valley QB Brayden Moore attempted 40 passes in last week’s loss to Christiansburg and finished with 13 completions for 237 yards and an interception. Jackson Getz was Hidden Valley’s top receiver with five for 165 yards.
Blacksburg allowed Pulaski’s Trevor Gallimore to rush for 357 yards and six touchdowns in a 69-13 loss on Friday night.
Prediction: Hidden Valley 32, Blacksburg 24.
Grayson County at Auburn
Grayson has been one of southwest Virginia’s surprise teams with a 7-0 mark. This past week, they slid past a good Bluefield (WVa.) team 35-30. Mac Goad had five catches for 103 yards and two touchdowns and Austin Dowell completed 13 of 22 passes for 196 yards and three touchdowns for Grayson. Dowell also rushed for a score, intercepted a passed and blocked a punt late in the fourth quarter to setup a game winning TD pass.
Prediction: Grayson County 42, Auburn 7.
Eastern Montgomery at Narrows
Narrows scored 51 points in last week’s 75-51 loss to Honaker. Kolier Pruett threw for four touchdowns and rushed for three more but was picked off six times in the game.
Prediction: Narrows 48, Eastern Montgomery 7.
