I do not hide that my writing style comes directly from two influences – Jimmy Buffett and Aaron Sorkin. Buffett is a tremendous storyteller and Sorkin writes in a manner that I can’t even put into words.

A lifetime ago Sorkin was tending Bar to pay for College and started to scribble down a play on a napkin. Having never written a story before he created the play that became ” A Few Good Men”.

First try and that was his result- I still see Tom Cruise and Jack Nicholson in the climatic Courtroom scene. I been a fan of his style for close to four decades now and my favorite thing he ever wrote was a series for HBO called “The Newsroom”.

He tells a story about how Will McAvoy (Jeff Daniels) has a problem with himself if he thinks he’s watching someone being braver then himself.

Thursday Night 🌙 I was working on a Column about my Love for Women’s Basketball 🏀 while watching 👀 Kenny Brooks and his Hokies dismantle the #9 Blue Devils.

I already knew that I would be heading from Laurel Fork up to Salem for the State Wrestling event and then back to Hillsville for Basketball 🏀 and then getting to Atlanta for the College Baseball ⚾️ responsibilities. It was going to be a brutally long day before my Sorkin-wantabe mindset upped the steaks.

I am going to try and get inside the thought process of what it takes to bea High School Wrestler. Coach Bowman and his team were kind enough to pose for some send-off photos 📷

I noticed that there were four wrestlers with him when only three had qualified for State. Coach mentioned to me that Christyan Stillwell finished 5th and when one of the Top Four couldn’t compete he moved up a spot and was added very last minute to the group.

The last thing that was mentioned was that of the four only one was going to be able to actually eat Dinner later after the drive 🚗 to Salem.

It was then that I decided that I wanted to attempt to be as tough / brave as this quartet so the first thing I did was head up to Salem at the crack of dawn in hopes of lining up the sleep issues and of course didn’t eat breakfast.

I was feeling pretty good about trying to absorb as much of the commitment as possible. Where I started to lose ground was when I realized that these guys would wait 2+ hours to perform for up to six minutes and then wait another 2+ hours before they would get their next 6 minute window.

At Noon – after roughly five hours on site each person had wrestled ONE time. Add in that they’re not hanging out in the Green Room of a television show or the Admirals Club at the Airport.

Around 12:30 I flinched and made a mad dash out to McDonald’s for some actual food and space as we had been bunched up in a absolutely packed Salem Civic Center.

Finally at 1pm they begin the second round of matches which lasts until 3pm. These four young men finally had their second match in the first EIGHT hours. Then came the news that there would be a break until 4:30 before the competitors still alive would have Match #3.

That window would end at 6pm and then the clock would reset and they would do it all again. It would be over 12 hours in the building when Mr. Dalton would have his fourth match.

The time had come to head back to Laurel Fork to grab my baseball stuff and then to Hillsville for the game and upon its conclusion complete the five hour drive 🚗 to Atlanta. The day was going to end with the final posting at 3am, 22 hours after it began. I was feeling pretty good about matching the effort of the Wrestlers.

The drive down to Gwinnett College gave me plenty of time to thing about what I had witnessed and I kept coming back to young Mr. Stillwell

I don’t know the exact minute of the day that Stillwell found out he would be wrestling at 144 pounds but I do know this, his season was already OVER so after months of having to watch every bite of food you put into your mouth he had been let off the hook.

I am not suggesting that he inhaled two dozen Krispy Kreme glazed doughnuts after the Regional meet ended. But I do imagine he was able to enjoy a meal or two.

To be able to compete for Carroll County High School on Friday, Stillwell attended school and then rode to Salem and went to bed without his dinner. Then at 5:30 AM he went out for a Run 🏃‍♂️ that lasted a few miles in order to make weight.

He then waited 2 hours to Wrestle and lost his opening round match. He cheered on his teammates until he finally went back out to wrestle at roughly 1:40 in the Consolation match. His High School career ended when that matched concluded and then he went back to cheering for his teammates.

In my mind, the level of commitment displayed by Stillwell was something that legends are made of and its the type of story that I love to be able to tell in as many words as I need to tell it!

Once I was able to reconstruct his past 48 hours I couldn’t help but be impressed. How 🤔❓🤔 impressed you ask ????

Enough to let the Will McAvoy in me say that Mr. Stillwell had stood above all else. All I did was stay awake for 22 hours and I was able to eat all the Pizza 🍕 I wanted.

Ethan Richardson and Christyan Stillwell didn’t start their day with anything but a sense of pride in who they are and their Love of competing as Cavaliers !!!

It’s not uncommon for a High School Male or Female Athlete to play a significant role on a multitude of HS teams but its rare for it to happen at the same time. Paul’s Grandson is a starter for the Cavaliers Varsity Basketball team, little brother to Paul’s Granddaughter, Varsity Girls Senior Ashton Richardson and is also skilled inside of the swimming 🏊‍♂️ pool.

On Friday the Richardson family 👪 had a pretty tough dilemma in that Ethan was slated to be in the Swim RVA pool on the Southside of Richmond at 8am and back on the Hill for a 6pm tip of the Playoff game vs Hidden Valley.

The reason that mentioning Ashton is of relevance is because the family 👪 did catch one break with the fact the Girls had a bye Friday night, meaning that they’re wasn’t a third place to be on Friday.

The story goes deeper in that Ethan wasn’t just swimming as an Individual. He also was on a relay team which meant that not going to Richmond would have effected more than just him.

The preliminary races took place between 9am and Noon then there would be a break until 5pm when the Top 16 in each event would swim 🏊‍♂️ for their spot in the State Standings.

Ethan left for Richmond at 12:30 on Thursday as part of the team Caravan and later in the day Paul’s Son-in-Law and Daughter made the trek as well.

Once the preliminaries were complete Ethan had advanced both as an Individual and as part of one of the relays. The team was able to substitute for him on the relay and his withdrawal as an individual from the 16th and final spot actually allowed a fellow Cavalier(Wyatt) to move up from the 17th spot to swim 🏊‍♂️ in the finals.

Then it was a dash out to the car 🚗. ( not sure if it was Mom or Dad that was driving) for a Not Short trek back to the Hill.

The number of things that could have went wrong but didn’t is a list too long to type out but we know that at 6:09 when the contest started we heard #20 Ethan Richardson come from the PA person.

Ethan hit a 3-pointer in the second and the third quarter plus some free throws near the end. The number of points was eight but the effort from this Sophomore was simply unmeasurable.

When you factor in that Paul’s Son-in-Law is an Assistant Coach to the mix it becomes a ESPN 30 for 30 level story.

Ethan was put in a tough, tough spot and handled it with grace. Somewhere his Grandfather Paul is Proud. The rest of us should simply be impressed!

Back at the team Hotel for the night 🌙 and there are 3 separate things that I found significant enough to write ✍ about them.

Number 3 of 3 will be called “Give me a Minute”

Coach Barnes went to the end of his bench Friday Night with exactly 60 seconds remaining in the 80-64 victory. Coach could not make the move any sooner because a pesky Hidden Valley team wouldn’t go away.

The three remaining players entered the game- #24 – KJ Reeves, #32 – Justice Bowden and #33 – Isaiah Easter. The gym was a buzz from the season being extended to at least Tuesday so I’m not sure how many people realized that #33 entered the contest.

I’m pretty sure that the Easter family 👪 noticed as well when their Son made his Varsity Basketball 🏀 Debut at the end of his Freshman season.

In baseball verbiage, Isaiah Easter was called up to The Show! All of the hard work put in on the Junior Varsity team under the guidance of Coach Jason Stockner had paid off for the Guard.

There’s no guarantees as to what the next three years hold for Easter but this accomplishment 👏 deserves to be recognized.

Congratulations Isaiah !!!

Silas wrestles in the 157 pound weight class and he took the time to partake in our 2-part question about being a Cavaliers Wrestler….

QUESTION #1 – What is your favorite part of being on the CCHS team ?

Silas – Being around the team, this group of people.

QUESTION #2 – What advice would you give a fellow student if they were interested in trying out for the team ?

Silas – Go for it, there’s no harm in trying but be prepared for the Coaches because they will work you to death.

Folks – Mr. Silas Warren

Our 5’7 Sophomore sat down with us and answered our four part questioner.

QUESTION #1 – Can you name a Basketball player that you feel is the best example of your style of play ?

Brayden –

Payton Pritchard

QUESTION #2 – Try and give us a comparable person to the personality of your Coach Barnes..

Brayden –

QUESTION #3 – What is your favorite part about being a member of the Cavaliers Basketball 🏀 program ?

Brayden – LOVE, Carroll County Sports is home to me.

QUESTION #4 – On a Podium excepting an Award , who is on your Thank You list ?

Brayden – My Parents, My Coaches and My teammates. Go Cavaliers !

Ladies and Gentlemen – I present to you, Mr. Brayden Smoot.