Why write ✍ to stories on one game? It’s a logical question and its comes with a very logical answer. On my best day 500 people will read a story that is only on the blog but if a story gets picked up by the Carroll News and then by other media outlets after that (NewsBreak comes to mind) then the story has a chance to be read by 15,000 to 20,000 people. Head Coach Anthony Barnes is very proud of his group, as he should be.

 I try my best to assist all of the Coaches in the CCHS loop and each has a different set of needs. For example the Varsity Football team and the Girls 👧 Varsity Basketball 🏀 team do not lack coverage. My efforts are focused on trying hard to get coverage for everyone else, including the JV programs of the Sports.

 The first story today is one fit for a blog and it will be a fun write ✍. The second story will be more business like or what is called a “Gamer” that can be used in the newspaper 📰.

 Because the Carroll News is a local paper and Allen Worrell is allowed to be an equal HOMER, that story gets to be tilted heavily towards our team!

Let’s start today’s story for here back on Monday night 🌙 after watching Tennessee whip up on Iowa in the Citrus Bowl 🥣 down in Orlando, Florida. I felt very confident about the fact that the Carroll County – Alleghany match up on the Hill was going to be the showdown between the two best teams in the Three Rivers District this season. So sure that I actually flew back up for the game the next day and tried to share with a few people in the Gymnasium that we were about to be tested by the new look Alleghany – Covington team.

The Cougars entered the contest at 8-2 and they looked like a small College team in size and strength 💪 and opened the game with a 10-7 lead behind a pair of 3-pointers. But then something happened that caught the Cougars flat footed. Carroll County played a game of a lifetime for the remaining 30 minutes!!! Everything we did worked to perfection, it seemed like every shot fell and Davis Reitzel netted 25 points by halftime.

The lead 🎈to an astonishing 91-61 point late in the fourth quarter which triggered a running 🏃‍♂️ clock ⏰ of all things! Carroll County moved to an unprecedented 10-0 and did it against a talented team.

Fast Forward three days to yesterday when the teams got back together as part of the Chase Harmon Tournament held annually at Floyd County. The two teams met there last season which meant that Alleghany didn’t have to make the trip to Carroll County so one bright spot is we don’t have to make the trek up to the Highlands.

 Carroll County has just one noticeable flaw to their seven deep rotation, there’s not an overabundance in size. Alleghany is the flip side of that with size and strength 💪 to spare. Knowing that Carroll plays really small without Davis Reitzel in the line up they went right at him on the defensive end. This led to the 6’4 Senior picking up a pair of early fouls which led to him having to spend time on the bench during the first half.

AHS lead 8-2 late in the first quarter until Bryce Smoot (14 points) connected on the first of his three 3-pointers to pull within 8-5 and that’s where the score landed at the end of the period. The Cavaliers finished the first half with just 14 points and trailed at the break 23-14.

Big adjustment to make at the half when you go from averaging a 25 point lead over nine games to trailing by nine. Isaiah Easter became more aggressive in driving 🚗 to the basket in the third quarter and netted seven of his eight points in that frame but the Cougars grew their lead to 16 (45-29) after three quarters.

 The fourth quarter opened in a flurry for our Cavaliers, highlighted by a hustle steal and dunk by Reitzel ➕ 3-pointers from both Reitzel and Smoot. Just like that the lead was back down to 8, 49-41.

Fellow senior Jabin Talley scored his five points on top of each other by corraling a length of the court pass for a layup and then hitting a 3-pointer to make it 52-46.

The Cavaliers weren’t able to get closer than six as in order the players each picked up their fourth foul – Reitzel (3:11), Easter (2:44), Richardson (2:09) and Talley (0:17).

Alleghany outscored the Cavaliers 14-6 during a parade to the free throw line before Smoot ended the scoring with his final 3-pointer of the game, making the final score 66-55 in favor of the Cougars.

 The game counts as a District game and concludes our regular season games with Alleghany, giving us a split and a spot in the co-pilot seat 💺 for the regular season title.

 Next story will be in game form and Coach Barnes will add a Box Score and his take on the days events.

 Greg Talley sent a bunch of photos 📷 that have their own post 📫 and there was plenty more coverage inside of the Day long Post from Friday.

 Will have the gamer up shortly.

Davis Reitzel 15, Bryce Smoot 14, Isaiah Easter 8, Ethan Richardson 6, Jabin Talley 5, Cody Reece 4 and Brayden Smoot 3 = 55

Carroll County JV had just played the squad from Alleghany earlier in the week so there were no surprises in the forecast for round two on Friday.

 Our squad is loaded with young, scrappy players with speed and energy to burn. When they are on a level playing field they can apply pressure to their opponents with their efforts.

We are now in the second round of witnessesing the effects of the Alleghany – Covington merger that took place during the Summer. The move took the Volleyball team from middle of the pack to the regular season title and the football team from the bottom all the way to third place, right behind the juggernauts of Radford and Glenvar.

 The Girls 👧 JV Basketball went from there not being one at all to having one that is still learning how to play the game but on the Boys side they now have a squad that could handle their business against some Varsity squads.

 The Cougars were leading 24-5 at the end of the opening 7:00 minutes but the thing about our team that stuck with me the most was how hard the five we had out on the floor continued to battle hard despite the large deficit. The game was played in the old Gymnasium at Floyd County so the teams weren’t driven by the sound of a large crowd but our guys kept at it right until the end of the 56-25 decision.

Hayden Jackson was the leading scorer on the day with six points but had plenty of company on the score sheet as eight of the fifteen that played scored at least one basket.

There were two stretches of the second half (played to a 13-19 score) that were great examples of a group not going away. Trailing 48-14, Blake Reed scored a basket while being fouled. Reed missed the free throw but Dane Leonard grabbed the rebound and made the put back, completing a four point possession. Next time down the floor Leonard connected on a pair of free throws to complete the 6-0 run 🏃‍♂️.

The fourth quarter netted one scoring spurt of five points with Isaiah Leagans and Jayden Jones combining to spark the offense. Jones hit the 3-pointer and Leagans scored from inside the line.

 Thankfully that should be the last time we tangle with the size and strength of the Cougars ! The team will get to move forward Monday evening when they travel further up I-81 to face James River High School 🏫.

 Accounting for the 25 points –

Hayden Jackson 6, Dane Leonard 4, Blake Reed 4, Jayden Jones 3, Trace Reavis 2, Colton Gravely 2, Landon Phillips 2, Isaiah Leagans 2….

By the quarter:

CCHS – 5 7 8 5 – 25

AHS – 25 13 13 6- 56

You can find more on this game inside of the Friday day long blog.

 

Jump Ball Time !

Last Group

Stories still to write ✍ (3)

JV Boys 👦 Hoops

Varsity Boys 👦 Hoops

Varsity Boys 👦 – Gamer for Media

To say that Glenvar will struggle this season in Girls Varsity basketball is being polite. My opening statement was polite and our Ball Coach was the polite the entire evening.

The Highlanders give their best effort but once again Coach Marc Motley was facing a tough time in showing kindness to an opponent that needed it, and put a check ✔ in that box 📦.

 The Lady 👩 Cavaliers led 22-2 after the opening eight minutes. Alyssa Ervin dropped 20 and Katie Lam added a pair of free throws to reach the 22 and the lone Glenvar basket came with 4:14 on the clock ⏰.

Ervin added 10 more points in the second quarter despite sitting out part of the time. Madison Lyons and Corrie Delp each added a basket along with a Lam 3-pointer and a pair of Kacie Young free throws to bring the lead to 41-6 @ the break.

 I wasn’t in the Gymnasium the night that Blacksburg held the Highlanders to one point so it would be wrong to try and explain how that happens. How much defense are you playing for 32 minutes to not allow a single basket 🤔?

 Ervin netted four quick points after the break and then exited the game for good after two minutes. There was a running 🏃‍♂️ clock ⏰ after 45-8 with five plus minutes remaining in the third quarter with the game closing out 10-6 in favor of the Lady 👩 Cavaliers, making the final score 55-14.

 In a word everything that Motley did last night 🌙 was done with class and grace and I for one truly 🙏 appreciated it!!!

 Now that we have the nuts and bolts 🔩 of the victory taken care of let’s take a look inside the fun of the evening..

First off, having spent a lifetime performing the duties of being a Public Address person I know what it is to make an oops here and there. Last night after our team was introduced the PA started to introduce the Highlanders with some energy but he forgot to flip the score book over so the first person starting for the home team was #1 – Alyssa Ervin..

 My first thought was that Ervin is so talented that she was going to start for both teams.

Great 👪 moment late in the 3rd quarter when Corrie Delp was leading the break and sent a pass in the direction of her older Sis Amie. Mom and Dad Delp had to be smiling at the moment of watching 👀 two of their Girls playing on the floor together. That basket 🧺 didn’t fall but Big Sister did close out the Cavalier scoring by making the final two buckets. The second one was an end to end drive 🚗 to the goal.

 Next up was the performance of Lyons and Ervin throughout the second half. The two sat on the end of the bench and became incredibly supportive 👏 of everything that the younger players did the remainder of the game ! While there was no Pom-poms in their hands they were Excellent Cheerleaders !

The Softball side of me wanted the close with a picture 📷 of Miss Beamer. This young lady 👩 helps with both the Varsity and JV Basketball teams and just remains full of joy !

I need to apologize for not doing her justice with the picture but it was the one that presented itself. Such a Joy.

A couple more Fun notes – Savannah Swecker, Madison Coleman, Bayliegh Allen all played significant minutes in the second half along with Amie. Coach played all 12 of our Girls 👧 and it was great to see !

 I will add the Box 📦 Score once I have it but for now I will add the update I sent to MaxPreps

Ervin 34, Lam 11, A.Delp 4, Lyons 2, Young 2, C.Delp 2….

3-pointers : Ervin 6, Lam 3….

Tuesday night 🌙 back on the Hill for our Lady 👩 Cavaliers !

Late Add-On from the game on Thursday night 🌙.

Kudos to both Madison and Sarah for reaching double figures in rebounding!