T- minus 27 hours now until our 3rd Annual OneofUs.Care Banquet. It’s very exciting to be holding the event in the Village of Laurel Fork for the first time.
The only current sad point is the current conditions in are Valley that includes Page County. The winds the other day caused a series of wildfires that are still burning today.
While our residence is here in Carroll County my place of business is in Page County, where are youngest Son Christopher holds down the fort. They haven’t been able to attend School the past few days so we know how hectic things are up there right now.
The groups that are coming down will hopefully still 🙏 manage to work their way across the Mountain ⛰ and down I-81.
The folks here at Olde Mill and Maples 🍁 Restaurant have been an absolute treasure to deal with from start to finish.
Our 13 round tables have arrived and been unloaded.
Everything needed for the gathering has now made it across the street and now just needs to be put in place once the room is ready.
Let’s see how many people we can shower 🚿 with positive reinforcement before we get to our fifth and final person, Head Coach Rick Nester !
This nice Lady 👩 is Sherry’s Mother and she is the hard working person in charge.
Photo 📷 Credit – borrowed one from Christy Ervin and enlarged it to focus on our two Ladies.
They tell us in Sports that all good things eventually come to an end. That was certainly the case last night night when the final dribbling and shots were taken by our dynamic duo in the Fellowship of Christian Athletes ✝️ Virginia – Tennessee All-Star game.
When you add in that our long time CCHS Hall of Fame Coach Marc Motley recently announced he was stepping down from his post 📫 after 20+ years, there’s no doubt that we are closing a remarkable chapter in the history of Carroll County High School.
The past four seasons of Lady 👩 Cavalier Basketball 🏀 will remain a part of our legacy for as long as CCHS is in existence. Reaching the Summitt for the first time was impressive enough but to return and run 🏃♂️ it back was so impressive that someone should have documented the ride (oh wait, someone did).
While it was just Lam and Ervin standing at the end of the Last Dance 💃, there should be a time of reflection for the entire group. It was fitting that Ed Robtison was the Assistant Coach on the team last night 🌙 as Robtison played a huge role with this group through Travel Ball over the years.
Before we look to the future, with four years of Ervin wearing the colors of Elon University, let’s take one last look back at this group of Student Athletes and the amount of Community Pride they produced during the legandary run 🏃♂️.
Gary Hagee and Kris Richardson in the early years, Kayla Nester, Brandi Cochran- Mitchell, Ed Robtison and Marc Motley are just some of the folks that helped mold the group. We can’t overlook the influence that Ms. Whitaker had on the process as well.
Darrin Mathews as Athletic Director and Chuck Thompson as Principal are two more names that belong on the list.
No one can predict the future of the program at this juncture but one thing we should all enjoy the past. Don’t know if history repeats itself or not so let’s cherish the accomplishments of everyone involved with the program during this chapter of the story.
On a personal note 📝 it was tough to not be in Tennessee when the clock ticked to 0:00 at the end of the contest but I had made a promise to a group of young Ladies back here on The Hill to help them with their Junior Varsity Softball double header.
Between Christy Ervin and Coach Ed Robtison there’s a great deal of pictures 📷 and thoughts from the evening available on Facebook and later I will check to see if the Bristol newspaper 📰 provided any media coverage.
There were so many Last Dances for this group. The final Senior Night, the final Home game, the Regional tournament game at Liberty University then the two FCA All-Star games.
This one feels different and that’s because it is truly the final time that these two young ladies will lace up their sneakers 👟 while wearing our jerseys.
Thank You Both ! Thank You to the entire group for taking us all on an Adventure of a Lifetime !
The Carroll County High School 🏫 Girls 👧 Junior Varsity Softball team had Cavalier Park all to themselves Thursday night 🌙 and the evening was a success from start to finish!
Head Coach Alexis Dalton and Assistant Coach Terry Warf had our team ready to play as the Lady Cavaliers 👩 swept the double header 11-1 & 8-0.
We had Ms. Edmunds working the gate for us and both Ms Sue Rose and Ms. Stacie Whitaker in the Concession Stand along with a highly energetic group of students.
We had a group of dedicated Parents, Family 👪 and friends in the stands from start to finish. Up top we had Mr. Chris Leonard making his Scoreboard operating debut.
Anytime a parent agrees to take on extra responsibility at a game that their child is playing in, I feel its worth mentioning because it changes the manner in which Mom 👩 or Dad 👨 gets to take in the game. If there’s an upside to being both a Parent and a volunteer at a Softball game, you do get a room with a view.
Tammy Tobler gave of herself again last night 🌙 by keeping the score book and DJ Debbie was already in mid-season form !
Kudos to the handful of Varsity players that stayed and took in the action 🎬 after a day of school 🏫 and then their practice 👏. Special props to both Brooke Webb and Carlie Beamer for their willingness to be part of the between game ertainment.
As for the photos 📷 you see scattered through this post 📫, they are the handy work of Mrs. Velvet Leonard, also known as Laynie-Jo Leonard’s Mom.
We are in the fourth year of a campaign that preaches equality for all of our Student Athletes, including the Junior Varsity teams.
For a night 🌙 it felt like it mattered, the atmosphere in and around Cavalier Park last night felt legitimate and when something works in the manner you hoped the goal is to credit as many folks as you can for being a part of the process !
The 13 ballplayers performed at a high level, the Coaching staff had them ready to play and both Nathan Jones and Chris Mabry were there to make sure the evening ran smoothly.
A sincere Thank You 🙏 to everyone 💖 on the list and anyone that I might have overlooked !
Our Softball program returns to action 🎬 again here in a few hours when the Varsity Girls head over to Bassett High School 🏫 and the Junior Varsity team plays Bassett at Cavalier Park.
Carroll County opened the evening with Tazewell tied 1-1 heading into the bottom of the second inning. The Lady 👩 Cavaliers sent 13 players to the plate in the decisive inning, plating seven runs 🏃♂️ and leading the bases loaded. Seven different players came around to score, using aggressive base running and timely hitting from Raylee Goins plus Zoey Gwynn.
The contest ended by mercy rule (10 runs) when Kenzie McMillan sent a shot to the gap that plated Madison Atkins with the run that sealed the game.
Atkins scored two runs in the opener as did Arizona Thompson in a contest that saw the Lady 👩 Cavaliers score from all nine spots in the lineup.
Addie Greene limited the Bulldogs to just two base hits and one unearned run over the four innings.
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Game 2 – Carroll County 8, Tazewell 2
CCHS 220 40 – 8
Tazewell 000 00 – 0
Game 2 was equal parts Hitting, defense and pitching. Greene faced just two batters over the minimum in going the distance and helped her own cause with a sterling defensive stab on a line drive to open the bottom of the first.
Tazewell was the home 🏡 team in the night 🌙 cap as the teams alternate home double headers to cut ✂️ down on travel for both schools.
Showing appreciation for the crew working the Concession Stand along side of Ms. Rose 💐 and Ms. Whitaker.
This kind lady 👩 numbered the tickets 🎟 0-50 and the foul ball total landed on 9 for the evening. We had a guest claim the prize, Carolyn Wimmer from Tazewell
Getting back to the game, Malaya Caviniss, Laynie-Jo Leonard and Kaydence Evans each touch home plate twice to lead the attack for Head Coach Alexis Dalton. Goins and McMillan also scored for the Lady Cavaliers 👩in the 8-0 victory.
My favorite part of the evening !
Thank You to DJ Debbie, Tammy Tobler and Chris Leonard for their assistance up top !
Carolyn Wimmer was in town to take in her daughter’s double header on The Hill tonight and she left knowing she had won our Prize Package 📦 ! Aubrey is standing 🧍♂️ with her Mother 👩!
A.S.P.N on The Hill 