Ethan Richardson and Davis Reitzel at a Carroll County High School Boys Basketball 🏀 camp.
Davis Reitzel is putting the finishing touches on his Freshman year as a Virginia Tech University engineering student.
Ethan Richardson is a few tennis matches from turning his attention to Bluefield University. Richardson is the #3 seed in Singles and with Maverick Baker as his partner, the #5 seeded team.
Play begins Monday morning at Hollins University and continues on Tuesday. The State finals are there for the taking but only if a first place finish is in the cards.
Reitzel and Richardson, it would be a challenge to find a pair of friends who found the trick to mixing Academics and Athletics as well as this duo did.
The pair combined to collect over 30 Varsity letters during their stay on The Hill. But more than that, they displayed a truck 🚚 load of Class to every team they participated in. They shared the basketball 🏀 court together under the guidance of Anthony Barnes and Kris Richardson and in the Spring they went their separate ways.
Richardson managed to put together one of the most impressive Tennis careers in the history of Carroll County High School. He did this while playing for three different Head Coaches in his four seasons.
Reitzel managed to shine in two sports during the Spring. Playing Soccer ⚽️ for Forrest Johnson and competing in Track 👣 and Field for Shawn Montgomery. Reitzel qualified for State at the end of his Senior year but could not make the trip to Liberty University due to a Family commitment.
Family 👪 and starring in two Sports in the same window are just two more things that POP about our Dynamic Duo. Richardson qualified for State in each of his final two seasons of Swimming 🏊♂️ and both young Men were raised by incredible role models.
***** This is what I call a build as you go story and we are just getting started on it!
Faith is another common denominator for R & R. From the Fellowship of Christian Athletes to Richardson teaching himself how to play the drums to now doing so in the Church ⛪ Band on Sunday mornings.
Reitzel managed to shine at any and everything he was involved with. Then you add his charismatic smile and it was easy to see 👀 him as the most popular Student Athlete in the school. Richardson has a level of competitive that is far and few between but its an inward battle for the just graduated 🎓 Cavalier. Richardson is not striving to beat his competition in as much he is competing with his own level of expectations.
There’s an exception to every rule and for Ethan, its his Father. The back and forth challenging between the two is priceless, with the sport being irrelevant to the level of excellence that the Son is chasing and Dad knows how to push his buttons.
The Dukes of Hazzard might be the best comparison for the pair. Bo and Luke, even down to one having flowing blonde 👱♂️ hair and a big smile while his equal having dark hair and slightly more serious look on his face.
Looking back at the day that I first realized that Reitzel was a special young Man came a couple of years ago at the Dallas – Fort Worth Airport. Having coveted a WNBA game the night before, my flight ✈️ was delayed by two hours. I was looking for a way to pass the time and I decided to pen 🖊 a story about Reitzel.
I reached out to six different people that knew and / or Coached Reitzel. Before I boarded the airplane I had six responses with each one being a glowing statement about the then Senior to be.
Cross Country was another place that Reitzel sparkled for Coach Shawn Montgomery and once again his efforts were self taught. It was then that it became noticeable as to Reitzel and his lengthy stride. The grace of a deer 🦌 allowed Reitzel to glide where others ran.
Searching for memories from the Basketball 🏀 court, we have the night 🌙 that Richardson stepped up to the microphone 🎤 and sang the National Anthem, to the delight of the home crowd!
One could sing and the other could sail through the Air !
Cross Country moment with Reitzel and Company…
The duo did suffer a heart breaking setback during their final year playing Basketball 🏀 for Carroll County. The team was closing out a dominating season that earned them the ever so rare #1 seed in the Regional tournament.
Playing Floyd County in a one game Three Rivers District tournament, Reitzel fell to the floor after his knee gave out. The team ended up being upset by #8 Abingdon in the opening round the next time out. Reitzel did his best to play through the injury versus the Falcons but they couldn’t prevent the season ending defeat.
The storyline here comes with many a Co-Star. How many teammates did the two have over their four years ? How many Coaches did they play for ? We do know that they created a treasure chest full of memories, for folks on and around The Hill.
One of the Co-Stars mentioned above was Jabin Talley. Talley and Reitzel shared the same graduating class and the trio each started for the Cavaliers basketball team in the 2023-2024 season. Talley played the roll of Wingman during the winter but switched roles with Richardson in the spring when they played tennis together.
Talley, the All-Time wins leader in Cavalier Tennis and Richardson played doubles together. They advanced to the Elite Eight in 2024 and in any other sport that is considered advancing to State. But in tennis, they only acknowledge the final four.
Isaiah Easter joined the Varsity Basketball team late in his Freshman season. Senior Elijah Cox led the team that year with Reitzel as a Junior, Richardson as a Sophomore and Easter as a freshman.
Bryce Smoot managed to break the All-Time Boys scoring record held by Tee Jackson before graduating. Both Bryce and Brayden Smoot enjoyed this years trip to State and will continue playing together next year at Southwest Virginia Community College.
The State Tournament / State Swim 🏊♂️ meet Daily Double for Richardson this past season is the favorite memory during his four years at Carroll County High School. Waking ⏰ up in Richmond, competing in multiple events and then jumping into the family 👪 car 🚗 for the ride over to Spotswood High School for the Quarter Final basketball game.
The Cavaliers ended up falling short against the eventual State Champs 🏆that night in the Trailblazers gym but the memory is one to cherish.
Another member of the cast is 2025 graduate 🎓 Cody Reece. Reece is two wins away from a different type of State Tournament double up. Carroll County Baseball ⚾️ has an opportunity to reach State this week which allow Reece to do it in back to back seasons.
Getting back to the Richardson swan song 🎵 on Monday morning. #3 seed in Singles and #5 ,in doubles with partner Maverick Baker.
The five year span of Reitzel and Richardson spreading JOY on The Hill will officially come to a close. It might end on Monday or maybe Tuesday or at the State Final Four, but it will end soon enough. The five years have overlapped my time in Laurel Fork and its been an absolute pleasure to watch their story unfold.
Cross Country, Academics, Basketball, Swimming, Tennis, Track 👣 and Field ➕ Soccer were in the mix. Don’t forget their character, charm and Faith in addition to their Families.
The friendship is built to last a lifetime and the pair will always have the Coach Barnes Summer Camps to combine their talents.
******* – Still to come – Coaches thoughts and Tennis results and hopefully the Parents will share a memorable moment.
This story does not need someone to play Daisy Duke but it certainly needs Uncle Jesse and Cooter.
Uncle Jesse was a kind old soul who was wise beyond his years and his job was to keep the Boys in Line.
Carroll County High School 🏫 Principal Chuck Thompson offered his thoughts on the duo.
” Davis and Ethan are similar in that they both work hard, have passion for the things that are important to them, and they are very talented! They’re both great human beings who show respect for others and themselves! I’m very proud of who they are!”
The final pages of the story have been written now as the Singles and Doubles Tennis 🎾 matches were played Monday morning and afternoon at Hollins University. Shortly after 3pm, the Doubles finished up and the last official act as a Carroll County High School student was in the books for Richardson.
Now he can officially join the ranks of Reitzel, as former Cavaliers who represented CCHS in a manner that everyone could be proud of.
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Greg Talley took the time to share his thoughts…
” The pistol , the glide, the stilt , air jordan all nicknames of great pro players. What you say does this mean in this story . Jabin Talley started practicing with the CCHS boys tennis team in the 8th grade
And captured the no. 1 see in the ninth Grade a covid shortened season. We knew he needed help for his sophomore year so knowing one of his best friends might be interested Jabin asked Ethan Richardson to come out and play . Ethan could be the no. 1 seed on most teams but the battle for no. 1 every year came down to these 2 . They both got their nicknames that year Jabin the baby face assassin and Ethan the Sniper Richardson. They would go on to become two of the best tennis players in CCHS history. As singles players they both ran roughshod through the district for 3 years together and 1 year individually.
As a doubles team they will leave as the best CCHS has seen . Ethan has a chance to chase a state bid again this year as the top seed in Singles for CCHS earning the no.
3 seed in regional play and as the no. 5 seed in doubles With new partner Maverick Baker . I’ve coached Jabin in multiple sports since elementary school but the biggest peasure was coaching Jabin and Ethan in tennis for 3 years one as a volunteer and 2 as head coach . Ethan is remarkable as he never gives up and plays each point as if it is his last . I’ve kept up with Ethan this year and tried to help however possible. From just coming and watching as a fan to sharing info on the phone .
The baby face assassin has the most singles wins in At no.1 in CCHS history
This year the Sniper took the title of most doubles wins at no. 1 .
It was a pleasure to coach and more so to watch these two young men accell at their craft . The tennis part of this story might be coming to an end but the friendship between these 2 will last forever.
I asked Jabin for a quote for his longtime friend he said oh my back hurts . I was confused and asked what he meant , he said it hurts from carrying Ethan for 3 years and just laughed as he walked away .”
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A.S.P.N on The Hill 