The tricky thing about High School 🏫 Golf ⛳ played in the Fall is the season is almost half over before the Students return to class. Then when you add in the changing of the guard 💂♂️ at the top of the program, it makes the challenge to provide the correct level of support for the team.
The last time I was on a golf course with young Reavis was his round at the State Tournament in Harrisonburg. Getting to meet his proud parents that day was icing on the cake 🎂. There needs to be more presence for not only Trace Reavis but every member of this years team.
I hear that there is a trio of Coaches guiding these young group. If there is anyone out there that can put me in touch with the right person, please 🙏 help !
Head Coach Anthony Barnes referred to his State Qualifying 2024 – 2025 Basketball season as ” The Last Dance 💃”, in part to pay homage to the Michael Jordan led Chicago Bulls.
This year, for Barnes and rising star Isaiah Easter the season will be about ” Unfinished Business “. The group of Student Athletes that led the charge to the State Quarter finals had been playing together forever and a day.
Bryce and Brayden Smoot are starting college at Southwest Virginia Community College, Cody Reece and his baseball ⚾️ skills are on their way to New River Community College, Landon Puckett is set to play Soccer ⚽️ at Bluefield and multi talented Ethan Richardson is headed across the West Virginia border as well
Before and AfterProud Papa and Son after Easter was named 1st team in the Roanoke Times2024-2025 Seniors
Another challenge for Barnes is to move forward without longtime friend and Co-Pilot, Kris Richardson. Richardson has switched back to coaching Girls Basketball 🏀, ahead of his youngest daughter, Gracie growing in the game that is a Family 👪 tradition.
I try to avoid comparing Student Athletes to others but this one feels a bit like when Alyssa Ervin returned for her Senior season after her teammates graduated 🎓 with their 2 State Championship rings 💍. It was fun for me to write ✍ about the upcoming Senior season and predicting that Marc Motley and Alyssa would make it back to the State Tournament once again.
In life, people talk about the ” It ” factor and Ervin possesses it, in Spades ♠️. I have been along for the ride with Easter since the undersized Freshman climbed into our Cav Man costume at Cavalier Park.
Now, its not like Barnes will have Easter playing one on five this winter. Jason Stockner, a local legend himself in regards to his Hoops playing days, led an impressive group of Junior Varsity players last season. At times, it appeared that Stockner had nine or ten interchangeable players so the competition for a Varsity roster spot will be a true battle.
Barnes is of the same mindset that West Virginia Tech University Baseball ⚾️ Coach Lawrence Nesselrodt and I share, which is ” Leave it Better than you found it”.
If Barnes felt his tank was empty, last year would have been a perfect time to ride off into the Sunset 🌇, with Richardson and his six Seniors.
Barnes is the ultimate Motovational coach and IF Easter can be the floor leader he needs to be…….
Cavalier Basketball 🏀 is coming to a Gym near you !
Cross Country Coach Shawn Montgomery is set to lead our Cavaliers Boys and Girls runners 🏃♂️ once again this fall !
We are big fans of Coach Montgomery because he sends in 100% of his results from every meet. The focus here is on everyone is equal so we love the fact that we can show support for every Student Athlete that wear the Cross Country colors.
CCHS Volleyball heads down to Abingdon tonight for a scrimmage with the Falcons.
Cindy Edwards is set to begin her next chapter in her Hall of Fame coaching career tonight down at Abingdon High School 🏫. While its only a scrimmage on paper, its the first opportunity for her Lady 👩 Cavaliers to wear the uniform and represent the School.
Edwards has retooled her Coaching staff once again and has done so with some familiar names. Kayla Nester continues to spread her wings on The Hill as she has added Volleyball 🏐 and the position of Middle School Athletic Director to her plate 🍽.
Shelia Harris has found the time to dust off her coaches whistle and will be helping out with the Junior Varsity team while enjoying another year of watching 👀 the youngest Harris daughter, Callie, play Varsity.
Jason Petty retired from his spot as Junior Varsity coach after a decade long run 🏃♂️, which will create a bigger role for Nikki Heflin. Also gone is long time cornerstone, Maleah Neely as the hard working former Lady Cavalier steps away from the game she loves 💘.
Trenton Miller is another name that was connected to the program last season in a Volunteer role but will return to the stands for 2025-2026.
Another person who is a HUGE part of the program is Marion Harris and we will add a title to his efforts this season !
Team Media Liaison – Marion Harris !
The common thread between Coach Edwards and myself is an uncanny level of passion for what we are trying hard to accomplish in life. Here’s to a great trip down to Abingdon tonight !
Sitting down on Monday with Mr Alvin Davidson was such an uplifting experience that even a wordsmith like myself will have trouble explaining but I will give it my best shot.
My ties to Cavalier Park are only five years deep and I’m in the middle of trying hard to create a time-line story in regards to just how the jewel of a place came about. Cause and Effect is going to be the title for the third of the Book, Diamonds 💎 are a Girls Best Friend.
Because Mr Donaldson had two daughters that wore the Lady Cavaliers jersey back to back, Alvin is qualified to take the torch 🔦 for an eight year span (2009-2016).
Our conversation started at 11am and wrapped up a bit before 2pm so its safe to say that we covered a tremendous amount of ground. When I asked Alvin how I should describe him, his answer was ” A Softball Dad 👨 who loves the Game.”
Older daughter Lindsey and little Sister Gracie gave Dad a reason to be front and center at Cavalier Park for eight years but that was just the tip of the iceberg for the Donaldson Family 👪. The amount of stories about the Travel teams were priceless, especially the ones about little Gracie being a part of Lindsey’s group when she was just five or six years old.
Alvin Davidson is a 1983 graduate 🎓 of Carroll County High School 🏫, a very good year as it included fellow Senior, Tammy Quesenberry. His ties to this community run deep and include a position on the current School Board
The Class of 2016
Two names that came up in our conversation about The Park were Brad Nester and Gene Kimball. While I have never had the pleasure of meeting either one of these two gentlemen, I would welcome the opportunity.
Kimball worked on the playing field religiously and his daughter Lilly played. Brad Nester is Sydney’s Dad and was instrumental in a number of improvements during her time on The Hill.
The goal here is to magnify every single step along the journey that led to the Park that now sparkles south of The Boulevard. Passing of the baton or next person up if you will, is how something like this gets created.
If this goes as planned, Alvin will be able to fill a chapter of the book 📖 and then some !
Another name that came up was 2023 Graduate 🎓, Macie Adkins. It turns out that Macie was a student at Laurel while Davidson was Principal
Macie Adkins and Kevin Burress
Macie Adkins is another version of a role model for younger Lady Cavaliers, the ones that are currently working on their game in hopes of representing the program in years to come. Adkins just wrapped up her two year playing career at Southwest Virginia Community College where she doubled up as Team MVP and Dean’s List Student. The impressive young Lady is part of our Game Day experience at Cavalier Park when she is in town.
Because I envision Alvin filling out a large portion of the story, I will refrain from borrowing his material in this Nugget, minus ➖ one exception.
When the topic turned to Cheyenne Strickland and her mad skills, both Athletic and Academic, Davidson shared a story about a play that occurred in a game versus Floyd County.
Gracie was in the circle 🔵 and there was a runner 🏃♂️ on second base. The batter sent a shot headed towards left center until Strickland climbed the ladder, gloved the line drive and in the same motion returned to earth 🌎, applying the tag to the base runner trying to get back to second base.
The Art to telling a story is a combination of passion and knowledge. Alvin Davidson is that kinda of a person who I’m looking forward to working with!
A.S.P.N on The Hill 