When we left the PT appointment on The Hill Wednesday morning, for the first time in a crazy, crazy Spring of trying to help 12 Carroll County High School sports teams, it felt like we had a big enough window to get Lin some quality time with our Grandchildren in Page County.
It happened to be that our long time friend, Alan Knight was hosting a Regional tournament semifinal game in a place where I called games for roughly a decade. It didn’t take any arm twisting when Lori Mongold asked me if I would be up to announcing the game for the Lady Panthers.
Pre-Game
It was a fun, fun night and the Lady Panthers won 2-1 to advance to the State Tournament next week. But at the end of the night 🌙 one thing was very obvious to me – I truly missed having Kevin Burress in the chair 💺 next to me.
Every sport is so very different in the approach to holding a 🎤🎙🎤 and Softball is one that is best done with a wing man 👨. I have been blessed with sharing the Press Box with Burress the past couple of years and I didn’t realize just how much until last night. I have to add that Tammy Tobler and when she’s in town, Macie Adkins add something special to the mix.
Friday morning 🌄 will be spent down (from here) at Liberty University alongside Corrie Delp and Brenden Fariss. In between now and then, Page County will host a Regional Championship game at Alan F Knight Field at 6pm.
Not sure if the stars will line up for that one or not, but if it does, I will be there without Mr Burress and that makes it a bit different.
Shawn Montgomery and Jon DelpBrenden FarissCorrie Delp
Each of the past three Springs have ended in a similar fashion for Carroll County High School 🏫. The end of the road takes place in Lynchburg, Virginia and it involves Corrie Delp ➕ 1.
Delp qualified in two events as a Freshman and Elijah Smith capped off an impressive Senior year by earning a trip to Lynchburg. Smith actually made it to the finals in his event and finished one spot out of scoring points for CCHS.
Last year, Delp qualified in just the Long Jump and was joined by then Junior, Brayden Smoot. It’s worth noting that both Alyssa Ervin and Davis Reitzel qualified for the meet but could not attend the event.
Year three of four in the Delp era has the Junior back in both 100 meters and Long Jump and will be joined by Brenden Fariss in the High Jump.
The noticeable difference between last year and this time is Delp will be carrying a new label 🏷 and a clean bill of health. The label is Regional Champion and unlike last year, Delp is clicking right now. Her last two times out she posted 17-7.5 which is one quarter inch shy of the All-Time School record.
The Track 👣 and Field community is a unique one and anyone involved with the program is well aware that its in desperate need of a Face Lift in regards to the surface. Estimates fall in the range of $200,000 to $250,000 and that creates an issue or two. That’s not a pass the hat kind of a number.
A secondary need is a new High Jump area to replace the current one, which has seen better days. The price tag on that one sits at $15,000.00 but even at that number, the question is how many people would truly benefit from it ?
A few weeks back I mentioned that it would be a challenge to reach into my bag 🎒of fund raising ideas 💡and pull out one that might help us create that. Then we needed a sign from above that trying to get this done is suppose to happen.
Ask God for a sign 🙏 and he delivers it through young Mr Fariss. Fariss, whom I am looking forward to meeting for the first time on Friday afternoon, makes the jump of his lifetime and there’s “Art”
Art, is a creative word for a photo. Not only did Fariss set a PR with his jump but he claimed the District crown and qualified for the State Meet when he did!
Trace Reavis in Golf ⛳, Samuel Collins in Wrestling, Anthony Barnes and his Basketball team, Joi Ogle with a slew of her swimming 🏊♂️ Cavaliers, a quad of Girls wrestled their way to Richmond and now its Delp and Fariss.
I wish that I could roll out a plan that would generate a cool Quarter of a Million dollars 💵 for a brand new track but that’s not realistic. But, thanks to the efforts of Mr Fariss 🙏, I think we could take a run 🏃♂️ ( track term) at helping out with the smaller of the two.
Due to circumstances out of their control, our Track and Field teams have performed at home twice in just over two years. Let’s do something nice for Shawn Montgomery and Jon Delp. Something that will signal the folks that make up their support, we see 👀 you and your part of the big picture 📷.
For the next 72 hours, the Carroll County High School 🏫 Track and Field program will have Center Stage. Sadly for them, the stage will be over two hours away and on a work day. Don’t forget about the part where our Student Athletes will be competing with the best in the Commonwealth and just for a matter of minutes.
For the elderly ( yes, I am making fun of myself), the journey will have to start Thursday night and last until Saturday afternoon. No regrets about that part, just trying hard to beat a Drum for two coaches who I admire and two Student Athletes that will be representing The Hill over the weekend.
At 7:47 pm the final out was recorded by the Northside Vikings, ending the Cavaliers dream season with a 7-4 setback. At 9:30 pm there were still Goodbyes 👋 to be shared and there’s where the storyline starts.
When Casey Burcham accepted the Head Coaching job at his alma mater, I wrote a story comparing the hire with Virginia Tech Head Basketball coach Mike Young. Young landed him ” dream job ” . Burcham waited patiently for his opportunity and WOW, color me IMPRESSED. I know that the outcome Tuesday night was not what Burcham and his team were hoping for but the greater story is about what Team Burcham accomplished in the first year on the job.
Happy to wait my turn to share a moment with our C.E.O, it was quite the experience to soak in the heartfelt hugs and tearful farewells on display. The team even received a much deserved standing ovation from the diehard fans.
The truth is that Burcham and Friends accomplished so many things in such a small amount of time that’s it hard to pick a starting point. Even at a tougher than expected moment, Burcham displayed the type of leadership that others can only dream about.
” When you write ✍ your story, please don’t make it about me,” Burcham asked. ” I am surrounded with a great support team.”
The team begins with support from above and Burcham has that in spades ♠️. The first group listed by our Head Coach included Dr Mark Burnette, Principal Chuck Thompson, Athletic Director Kevin DeHaven and Tammy Quesenberry.
” Stephen Puckett is another person who played a major role in our efforts,” added Burcham. ” The coaching staff, the volunteer staff and then the family 👪.”
The combined record of the program was 38-3 and it included a pair of Three Rivers District crowns 👑. Just as impressive is the number of area Businesses that proudly have a banner hanging on the fence at Bill Worrell Field.
The Castle 🏰 on The Hill, also known as the Indoor Hitting Center, will stand for decades to come. Not bad work for a rookie that could have settled for getting off to a slower start.
The Family 👪 in the Family Atmosphere:
Burcham joked about how many members of his support staff are Family members. Mom, Grandmother 👵, Sister In-Laws and children. Landon is hoping to follow in the family business after graduating from Radford University. Last night 🌙 he played the roll of host and did a great job of handling the 🎤🎙🎤.
Red Carpet Crowd – We have 12 teams competing each spring and its safe to say that Cavalier Baseball ⚾️ is the Flagship program and Bill Worrell Field was full of CCHS celebrities last night. Its helps when your players include last names like Worrell, Reed, DeHaven and Quesenberry.
The improvements to the bleachers made over the past 12 months have also added to the ability for folks to take in a ballgame on The Hill. Just another step taken to turn the eastern portion of The Hill into a happening place to be.
Yes, the Cavaliers fell one game short of qualifying for the State Tournament. But there’s no reason for that to be the lead story here. From the Alumni Game back in the beginning of his regime through the couple of hours of Goodbyes, the Burcham Bunch has IT going on and it comes at a time when the community can use it.
Burcham is a High School Baseball Coach that is acting like a College Skipper at a mid-major University. Coach could probably use a breather to reboot, something that I can relate to myself.
Carroll County Baseball is here to stay and everyone on The Hill is better because of it.
Don’t forget to check out the game story by Allen Worrell but its equally important to remember to look at the BIG PICTURE of the past 12 months !
Carroll County sends eight to the plate and score three runs 🏃♂️(6:18) end 1st
Both Allen Worrell and Velvet Creed Leonard are here with their big lenses so there will be plenty of art work to be found later.
Northside sent 11 to the plate 🍽 in the top of the second and scored five runs.
Middle 2nd, Cavs trail 5-3…(6:40)
6:44 – end of 2nd, down 5-3. Britt Berrier reached on a double but was stranded on 3rd base.
6:48 – Phillips sets the Vikings down in order. Headed to the bottom of the 3rd
6:52 – Cavaliers go down 1,2 3 but two of the outs were shots but right at a fielder.
7:01 – Vikings load the bases but do not score ! Line shot to centerfield hung up just long enough… if the Cavaliers were to rally and win, look back at that out.
7:07 – end 4th inning, Cavs get a runner to third base but not home.
Colby Goad in relief of Ben Phillips to start the fifth inning.
Natalie Harris is facing surgery and Adrienne Harris is just weeks away from getting married. The balance of the Harris family 👪 is trying hard to show support.
The beauty of having your own space without sponsors to answer to is one can choose what to write ✍ about. So if you are someone who prays 🙏, say a prayer for Natalie, her Doctor and support staff.
In regards to saying ” I do “, that has to fall into the category of the 10 most significant moments in a persons life. Real life stretch for some of our own. 💘
A.S.P.N on The Hill 