I believe that the line ” Just Say No ” was created to prevent Drug Abuse but this week I think it should be used in response to our upcoming weather forecast.
It’s simply not a convenient time for another Winter Storm in my World or the World of all of the Spring Coaches that are chomping at the bit to start their seasons.
Not a good time for our Athletic Director, Kevin DeHaven, who just finished digging out from all of the previous schedule changes.
Not a good time for Anthony Barnes and his Basketball train that has been picking up steam.
Not a good time for our Junior Varsity Girls Basketball team who would enjoy playing a game after an extended period of time.
Not a good time for Lawrence Nesselrodt and the Golden Bears Baseball team ahead of a busy week of home games.
Teachers want to teach, Students want to learn, Athletes want to compete and Coaches want to Coach.
So what are our options ? Just Say No 🙊
No to Mother Nature and her plans for us.
Enough is Enough, take your storm out to Sea, we have things to do and people to see.
Just Say No – is anyone with me on this ?
February 10th was a blank slate on the CCHS schedule but tomorrow night was / is a Girls 👧 Basketball 🏀 Home game but now we have to add those two dreaded words – Weather Permitting…
Quick update – After Bryce Smoot broke the scoring record held by former Cavalier, Tee Jackson, our Allen Worrell of The Carroll News penned a feature story about Bryce and his chase of the record.
Part One of the five parts was about Basketball 🏀 twins and now Part 2 will be the record through the eyes of Mom. Part 3 will be through the eyes 👀 of Dad, followed by Part 4 with twin Brother Brayden and finally Part 5 should be available to every Coach that Bryce played for ➕ Mr Tee Jackson if I can get some help in contacting him.
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Part 2 – Q & A with Michelle “Mama ” Smoot…
Q – Let’s start put with an easy enough question, can you touch on the emotions of watching 👀 your Son as he broke the scoring record ?
Mama – This Mommas Heart is so overwhelmed with love, happiness, Tears of joy for my son! I have watched every game since Bryce has played Basketball with the exception of maybe during covid or having to separate because Bryaden has played on another team.
Q – As Bryce now sits alone at the Top of the Scoring list, what if anything do you share with your Son ?
MaMa – I know how hard Bryce has worked for this moment and as a Mom his #1 fan I have and will always tell him… not everyone is going to like you, not everyone is going to like what you do. But that’s OK because you do it the right way and show respect to the game.
Q – Please share any thoughts you may have about the achievement that others might not know ?
MaMa – He has set Goals on this court and he has absolutely crushed his goals! None of those goals have come easy for him and he has his brother Brayden to thank for that, BECAUSE Brayden has made Bryce work for every point that he has earned.
Q – Help us understand the importance of the relationship in regards to your twin Boys…
MaMa – Where you see it the most is all the games they have played against each other in the driveway, wellness center and the high school gym. Brayden isn’t and never has been easy on Bryce when it comes to 1 on 1. Brayden works his butt off to make Bryce beat him and that’s why Brayden is so tough defensively in our Varsity games.
Q – Now that their days as teammates is nearing its end, how far back can you take us in regards to the Boys 👦 playing against each other ?
Mama –
It all started when they where 4 years old in my little kitchen with 4 tennis balls 1 in each hand they learned how to dribble blind folded.
Q – What do you think of when you look into Bryces eyes ?
MaMa : I see joy in Bryces eyes and it just absolutely makes my heart want to explode with happiness for him. I would love to say a huge Thank you to all the people that have supported Bryce over the years and to the ones that traveled 5 hrs or more to come and see him hit the one basket 🧺 that put him over the top on that Saturday.
Q – Let’s wrap things up with a final thought about the achievement…
MaMa – Everyone that came out that day, they have talked to me about how much they have enjoyed watching my boys play ball. Everywhere I go someone has seen this record and tell me to tell Bryce Congratulations. I’m just so proud of my Boys….
6:30 pm is Kickoff for the Super Bowl 🏈 and once again there will be a Duke University Blue Devil representing the program in the Big Game ! Noah Gray plays tight end for the Chiefs but he plays behind the TE that is both heading to the Hall of Fame one day and dates Taylor Swift so my guy is very much in cognito.
From 2 to 4 today, Vickey will ➗ up her Special Olympics Basketball 🏀 team and will play Chiefs vs Eagles in our practice. Next week is THE WEEK as its Virginia Tech Day.
West Virginia Tech University will be playing 🏡🏠🏡🏠 home Baseball ⚾️ games this week up in Beckley. At the 🏡 games the focus is on creating an atmosphere with the 🎤🎙🎤 so it will be a cold 🥶 but fun weekend, weather permitting.
Monday night 🌙 has Alleghany High School traveling to Glenvar for a Three Rivers District game. This should be highly entertaining in addition to having a large impact on the regular season Championship. If the Highlanders can shake off the effects of dropping three straight close games and defeat the Cougars it will give our Cavaliers a two game lead with three to play.
Next piece of business is followup on the feature story done on Kris Richardson coaching basketball 🏀 for like 15 straight hours on a Saturday just recently. Eddie Robinson and Greg Bolen both shared some stories and then Israel Easter mentioned something about this man 👨
Roanoke TV 📺 Channel 10
We now will use on of my favorite tools 🔧in my toolbox 🧰, the David Letterman Top 10 List !
A few years ago our Lady 👩 Cavaliers went from really good to State Champs 🏆 to State Champs to one returning starter leading them back to the State Tournament.
The group of Boys 👦 playing Basketball enjoyed a good season, including a Home game and victory in the Regional tournament before falling in a nail bighter over at Tunstall.
Year 2 will be known as the We will never know year as a 1 loss Cavalier team watched Davis Reitzel lay on the floor, clinching his injured knee in the District Championship game. The Cavs fell that night to Floyd County and then to Abingdon in the regional opener.
Year 3 is currently sitting at 19-1 with three regular season games remaining before the post season begins.
So, with a drumroll, here are the Top 10 reasons for the similar but not exact same stories…..
#10 – Both teams were cheered on by Bill and Linda Gallimore 👏 and Grandpa Paul Nester.
#9 – Both Head Coaches, Marc Motley and Anthony Barnes had a tough decision to make in year 3 on Senior Night 🌙 as each had six players to play in a five person starting lineup.
#8 – Both teams had one starter that was one season behind the core group. Alyssa Ervin for the Girls and Isaiah Easter for the Boys.
#7 – Both teams enjoyed unprecedented success while playing in the Three Rivers District.
#6 – Both teams had/ have a player with the last name of Richardson in their starting lineup. Ashton for the Girls and Ethan for the Boys.
#5 – Both teams were lead by a core group that spent their entire childhood playing Hoops together.
#4 – Both teams had a starter named Easter in the starting lineup. Kaylee for the Girls 👧 and Isaiah for the Boys.
#3 – Both teams were / are led by highly successful Coaches – one as a Hall of Famer ➕ one in year 5.
#2 – Both teams were / are led by the All-Time scoring player in the Schools 🏫 history. Alyssa Ervin for the Girls and Bryce Smoot for the Boys.
Now, I won’t go as far with Isaiah Easter as I did with Miss Ervin by predicting the team would return to State the supposed ” Year After ” . Ervin is as driven as the day is long and she was going to have Katie Lam, Madison Lyons, Sarah Alderman and Callie Harris alongside. But I like the chances of Barnes being successful in year six for him.
Now, look back at #5 and the dots will connect easily to the #1 reason the paths look familiar.
#1 – Both of these groups have had Kris Richardson in their ears for as long as they can remember. The Basketball 🏀 Whisperer if you will.
This year Coach Kris is working with another group of young ladies ➕ helping out with a group one year older. That combination lead to an all day Coaching session that included a rare Saturday afternoon Boys Varsity game.
Eddie Robinson and Kevin Burress are just two of the latest group of Proud Dad’s hoping that there’s still 🙏 a little magic left in the voice of the Whisperer.
Now, after spending 30 minutes of 🧠 power tying this together, I will note 📝 that I read in a book 📖 somewhere that it was actually Marion Harris who discovered Ervin and Paula Richardson knows the game as well ➕ she had a large impact on a couple of those players…..
Have yourself a Blessed Day and enjoy the Big Game ! It’s okay to pull for my man Noah to catch a pass or two.
First note 📝, it was good to see that Amelia Dalton back in action 🎬.
Second Note 📝 – Look at Alex Cruz leading the way for our Cavaliers !
We competed in 10 of the weight classes which is a HUGE step for the rebuilding program.
Fisher Myers made it the Championship match and three Wrestlers joined Cruz in winning their final match as Dalton, Mathius Jones and Traven Taylor each captured the Bronze.
The next step for the team is the Regional tournament and hopefully 🙏 the State event. Let’s add in the four Lady 👩 Cavaliers that have qualified for their State meet!
West Long took the time to see into the future as his dedication to his program is unmeasurable
Allen Worrell will have a full story in The Carroll News!
