Last year was fun in the Spring to follow along while Adrienne Harris finished her College playing career and there was also Sydney Nester wrapping up her time at Marshall University. Both of these talented young ladies graduated 🎓 from The Hill, went on to play at the next level and then Graduate 🎓 all over again!

While it gets lost more often than not, the driving force behind our efforts is Education. Any thing that can be done to encourage our Youth to apply themselves while in High School and then for the fortunate enough to attend, College. I still remember the day up at Marshall when I first met Sydney, my interest in her story was she turned learning how to throw a Softball into 6 years of a College education.

Hillsville is not to be confused with the mean streets of East St. Louis or Compton. Those places have a different perspective on “Getting Out”, so I don’t want to confuse the two thoughts. But heading off to College is a HUGE deal and it should be used as a tool to encourage our youth.

Ashlyn Newman, Madison Stockner, KK Newman and Kalee Bunn are all currently in season for their College teams. None of their four teams are in danger of winning a National Championship anytime soon but that’s not the point, not the reason for trying hard to follow them and share the results. Going to College and competing in Sports while trying hard to chase your career dreams – this is a Trifecta that requires a serious level of dedication 👏.

Mr. Newman took the time to share just how much Life his two girls 👧 are experiencing while balancing School 🏫 and Soccer ⚽️. All positive things that will lead to them achieving their Life Goals.

Back to why detour on ones way back from Tennessee after a hectic two days to stop ✋ at Southwest Virginia Community College ?

Macie Adkins is in her second and final year at the School while Jabin Talley is just starting his first. Talley, pictured at the Virginia Tech home football game played yesterday in Blacksburg, won’t return to Campus until this evening but Adkins will be playing some Fall Ball Softball today.

Fall Ball was new to me prior to starting up with West Virginia Tech 15 years ago. Teams that play their season in the Spring can play organized scrimmages if you will during a designated time window in the Fall.

Somewhere in the back of my head I hear Allen Iverson saying ” Practice, we’re talking about Practice?”.

No , you don’t make the trek or report the score because it is some kind of Breaking News. You do it for three reasons . (A) The Parents and The Players, (B) Their High School Coaches and former teammates and (C) the younger players that are in Middle School 🏫 and High School 🏫, so they can find possible role models to look up to.

Now I can see a T-shirt 👕 👀 like the one that reads Straight out of Compton, ours would say Straight off The Hill….

These young Men and Women are still trying to represent our Community and in my eyes 👀, inspire our Youth. We will continue to try and keep up with as many as possible because its the least we can do. These folks and their Families have done and are doing the heavy lifting here.

Alyssa Ervin, Katie Lam and Elijah Cox will play Hoops this Fall. Later we will have Macie and Emma Leath playing Softball and Talley playing tennis 🎾 and I believe some people playing baseball ⚾️…all Student Athletes trying hard to carve out their path in Life while representing the 276.

I will circle 🔵 back to this Post 📫 tonight to add some photos 📷 from the Day.

One more Thank You 🙏 to Shannon Dalton for bringing this fellow Alum to my attention…

Here is the Jabin Talley portion of the Campus…

Next up – Macie Adkins portion of the Campus…

Breadcrumbs…

Anna & Macie

Now we have one of Mom 👩 with the two Flying Eagles.

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The games today are organized scrimmages so please know this is not designed to be game coverage.

Today is more about showing support 🙌 for one of our own. Macie opened up playing Centerfield ( 3 innings) and will move to left, sit an inning and close out Game 1 in the Pitcher’s circle 🔵.

Worth Noting that 86° with no breeze is HOT.

We found some shade behind Centerfield !

The field here is brand new, having hosted its first game back in March. It sits beside the Baseball ⚾️ field. No Bleachers in place yet but the crowd comes prepared, lawn chairs in hand.

Worth admitting that Lin and I were fortunate that a Dollar 💵 General was near-by…

The campus is very scenic and has some size to it. Sitting right off US-19, its tucked between rolling hills in every direction.

Must be the fourth inning because Macie has moved over to Left Field.

Guessing because our shaded spot is just beyond the scoreboard.

Macie with a sharp single to right field in her second at bat. Kiddo quickly swiped 2nd base.

This was Macie right before the swing, picture 📷 taken from 350 feet away…

Getting to spend 5 minutes with Mom 👩 (Sara) before the game started was an absolute pleasure but that’s the case everytime our paths cross.

Fifth inning now, Macie has worked her way to the bullpen to get her arm loose as she will pitch the final two innings.

Off to the bottom of the 5th inning. Macie to pitch in the Top of the 6th..

178 yards and 2 TD passes for Danny Dimes !!!!! All before halftime…

17 for 19….. Doesn’t happen all that often for Jones…

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Offensive explosion here in the Bottom of the 5th and our Lady 👩 Cavalier sent a rocket 🚀 to left center field with the bases loaded !!!! It will be scored as a Triple ➕ an error but in my Heart ❤ it was an Inside the Park GRAND SLAM !!!!!!!!!!

The phone 📱 has been in use since 5am so it will die before Macie pitches but that is what happens when you use it for good for 9 & 1/2 hours.

Bottom of the 6th, 14-14

What a fun few hours ! The bonus being the team getting to have some fun !!

Boys Individual Results  out of 84

Griffin Wheatley         21:20.02       47th

Garrison Wheatley     22:38.05       64th

Micah Gwynn            23:03.15       65th

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Boys middle school  6th of 7 teams scored

Individual out of 60

Grant Reed              10:22.70    8th

Mason Ponce           11:20.35    25th

Isaac Chambers       11:57.31     29th

Aidan Lewis           13:11.85        40th

Christopher Sirkel     16:04.63      50th

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Girls Middle School    7 of 8

Girls Individual out of 74

Polly Beamer        11:52.64        13th

Aliza Graf            12:56.49         29th

Alexis Ponce       12:57.60          31st

Sherlyn Pedroza   14:59.55         55th

Alina Lewis           15:48.59         63rd

Makenzie Lundy   18:02.65          69th

Congratulations 👏👏👏 to all !

Shawn Montgomery

Social Studies Teacher

Carroll County High School

The match started roughly 5 minutes early as Gate City was leading 5-2. CC has rallied back to tie it up at 11-11.

Gate City leading 22-14, Coach Petty calla a TO.

Lady 👩 Cavaliers fight off two set points and then a 3rd (24-17).. 4 straight 🔥… Final at 1:14, Gate City 25-18. Lady 👩 Cavaliers played well in spurts in the opening set 👏..

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Set #2 – 1:17 pm

Marion and Shelia Harris just arrived so there should be a Facebook stream up for the Varsity match.

Back to the Action 🎬 :

Gate City 3-1 early. Coach Petty with a TO, GC 8-1… TO CC, trailing 13-3

We’ve Got Next !

After falling behind 16-5, Carroll County catches fire 🔥with five unanswered points to force a GC TO at 16-10.

Match delayed by a Gatorade bucket getting spilt.

Coach Edwards leading the cleanup crew.

Almost ready to resume…

16-10, 16-13, 8 straight snapped by a violation, 17-13, 17-15!!!!

2nd TO, Gate City…. Cavs trail 17-15

Now down just 18-17, 22-18, 24 -18, 24-19, 24-20, 24-21, Huge Block by 23 (Ellie Heflin) + Ace by Clara DeHaven makes it 24-23. [18-9 run 🏃‍♂️ by Carroll County.]

Gate City 25-23…. 1: 48 pm

Was really hoping that next week would be 4-0 Duke vs 4-0 UNC but JMU might have other plans.

Still plenty of time, still in the 1st Half

2:19 – First Serve…. –

Gate City, 5-1, 5-2, 8-2… TO CC

Down 13-3, CC runs 🏃‍♂️ together 5 straight, TO Gate, 13-8

13-9, 17-10, 18-15 and GC T0!

Aza Petty strings together NINE straight from the service line, Cavs 20-18!!!!!

CC TO, down 23-22.

Heartbreaking way to lose a set point as the ball rolled across the top of the net, 25-23 Gate City (2:41)

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Set #2….

Gate City front line has to be the tallest we will see 👀 this year.

GC6-1, TO Lady 👩 Cavaliers…

GC 9-3, 10-3, 13-3

18 – 4, 18 -7, 20-9, 22-9 CC TO…

UNC pulls within 60-39, still in 3rd.

Gate City closes out Set #2, 25-9

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3:03 – Set #3 –

CC 3-0, 4-0,4-1, 5 All. 6 All, Cavs 9-6

Cavs 12-11, 16-12, 17-12 TO GC

Cavs with their biggest lead of the day at 5.

TO CC – leading 17-15…

UNC within 63-44 , early 4th

Cavs, 21-18, Petty’s Kill ends it at 25-20!!!!!!!! We will play ▶️ a 4th set….

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3:30 – Set #4….

Warm in the Gymnasium

Cavs 3-0, 4-1, 7-1….TO… Ali 4 kills, Callie 2 Aces in the Run 🏃‍♂️

Maddie Hyatt waiting to serve…

Cavs 10-2, 13-4 (TO – Gate)

Clemson 59, NC State 35 (F)

CC 15-4, 17-7, 18-7, 21-7, 22-12

TO CC after Gate scores 5 straight, CC 22-14….

Carroll County 25 – 15, let’s play Another One, this time to 15….

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3:53 pm – Set #5…

GC 2-1, 4-1, 5-1 (TO CC) 5-2, 6-2, 6-3,

6-4, 7-4, 7-5, 8-5… Great Match !!!

Gatorade bucket issue #2 (4:02)

Final from Chapel Hill, JMU 70 – 50

Cavs within 8-6, 8-7. 👔 at 8 !!!!!

Just Long followed by an Ace, Gate 10-8 (TO – CC)….👔 at 10!!!

Lady 👩 Cavaliers won’t go away !

Gate 14-10, Final 15 – 10 Blue Devils at 4:09… Story tonight…

5pm – Union University Bulldogs playing at Home in Jackson, Tennessee ( Ashlyn Newman) and Kalee Bunn (Ferrum Volleyball 🏐) 7pm at Randolph – Macon just north of Richmond.

➕ we have one more to add, curtosey of Shannon Dalton !

East Tennessee is at Elon University tonight and I’m not sure who all makes the trip ?

Thank You Shannon for sending this one in !

Both the Volleyball and Soccer offer a streaming service if anyone wants to check in on these two young Ladies before heading out to Tommy Thompson Field!