To try and describe the past 12 months for the Twin Boys of Russell and Mama Smoot one would need to borrow a prop from Coney Island…

  A few days ago the Southwest Virginia Community College Flying Eagles dropped their last game, finishing the season at 6-20. The loss not only ended the season but it ends the program as SWCC has elected to cease its entire Athletic department and shift its efforts solely on education.

Bryce and Brayden Smoot finished up their days on The Hill by helping Head Coach Anthony Barnes to a State Tournament run. The Cavaliers had their season end up in Penn Laird when the eventual State Champion Spotswood Trailblazers defeated the Cavaliers.

Prior to that big event, Brayden qualified for the State Track Meet and Bryce passed Tee Jackson as the All-Time BOYS scoring leader. Life was going great and then our Boys made a commitment to attend college in Cedar Bluff and play Basketball 🏀 for the Flying Eagles.

Once the writing ✍ was on the wall in regards to the long-term plan for the program, a coaching change was made. The  plan was for Bryce to play as a Freshman with Brayden to be a red shirt for year one.

While plans changed on a regular basis, Russell Smoot was overjoyed the day that the family 👪 was informed that Brayden would be part of the team as well !!

Here is that story :

Breaking News from Cedar Bluff, Virginia and it felt like it was scripted in Hollywood !! Brayden Smoot is officially a member of the 2025-2026 Flying Eagles of Southwest Virginia Community College 💙

Breaking Bread 🍞 with a person and / or Family 👪 makes things personal, at least to me anyway. I watched these two young Men grow from deer 🦌 in the headlights 8th graders to the people that stand in front of us today. If it stings me to see 👀 the way things played out, I can only imagine how Mom and Dad feel.

But Russell has convinced me that all is well and the Boys understand that God has a Bigger Plan for them both.

Two more highlights from the past few months include returning to The Hill fora home game and having your jersey retired.

Even more recently, Bryce found his way into a lopsided contest. All he did was drop 16 points in a blink of an eye 👁. His reward for such an outstanding moment in the Sun 🌞???? Zero minutes in the next game????

Bryce Smoot is now the Poster Child for perseverance and we simply could not be prouder here at Saved by the Bell : The Cavalier College Years !!!

Peaks and Valles is how Tauren Wells sings about it ot Roller Coaster ride. Either way, we can’t wait to see what is next for the Brothers Smoot !