Brett Petty is pictured here running 🏃♂️ alongside his mentor, Justin Ward.
Blacksburg, Virginia –
The gang got an early start this morning and were out in full force to support Brett in his efforts !
Brett has been competing in a few events as of late and when he does, he’s never alone. Absolutely love 💘 the signs !
Justin’s wife Krista and daughter Kylie Ward, runners in their own right but spectators today (pictured below). They and Justin run in Spartan races. Brett has done one with them.
No rest for the weary as the group will still be meeting up for Basketball practice from 3pm to 5pm at Hillsville Elementary School 🏫 later today.
Others cheering Brett on include
Charlotte and Dr David McPherson and Agape and Jeannie and her younger Sister (pictured above). Vicky Town is in the Blue Jacket.
Great to see folks supporting 👏 Brett!
His mentor, Justin Ward was expecting Brett to run it out an 11 minute pace which is faster than he’s been training. He was hoping for a 1030 pace but in actuality he averaged a 10:16 pace, which is excellent.!!
6am on a Sunday morning and trying to figure out what is the next logical step 🚶♂️ in the process. Today was supposed to be the back end of a Appalachian State University Field Hockey 🏑 weekend in Boone. But as you see in the photo 📷, above, Boone won’t be the same for quite some time.
The School has gotten together with the folks from Central Michigan University and found a field in Charlotte to play on today. CMU was already in the Commonwealth, having played at James Madison University in Harrisonburg on Friday afternoon.
Back 🏡, our place is still without electricity (Friday at 10am) so wanting to race back is tougher. Love the fact that the High School 🏫 is opening the doors 🚪 again today to help those in a similar situation.
The number of towns in our region that will never be quite the same for a long, long time is heartbreaking. My own personal experience with my very first Car 🚗, a 1971 Mercury Comet, after it went underwater in a subdivision during a Flash Flood, reminds me that the Car never smelt normal again. Having to swim out the window to keep from drowning was interesting as well for a 17 year old.
Galax, Fries, Marion and Radford are just some of the local communities that I have seen photos of that will be dealing with this for a long, long time.
Happy that our Cross Country team had a diversion on Saturday as did our High School football team. Such an odd Sunday morning 🌄 and I don’t see how it can keep from being an odd Monday morning.
Prayers for everyone dealing 🙏 with the oddness.
Side note 📝 Beth Bouldin – write ✍ about whatever feels right to you! You have a gift 🎁 and it doesn’t have to be a Novel, it can be short stories.
You can start with a nut job that truly believes you can save the World 🌎 through kindness…..
Madison Stockner and EMU will play two matches today as they host both Randolph and St.Marys College of Maryland. They are currently in the 3rd set with Randolph, tied at 1-1
Ashlyn Newman and Union University played Mississippi College last night 🌙 with the match ending in a 2-2 draw.
KK Newman and Bluefield is underway at Pikeville down in the Cumberland Gap area. Glad to know that Pikeville is a safe place this morning 🌄.
Rounding out the four, Kalee Bunn and Ferrum VB is set to head out to Georgia for a pair of matches over the coming days.
We will circle 🔵 back with five more final scores by the end of the day as Carroll County High School 🏫 plays Football and runs 🏃♂️ Cross Country..
EMU VB drops the third set big but battles back in Set #4 for a 25-21 victory, forcing a fifth set.
Cross Country is over and what we know so far is that both Polly Beamer and Grant Reed finished in the Top 10 in their races 🏁! Congratulations and full results later.
Bluefield at the half, trailing 1-0.
Carroll County High 7, Patrick County 0 (2nd quarter)
Two hours until the Victory Bell 🔔 Contest kicks off here in Durham !
Randolph 15, EMU 11 in Game #5. EMU will rest one match and then be back out there.
At the Half in Stuart – Cavs 7-0
Cross Country Race 🏁 Results !
Boys varsity. 11th. Team score
Individual out of 93
Ethan Edwards. 47th. 20:49.6
Griffin Wheatley. 58th. 21:42.7
Garrison Wheatley. 69th. 22:26.2
Jarib Cruz. 75th. 23:07.2
Micah Gwynn. 87th. 26:00.9
Adam Alderman. 92nd. 37:02.1
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Girls Varsity. Out of 85
Amelia Forsyth. 62nd. 28:03.8
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Boys middle school out of 52
Grant Reed. 8th. 17:22.3
Isaac Chambers. 29th. 20:16.6
Aidan Lewis. 30th. 20:27.1
Mason Ponce. 38th. 21:00.3
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Middle School Girls. 4th place team score
Individual out of 64
Polly Beamer. 7th. 20:03.3
Aliza Graf. 20th. 22:36.4
Alexis Ponce. 25th. 22:52.8
Makenzie Lundy. 54th. 29:35.3
Alina Lewis. 55th. 29:49.4
Sherlyn Pedroza. 60th. 31:31.6
_______________________________
Shawn Montgomery
Social Studies Teacher
Carroll County High School
_____________________
Delilah Brady has a post 📫 saying Cavs now up 14-0, heading into the 4th quarter…
Love 💘 the Heels 👠, just not as much as the Blue Devils 💙
Mama Smoot update – 21-0 Carroll County…
Stacy Dalton shares – Game Over, Cavs win ! 4-1, 1-0 in the District !!
Final Score over in Pikeville…
Seth and Kayla Myers with the scoreboard shot from Stuart !
4:05 – Kickoff
Duke Football – 3 & Out, Punt of 58 yards. (14:22)
UNC – 3 & out, Big bounce on Punt makes it a 65 yarder.. (12:24)
Duke – 3 & out, 39 yard punt…(11:50)
UNC – 2 FD, 40 yard FG (10:19)…3-0 UNC
Duke – 3 & out, 37 yard punt…(8:38)
UNC – 25 yard TD Pass on 4th and 2 (4:34), 10-0
Duke – 0 first downs and longest possession 101 seconds. 9 plays for 10 yards against a defense that allowed 70 points last week ?
Duke – 1st Down #1, then 3 and out. Punt from own 46, 38 yard punt (3:30) 64 seconds, defense needs a break
UNC – FD, FD, Punt !! (0:13)
Duke – [END 1st quarter at 4:50 pm] need to move the chains… FD, then Punt on 4th & 9, 44 yard punt (12:52-2).
UNC – FD, then stopped, punt from own 20. 31 yard punt… (11:37-2) Only 75 seconds on the field for the “D”
Duke – Great field position but another 3 & out, Punt, then face mask on the return (10:03). UNC starts at their own 39. Net of 9 yards after the dust settled.
UNC ball after TV TO – FD on 3rd down penalty, FD on 3rd down penalty… 37 yard shovel pass takes it to the 1.Duke defense off sides for a third time on the drive but this one is waved off because of a 10 yard TD Pass. 17-0, 5:43 (2)
Duke – FD, FD, FD. (DRIVE), Huge Sack (-9), Inc
xf,, 13 yard screen pass, 4th and 6 at 2:00 TO.
Big Play – defensive Pass Interference. 1st and Goal on UNC 36. 2 yard run, 4 yard run, dropped pass on 3rd and 4. 47 yard Field Goal would have been good from 60 but it hit the top of the right goal post (1:00)
UNC – 3rd and 6 from own 34 after sack. 3 and out, Punt, Duke TO at 0:27. 41 yard punt.
Duke (0:16-2) ….Clock after 3 unimpressive play… HALFTIME
2nd Half – UNC (6:00pm+)
Here’s when you know its not your day – force a great 3 & out, then block the Punt cleanly but fumble the recovery. 1st and 10 Tar Heels. Turnover costs Duke 3 more after long pass play. Kudos to the D for limiting it to a 37 yard FG..8:23(3rd), 20-0.
Will Diaz consider making a change at QB ?
Duke – FD. FD, FD, TD on 29 yard screen pass play at 5:49, now 20-7. Unsportsmanlike Flag on Duke on TD play – enforced on Kickoff
UNC – 3 and out, Punt (3:27-3)
Duke – FD , then a 43 yard bomb to Moore, under review now. Duke converts 4th & 1, 1st and 10 on UNC 17 – End of 3rd quarter…..
Duke with 2 yard TD Run, 14:21 (4), down 20-14 now.
UNC – FD, FD…Big Stop on 3rd and 11 ! Punt coming , 33 yards to Duke 13 (11:55). TV Timeout… 7:01 pm
Duke – FD to midfield !, FD to UNC 40..2nd down pass looked like money. 4th and 10 falls to the ground – 9:50 (4). Heels 1st and 10, own 40.
Crowd was looking for a flag on 3rd down pass, refs are seeing ghosts after last night VT – Miami call.
UNC – 3 and out (-10 yards after personal foul flag). Punt only goes 20 yards (7:31)
Duke – FD at 25 !!! 20 yard TD Run (5:43), PAT makes it 21-20 Duke !!
UNC – FD, under 5:00 now, 4 &15 (3:59) 37 yard punt (3:51)
Duke on 23 – First Down (2:43). Heels have four Timeouts when you include the 2:00 warning.
1st and 10 on our 46 at 2:00 warning. One more 1st Down should seal it !!!!
1:44, 4th and 1…Punt or go for it ? 1 yard wins it but if stopped….
Punt fair catch at 5….90+ seconds and no way to stop the clock…
UNC – FD on 3rd and 3, FD on 40 (0:43)…
Tipped, almost picked…2nd down – incomplete pass (0:32) 3rd and 10 – intercepted……(0;25)
Ballgame……
Wrapping up :
Eastern Mennonite University earns a split…
That’s a wrap for Saturday, full of Peaks and Valleys…
In today’s Society the mentality has become Next Person Up. Coaches talk about it all the time and its easy to use a couple of recent examples.
Darrin Mathews spent the majority of his adult life to the Students at Carroll County High School until he retired. Kevin DeHaven stepped up into his shoes 👞 and life goes on.
Casey Burcham was the next Man up in regards to the vacancy created by Mr. Mathews. Heck, one day Principal Chuck Thompson will retire and either Jay Holderfield or Kristen Quesenberry will step up to take the reins.
Someone should sign Samantha Reed to a 10-year contract as the President of the Carroll County Athletic Association. But things are different with the Carroll County Special Olympics and one Vickey Ritchie.
Fall months are insane for me because of the level of commitments I have. Trying to avoid spreading myself tooooo thin is always a priority but things happen. The first thing that made the Fall harder is just how likable the 2024-2025 Volleyball 🏐 team is. Each year I block off the nine or ten home matches so I can help Coach Edwards by announcing / promoting her team when they play at home.
Next thing you know, an attachment grows and you realize that when they play on the road they will be playing in front of just their parents and the other Cavalier team (JV / Varsity).
Last Saturday at Gate City, Tuesday night at Patrick County and then this Monday over in Marion as examples. One can’t be upset by the fact that people don’t have the time and / or the resources to criss cross the State 10 times in a season to watch someone elses Kiddos play. They have their own Kiddos to do that for and that’s a part time job.
Darn this team for being so darn likeable…..
So, adding as many road Volleyball 🏐 matches to the Home Volleyball matches, the 12 Duke 🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈 games and the Appalachian State University Field Hockey 🏑 games is pushing the envelope. But then the fifth option became helping out Vickey on Sunday afternoons with her Basketball 🏀 practice and / or Game at Hillsville Elementary School.
Every minute that I am helping Vickey I get to feel better about myself immediately. There are things one does where you hope you are making a difference and then there are things where you KNOW that you are !
Vickey is what I refer to as “Our Community Angel 😇”. Watching her every Sunday give every ounce of her being to a group of young Men & Women is breathtaking. The patience and kindness from start to finish truly makes me want to be a better person.
There’s a new commercial out where a guy 👦 is singing into a milk jug, calling it Simply Irresistible, borrowed from a great song 🎵 (Robert Palmer). That quickly becomes Simply Irreplaceable in regards to Coach Vickey. Just not sure who is going to fill those shoes afterwards??
Our conversation this week was about whether or not I could get back from Boone in time to assist her ? Not that she can’t survive without me, but I feel we both find it therapeutic.
Give some thought to who might be the next Coach Vickey because the other thing we have in common is we are not getting any younger.
October 12th is an incredibly important day for All of us in regards to the 5K event that acts as a Fundraiser for the Carroll County Special Olympics. Boo Ridge is open to all Ages and we would Love to have you join us !!
One of the hot topics today is about who should and who should not be looked up to ? Role Models have been swapped out for influencers and people getting rich of off insulting others. Now, I don’t hide from the fact that I’m 61 going on 92 which means I’m comfortable being told my thoughts are outdated.
The search for local people that can be put on a poster and held up as Role Models is an ongoing venture for a few reasons. The main one being that I think that our Youth need it more than ever.
Enter Kalee Bunn, not that Miss Bunn is asking for a platform but maybe we should offer her one to stand on as a way to encourage the current Student Athletes that are struggling to balance practices, Classes, Game Days and Coaches that a trying hard to push them to be the best version of themselves.
At the Home Volleyball match on Monday night both Laiken Burnett and Leny Richter were doing class work at the scorers table minutes ahead of warmups. Being a Student Athlete is demanding and if we could offer Role Models as a means of encouragement, why wouldn’t we ?
Bunn graduated 🎓from Carroll County High School 🏫 back in 2022. This semester she is trying hard to balance playing College Volleyball, taking 19 credit hours and working a full time apprenticeship. How is she doing with this almost bonkers work load – flirting with a 4.0 GPA !!!
I didn’t make the trek over to Ferrum because I wanted to watch Prime Time, World Class Volleyball. Inside of my final six weeks now, I went searching for a Hero. Someone who we can point to and say look what she’s doing and then point out the amount of Grace she is doing it with.
Don’t just take my word on Miss Bunn, being I’ve known her for 5 minutes. Here is the response I received from Coach Cindy Edwards about her former player.
“What can you say about a terrific young lady who is what a great teammate should be .
Always help coaching them on what she see on the court even if she’s not on the court.
Is a player that every coach needs in their program she’s the programs best recruiter. Always encouraging Always bringing energy.
Love her for the young woman she’s turning out to be. . When she graduated from Carroll, we weren’t sure she would go to a 4 year college she is such a family oriented person.
Her family is very important to her, so for here, too, be graduating next year, and going into education is so special, and I couldn’t be prouder.”
Kalee Bunn is not the first CCHS Alum to head off to College and go into education. Adrienne Harris just finished up, Kayla Nester a few years ago and Brandi Cochran – Mitchell a few years beyond that are some more that immediately come to mind. Sydney Nester and Tiff Moore took their skills on the playing field and turned into College degrees that led to amazing Careers.
These folks are all former Cavaliers that could be used as Role Models to the current Student Body.
Tying into the Pipeline between The Hill and Ferrum, I am thrilled to hear that this young Lady 👩 has gotten back to herself because now we might be able to get back to the telling of her incredible story.
Kalee Bunn is going places that are well beyond Schwartz Gym and she will be carrying the flag for Carroll County for years to come !
