The send-off for live Sporting Events started tonight in picturesque Salem as Galax squared off with Riverheads for the Class 1 State football Championship.

Riverheads claimed its sixth consecutive State title tonight and equally impressive the Gladiators pushed its Nation leading win streak to an incredible 50 games ! The final tally would be 45-14 in a game played during a steady rain 🌧.

The last team to defeat RHS was the same Galax squad, 6+ seasons ago by the narrowest of margins 7-6.

Due to the Covid pandemic that forced the 2021 Fall schedule to be played in the Spring of 2021, the two teams were squaring off for the ultimate prize for the second time in the current calendar year as well as the third straight season overall.

Just as they have almost every other opponent during the Streak of 50 the Gladiators proved to be too much for the Maroon Tide. Galax managed to limit RHS to just 14 points in the first half but failed to dent the scoreboard before the break.

Riverheads scored twice in the third quarter on one play drives from its side of midfield and the only question left would be the final margin of victory. In between the pair of long scoring plays Galax scored a touchdown of its own to trim the deficit to 21-7. Allowing the score only seemed to fire up the Gladiators and when the final horn sounded it gave RHS another Senior Class a Perfect 4 year mark.

MaxPreps was the format used for coverage tonight but there are plenty of actual game stories available on line, including one from Mr. Bill Meade at newsvirginian.com .

50 straight 🔥 and counting for RHS! Amazing at any level of any sport.

Galax played hard right up the end and for the third straight season proved to be the Best team in the Class 1 not named Riverheads.

I consider myself fortunate to have spent four seasons of Valley League Baseball ⚾️ working by the side of the Rebels Bruce Alger.

Bruce passed away this week and the description that will be heard throughout the Valley in Days and Weeks to come in his honor will be “A Class Act”

Bruce was the mainstay of the Rebels for an eternity in baseball years and the one thing that was guaranteed every night of every Summer – Bruce would be behind the Microphone 🎤 walking everyone through the contest and making you feel right at home every step of the way.

Bruce was all about the show with little to no focus on the scoreboard or standings while running the squad that was the Green Bay Packers of the VBL. It’s safe to say that Mr. Alger will be brightening the Streets of Heaven in the same manner that he did for so many while still amongst us here.

Three minor league baseball ⚾️ teams call the Eastern part of North Carolina home and despite the storms that drenched the Tar Heel state they all managed to get their games in!

Thanks to the Woodpeckers plating 8 runs at home there is a One Free Taco 🌮 coupon on the kitchen table.

Both the Crawdads and the Honey Hunters failed to get their scheduled contests completed on Saturday due to the steady downpour that played havoc across the region.

The rain was much needed but it had the two home teams as well as the visiting Rome Braves and York Revolution back at the park on Sunday morning in an attempt to squeeze in double headers. The also created a chance to take in bits and pieces of four separate contests with the parks separated by 40 miles of US-321.

Gastonia made the most of their odd start time of 11:05am as they were able to get both of their contests completed but Hickory suffered a different type of sweep by losing Game 1 to Rome and losing Game 2 to Mother Nature.