Once a person steps 🚶‍♂️forward and participates in one of our efforts they are a part of who we are going forward. So the ever so long odds of Ethan and Kris Richardson walking through the front door 🚪 of Spotswood High School at the exact moment, were magnified by the fact that both of us ended up by the side of Chris Dodson.

Kris and I will have a bond for eternity as we spent what felt like ten years compiling our Girls 👧 Basketball book 📖 and when it was time to legitimize out efforts I sought out the most respected person I could find to write ✍ the Book Foreword.

Chris Dodson has been coaching High School 🏫 Basketball 🏀 here in the Commonwealth for a long time. Over the years he has a collection of Championship rings 💍 that takes both hands to display. I’m not sure he wouldn’t have one or two more if not for Carroll County and CCHS might have one more if not for Spotswood.

Dodson attended Page County High School 🏫 and if that sounds familiar to some folks, it because I spent a decade ➕ trying hard to add sparkle to PCHS. Alan Knight is also a graduate 🎓 of the school and is in his fifth decade Coaching there.

When our Boys drew Spotswood as an opponent for Tuesday night at 7:45, I smiled when I realized that Dodson’s group was playing before hand.

Getting a twofer out of the night was a bonus and having Allen Worrell sitting on the gym floor next to me was icing on the cake 🎂 because he would be using his time adjusting his camera 📷 during the opener so I could end up with a few nice pictures.

During the game itself, Staunton River bolted out to a 9-0 lead and it felt like it might be over before the end of the first quarter. Dodson remained calm and his team pulled within 11-9 by the end of the quarter.

By halftime, the Trail Blazers led 25-22

A roster with just two Senior players, expanded the lead to 36-31 with 8:00 to play after Alana Taylor went 2 of 2 from the charity stripe.

  Just as Spotswood looked to put game away and advance to the State Semi-final, Staunton River connected on consecutive 3-pointers in which the shooter didn’t call Glass before hand. It turned out that Dodson needed Taylor to go 5 of 8 from the free throw line to finally advance, 47-44.

One last photo, this one without Dodson in it.

Tomorrow night 🌙, Dodson and his team will try and punch 👊 another ticket 🎟 to the Championship Game. Once again they will do it inside of the Trail Blazers gym. The difference between Tuesday and Friday being I won’t be pulling with all of my being for the Boys team to fall in their game.

Northside HS vs Spotswood should be a barn burner of a game and both Kris and I will be pulling for the winner 🏆 of the contest to bring home the State Championship so our amazing Boys run will have included the eventual Title holder.

While I won’t be off US-33 Friday night, I will certainly be pulling for Dodson and his Trail Blazers.

Staunton River   11. 11. 9. 13 – 44

Spotswood High  9   16  11 11- 47