Is it just me, or doesn’t that look just like Kristy’s Boy, Trenton……
Golden 1 Center in Sacramento, California, is set to host half of the Sweet 16 in Women’s Basketball 🏀 and it’s a talented group of Ladies set to take the stage across the four days starting Friday !
It’s been a minute or two (9 years) since I attended a Joel Osteen Night of Hope event in the pristine arena in downtown Sacramento, but I remember it well.
Duke University Women’s Basketball is the #3 seed in the chalk heavy bracket of loaded teams playing on Friday.
On Saturday, there are four more teams with one BIG surprise !
Virginia needed double overtime to win a game in front of 14, 332 screaming Iowa Hawkeye fans to become the first team to advance from the First Four to the Sweet 16.
7 teams and fan bases that absolutely felt they were heading to the Capitol city of California and one awesome surprise.
At 2,646 miles from our home, I am thinking that it is the arena that sits in the lower 48 states that is the furthest from our 🏠???? It turns out that Seattle is 80 miles further and the same for Portland, Oregon.
LSU just broke the All-Time scoring record for most games in triple figures by doing it for the 17th time in the second round versus Texas Tech.
Both LSU and UCLA were part of the 3-6 start by our beloved Lady Blue Devils, and in both cases, we were overmatched. On the flip side of that, Baylor University defeated us in the season opener over in Paris, France 🇫🇷 by 6 points and we won the rematch on Sunday, 69 – 43.
Quick math says that’s a 32-point improvement from the first time around.
We were in the building in Las Vegas when UCLA edged us in late November
Quick math part 2: If we are 32 points better now than in November = we would edge UCLA by 2 points ‼️and advance to the Final Four in Phoenix the following weekend..
The next game after UCLA took place at Cameron Indoor against LSU. We jumped out to a 14 – 1 lead before 92-63 in the other direction. Still, the 29-point turnaround falls inside of the 32-point improvement, so once again, we are Golden !
Seriously though, the odds of finding away past LSU and UCLA in back to back games on the other side of the Country is slim to none but just take a look at what the University of Virginia just accomplished and one can find hope !
The Lady Cavaliers defeated a fellow #10 seed in Arizona State, then upset #7 Georgia and stunned #2 Iowa at Iowa to get to Northern California.
The only thing standing 🧍♂️between / protecting me from using our tickets to the game is that we are set to host Pulaski County High School in a softball doubleheader, and commitment is a real thing for me.
With that said, when we chased the Lady Devils around the globe 🌎 back in our November to Remember, we went to special places like Paris, France 🇫🇷, Vegas and even watched them play a game at The Greenbriar Resort in West Virginia. Back then, we weren’t sure what our 3-5 team would turn into, but now we know!
26 – 8 minus 3-5 = 23 -3 or 23-2 since the LSU loss.
For those who want to take a shot at the fact Duke ” only ” plays in the ACC, I would point out that our league has FIVE of the Sweet 16 as Louisville, Notre Dame and North Carolina are still alive in addition to Duke and UVA. They just get to play down in Texas, which is only halfway across the country.
It’s been a great experience with Kira Lawson coaching up our Blue Devils for the past few years, and no matter what happens out in No Cal, we will have Sunday to hold onto.
Besides, it’s not like it’s going to rain out our softball games on Friday afternoon.
Welcome 🙏 to Tuesday, March 24th, as we pre-package our Morning 🌄 Brew ! Boys 👦 Soccer ⚽️ and Baseball ⚾️ are set to take center stage, our Golden Bears 🐻 host an old friend, and we have one of the other types of trips to Duke University.
Here we go, on a noticeably longer version of the morning kick-off. We heard from Mrs Beth Bouldin yesterday during the Junior Varsity Softball game and here is a great time to share her thoughts on a sunny 🌞 wind blown day.
Sitting in the parking lot at Tommy Thompson field at CCHS, waiting for my guy to finish weightlifting.
Looking around me and Spring sports have certainly sprung at CCHS. Softball, tennis, and soccer are all busy little bees out there!
Maybe not the best pictures, but it’s a BEAUTIFUL day to be a Cavalier!!
Yes, Ma’am, a BEAUTIFUL day to be a Cavalier !
Sometimes, when West Virginia Tech plays their mid-week game, there is no special thing about the opponent, but that is not the case today. Skipper Lawrence Nesselrodt played for and graduated 🎓 from Davis and Elkins back in the day. Still remember the night of the Hall of Fame ceremony at the school !
Coach Puckett was practicing yesterday afternoon, and we were able to scoop up an on the fly photo 📸 of his energetic team !
Baseball ⚾️ x 2 has Adam Nester and his Nester Nine hitting the road for a game up at Northside (Roanoke). On the flip side, the Burcham Bunch will look to defend The Hill at Bill Worrell Field!
The poster is still in the proofing stage now, but once again, I am thankful for the opportunity to work with people like Craig Worrell, Velvet Leonard, and the mega talented, Ron Cochran.
We should be wrapping up this project shortly ! Each member of the teams will receive a copy with some extras being created in hopes of getting the word out about those involved !!
Psalm 62:8 Trust in him at all times; ye people, pour out your heart before him: God is a refuge for us. Selah.
Howard Mayo and his Motovational Nugget for the Day :
Here in a bit, we will load up the car 🚗 and head back to Durham for Lin’s next appointment at the Duke University Medical Center. Sometimes, making the drive is for a fun reason, like supporting the Women’s Basketball team or the football team, but today isn’t one of those fun days. It’s a Blessed Day because if you find yourself in need of next level Medical treatment, it’s comforting to receive it from some of the top Doctors in the World 🌎.
The reason for mentioning it is because any coverage we can provide today will have to be assisted by someone who shares the same vision as Beth Bouldin and myself – it’s a BEAUTIFUL day to be a Cavalier !
Have a Blessed Day 🙌!
Don’t worry fellas, the Women of the Atlantic Coast Conference have your back !!! The Men may only have Duke in the Sweet 16, but our Ladies like to Dance 💃!!
Five ACC teams captured two victories to advance with both Virginia and Notre Dame doing it in hostile environments.
NC State and Syracuse both earned a W before running into a buzz saw.
Clemson and Virginia Tech both made it but fell in the opening round.
Junior Varsity Softball officially opens Cavalier Park for the season ! Tazewell has made it to The Hill, and 1st Pitch happened at 5:02/ 49°… Lady Cavaliers roll to a 12-2 victory !
Tazewell JV …001 10 – 2 5 1
CCHS JV………. 217 11 – 12 12 0
Carroll County JV rode the bat of Molly Montgomery and the right arm of Ava Beamer to a run rule shortened 12 – 2 victory over visiting Tazewell High School.
Beamer went the distance against the Bulldogs, scattering five singles and recording six strikeouts. The Lady Cavaliers played flawless defense behind the freshman.
Offensively, Head Coach Terry Warf received plenty of help as his team matched 12 hits to their 12 runs. Runs were scored by eight of nine spots in the lineup, led by Montgomery, who collected a single, double, and triple with 2 runs scored and three driven in.
Aspen Aldred added two hits, and the one time she was retired was on a rocket 🚀 shot to centerfield.
Ashlynn Smith came to the plate with two outs in the bottom of the fifth inning with Ashton Rodrigue standing on third base. Smith delivered a sharp single to end the game and send the crowd home happy ( cold 🥶 but happy).
Carroll County JV (1-1) will return to Cavalier Park on Wednesday night to host Fort Chiswell and is currently scheduled to open a Friday night doubleheader along with the varsity team versus Pulaski County.
A.S.P.N on The Hill 