Why should you care about Chris Dodson sharing a post 📫 about Frank Comer and Page County High School ?
The answer is because it was my old friend, Frank Comer, who was calling balls and strikes during that historic day down in Lynchburg when Carroll County High School Softball team captured the initial State Championship in School history.
Comer was so impressed by Coach Nester that when he returned home in Page County that he put pen 🖊 to paper to write ✍️ him a letter. Comer then included his copy of the lineup card in the envelope ✉️ and Nester has that with him to this day.
That day, when Comer was telling the story, I remember thinking 🤔, where exactly is Carroll County High School ?
This man, pictured above, was the one who educated me about ” The River ” and how Frank Comer was known for having NO part of it!
Chris Dodson, Frank Comer, Alan Knight and I all have serious ties to Page County High School 🏫 and will forever. But it was Comer that played a roll in CCHS, years before I arrived.
This young lady next to me played a role in that groundbreaking victory with her version of ” The Catch “
Yesterday afternoon, when a St Louis Cardinals rookie hit one out of Wrigley Field in his first three MLB at bats, it was quickly announced that was the first time in t.
he history of MLB baseball ⚾️. We have been playing the game for quite some time ⌛️ so that is quite impressive……
.
I immediately thought about how coololm it would be to receive a paycheck for doing the research and fact-checking for a living. Then I switched over to thinking about any fun Fact that I was familiar with that might stand the test of time.
Chris Dodson, pictured above, has captured SEVEN State Championships at Spotswood High School. He has been flirting with number eight for a bit now with his Lady Trailblazers.
Alan Knight, in the middle of the photo, also has SEVEN State Championships at Page County High School. Knight has been flirting with number eight over the past few years as well with his softball Lady Panthers.
Back in the day, Dodson was a student in a class being taught by Knight at Page County High School. I will leave it up to the two legends to discuss how the class went for the student and the teacher.
So, I think that we might have the only teacher – student combination that went on to collect 14 rings 💍 across four sports. Dodson 6 in Girls Hoops and 1 in Boys while Knight has 4 in Volleyball 🏐 and 3 in softball.
Dodson also just joined Knight in the no longer teaching but still coaching category. Both men will continue to chase #8 ( or 15, depending upon how you are counting ).
I consider myself fortunate to have spent time around both ends of this dynamic duo !
Last night in Abingdon, it was Casey Burcham, and our Burcham Bunch that was trying hard to slay the # Falcons. While I am only six years into knowing Burcham, it would be hard for me to be any more impressed with the way that our Coach handles his business.
Tonight’s 1 vs 5 belongs to Alan Knight, and the Lady Panthers. Coach and I go back some 25 or so years, and the number of win and your In games we have experienced together has to be closing in on 20 or so. Won a few, lost a few, but as is the shorter relationship with Burcham, it’s built on the level of class shown by the Skipper.
Last night 🌙 ended in a 4-2 setback against a 5-time State Championship team, but know that the Burcham Bunch were in it until the final out. Six or seven calls that could have gone either way, and sadly, we went 0-for on the night. But that’s part of the game of baseball / softball. As Tom Hanks taught us, there’s no crying in baseball.
Dennis Zimmerman and Alan Knight
The glass half empty mindset is that Burcham is now 0-2 in the win 🏆 and your In contests. The glass half full says Burcham is 2-0 in getting to that game !!!
If it helps, Knight went 0-9 in those games early on, and once we broke through, we added three State Titles to the four he captured in volleyball 🏐 a lifetime ago.
Two great coaches who are equally impressive men off the diamond 💎 are absolutely on the opposite ends of their careers. Knight is closing in on 50 seasons now, and Burcham just finished his second year.
If you are reading this from the Carroll County side, that’s a wrap on this story. If you are a fan of Softball or you are from Page County, stick around for the game coverage coming shortly.
5:40 – Page County High School is now taking infield practice.
Craig Orndorff (right ) and one of the Falcons assistant coaches. Craig will be handling the radio 📻 broadcast of the game.
73° – First Pitch 5:59
TV 📺 – 3 is also in the house 🏠
Page County plates a run 🏃♀️ in the top of the first without a base hit ! 1-0, heading to the bottom of the first [6:07]
Falcons are retired in order, thanks to solid fielding from PCHS [6:10]
Bizarre ending to the top of the second, double play called on what looked to be an infield fly call. Pitcher dropped 🫳 the ball and then went 1-5-4….
Runner on 3rd with one out and Falcons pop up a bunt, leading to a 1-6 double play to end the second.
Lady Panthers plate another run 🏃♀️ in the top of the third inning on two base hits wrapped around a sacrifice bunt. 2-0 after 2 and 1/2 !
Falcons started a two out, nobody on rally, stringing together three base hits to tie the game at 2-2 after 3rd inning.
Page County goes down in order in the top of the fourth… we have reached halftime, tied at 2-2.
Conner from TV 📺 3
Central down in order, on to the top of the 5th, 2-2…
Top 5th, Ava Marshall with a two out single for Page but is stranded. [7:08]
Emily Finks took this pitch and stroked her second RBI single of the game.
After 5, Falcons lead 3-2 [7:14]
Kaylei Shifflet just launched a 2-run bomb 💣 over my head in left center !!!!! Lady Panthers lead 4-3.
In just one swing, Page County went from down to six outs to being 6 outs from winning !!!
7:23 – Middle of the 6th
Falcon pitcher Lexi Burkholder just laced a 2-out, 2-run home run to give the lead back to Central, 5-4.
7:37 – we head to the 7th inning now, down 5-4. Last chance for extending the season….
Fort Defiance – Madison Phares took the ball from veteran Head Coach Alan Knight, and the Senior right hander had no intention of giving it back. Her complete game, seven strikeouts, and zero walks effort led the Lady Panthers to the cusp of yet another trip to the State Tournament as Page County rolled to a 9-4 Region quarterfinal victory over #5 seed Fort Defiance on Thursday night.
Page County …. 200 231 1 – 9 13 2
Fort Defiance.. .000 202 0 – 4 5 5
Time of game : 1:59
Cleanup hitter, Kahlei Shifflet led the hot 🔥 hitting offense, collecting three of the 13 base hits. Lilly Mullins ( 2 doubles) joined Shifflet in the Three base knock club. Both Kayla Pence and Danica Turner added two base hits each as Knight watched seven of his nine record at least one hit and six spots score at least one run.
Post game interview…
The team started the season off at 0-3 but now sit at 14-6 on the season. The concern for rust stemmed from eight days without taking the field due to Mother Nature. The weather eliminated the entire Bull Run District tournament over the past week.
” We weren’t sure how we would look heading into the game,” said Knight. ” It’s never a good time to go that long without even being able to practice outdoors. “
Central – Woodstock is now set to host Page County on Tuesday night with a trip to the Class 2 State Tournament at stake. The Falcons captured their very first state crown 👑 last season, but they will be playing for the first time in 14 days when the Lady Panthers cross Massanutten Mountain.
Pence reached twice on near perfect bunt attempts, and both times, the Junior came around to score. Turner managed to touch home plate a game high three times, collecting two hits and 2 RBI on the night.
Lori Mongold, Alan Knight, and Brian Hendricks
Phares helped her own cause in the top of the fourth inning by digging out of an 0-2 count and eventually reaching on an infield single that bounced off the third base bag. Caelyn Lucas and Mullins followed with back to back doubles to push the lead from 2-0 out to 4-0.
Tuesday night 🌙 at Central for a ticket 🎟 to State on the line. The 14-3 mark over the past 17 games includes two setbacks at the Falcons home diamond 💎.
