They are facing a team for the first time in a long time (I have no idea how long...a long time) that has rushed for more yards than them on the season.
Tuscarora has racked up 4190 yards while Bird has racked up 3928. That's nearly 300 yards per game for both teams.
It is also rare for Bird to face a team with a running back who has more yards rushing than their top back has. Reimers of Tuscarora has 2880, While Bird's Mines has 1949. I wonder if a state final has ever had the top backs of the two teams have more combined rushing yards (4829).
Reimers is in rarified air as far as rushing yards goes. Interestingly he's chasing two Bird running backs (who totals still haven't been added to the VHSL record book):
Here's the top ten rushing seasons ever.
3319 Thomas Jones - Powell Valley (1994)
3128 Earl Hughes - L.C. Bird (2013)
3078 Steven People - Galax (2013)
3039 Eric Bates - James Monroe (1987)
3007 Thomas Jones - Powell Valley (1995)
2935 Paul Robertson - L.C. Bird (2012)
2901 Micheal Holmes - Harrisonburg (2010)
2891 Takeem Hedgeman - Monticello (2007)
2880 Noah Reimers - Tuscarora (2014)
2864 Terry Kirby - Tabb (1987)
While I'd say the state record is out of reach for Reimers, with a really big night (248 yards) he could reach everyone else.
Bird's Stephen Mines needs 51 yards to be their fifth straight 2000 yard rusher. That's got to be unprecedented doesn't it?
2010 Yahkee Johnson went for 2313
2011 Johnson went for 2509
2012 Robertson went for 2935
2013 Hughes went for 3128
Mines probably can't catch any of them, but he could catch Dominic Taylor for #5 on the list (2041 yards) with 92 yards this week.
Just in case anyone is interested in the teams' less than eye popping passing numbers
Bird has passed for 1770 yards with 1645 of those coming from Jalen Elliott. While not eye popping numbers, Elliot does have the second most passing yardage in school history, but he likely won't threaten Terrance Ervin's school record of 2065 set last year. The school record was only 919 yards until 2005 and only 1022 yards until 2012.
Tuscarora has thrown for 1619 with Daniel Smith accounting for 1368 yards of those.
Total yardage for Tuscarora 5809
Total yardage for Bird 5698
I told you these teams had the same philosophy.
Tuscarora spreads the ball around more than Bird when they throw, however.
Jordan Fisher leads the way with 26 catches for 404 yards, while Reimers(284 yards) and Duron Norris(322 yards) both have 22 catches
Bird likes to to hit Tyler Wilkins and while Wilkins 48 catches are not a school record, he is could catch Rasheed Worsham who had 54 catches last year to set the record. Wilkins 913 yards receiving is a school record by a wide margin.
I don't know what Tuscarora's defensive numbers are, but I assume they are similar to Bird's from all I hear. Very stingy overall and particularly stingy against the run.
I also don't have solid numbers on this, but special teams may be key. Bird has not been particularly sharp on special teams this year, while last year it was a strength with numerous return touchdowns.
This post was edited on 12/7 8:03 AM by GilliamRatings
Tuscarora has racked up 4190 yards while Bird has racked up 3928. That's nearly 300 yards per game for both teams.
It is also rare for Bird to face a team with a running back who has more yards rushing than their top back has. Reimers of Tuscarora has 2880, While Bird's Mines has 1949. I wonder if a state final has ever had the top backs of the two teams have more combined rushing yards (4829).
Reimers is in rarified air as far as rushing yards goes. Interestingly he's chasing two Bird running backs (who totals still haven't been added to the VHSL record book):
Here's the top ten rushing seasons ever.
3319 Thomas Jones - Powell Valley (1994)
3128 Earl Hughes - L.C. Bird (2013)
3078 Steven People - Galax (2013)
3039 Eric Bates - James Monroe (1987)
3007 Thomas Jones - Powell Valley (1995)
2935 Paul Robertson - L.C. Bird (2012)
2901 Micheal Holmes - Harrisonburg (2010)
2891 Takeem Hedgeman - Monticello (2007)
2880 Noah Reimers - Tuscarora (2014)
2864 Terry Kirby - Tabb (1987)
While I'd say the state record is out of reach for Reimers, with a really big night (248 yards) he could reach everyone else.
Bird's Stephen Mines needs 51 yards to be their fifth straight 2000 yard rusher. That's got to be unprecedented doesn't it?
2010 Yahkee Johnson went for 2313
2011 Johnson went for 2509
2012 Robertson went for 2935
2013 Hughes went for 3128
Mines probably can't catch any of them, but he could catch Dominic Taylor for #5 on the list (2041 yards) with 92 yards this week.
Just in case anyone is interested in the teams' less than eye popping passing numbers
Bird has passed for 1770 yards with 1645 of those coming from Jalen Elliott. While not eye popping numbers, Elliot does have the second most passing yardage in school history, but he likely won't threaten Terrance Ervin's school record of 2065 set last year. The school record was only 919 yards until 2005 and only 1022 yards until 2012.
Tuscarora has thrown for 1619 with Daniel Smith accounting for 1368 yards of those.
Total yardage for Tuscarora 5809
Total yardage for Bird 5698
I told you these teams had the same philosophy.
Tuscarora spreads the ball around more than Bird when they throw, however.
Jordan Fisher leads the way with 26 catches for 404 yards, while Reimers(284 yards) and Duron Norris(322 yards) both have 22 catches
Bird likes to to hit Tyler Wilkins and while Wilkins 48 catches are not a school record, he is could catch Rasheed Worsham who had 54 catches last year to set the record. Wilkins 913 yards receiving is a school record by a wide margin.
I don't know what Tuscarora's defensive numbers are, but I assume they are similar to Bird's from all I hear. Very stingy overall and particularly stingy against the run.
I also don't have solid numbers on this, but special teams may be key. Bird has not been particularly sharp on special teams this year, while last year it was a strength with numerous return touchdowns.
This post was edited on 12/7 8:03 AM by GilliamRatings
