Yesterday's four-part juggling act (Strasburg, Essex, Graham, Grayson)

[longtimerhsfan]

Yesterday I watched the televised college games until about 3:00, then decided to check in on the playoffs. My original intent was to watch what I could of Strasburg, Essex, and Graham, with little interest in the Rye Cove/Grayson game.

When I first tuned in, Strasburg was up 14-7, Essex and Altavista were tied at 8-8, and Graham and Glenvar were tied at 21-21. Fortunately, the Strasburg game was running ahead of the Essex game, which in turn was running ahead of the Graham game.

So I watched the end of the Strasburg game first. Good win for the Rams and of course a tough loss for Poquoson. Might I suggest that they find a way to put the time up on the screen? I think the announcer might have mentioned it twice during the entire second half, so you were constantly wondering how much time was left.

I switched over to the other two games during breaks and saw Essex was ahead 16-8 and Glenvar was ahead 24-21. At another break, Essex had run away with that one, so I did not actually SEE much of that game at all. I look for them to win it all Saturday.

Once Strasburg had won, and Essex had things under control, that left only the Graham game and by that time they were ahead 28-24. So I missed whatever they did to score the winning TD. Even though I assumed it was probably over already, I then decided to check on the game that turned out to be the best of the bunch......Grayson's wild 40-34 win over Rye Cove.

I think Rye Cove was ahead 28-25 when I tuned in. I assumed at the time that it had been a back and forth game, but I have since learned that Grayson had trailed badly at halftime and was making a big comeback. So all within about the last five minutes of action, I saw them go ahead 33-28, then Rye Cove back in front 34-33, followed by Grayson scoring the game-winner with under a minute left. Even then, Rye Cove got close enough at the end to at least have a chance to still pull out the win.

It was one of those games you hated to see either team lose. Am I correct, geographically speaking, that Rye Cove is not that far from Graham? Seems like I remember an exit for it on the trips Riverheads made to Tazewell. Do Rye Cove and Graham ever play one another?

 

[kwhs95fan]

All four regions will be represented at Salem next week, between the two games. Pretty cool to see.

 

[vt_hokies]

Rye Cove is not close to Graham. No reason for Graham to ever play them. The gap between the top of class 1 to the top of class 2 is pretty wide. With all due respect to Rye Cove, Graham would mop the floor with them.

 

[Gridiron1960]

Yesterday I watched the televised college games until about 3:00, then decided to check in on the playoffs. My original intent was to watch what I could of Strasburg, Essex, and Graham, with little interest in the Rye Cove/Grayson game.

When I first tuned in, Strasburg was up 14-7, Essex and Altavista were tied at 8-8, and Graham and Glenvar were tied at 21-21. Fortunately, the Strasburg game was running ahead of the Essex game, which in turn was running ahead of the Graham game.

So I watched the end of the Strasburg game first. Good win for the Rams and of course a tough loss for Poquoson. Might I suggest that they find a way to put the time up on the screen? I think the announcer might have mentioned it twice during the entire second half, so you were constantly wondering how much time was left.

I switched over to the other two games during breaks and saw Essex was ahead 16-8 and Glenvar was ahead 24-21. At another break, Essex had run away with that one, so I did not actually SEE much of that game at all. I look for them to win it all Saturday.

Once Strasburg had won, and Essex had things under control, that left only the Graham game and by that time they were ahead 28-24. So I missed whatever they did to score the winning TD. Even though I assumed it was probably over already, I then decided to check on the game that turned out to be the best of the bunch......Grayson's wild 40-34 win over Rye Cove.

I think Rye Cove was ahead 28-25 when I tuned in. I assumed at the time that it had been a back and forth game, but I have since learned that Grayson had trailed badly at halftime and was making a big comeback. So all within about the last five minutes of action, I saw them go ahead 33-28, then Rye Cove back in front 34-33, followed by Grayson scoring the game-winner with under a minute left. Even then, Rye Cove got close enough at the end to at least have a chance to still pull out the win.

It was one of those games you hated to see either team lose. Am I correct, geographically speaking, that Rye Cove is not that far from Graham? Seems like I remember an exit for it on the trips Riverheads made to Tazewell. Do Rye Cove and Graham ever play one another?

Graham High School & Rye Cove High School are about 2 hours apart.

 

[TS69]

Eye Cove is on of Va’s. smaller student enrollment schools, along with Twin Springs, Council, Hurley, and Bath County. Not for sure, but I’m guessing enrollment numbers under 200 students. I’m sure there are other schools with similar enrollment numbers. Like Buffalo Gap having to ho against D2/3’s every week. Some of the above mentioned only compete against D1 schools only. But every one must do as directed.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

My bad! I studied my atlas again and I see now that it was Rocky Gap that I would see the signs for on the way to Tazewell.

 

[TS69]

Eye Cove is on of Va’s. smaller student enrollment schools, along with Twin Springs, Council, Hurley, and Bath County. Not for sure, but I’m guessing enrollment numbers under 200 students. I’m sure there are other schools with similar enrollment numbers. Like Buffalo Gap having to ho against D2/3’s every week. Some of the above mentioned only compete against D1 schools only. But every one must do as directed.

Oops meant Rye instead of Eye an go rather than ho. Pre NFL gathering. Very early in the day.

 

[Fairlawncat]

Am I correct, geographically speaking, that Rye Cove is not that far from Graham? Seems like I remember an exit for it on the trips Riverheads made to Tazewell. Do Rye Cove and Graham ever play one another?

Rye Cove (Close to Duffield) and Graham (Bluefield) are both in SWVA (Appalachia). Graham is close to West VA and in the Northern Part of Southwest Virginia. Rye Cove is in the Southern Part of Southwest Virginia and close to the Tennessee border. As the crow flies, 88 miles, driving time, difficult and longer than a normal 88 miles.

 

[Fairlawncat]

My bad! I studied my atlas again and I see now that it was Rocky Gap that I would see the signs for on the way to Tazewell.

Assuming you were traveling from Riverheads for the Tazeeell game, you were about 1 hr and 15 minutes from the football field in Tazewell to Rye Cove which would have been more South and more West of Tazewell.

 

[Gridiron1960]

My bad! I studied my atlas again and I see now that it was Rocky Gap that I would see the signs for on the way to Tazewell.

Interesting enough, Rocky Gap is where Bland County High School is located. Their football program folded for the season in 2022 & two football players from Bland County transferred to Graham that year to play, one of those being Gabe Lilly. That move have proven to be mutually beneficial for Graham & Lilly. Bland’s former head coach is an assistant at Graham now also.

 

[longtimerhsfan]

I have a memory from wayyyyy back in my brain, so let me see if any of you guys know anything about this or could research it. I would say it was at least 40-50 years ago. The school was then known as Bland-Rocky Gap and one night they had a basketball game (don't remember the opponent or who won) but the final score was something like 155-114. And that would have been BEFORE the three-point era.

I would think it would still be a school record for both schools involved. Anyone have any documentation of that game? This time I am quite certain that Bland-Rocky Gap was one of the teams.

 

[Gridiron1960]

I have a memory from wayyyyy back in my brain, so let me see if any of you guys know anything about this or could research it. I would say it was at least 40-50 years ago. The school was then known as Bland-Rocky Gap and one night they had a basketball game (don't remember the opponent or who won) but the final score was something like 155-114. And that would have been BEFORE the three-point era.

I would think it would still be a school record for both schools involved. Anyone have any documentation of that game? This time I am quite certain that Bland-Rocky Gap was one of the teams.

Could have been in Joe Stiltner era at Bland, interestingly enough, his great granddaughter plays basketball this year for Bland County High School. You can Google his name, several links come up but I’m betting that’s who you’re thinking about.

Here’s a link: you have to scroll down but he’s on the list.

MaxPreps National High School Basketball Record Book: Highest season scoring average

MaxPreps News - Seven players have averaged over 50 points in a single season.

www.maxpreps.com

 

[Union_Fan]

I have a memory from wayyyyy back in my brain, so let me see if any of you guys know anything about this or could research it. I would say it was at least 40-50 years ago. The school was then known as Bland-Rocky Gap and one night they had a basketball game (don't remember the opponent or who won) but the final score was something like 155-114. And that would have been BEFORE the three-point era.

I would think it would still be a school record for both schools involved. Anyone have any documentation of that game? This time I am quite certain that Bland-Rocky Gap was one of the teams.

Could have been in Joe Stiltner era at Bland, interestingly enough, his great granddaughter plays basketball this year for Bland County High School.

Here’s a link: you have to scroll down but he’s on the list.

MaxPreps National High School Basketball Record Book: Highest season scoring average

MaxPreps News - Seven players have averaged over 50 points in a single season.

www.maxpreps.com

155 — Whitewood (Va.), now Twin Valley (Pilgrims Knob, Va.)
Opponent: Rocky Gap
Score: 155-114
Date: Jan. 14, 1970
Note: Mark Robinson scored 65 points and grabbed 42 rebounds in the win. He topped that point total one month later when he scored 74 points and grabbed 48 points in a 131-85 rematch with Rocky Gap.

High school basketball: 234 points in a single game? Looking back at the 100 highest winning scores in history

MaxPreps News - Kansas team from 1923 leads list of three teams that eclipsed the 200-point threshold.

www.maxpreps.com

 

[Gridiron1960]

155 — Whitewood (Va.), now Twin Valley (Pilgrims Knob, Va.)
Opponent: Rocky Gap
Score: 155-114
Date: Jan. 14, 1970
Note: Mark Robinson scored 65 points and grabbed 42 rebounds in the win. He topped that point total one month later when he scored 74 points and grabbed 48 points in a 131-85 rematch with Rocky Gap.

High school basketball: 234 points in a single game? Looking back at the 100 highest winning scores in history

MaxPreps News - Kansas team from 1923 leads list of three teams that eclipsed the 200-point threshold.

www.maxpreps.com

Thanks! Joe Stiltner played for Bland. I read an article last year about him that’s why he came to mind. I didn’t know about this game. That’s crazy scoring though.

 

[NNDman]

About 40 years ago when I was a much younger man with much more determination, I was researching Northern Neck District boys basketball scores from the early to mid 1970s. Typical results would be 62-49, 58-54, 55-43. Some mismatches might end up like 82-53, etc. But, I noticed about half of Colonial Beach's games would have scores like 96-89, 92-87. I'm not sure if any eclipsed 100. That piqued my interest and come to find out CB played in what would be described today as a mini-gym. It was nicknamed the Crackerbox with both tops of the key enjoining the center circle. Maybe those crazy Whitewood games were played in a similar gym?

 

[longtimerhsfan]

Thanks for the person who dug that up. I knew I had remembered that correctly, and I even had the right score. For those kind of points to be scored without the three point basket, there must have been no defense whatsoever in that game.

For all my Riverheads folks who might be wondering about our highest scoring games ever, I would have to check to make sure but I know we lost a game back in the 60s to the old Clifton Forge High School by a score of 117-70. They had a 6'9" guy named Walker Banks. I was ready to tell you guys that was our all-time highest-scoring game (187 total points) until I remembered back to last year's 108-82 loss at Fort Defiance. So I would certainly guess that 190 total is our highest-scoring game ever. Riverheads itself has never scored 100 in a game but we came very close in our second year of operation when we scored 99 in the 1963-64 season-opener against.......guess who?......Fort Defiance. My how things have changed.

My apologies for getting us so far off-track since this was a football thread. Thanks again for the confirmation.

 

[TS69]

Remember Mark Robinson from Whitewood. Remember the old gym. Half court line was just a few feet from foul lines. Barely get the ball in bounds and cross half court. Would almost bet the three point line today would be very close to their half court. Robinson was good. Could shoot the eyes out of a basket. If had threes in his day would be hard to say how many points he would have scored. Much like Pistol Pete. Often wondered whatever happened to him. The old days remembered.

 

[Gridiron1960]

From Mark Robinson’s nephew:

Mark blew out a knee before he could play college basketball. He moved to Sanford, Florida, started a construction business, was a devout Christian, & passed away in 2019 from cancer.