Quick review of the Clintwood game

[R0cketer]

Well, obviously it sucked.

Seriously, Clintwood battled incredibly hard, but just could not seem to do much with the size of Franklin. The offensive play difference was huge, it was like 20-6 in the first quarter alone. The defense would battle but just seemed like never could make that one big stop when they needed it.

Going in at the half, the Franklin coach was giving the refs total and absolute H-E-L-L. Obviously he knew what he was doing because suddenly the team that was seriously doing something wrong almost every play turned perfect. I know we all have our own biases and I'll admit mine but some of the oddest calls and non-calls I've been in awhile. That being said, if Clintwood had managed to win it would have been kind of a miracle but we were definitely hopeful for a miracle. Counts had thrown 3 picks all year and threw 3 in the game. And 1 of them, I'd about bet the farm the guy didn't have, it was on our sidelines, but he was pretty much being pressured nonstop, the running game was severely limited (I think I had us like 25 carries for 50 yards), so he was definitely having to press. I think the rough first quarter took a lot of wint out of our sails. We managed to be in pretty good shape going into the half, and came out and was moving it, but that is when the sidelines interception happened. It was kind of an uphill battle after that.

When Robbins got killed, it was kind of bad, the official closest to it, just sat and looked at it, it took an official from across the field to call it, but like was said, I thought Franklin was going to push the officials out of the way and call the game themselves. Of course, I know my bias I see things for us, I could name others, Osborne got a nice blitz had the QB in trouble, running back came over grabbed him and pulled him down but he managed to sort of dive out of it, forced the QB to throw it, of course he completed it, and we kept waiting for the hold to be called, and the official walks over and helps the QB up. It was definitely a what the heck moment lol

I, for one of the few times in a long time, felt like I didn't know much of the rules of the game, because there was some calls you never see made or never hear of.

That being said, I do think that Franklin was the better team today. They deserved the win with the way they played, I kept feeling like we just needed a break, a call to go our way and it seemed to not come, at least not in the second half.

Some great kids had their high school career end without acheiving their goal but almost to the man, I think they gave their all and it just wasn't enough.

As long as you know you gave your all, that's all you can do and I hope in a few days they realize this.

Congrats Franklin

[1inStripes]

I sure wish I could have been there to see it. Listening to it on the radio when I had a chance, it sounded like the officials needed to drop a flag on the sidelines to at least gain a little bit of a handle over there.

[R0cketer]

Our team actually did a heck of a job keeping their composure with that. I hate it for this area as well, because we're due to win one of these dang things again.

[Chubz]

How many penalties did Franklin have today? I was afraid to keep count for fear that it would eventually reach the 100's.

[Unchained]

The butchered call on the fumble hurt the Wave,but Clintwood couldn't stop the ground game of the Broncs. I have to wonder why Rick didn't turn the boys loose more and put some heat on Shearin. Franklin had the passing attack about as efficient as Appy-very one dimensional. Not enough stunting/blitzing,and he picked the Wave apart. It was a long,somber ride home (am heartbroken for the kids from Clintwood). It was good seeing lots of folks from Wise,Norton,Castlewood,PV,and Pound there. I know I yelled my voice out.

It was hilarious though when the Broncos started slinging their helmets skyward,and one of helmets found the only unhelmeted head in a 15 yd radius to land on. The whole crowd on that end of the field let out an "OOOOOH" (fan was ok though,but it sure put an end to his dancing lol).

Nothing at all to hang your heads about boys. You represented us with pride,heart,and grit. Today was just not your day sadly [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/frown.gif[/img]

[pvfan]

Officiating was horrible. Saying that, CW was the better team imo. Didn't understand why CW continued to run sprint out passes against a team with the speed of Franklin. It will be a while before we have a shot to win again, the play of the game imo was the fumble recovery by CW that the boy from Franklin ripped from his arms. Nice seeing ID, Cane, Beast, IronLung, Jason (a new CW fan btw), and Bob.

[Unchained]

By Spencer Campbell
Sports Writer / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: December 6, 2008

SALEM, Va. – Rick Mullins’ voice was almost completely drowned out by the commotion erupting from the home team’s victorious crowd.

The Clintwood coach’s players encircled him – many with their heads bowed toward the turf, others with watering eyes – as Mullins grappled for words that could console a team that had just lost the state title.

There were none.

“This is a tough one,� he said after a few seconds of silence. “When we look back on these days, it’s a lot of good memories. Don’t ever forget that.�

Clintwood lost 28-20 to Franklin on Saturday in the Virginia High School League Group A, Division 1 championship at Salem Stadium. For the second time in two years, the
Greenwave returned home just a few points shy of the state championship.

“It’s a little bit harder [this year],� senior Alec Osborne said. “Last year we were hoping to win, this year everybody expected us to come back and win. We disappointed a few people.�

The game did not end as Mullins had expected and as many around Southwest Virginia had predicted since the Greenwave lost to Buffalo Gap in last year’s title game: with
Clintwood as state champions for the first time since 1978.

“I thought when we left here today we’d have a state championship trophy,� Mullins said. “Obviously, it’s very, very disappointing. I thought we were the [better] team coming out here today, but [Franklin] earned it. They deserve it.�

Clintwood was outgained 410-164 by Franklin in total offense, but the Greenwave kept producing big moments that kept their championship hopes alive.

Osborne answered a Franklin first-quarter score by returning the ensuing kick 85 yards for a touchdown.

Senior quarterback Heath Counts gave the Greenwave a 20-14 lead entering halftime when he drove the offense 57 yards in less than three minutes.

And while the Greenwave defense bent against the powerful Bronco attack, it rebounded to stop Franklin twice on fourth downs in the first half and later forced a punt that gave
Clintwood a chance to tie the game with 3:48 seconds remaining.

“I though our defense played pretty well all day,� Mullins said. “They gave up some yards, but we held the big play down and that’s what we knew we had to do.�

Nursing a 20-14 lead in the third quarter, the Greenwave’s first three drives in the second half ended with an interception, a turnover on downs and an interception.

Meanwhile, the Broncos powered through the smaller Greenwave defense, racking up 263 rushing yards on 56 carries. Their first two drives in the second half were of 14 and 12 plays, respectively, and both were capped by 1-yard Donzell Shearin touchdown runs.

“We told [our players] at halftime that it’s do or die,� Franklin coach Darren Parker said. “Do it and take home the state championship or go home crying.�

And still, with just under four minutes left in the fourth quarter, the Greenwave had a chance to atone for all of its second-half miscues. Clintwood received the ball at its own 28-yard line, trailing by eight points.

Counts was able to move the Greenwave close to midfield, converting on third-and-nine with an 11-yard pass to Ryan Lyle, but a sack forced Clintwood back to its own 32.

Shearin grabbed his second interception on the next play, wrestling a short pass away from a Greenwave receiver to seal Franklin’s second Virginia state title.

“What you saw today,� Parker said after the game, “was probably one of the best state championship games I’ve ever seen.�

Shearin ended the game with 51 yards, but the bulk of the Bronco offensive load was carried by senior Isaiah Hudson, who had 145 yards on 29 carries.

Clintwood’s star runner, senior Chris Robinson, carried the ball 15 times for 38 yards. He entered the title game with 1,698 yards.

“We knew they had a great defense,� Mullins said. “We knew it’d be tough to run on them. That’s why we came out throwing, and we had some success throwing. [Franklin] just did a great job.�

Counts finished 10 of 16 for 119 yards.

And while the Greenwave’s 30-year state-title drought did not end on Saturday in Salem, Clintwood’s players walked off the field feeling sorrow, yes, but also a sense of pride at having been a part of the team’s return to the prep football elite.

“I’m disappointed in a way, sad, but then in another way I’m also happy,� Osborne said. “It’s probably been 30 years since we went back-to-back state … hopefully they can come back next year.�

scampbell@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2543

[R0cketer]

The helmet toss was the only time I could force a smile late. I seen it go up, and will not deny that my first thought was idiot then I saw the guy get hit in the head.

Actually if the fumble call you're talking about is the one semi-late, they unfortunately made the right call. We had a chance to recover it, it bounced into our hands but nobody secured it and it was in our players feet, he was trying to get it but the Franklin guy dove in and managed to get control of it. It was a call that could have went either way actually, but I sadly think they got it right.

And you know how much that pains me to admit.

[LBU]

The helmet toss was classic!

[imported_elp6n]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LBU</div><div class="ubbcode-body">The helmet toss was classic!</div></div> It was almost in slow motion in my memory... up at least 15 feet into the air... I think everyone in the stands saw what was coming.
Surprisingly though, the kid was only stalled for a moment, and then he was right back to it. You know he's going to feel that in the morning.