Region D Finals

We are 2 day's away from the Region D football finals and nobodys talking about it. We have 2 games with the number 1 and number 2 seeds in both. These are 2 huge games here, and the gate city fans are all ready complaning on the Clinch Mountain District forum about the seating for the visitors at Uva. Wise. Here's a write up from a paper i found on their site. By the way Kingsport has all seven panelist picking Burton in a sweep and 4 picked Gate City with 3 picking Powell Valley.


By Allen Godsey
November 21, 2007

GATE CITY, Va. ? Gate City (8-3) and Powell Valley (8-3) will play Saturday afternoon at the UVA College at Wise for the Division 2 Region D Football championship. The game will take place 90 minutes after the conclusion of the Clintwood and J. I. Burton game, which begins at 12:30 .

"We are one of eight schools left in the State of Virginia in our Division, we know our opponent and they know us,"? said Gate City coach Nick Colobro. "We've got to stop their spread offense. Also, we've got to do a lot better job against their defense than we have before.

"We'll stay with what we've been doing for the most part, maybe a wrinkle or two. Healthwise, we've got a few nicks. We are about as healthy as you could expect for this time of the year."?

Gate City should not have any trouble "getting up"? for this game. None of the Gate City team members have ever played in a victory over Powell Valley . The Vikings have defeated Gate City six straight times. The last Gate City win came in 2003. Powell Valley Defeated Gate City 38-14 on Oct. 19 in a regular-season game.

Leading the Gate City offense is senior Tailback Tyler Parks and junior quarterback Tihlee Anderson. Parks has gained 1,380 yards rushing and scored 20-touchdowns. Anderson has accounted for 17 touchdowns -- 11 on the ground and 6 through the air.

Anderson 's targets are tight end Eric Hutchins, end Jesse Broadwater, flanker Logan Byrd, and running back Dustin Jones. Senior running back Peyton Jenkins has come on strong. Jenkins gained 111 yards in the Devils' 31-22 victory over Lebanon. Jenkins had a 63-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that put Gate City ahead to stay.

Gate City has averaged 295 yards a game on offense while giving up 233 yards. The Blue Devils have scored 292 points this season and allowed 179 points.

Powell Valley is led by senior quarterback Cedrick Mitchell. The Viking signal caller has passed for 1250 yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Mitchell is also a special teams threat. He returned a punt 85 yards for a touchdown in a 33-28 Powell Valley win over Honaker last Saturday at a crucial time.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same,"? said Powell Valley coach Phil Robbins, "We are not in the same district with Gate City any more but low and behold we are right back playing for the region championship."?

Quarterback Mitchell's primary receivers are Delmas Lawson, who has 33 catches and four touchdowns; Terrell Turner, who has 32 receptions and three scores; and Andrew Meador, who has four touchdown receptions.

Brothers Myron and Malcolm Pinkston are the leading rushers for the Vikings. Myron has run the ball for 962 yards and scored 10 touchdowns.

The gates to the UVA-WISE Complex will open at 10:30 Saturday morning. The admission price for both games is $7.

Gate City 's probable starting line-up:

OFFENSE:
LG 65 Brad Brown 232 Sr
LT 63 Ryan Pope 167 Sr
C 50 Seth Musick 208 Sr
RG 53 Aaron Stokes 265 So
RT 77 Ty Frazier 269 Jr
TE 43 Eric Hutchins 192 Jr
E 21 Jesse Broadwater 157 Sr
QB 12 Tihlee Anderson 152 Sr
HB 4 Peyton Jenkins 166 Sr
TB 20 Tyler Parks 176 Sr
FB 8 Dustin Jones 165 Jr
PK 10 Ked Byrd 143 Jr

DEFENSE:
E 52 Tyler Tiller 193 Jr
E 55 AJ Johnson 224 Jr
T 62 Josh Powers 223 Sr
T 58 Owen Franklin 157 Jr
LB 20 Tyler Parks 176 Sr
LB 71 Jason Begley 210 Jr
LB 15 Dustin Clark 165 Fr
CB 8 Dustin Jones 165 Jr
CB 10 Ked Byrd 143 Jr
S 24 Trey Clark 164 So
S 43 Eric Hutchins 192 Jr
P 8 Dustin Jones 165 Jr

GC was complaining about the location last season and they were not even in the playoffs

I dont think they should be complaining too much, they have some of the worst seating around here

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Bleed Crimson</div><div class="ubbcode-body">We are 2 day's away from the Region D football finals and nobodys talking about it. </div></div>

not a whole lot to be said at this point.

any two of the four teams could come out as winners. i think the fans and players for each team know exactly what they are up against.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: raider13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I dont think they should be complaining too much, they have some of the worst seating around here </div></div>

Now THAT is funny. I don't recall seeing Burton fans overflowing the stands and standing everywhere. They didn't even fill 1/4 of the stadium.

Ummm I was referring to the seating arrangements there....I think pretty much everybody agrees on that one ;]

I think the PV/GC game could be a classic

I THINK that GC has peaked at the right time and MAY be an all around better team HOWEVER GC has a tough time with PVs passing game out of the spread and if Lebanon with there privative passing game was able to move the ball on GC then PV will eat that D up


That being said UVA-Wise is known for being an extreamly windy location and while IMHO the Turf helps out PV more than GC if the weather turns windy and limits the passing game of both teams that is an even bigger advantage for GC

Gate city claims that they alone will bring over 5000 fans I hope that PV can give them a big dose of LPD PRIDE!!!!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: GC1</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: raider13</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I dont think they should be complaining too much, they have some of the worst seating around here </div></div>

Now THAT is funny. I don't recall seeing Burton fans overflowing the stands and standing everywhere. They didn't even fill 1/4 of the stadium. </div></div>

The game I was at it looked pretty packed to me on both sides and I thought Norton took up their fare share of the stands and then stood a couple hundred strong on the fence line. Maybe I had too much Kool Aid on the way down and couldn't see [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

GC is slowy turning back into their old obnoxious selfs. It's quite pathetic to read the CMD Board, they are complaining about the seating. If you were the higher seed they would put you on the home side. Then they complain about coming to Wise, which has really puzzled me to death, they as the lower seed get a break by playing on a neutral field and they complain? I dont think Jesus Christ could please some of their fans. They are still complaining over the refs from the last game, which they lost by 24 points. Now, I'm not saying a ref cant make or break a game but 24 points? Thats pushing it. I've seen PV/GC/Giles play and really if GC wins this game (which they very well can) they stand no chance against Giles in my opinion. PV on the other hand, while being an obvious underdog would stand a much better chance against Giles because they can throw the ball. All in all it should be two great games up there Saturday. Whoever wins between JIB/CW I'm pulling for the rest of the way, and as soon as were out in D2 I'm for Gretna.

Oh, side note to the JIB/CW fans tomorrow night at 7 you can listen to the William Cambpell/Buffalo Gap game on http://www.kdcountry.com if your interested.

I plan on sticking around for the 2nd game and pulling for an all LPD Half-State [img]/LDPforum/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

Thanks for that Link PVFAN, I might have to check that out tommorow night.

We'll have at least one team in the state finals there is not a doubt in my mind, and I plan to be there to see them.

Yea, I wanted to make a serious trip tomorrow but couldn't find anybody to go with me. My plan was to leave about 9:30 roll into Giles and watch that game. From there I wanted to go to Gretna and watch that game and come back home, long day but you want to talk about some good high school football. I also thought about going to the Salem/Bassett game I think Bassett gives Salem fits and possibly even upsets them.

it'd be nice to have 2 lpd teams in the state finals again...both D2 and D1....I'd have to make the trip to Salem for this..

The odds of PV going to state are not very good, love to see it but it's not probable. To beat GC and Giles in back to back weeks would be a huge accomplishment, whoever plays Giles will have to play a complete game. Their special teams are so good it puts a lot of pressure on an offense, and one good drive eats a quarter.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Counts</div><div class="ubbcode-body">

I THINK that GC has peaked at the right time and MAY be an all around better team HOWEVER GC has a tough time with PVs passing game out of the spread and if Lebanon with there privative passing game was able to move the ball on GC then PV will eat that D up


</div></div>

dude kelly could of passed on us we had like 8-9 in the box hahaha,

Counts is right. We haven't beaten PV since they went spread and we have all kinds of trouble defending their passing atack.

And as far as blaming refs in the season loss to PV? The game was over well before the "questionable" call. From where I sat I thought it was close and could have gone either way so a good call. But the game was OVER when we went prevent and PV scored right before the half. They took the big MO and made the right adjustments at the half while our coaches did what? Play tic tac toe?

And as for the crowd vs Burton, I was actually surprised that there were so many empty seats that game. The Burton and GC sections had several seats available. And I seriously doubt GC brings 5,000 to UVA-W.

Prep preview: Gate City faces Powell Valley, Clintwood battles Burton
Published 11/22/2007 By George Thwaites

This year, Region D was expanded to include a fourth district comprised of five Division 2 schools, two of which were former Group AA programs and four of which were entirely new to the region.

The result of this restructuring? Powell Valley (8-3) faces Gate City (8-3) in Saturday's Region D, Division 2 football championship.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same,"? said Vikings coach Phil Robbins.

The Division 2 game is the nightcap of a Region D doubleheader at the University of Virginia's College at Wise. Kickoff is set for 4 p.m., or 90 minutes following the conclusion of the Division 1 championship game, which begins at 12:30.

The Division 2 clash renews an old rivalry between former Lonesome Pine District littermates.

"I cried when (Gate City) left our league,"? said Robbins, whose team beat Honaker 33-28 in last week's opening round of the playoffs. "I thought the rivalry was tremendous. Every fall you were playing for a championship and sometimes you were playing for two."?

The Blue Devils failed to win the inaugural Clinch Mountain District championship, but beat district champ Lebanon 31-22 last week.

Gate City coach Nick Colobro is a VHSL Hall-of-Famer just like Robbins. Table-turning feats like last week's win over the Pioneers testify to those credentials. Most of the hometown detractors who second-guessed last year's rare absence from the playoffs have quieted down.

"I just wish people who do the moaning and groaning had to prepare for them,"? said Robbins, who believes Colobro's program excels at bringing out the most the talent in hand has to offer. "They scheme themselves offensively into touchdowns, defensively to keep you from getting first downs or into the end zone.

"You know, times your personnel ought to let you get it "? but (Gate City) doesn't let you have it."?

Powell Valley won the regular season meeting with Gate City by a 38-14 margin at Bullitt Park.

Colobro isn't looking for history to repeat itself "? and not only because Gate City was a bit thin due to injuries in the last meeting. By the same token, he doesn't expect either program to depend on the element of surprise.

"I guess we're so familiar with each other, I don't know how much newness you can keep coming up with,"? Colobro said. "Both of us are playing pretty good right now. Probably the team that makes the fewest mistakes is going to win Saturday. Or the team that makes the most plays, however you want to put it.

"Usually when somebody is making plays, somebody else is making mistakes."?

While not quite as massive as Honaker's offensive line, Gate City's front has some big old boys, the biggest being guard Quinton Jones (6-foot-4, 297 pounds).

Blue Devil running back Tyler Parks has rushed for 1,323 yards and 22 touchdowns. Quarterback Tihlee Anderson has rushed for 485 yards and 12 TDs, plus 702 passing yards with five scores. Payton Jenkins had his best outing of the year last week, rushing for 114 yards and a touchdown.

Powell Valley quarterback Cedric Mitchell has passed for 1,243 yards and 13 scoring strikes while rushing for 544 yards and six touchdowns. On special teams, he's returned a kickoff and two punts for touchdowns. Delmas Lawson (31-440, 4 TD) leads the receivers, but Terrell Turner, Malcom Pinkston and Andrew Meador are all capable targets. Myron Pinkston paces the ground attack, with 949 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns.

"You've got to match Gate City's enthusiasm. You've got to match their physical play. You have to be at the same level or higher than they are,"? Robbins said. "And you have to be perfect. Offense, defense and kicking game, there is no margin for error."?

Division 1

While a couple of coaches in the region may have have grumbled about the Region D football championship doubleheader at the University of Virginia's College at Wise, you'll never hear J.I. Burton coach Jimbo Adams complain about it.

"We're 8-0 playing there, but then, we've never lost a playoff game at Lawson-Fitchko, either,"? Adams said. "In the last 10 years since we've been here, we've gone 10-1 in regional contests. The one we lost was the Mud Bowl in Appalachia."?

The Raiders (10-1) make their fifth consecutive Region D, Division 1 championship game appearance Saturday, taking on Clintwood (7-4) at Carl Smith Stadium at 12:30 p.m.

Adams is an up-front supporter of the current Region D championship format. With corporate sponsor Alpha Natural Resources picking up the tab, Adams sees these games as both a sweetheart deal played in a big event atmosphere, and said it ultimately benefits all high school football in Region D.

"To be against something like this, quite frankly, would be a disservice to your kids,"? he said.


The Green Wave is itself no stranger to Carl Smith Stadium, losing 27-7 to Powell Valley in last year's Region D, Division 2 title game.

"We set a goal of trying to get back there,"? said Clintwood coach Rick Mullins, whose school successfully appealed to compete in Division 1 this year by virtue of the Rye Cove Rule.

Getting there required two consecutive victories against Appalachia, including last week's 41-16 postseason win.

"There were some times through the year that it was kind of in question,"? Mullins said. "But we've fought and clawed and scratched and I guess we got ourselves back to where we wanted to be."?

Having learned long ago not to place too much trust in luck, the Raiders are much-accustomed to clawing and scratching. Riddled with injuries, Burton's unbeaten roll was knocked off course at Gate City. Since then, Burton has rested and recuperated as best as it could while testing untapped talent on its depth chart.

Slot backs Martinez Miles (35-369, 9 TD) and Devin Talley (23-302, 3 TD) played conspicuous roles in last week's 48-6 opening-round win over St. Paul.

"We got five touchdowns from two kids who didn't start for us offensively through the first seven games,"? Adams said. "Martinez Miles and Devin Talley are both potential big-time playmakers. They were having to wait their turn because of people in front of them."?

Jaymil Sensabaugh (62-543, 9 TD) played a limited role at the slot last week but could see more carries this week. Josh Miles (79-435, 11 TD) leads the charge out of the backfield. Veteran quarterback Ethan Stewart provides leadership and balance to Norton's trademark double slot offense. This year he's passed for 1,084 yards and 12 scores, with Jacob Caudill the leading receiver.

"They run an unusual offense. You don't see it often,"? Mullins said. "But this game all boils down to blocking and tackling and who does it best. I don't care if you're running wing-T or shotgun or double-wing. I don't think trickery will win. It's going to come down to old-fashioned football."?

Clintwood's Chris Robinson (144-904, 12 TD) leads the rushing attack, with fullback Derek Robbins (57-469, 5 TD) and Alec Osborne (39-394, 8 TD) also delivering some punch. Quarterback Heath Counts has 1,070 passing yards and nine touchdowns.

"They're big, strong and have good feet. Offensively, they methodically try to take what you give them. They're not greedy,"? Adams said. "Defensively, they run to the ball extremely well."?

Over the years the Raiders obviously have developed an affinity for playing on artificial surfaces. But when J.I. Burton beat Clintwood 28-18 in the regular season, it was on dirt and grass. "The last time we played them we were playing for a district championship,"? Adams said. "We play things one game at a time. Do we have a few different things to show them? Of course. But we didn't go into a district championship game holding anything back."?