By Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
Blacksburg High School will play on turf next season as the school’s booster club handed a check for $335,000 to the Montgomery County School board on Friday night. The amount is their partial amount needed for funding that will bring turf to a field that has needed and deserved it for a long, long time.
Work is expected to begin in November and could be ready for soccer and lacrosse in the spring.
Last year, Blacksburg had to play all its home playoff games at Christiansburg High School because of the poor condition of its field.
Game balls for this week:
Radford QB Zane Rupe who was six for six through the air in a big win over James River. He threw for a touchdown and ran for two more. Rupe has picked up the offensive attack after the team lost its top threat when P.J. Prieoleau suffered a knee injury early in the team’s season.
Eastern Montgomery’s Dylan Owens had three touchdowns in the Mustang’s first win of the season.
Blacksburg QB Luke Goforth had four touchdowns through the air in the first half of a big win over Cave Spring and added another one on an interception return early in the first quarter.
Christiansburg linemen Aiden Lacoma and Charlie Bourne played like monsters for the team’s defense in a 14-6 loss to Pulaski. Both players made their opponent’s QB run for his life most of the contest.
Area top five: 1) Radford, 2) Narrows, 3) Blacksburg, 4) Pulaski, 5) Christiansburg.
The NRV Recreation Football League has announced this year’s super bowl will be held October 26 on the turf at Christiansburg High School. Early games will take place over the next two weeks to decide the final two participants in the Mite, Junior and Senior Divisions.
High School games this week:
Alleghany (1-5) at Radford (5-1)
Last week: Brian Broughman was a bright spot for Alleghany in a 49-14 loss to Floyd. Broughman finished with 66 yards on 13 carries and tossed a touchdown to Dylan Nicely.
Radford has turned to a team effort in the backfield, and Friday night, QB Zane Rupe added to the effort with 81 yards and two scores.
Game plan: Gary Burdette is in his seventh season at Alleghany and has compiled a 19-44 record including 0-10 last season. The team has not had a winning season since 2010. Brian Broughman (5-10, 165) returns at quarterback with Travis Fidley (5-9, 200) as the featured back in the run-based flex-bone offense. Justin Hall (6-3, 290) does provide some size on both sides of the ball in the trenches.
Rupe has now rushed 62 times this season for 595 yards and passed for 438 yards on 30 of 60 completions.
Game time: 7 p.m.
Broadcast: 101.7 FM, 1460 AM.
Pulaski (6-1) at Blacksburg (5-2)
Last week: Pulaski had to hold off a pesky Christiansburg team in a 14-6 win.
Blacksburg rolled to a 55-3 win over Cave Spring as quarterback Luke Goforth put the game away early with a 15-yard TD pass to Karim Mohamed on the Bruins’ opening possession. Later, he would connect with Mohamed for a 73-yard score. Goforth would finish seven of seven for 175 yards in the first half. Brian Mitchell also rushed for 89 yards on five carries with three touchdowns.
Game plan: Pulaski was 8-4 last season, losing in the second round of the Region 4D playoffs and returns eight starters on both sides of the ball. The team’s defense has held opponents to an average of 15 points per game this season. Cloud (6-3, 185) is a strong-armed QB with Gage Mannon (6-0, 195) being the team’s every-down running back. Jakari Finley (5-11, 185) provides a secondary back that can put up some big numbers. Finley had 135 carries a year ago for 793 yards, and Mannon had 122 carries for 790 yards.
Tight end Austin Gallimore (5-9, 200) provides a big target across the middle, but defense is the key for the Cougars with down linemen Cooper Dunnigan (6-3, 280), Logan Fox (6-2, 295) and Clay Phillips (6-3, 280). Mannon is questionable for this game after suffering an injury two weeks ago that kept him out of the contest against Christiansburg.
Goforth is now 71 for 140 this season for Blacksburg with 1,250 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Mitchell has rushed 69 times for 584 yards. Mohamed has 22 catches for 469 yards, and Mitchell has added 17 for 237 and Josh Gholston has 18 catches for 317 yards
Game time: 7 p.m.
Broadcast: Radio broadcast: 93.1 and 97.1 FM.
Hidden Valley (4-2) at Christiansburg (3-3)
Game plan: Hidden Valley might be the big surprise this season with a big win over Pulaski two weeks ago. Scott Weaver enters his 11th season at 48-63 with a 3-8 mark last year. Eight starters return on offense and nine on defense. The key for Hidden Valley is the big turnaround by QB Grayson Carroll (6-3, 178), who has had a monstrous year. He also has a big target in tight end Kelly Mitchell (6-4, 222).
Carroll passed for 1,936 yards in 2018. Offensive linemen Silas Fitzgerald (6-4, 293) and Ayden Causey (6-4, 281) provide some size up front. Running back Matt Strong (6-0, 183) has also had a year to remember and will be tough to keep under 100 yards per game.
Last year, Hidden Valley beat Christiansburg 21-13.
Game time: 7 p.m.
Broadcast: 100.7 FM.
Eastern Montgomery (1-5) at Narrows (6-0)
Last week: Narrows continued to roll with a 42-14 win over Covington as Chase Blaker completed 10 of 16 passes for 215 yards and three touchdowns. Chad Blaker also ran for two scores.
Eastern Montgomery ran all over winless Bath County (36-18) for their first win of the season. Dylan Owens had three touchdowns and QB Adam Bahnken rushed for 124 yards and a score. He also threw for another.
Game plan:
Kelly Lowe has the Green Wave on its third straight season of winning ways. Last year, Narrows finished 10-3 and lost in the Region 1C finals. Blaker would be a great way to describe this team as Chase Blaker (6-0, 153) is under center and Chad Blaker (5-9, 142), yes, his brother, is the top running back. Also look for Matthew Morgan to play a role from the tailback position. Chase had nine interceptions last season and has two this year. Top Narrows defender Reid Bowman returns at linebacker after racking up a team leading 61 tackles in the 2018 season.
Game time: 7 p.m.
Broadcast: None.
Glenvar (3-3) at Floyd (4-3)
Last week: Floyd rolled in a 49-14 win over Alleghany as Avery Chaffin threw for two touchdowns and ran for another. Glenvar had the week off but is coming off a 49-12 win over Carroll County two weeks ago.
Game time: 7 p.m.
Broadcast: None.
