ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1995, Roanoke Times
DATE: Friday, December 1, 1995 TAG: 9512050099
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-13 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
TYPE: COMMENTARY
SOURCE: RAY COX
The home team was getting hammered.
The supernova of an enemy running back was running amok on his way to 224 yards and 32 points on 23 devastating carries. The home boys were three touchdowns in arrears and in the process of being shut out.
It looked bleak that bright December day.
That Giles High team then concluded such miserable treatment was unacceptable. And those Spartans came back, undismayed by the exploits of Park View-Sterling running back Allen Pinkett, and won the football game 33-32 to claim the 1980 Group AA crown, the school's first.
The picture on the front page of the paper the next morning was of long-legged Giles cheerleader Ronda Myers being swept aloft by an exulting Steve Martin. That image was among the enduring memories of the day that also included the combined 453 yards rushing and seven touchdowns of Pinkett and Giles' Leon King.
Those memories made a return visit this week as Giles prepared to face another prodigy of a running back, Thomas Jones of Powell Valley, 1:30 p.m. Saturday in a state Group A Division 2 semifinal game at Big Stone Gap.
Jones since the first week in September has rushed for 2,634 yards and 42 TD's (another score came via one of his eight pass receptions).
Take it from an eyewitness to some of his exploits, Jones' prodigious reputation is honestly earned. But then, so was that of Pinkett, who went on to a distinguished career at Notre Dame and then to seventh place on the all-time list of Houston Oilers running backs.
``You know, after seeing what Pinkett did at Notre Dame and then in the NFL, I decided that maybe Giles didn't do too bad against him holding him to 224 yards and 32 points,'' said Steve Ragsdale, then and now the Spartans' coach.
TRY AND TRY AGAIN: George Mason High's girls ride into the state Group A tournament on a riptide of 27-straight victories. The current began as a wash of tears.
Twice in the past two years, the Mustangs have made it to the semifinals of the Region B tournament and lost. Both times to Buffalo Gap. Both times by agonizing scores.
``Two points two years ago and one point last year,'' said George Mason coach Lori McConnell.
There was but one way to deal with the grief.
``The girls made their mind up that it wasn't going to happen again,'' said McConnell, who until this year did Brenda Kingsian double duty as girls and boys basketball coach.
She continued on the subject of her girls.
``They lifted weights and they all played in the offseason. Whether it was on a rec team or an AAU team they all played. They worked very hard and were very dedicated. They deserve all the credit.''
Well, one more indication that the Floyd County secret formula is out on the open market now.
George Mason's team compares to the Buffaloes in another respect. In response to the many blowouts each team has engineered, the custom of both Floyd County boss Alan Cantrell and his counterpart McConnell is to swiftly turn matters over to the reserves. As a result, the two best Mustangs players, 5-7 guard Jennifer Williams (15 ppg, 7 rpg) and 5-11 forward Sarah Jackson (13 ppg, 5 rpg) don't inspire gasps with their stats.
None of the Floyd County stars of the past four years, up to and including Melissa Cantrell from this year's team, have had awe-inspiring numbers either. But like the George Mason girls, everybody knows they can play, numbers or no numbers.
And play they have.
``It's taken them three years, but here are they are,'' McConnell said of her girls.
FALLEN WARRIORS: One last time, may the Pulaski County and Radford football teams step forward and take a bow.
Outgunned but but not intimidated, Pulaski County came within one more first down of beating what is probably the best team in the state, E.C. Glass, which didn't take its first lead until there was 1 minute 44 seconds left in the Group AAA Division 5 Northwest Region championship..
Radford deserves our respect for bouncing so purposefully back from a blowout loss to Giles to give that same team one of its sternest tests this year.
Well done, both Cougars and Bobcats.
Ray Cox is a Roanoke Times sportswriter.
LENGTH: Medium: 84 linesby CNB