MeltdownPosted Dec31, 2006 at 12:24 AMA meltdown like this hasn't been seen out of the Hokies in quite a while. Oh, there have been meltdowns, but usually they start early and snowball throughout the game. You could have gotten long odds on the nation's best defense not being able to protect an 18-point halftime lead, but it happened. Georgia outscored the Hokies 28-3 in the second half, the Bulldogs won 31-24, and and Tech's streak without back-to-back bowl wins continues. It's obviously not fair to hang this on the defense. Quarterback Sean Glennon threw three interceptions and lost a fumble in the second half, and the special teams allowed Georgia to recover a critical onside kick. In an indication of the way this one went, the offensive player of the game was Georgia quarterback Matt Stafford, who was 9-for-21 passing for 129 yards, one TD and one interception. Not exactly head-turning numbers. The Hokies were also hurt by the loss of defensive end Noland Burchette, who broke his left arm in the first half, and cornerback Brandon Flowers, who left the game in the third quarter with a sprained ankle. What was lost here tonight? A fourth 11-win season, including back-to-back years of reaching that milestone. A shot at a top-10 finish in the AP poll for the third straight season, which the Hokies have never done. This was Tech's biggest blown lead since 1998, when the Hokies led Virginia 29-7 only to fall 36-32. A few stats of note: Tailback Branden Ore: 20 carries for 42 yards and two touchdowns. That's all for tonight. Check out Sunday's and Monday's editions for plenty more on this one.mb Halftime: Virginia Tech 21, Georgia 3Posted Dec30, 2006 at 09:40 PMThe Hokies couldn't have asked for a better first half, as the nation's top-ranked defense now has an 18-point cushion. Some of this was execution and guts -- Frank Beamer opting to go for it on fourth-and-goal from the 1 to get Tech's first touchdown, for instance -- but some of this was pure luck. The double pass from Sean Glennon to Eddie Royal to Sam Wheeler that went for a 53-yard touchdown was actually tipped at the line of scrimmage by a Georgia defender. It still had enough momentum to reach Royal, who had no problems gunning the ball deep. Conversely, when the Bulldogs got a man wide open in the secondary while trailing 14-3, quarterback Matt Stafford overthrew receiver Kenneth Harris just enough that the ball went off the redshirt sophomore's fingertips and fell incomplete. To top it all off, every punt the Hokies let drop is bouncing their way. Branden Ore, in his first game back since Wake Forest, has 32 yards on 14 carries but he has punched in two 1-yard touchdown dives. He certainly doesn't look to be at full strength or even the 90- to 95-percent he said he felt earlier this week. Just a hunch, but look for Kenny Lewis Jr. to get some more carries in the second half. He's solid enough, and with this lead, it might not be worth risking further injury to Ore. Georgia has 47 yards of total offense. That's the kind of stinginess that has the Hokies staring back-to-back bowl victories in the eyes for the first time in school history. Cover your earsPosted Dec30, 2006 at 07:10 PMWe're about an hour away from kickoff here at the Georgia Dome, and the place is probably one-third full. But you wouldn't know it if you closed your eyes and just listened. Everything that's been said about the decibel levels in this place is true; huge roars went up for each team as it took the field for warm-ups. Should be one heck of an atmosphere. Deadline will come quickly for print stuff tonight, so I'll chime in on the blog when I can. Stay tuned... Dec. 30Posted Dec30, 2006 at 06:26 PMSaturday's high school basketball scores: BOYS Domino’s Holiday Classic at Parry McCluer H.S. Member One Holiday Hoopla at Salem Civic Center GIRLS Countdown to kickoffPosted Dec30, 2006 at 02:32 PMThe University of Georgia drumline is thundering down Andrew Young International Boulevard here in downtown Atlanta, seemingly the final segment of a Chick-fil-A Bowl parade that's lasted more than an hour and featured more than its share of cow mascots. Pretty much everything that could be said and written about this game has been said and written -- about time we all just quit forecasting and teed it up, no? I'd like to take a moment here to encourage you to read the fine article on Bud Foster written by Kyle Tucker of our sister paper, The Virginian-Pilot (assuming, of course, you've already read the fine articles in our paper by Randy King and Mark Berman). Click here for Kyle's story. People often ask me whether Foster really wants to leave for a head job or if it's all just some sort of wild media speculation. I think the quotes from Foster and his agent in this article reinforce what I've told those who've asked: Bud really, really wants a head job somewhere. And why wouldn't he? There comes a time for most everyone when you feel you've proven all you can at a certain level, and Foster's reached that level as a defensive coordinator. Of course, as Kyle mentions, if the jobs he'd consider keep going to others -- as they have this year -- there's no shame in sticking around, maintaining a defensive dynasty in Blacksburg and hoping the Tech job eventually falls his way when Frank Beamer retires. But the bottom line here is that Foster's head is certainly on a swivel looking for the right head job. Any notion to the contrary is just wishful thinking. Now, could Foster assemble a strong staff? Could he handle all the minutiae that comes with being the head guy? Could he build an offense to complement his defensive wizardry? Fair questions, all, and certainly ones athletic directors consider when they make their hires. But there's one thing that's not in doubt: The man can coach. We should be reminded of that again tonight (or so we've all written, said or read). Dec. 29 scoresPosted Dec29, 2006 at 07:21 PMFriday's scores: BOYS Allegheny Mountain Radio Tournament at Pocahontas County (W.Va.) H.S. Arby’s Classic at Bristol, Tenn. BB&T Wythe County Tournament at Fort Chiswell H.S. Halifax County Holiday Tournament High Point (N.C.) Enterprise Classic Member One Holiday Hoopla at Salem Civic Center Northside Invitational Tournament at Northside H.S. GIRLS Book Jammin’ Classic at George Marshall H.S. Lady Terriers Christmas Classic at William Byrd H.S. Reidsville Review Classic at Rockingham County (N.C.) H.S. Chicken nuggetsPosted Dec29, 2006 at 03:39 PMHello again from Atlanta, where on the eve of the Chick-fil-A Bowl, the Hokies fans are starting to make their presence felt. Today was a light day for the teams -- no practices, just an afternoon walk-through at the Georgia Dome. Here are a few highlights from today's press conference with Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer and Georgia coach Mark Richt: - Beamer said Brandon Gore will likely get the starting nod at left guard, while Ryan Shuman, who has recovered from the knee injury that has sidelined him since the Clemson game, will rotate in regularly. - Richt said he was pleased with the progress of All-SEC kicker Brandon Coutu, who was thought to be lost for the year when he tore a hamstring in practice prior to the Tennessee game. Expect Coutu to handle all the field-goal duties Saturday night, although Richt did mention that the kicker has not been as consistent in practice as he was before the injury. - Beamer and Richt drew some laughs when Beamer was asked how important it was to win back-to-back bowl games for the first time in school history. Beamer sidestepped the question, saying it wasn't that big of a deal as some of the other ramifications of this bowl, but Richt chimed in. Beamer: “I didn’t either until they brought it up. Now they won’t quit talking about it.” Richt: “They’re always going to find something, aren’t they?” - Richt said he's a lot happier with his team's conditioning this year than last. He admitted he made a mistake when he gave the team six or seven days off before last season's Sugar Bowl loss to West Virginia. He knew they were in trouble when the guys came back from Christmas break huffing and puffing during the first few drills. “In hindsight, I just gave them too much time off," he said. This year, he gave them four days. - Richt kind of stole the show. Nathan Warters from the Lynchburg News and Advance asked him what he remembered from playing for Miami against Virginia Tech in the 1981 Peach Bowl (won by Miami 20-10). “I remember it was bitterly cold that day," Richt said. "I had to look up in [the Tech] media guide to find out who won that game and what happened in the game. I was just hovering over there by some of the other players who were sitting on the bench, trying to stay warm, really, that’s what I remember the most. I was watching Jim Kelly play, mostly. We stayed in that big round hotel. [It's] the Westin now. I don’t know what it was called back then. That might have been the tallest building in Atlanta at the time. I think it was. That was kind of the highlight.” -Beamer said he's really impressed with everything involved with the bowl. “The only way we can screw this [trip] up," he said, "is if we do it ourselves and don’t go out there and play really well against Georgia.” Dec. 28 ScoresPosted Dec28, 2006 at 09:53 PMBOYS Greetings from Atlanta...Posted Dec28, 2006 at 05:54 PMTwo days and counting until the Chick-fil-A Bowl, and we'll have plenty of coverage for you in the paper (all also online, of course) and the blog. Today's Virginia Tech practice -- or at least the part the media were allowed to see -- was a light affair, with players wearing only helmets and no pads. Everyone seems really relaxed, which is usually the case with a Frank Beamer-coached team at a bowl game. Tech's non-football activities included a visit to the local children's hopital and a trip to the Martin Luther King Jr. Center here in Atlanta. Haven't seen too many Tech fans out and about as of yet, but I'm sure they're either on their way or simply dining in classier joints than me. Here are some quotes from today's practices and press conferences, courtesy of Chick-fil-A Bowl PR man Matt Garvey: VIRGINIA TECH Defensive coordinator Bud Foster Defensive Summary: "We’ve had a good week of practice this week, here and in Blacksburg. I think our timing is back, we’ve had up tempo practices and picked up where we left off. These last few days we’ve been very sharp, very enthusiastic, I think we’ve got a good game plan and now we’ve just got to execute that. We’re looking forward to playing this ball game. We’ve got a great match up, I think they are two similar teams and it should be a great match up for the Chick-fil-A Bowl." Dec. 27 ScoresPosted Dec27, 2006 at 06:21 PMBOYS Pulaski Baseball Inc. needs Christmas miraclePosted Dec23, 2006 at 08:05 PMAppalachian League president Lee Landers is an optimist. He's not ready yet to say there won't be minor-league baseball in Pulaski next summer, and he's ready to consider any idea. But with no club or clubs willing and able to put a team together, Calfee Park could be empty for at least one season, Landers acknowledged in a Dec. 19 interview: Last we spoke, you were waiting on a proposal from Joe Garagiola Jr., MLB's senior vice president of baseball operations. What was he was so excited about? Won't all major-league clubs have their budgets fairly set by now? Continue reading "Pulaski Baseball Inc. needs Christmas miracle" » Dec. 22 scoresPosted Dec22, 2006 at 10:56 PMBOYS GIRLS Dec. 21 scoresPosted Dec21, 2006 at 08:16 PMThursday's scores: BOYS GIRLS Dec. 20 ScoresPosted Dec20, 2006 at 09:25 PMBoys Dec. 19 ScoresPosted Dec19, 2006 at 09:21 PMBoys Dec. 18 ScoresPosted Dec18, 2006 at 08:50 PM Boys Dec. 16 scoresPosted Dec16, 2006 at 06:43 PMBoys Late Friday Girls Dec. 15 scoresPosted Dec15, 2006 at 07:14 PMBoys Girls Dec. 14 ScoresPosted Dec14, 2006 at 09:19 PMBOYS GIRLS Wednesday's late game Dec. 13 ScoresPosted Dec13, 2006 at 09:36 PMBoys Dec. 12 ScoresPosted Dec12, 2006 at 09:29 PMBoys Flowers on AP All-America teamPosted Dec12, 2006 at 12:29 PMVirginia Tech sophomore cornerback Brandon Flowers has been named to the Associated Press All-America third team. Dec. 11 ScoresPosted Dec11, 2006 at 09:28 PMBoys Top Timesland swim timesPosted Dec10, 2006 at 10:34 AMGIRLS 200 FREE 1:59.09 – Nancy Baar (Patrick Henry) 2:02.42 – Lauryn Childress (Hidden Valley) 2:02.61 – Devin Henry (Hidden Valley) 2:04.21 – Allison Martin (Patrick Henry) 2:04.55 – Brittany Clawson ( Marion ) 2:05.61 – Miriam McGeath (Patrick Henry) 2:13.32 – Michelle Woody (Patrick Henry) 2:16.90 – Maggie Graham ( Marion ) 2:17.92 – Alex Hounshell ( Blacksburg ) 2:18.83 – Ashley Anderson (Cave Spring) Dec. 9 scoresPosted Dec09, 2006 at 07:14 PMBoys Westover Christian Tournament Girls Girls Late Friday Prep football state final resultsPosted Dec09, 2006 at 06:15 PMGroup AAA Division 6 Group AAA Division 5 Group AA Division 4 Group AA Division 3 Group A Division 2 Group A Division 1 Final: Goochland 28, Giles 14Posted Dec09, 2006 at 04:20 PMGroup AA Division 3: Giles final statsPosted Dec09, 2006 at 04:14 PMGroup A Division 2 -- Goochland 28, Giles 14. Some final stats from the Giles loss to Goochland: Giles passing was all Nathan Tanner. The senior tailback was 2 of 7 for 23 yards and three interceptions. He was also the leading rusher with 23 carries for 91 yards. Senior wingback Andrew Fenstermaker had one catch for 18 yards -- he also carried the ball seven times for 17 yards and both Giles touchdowns. Freshman Dakota Stanley had the other Spartans catch, that one for five yards. Senior Tee Freeman, who shared the backfield with Tanner, had 11 carries for 42 yards. The Spartans had only 173 yards of total offense, they produced 11 first downs on 48 plays -- ten first downs running, one passing. Goochland: Rushing: That was good for 328 yards of total offense -- 12 first downs, all but one on the ground. Rockbridge vs. RichlandsPosted Dec09, 2006 at 03:09 PMAfter leading through the third quarter, Rockbridge is down again -- this time by one point. Richlands leads 29-28. Giles vs. Goochland -- 2nd half cont'dPosted Dec09, 2006 at 01:57 PMThe Spartans will start the fourth quarter with a fourth down and one yard to go. As expected, they snap it to Nathan Tanner who blasts up the right side for three yards and into Goochland territory. Maybe good news for Spartans fans: shifty Goochland running back D.J. Coles is sitting alone on the Bulldogs bench. Definitely bad news for Spartans fans: something's up with the snapping. Tanner's fumbled three times, but Giles has come up with the recovery every time. *** After the fumble, Giles is forced to punt -- the first for either side today. *** Giles has another big first: Its first penalty of the day. *** Yet another first for Giles this afternoon -- they trail. The Bulldogs go 90 yards in 10 plays to score on a 12-yard run by Ovell Hicks with 4:24 to play. Whitley's kick is good and the Spartans are behind by seven with just enough time. *** Tanner throws his third interception on second-and-nine from his own 24-yard line. Bulldogs' ball at the Spartans 33-yard line, clock rolling down to just over three minutes. However he felt before, Coles looks fine now. He breaks one down the right side for 17 yards. *** That should be the ball game. Coles pops loose and runs 17 yards to the end zone for the touchdown to clinch it. Under a minute and a half to play, Giles trails now 28-14. That drive was a 34-yarder, six plays, that took just over two minutes off the clock. Giles vs. Goochland -- 2nd halfPosted Dec09, 2006 at 01:37 PMColes returns the kickoff to open the half from his own 9-yard line out to the Giles 43-yard line. *** On their first drive of the half, the Bulldogs go for it on fourth-and-six. QB Jordan snakes inside the red zone for the first down on the Giles 18. *** First-and-goal from the Spartans 8-yard line, the handoff goes to Coles. Second-and-goal from the 6, Hicks tries to get around the left side and gets swatted down at the 5. Third-and-goal, Coles just makes it back to the line of scrimmage. Fourth-and-goal from the 5, 5:33 -- Goochland takes a timeout. Kicker Nathan Whitley is on the sidelines. *** John Austin Hicks rolls left, leads WR D.J. Johnson a bit much to the left. Incomplete, and Giles takes over on downs at its own 5-yard line. Tanner throws an interception from his own end zone. The pass bounces out of the hands of the intended receiver and into those of defensive back Michael Ware who returns it 12 yards to the Giles 5. On third-and-1, Jordan leaps over his own lineman and scores. Three plays, five yards, 1:32; it's tied at 14 with 2:34 to play in the third. *** End of the third quarter, it's 14-all. Giles vs. Goochlands -- 1st half statsPosted Dec09, 2006 at 01:32 PMOkay, some first half stats -- Goochland's leading rusher is junior RB D.J. Coles with 65 yards on five carries. John Austin Hicks has four carries for 59 yards and quarterback Brian Jordan is 1 of 3 for 23 yards. Giles: Fullback Tee Freeman has 20 yards on six carries, and Andrew Fenstermaker has four carries for nine yards and both Spartans touchdowns. Rockbridge vs. RichlandsPosted Dec09, 2006 at 01:20 PMThe Rockbridge Wildcats trail, 14-0. *** After trading interceptions, Rockbridge defensive back Keith Mohler returns an interception more than 50 yards for a touchdown. The kick fails, but the Wildcats are on the board with about six minutes to go. It's still Richlands, 14-6. Giles vs. Goochland cont'dPosted Dec09, 2006 at 01:04 PMSpartans lead again with 3:50 left in the half. Once again, Andrew Fenstermaker takes the inside handoff and darts inside for a 4-yard touchdown run. Journell's kick is good and Giles is up 14-0. The drive is 12 plays, 66 yards. *** An offensive holding call backs the Bulldogs up to their own 43-yard line -- first down and 20 with 1:50 to play. Spartans defensive end Kurt Marcussen drags Brian Jordan down in the backfield, taking Goochland back another seven yards. Third-and-19 from their own 44, the Bulldogs call their second timeout at 0:20. Jordan completes a sharp pass over the middle to Hicks, who rumbles for a few more yards to the Spartans 33. Yet another penalty takes Goochland back to the Giles 38 -- second and 15. Giles calls its first timeout with 0:10 left in the half. *** Jordan takes a shot at the end zone to D.J. Coles on the left side, then a shot at the right side and the clock runs out. End of the first half, Giles leads 14-7. Rockbridge vs. Richlands -- 1st quarter scorePosted Dec09, 2006 at 01:01 PMRichlands scored on a fake punt to lead 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. Giles vs. GoochlandPosted Dec09, 2006 at 12:15 PMIt's a chilly 38 degrees in Harrisonburg, but that's still a few degrees warmer than it is at home for the Giles Spartans. Giles is wearing the home red with white pants; captains Nathan Tanner and Conan Cook met with Goochland's WR-DB Michael Ware and lineman Matthew Dabney and they've elected to receive. Nathan Tanner puts together a 75-yard touchdown drive in 15 plays, ending in a handoff to Andrew Fenstermaker for a 2-yard run. After the Journell kick, Giles leads 7-0 at 6:32 in the first. Goochland RB John Austin Hicks rips off a 43-yard carry deep into GIles territory on first-and-10 from the 25, though. *** Fourth-and-six from the Giles 28, Hicks pops loose on the right side. Tanner misses a tackle and the 6-2, 189-pound junior runs for a 28-yard touchdown. The drive takes just 2:46 -- 75 yards in six plays -- and the game is tied at 7-all after the Nathan Whitley kick with 2:40 left in the first. *** On his third pass of the game, Tanner lofts one up into three deep coverage. WR-DB Jeray Dobson picks him off at the Goochland 48. The Bulldogs get off one play before the end of the quarter. *** On second-and-10 from the Giles 24, Goochland gets flagged for a third illegal motion penalty -- moving them back to the 29. QB Brian Jordan rolls out left, pulls the ball down and runs for a 5-yard gain. Giles defensive end Mario Jones comes up with a sack on the next play and the Bulldogs are forced to throw deep on fourth-and-21 from the 34. Making up for the earlier turnover, Tanner breaks up the D.J. Coles pass to Kameron Wilds in the end zone. Spartan ball, first-and-10 from their own 34 with over eight minutes to work with in the half. Dec. 8 scoresPosted Dec08, 2006 at 09:27 PMBoys Westover Christian Tournament Girls Floyd County Tip-Off Late Thursday result Dec. 7 ScoresPosted Dec07, 2006 at 08:54 PMBoys |