by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter     
     All season long Honaker scored runs in bunches, run-ruling most of their regular season opponents and scoring 39 runs in three Region D playoff games.
     The state quarterfinals were a different story for the Tigers.
      Honaker stranded 11 baserunners and fell to James River, 7-6, in the Group A quarterfinals Wednesday afternoon at Harding Field.
     James River (22-4) took the lead for good in the top half of the first, scoring four runs with two outs. Honaker (21-4) put runners on base in every inning, but stranded runners in each frame as well.
      The Tigers trimmed their deficit to a single run on three different occasions. Honaker got within 4-3 with three runs on just one hit in the second inning, trailed just 6-5 after a two-run homer to right-center by Adam Honaker in the fourth, and made it 7-6 with a two-out RBI single by Aaron Whited in the sixth.
      Failed opportunities in the the third and fifth innings, however, were costly for a team that had made a habit of come-from-behind wins all season long, including Region D playoff wins over J.I. Burton, Gate City and eventual state champion J.J. Kelly.
     "We've spotted people runs all year long," Honaker coach Tom Harding said. "It finally caught up with us. We left runners on and left runners on and left runners on all game.
      "We just gave too much up today with those four errors. We’ve been able to overcome that several times this season, but we couldn’t today.”
     James River ace Caleb Dorton struggled with his control, walking six batters and hitting three. He worked his way out of one jam after another, including the seventh, when he ended the game with his fifth strikeout, with the heart of the Honaker order due up and the potential tying run on first base.

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by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
      Hurley honored its top athletes for the 2007-2008 school year at its annual sports banquet May 15 at Hurley High School.
      Athletes were recognized in all sports, from the fall, winter and spring, including the football squad, where senior Scottie Hurley received the 110% award and senior Jay Tester was named Defensive Most Valuable Player. Junior Clint Justus was named the Rebels' Offensive MVP.
      In volleyball senior Celisha Allen was named Best All-Around and was recognized as an All-Black Diamond District selection.
      In the winter sports, four players were recognized from the boys varsity basketball squad, including Scottie Hurley, who won the 110% for his hustle and all-around effort in basketball as well.
      Senior Matt Justus was named the Rebels' Best Offensive Player and Jay Tester was named Best Defensive Player. Senior Nathan Dotson was named MVP on the boys basketball team, which reached the Region D playoffs. Justus and Dotson were recognized for being All-BDD First Team picks. Tester was recognized for being Second Team All-BDD.

For more of the story, see the print edition of the Mountaineer, on sale at newsstands now.  For more information on how to subscribe to the Mountaineer, call 276-935-2123 today.