Thursday, August 31,  2006

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by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter
     It’s a whole new ballgame is more than just a slogan for Grundy volleyball.
     Gone are five outstanding starters who turned the Lady Wave into contenders in the Southwest District the last several years, including standouts like Ashleigh Stephens and Elizabeth Lindsay. Also gone is coach Robert Hibbitts, who built the program into a regular contender for the regional playoffs .
     In is a new coach, Russell Street, who inherits five new starters and a rebuilding job for a now established program.
     The only returnee who saw significant playing time last year is senior Amy Crouse. Crouse will be counted on to provide senior leadership.
    "It’s pretty well a whole new team," Street said.
    "Last year we lost five seniors, five starters, including some big hitters in Stephens and Lindsay.
     "We’ve got two new hitters and a new setter. Amy Crouse is a key player for us. She’s an excellent back row player. She plays all the way around. She’s always getting to the ball."
     Street says the newcomers, including the new starters, show a lot of promise.

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.

Rebels Drop Season Opener to Unaka, 42-0

   Unaka took an early lead and never looked back as the Rangers shut out Hurley, 42-0, in the Rebels season opener Friday night in Elizabethton.
      The Rangers took a quick 14-0 lead, built a 28-0 halftime advantage and scored at least one touchdown in every quarter.
      "We got down early and they took us out of the game on the first series," first-year Hurley head coach Greg Tester said. "They went up on a long pass play and it seemed like we got down on ourselves.
      "We weren’t blocking, we weren’t tackling. They beat us in all aspects of the game."
      Nathan Justus ran for 37 yards, while Clint Justus and the Rebels got 45 yards in the air on 7-14 passing.
      Unaka held Hurley to just four first downs. No statistics were available for the Rangers.  
      "We never got anything established on offense and we couldn’t stop them on defense," Tester added. "They got behind us and hurt us in the passing game. They got a couple touchdowns with their special teams.
      "We had breakdowns in all areas of the game. You can’t win with only four first downs. We had to play catch-up the whole game."
      It didn’t get any easier for the Rebels when both Nathan and Clint Justus, among others, suffered injuries early in the contest.

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.  

   THE GAME: Clintwood (1-0) at Haysi (0-0).
   DATE, TIME and PLACE: Friday, Sep. 1, 7:30 p.m., Sandlick.
   THE TEAMS:
    HAYSI -- Haysi’s unusual early schedule has it opening the season this week and taking next week off, before playing nine straight Friday nights. With most of the Tigers watching, Clintwood got a game under its belt, whipping Grundy, 40-14 last Friday.
    "That can be an advantage especially early in the season," Haysi coach James Colley said. "Getting your timing down, getting everyone in sync, it can be helpful."
     The Tigers will rely on veterans like senior quarterback Lance Compton and wide out Chad Barton to get its own offense in sync early Friday.
     "We just have to be consistent on offense," Colley said. "We can’t have two or three good plays and then have a bad play. And, defensively, we have to be ready to play the option.
      "We have to play assignment football. If we don’t it could be bad news. (Clintwood’s) quarterback runs really hard. They’re a good, solid football team."
      CLINTWOOD -- QB Chris Robinson guided the Clintwood offense on five first-half scoring drives in last week’s rout. Michael Ramey led the Greenwave with 142 yards rushing . Every Clintwood back seemed to have success against the Golden Wave.
     "We have some quick little backs, and they all ran hard," Clintwood coach Rick Mullins said. "But our offensive line (play) was the key."
      THE FINAL WORD -- Even though it doesn’t get the publicity of a Graham-Bluefield or Richlands-Tazewell showdown, this Dickenson County rivalry is one of the best in southwest Virginia. Clintwood will bring a little extra momentum into this one after last week’s performance.

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.

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