by Lloyd Combs
Sports Reporter       
     It was a turf battle, but a battle on turf of a different sort.
     Richlands won its home opener on its new synthetic turf with a 35-18 victory over Honaker to claim the 2008 Clinch River Classic Friday night at what's now officially known as EMATS Field at Ernie Hicks Stadium.
     Honaker, which got its own new turf installed last year, courtesy of EMATS owner John Bowerbank, jumped out to a 12-0 lead, and trailed just 20-18 midway through the third quarter.
     Richlands, looking to bounce back from a season-opening loss the previous week at Gate City, dominated the fourth quarter, pulling away with 15 unanswered points.
     The Blue Tornado depth was a factor. So was quarterback Joel Elswick.
     Elswick ran for three touchdowns and threw for two. Elswick's 39-yard pass to Blayke Wilson set up the first Blues' TD, a 14-yard scoring strike to Bradley Strong midway through the second quarter.
     A 37-yard completion to Strong later set up a five-yard TD pass to Christian Hearl with 17 seconds remaining in the first half. It gave the Blues a 13-12 lead, an advantage they would not relinquish.
     "From the second quarter on, we just got out-played,"  Honaker coach Doug Hubbard said. "I don't know if we got tired or what, but we just got our butts kicked (in the second half)."
      Honaker quarterback Justin Hall's 56-yard pass to David Keene set up the first score of the game, a three-yard touchdown run by Hall late in the first quarter. Hall tossed a 39-yard TD pass to Keene with 8:34 remaining in the second period.
      The Tigers (0-2) turned the ball at the start of the second half and Richlands (1-1) took advantage. Elswick scored on a five-yard TD run with 10:41 remaining in the third period.

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     Some 31 area golfer joined Jerry Shields and Ginger Robertson in celebration and competition during the 14th annual G&J Birthday Bash Golf Tournament at Willowbrook Country Club on Saturday, August 23.
     The annual event is held to honor and celebrate the birthdays of Shields and Robertson.
     The four-person team of Eddie Stiltner, Esther Hagy, Nathan Ratliff and Terry Morgan fired a round of 58 over 18 holes to take home first place in the tournament.
     The team of Randy Tester, David Tackett, Ken Smith and Carolyn posted an 18-hole round just one stroke back at 59, to claim runner-up honors.
     The foursome of Brad Blackman, Buzz Owens, Harold Gillespie and Loweda Gillespie finished just two strokes back with a round of 60 to claim third-place honors in the tournament.
     Several other awards were given out during the event, to both male and female competitiors.
     Those awards included closest-to-the-pin on tee-shots on hole No. 1/10 going to Chris Sloan.
     The longest drive awards went to Willie Looney among the men and to Eva Mullins among the women.

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.