Cougars crush Bburg; host Graham Friday
By MIKE WILLIAMS
The Patriot
The now 2-5 Pulaski County Cougars enjoyed a record-setting night last week in beating the hapless Blacksburg Bruins, 69-13.
It’s a safe bet this week’s opponent – the Graham G-Men – will put up more of a fight.
Against Blacksburg last Friday, the Cougars took the lead with only seconds left in the opening quarter when Trevor Gallimore scored his second touchdown of the night.
Gallimore opened his own personal scoring barrage midway through the first quarter on a two-yard carry. He scored again with only eight seconds remaining in the quarter to put the Cougars ahead for good at 14-13.
Gallimore would add four more rushing touchdowns in the second quarter alone on runs of 50, 40, 52 and 11 yards, setting a new school record for rushing TDs in a game. He also set a new record for rushing yards in a game with 357 on 22 carries.
Marcus Reed enjoyed a fine second quarter himself, scoring off two Bryant Nottingham passes of 40 and 60 yards.
Nottingham also got in on the scoring bonanza, scampering into the end zone from 11 yards out. He added the PAT and the Cougars held a 62-13 lead at the half.
Reserves played the rest of the way for Pulaski County as the game continued on a running clock.
Junior varsity quarterback Brock Schneider hit paydirt on a 31-yard run to close out the scoring for Pulaski County in their 69-13 victory.
The Cougars piled up 597 yards of total offense, all but 100 of them on the ground. Blacksburg had 227.
Schneider finished with three carries for 88 yards; Isaiah O’Dell added four carries and 22 yards; Nottingham had two for 18 yards. Chase Lawrence added three carries for four yards; Parker Price had six carries for seven and Maddox Thompson added one carry for a yard.
Nottingham was 2 for 2 passing for 100 yards – all to Reed.
This Friday night the Cougars entertain defending Class 2 state champions Graham in Dobson Stadium.
The G-Men defeated Pulaski County last season, 41-14 in Mitchell Stadium in Bluefield despite Trevor Burton’s 21-carry, 119-yard night rushing the football.
Graham is coming off an easy 59-14 win over the Lebanon Pioneers.
Ty’Drez Clements ran 19 times last week against the Pioneers and piled up 209 yards and two touchdowns.
Head coach Tony Palmer’s G-Men are 6-1 so far this season, and can hurt you with the run and pass. They even scored last week on a 32-yard field goal by kicker, Dylan Nash.
Against Lebanon, Graham’s defense racked up six sacks.
Rankings: Currently, Pulaski County sits in seventh place in the latest Virginia High School League ratings for Region 3D. The Cougars have an 18.14286 rating. That’s over a point better than the eighth place Cave Spring Knights (17.00000).
After Firday’s matchup with Graham, the Cougars hit the road against Hidden Valley the next week and then finish out the regular season against those same Cave Spring Knights.
