Locker Room: Harvey’s to sponsor Touchdown Classic
Harvey’s GM of Radford, a Chevrolet, Buick, and Cadillac automobile dealership, will be the official sponsor of the Touchdown Classic that will take place in Dobson Stadium on Saturday, August 17th.
For Harvey’s, for years a supporter of Pulaski County football, it is a renewal of an old relationship the dealership wanted to bring back. General Manager Josh Hurst, himself an old Cougar, was happy to take advantage of the opportunity.
“We at Harvey’s always enjoy supporting local events that we feel are important to our area communities. With me being a former Cougar football player, it makes me happy to know that our dealership is joining hands with the Pulaski County football program. Cougar football has for years been a very positive aspect of life in Pulaski County. Harvey’s wants to be a positive aspect in Pulaski County too. We are thrilled to support this event and it is our intention to continue this relationship in the years ahead. We wish the best for all our local high schools, and just like most sports fans in the New River Valley, all of us here at Harvey’s look forward to football season,” said Hurst.
(Harvey’s is also having a big “Memorial Day” event at the dealership with discounted prices and all sorts of treats and refreshments. Hot dogs, watermelon, and great prices for the holiday. You can’t beat it. Stop by at Harvey’s and enjoy the fun. They’ll be happy to see you, and maybe talk a little football.)
The “Harvey’s Touchdown Classic,” long a staple that signifies the beginning of football in Pulaski County will once again have a very strong field. Bluefield, West Virginia, and Magna Vista will return for what has become an annual gridiron battle in Dobson Stadium. The action will get underway at 10 am on August 17.
There will be a lot going on at the “Harvey’s Touchdown Classic.” In addition to the round robin action by the three varsity football teams, the Cougars, Beavers, and Warriors will also play round robin with their junior varsity teams. And there will also be on site pit cooked barbecue, baked beans, and slaw available as well as other refreshments for fans.
There will be no standard admission fee for the Classic. Cougar football will simply ask for a $10 donation that will cover the cost of the football action, plus you will receive a pass for the barbecue dinner. It is not mandatory. If someone does not wish to have the dinner, they can be admitted to the Classic for whatever donation they choose to make.
In other news concerning Pulaski County football, the following Friday night, August 23rd, there will be a “Benefit Preseason Game” in Dobson when the Cougars will take on the neighboring Bobcats of Radford. The Bobcats made a run at the Class 2 state title last season. The Patriot will keep you informed of all football activities as events draw near. The “Harvey’s Touchdown Classic” kicks off in just 79 days.
Other Prep Football News:
Look whose back. Robert Casto, head coach of the Class 1 dominating football program at Riverheads, located just outside of Staunton, announced his retirement at the end of last season. It took only a few weeks and Thad Wheeler was announced as the new head coach of the Gladiators.
None of that is going to happen. Wheeler left Riverheads last week. I will not speculate as to why, but rumors abound. However, Casto, winner of the last three straight state titles at Riverheads is back and so is his previous coaching staff.
In other surprise coaching moves over the winter, Bob Christmas decided to step down at Jefferson-Forest and leave what should be at least a contending team to go coach at Amherst. And Stephen Magenbauer surprisingly retired at Salem, but the remainder of the Spartan staff remains in place and Don Holter takes the reigns.
And don’t look now, but another Manning is on the way. Arch Manning, grandson of the great Ole Miss and New Orleans Saints quarterback Archie Manning, is now an 8th grade quarterback. Middle school player, or maybe a JV player at best? Wrong. Starting varsity quarterback at his high school in New Orleans and he might be the best QB in Louisiana. He looks like his two uncles, tall and lanky with a strong throwing arm, very accurate, and he always seems to throw to the right guy. He’ll probably be the best coached quarterback in the country.
And last week we broke down the Class 4, Region D situation and how it concerns Pulaski County, and listed some of the teams that left the region to drop to Region 3. I’ve been asked a couple of times where did they go? Nowhere really. All are still in Region D, but Class 3, not 4.
And who are those teams? Abingdon, Wm. Byrd, Carroll Co., Cave Spring, Christiansburg, Hidden Valley, Lord Botetourt, Magna Vista, Northside, Staunton River, Tunstall, and Bassett. I would consider that a very formidable Class 3 region.
And Some College News:
The going rate for college defensive coordinators, at least for those that have proven themselves to be great defensive minds, is going up. Texas A&M’s Mike Elko because the fourth D-coordinator to go over the $2-million dollar mark this week. Elko will make $2.1 million a year, Clemson’s Brent Venables makes $2.2 per year, Auburn’s Kevin Steele and LSU’s Dave Aranda make $2.5.
Bud Foster, Virginia Tech’s outstanding recruiting coordinator for three decades now makes $975,000 a year. Surprisingly, he ranks as only the 22 highest paid d-coordinator in the country.
And the Clemson Tigers roll on. This past week Dabo Sweeny got a commitment from Myles Murphy, the number rated two player in the country, and the top rated defensive end. Just two weeks ago, Clemson signed the number two rated defensive end. The Tigers now have five, 5-star commitments along with nine, 4-stars. LSU presently has the second rated recruiting class, and Alabama three.
There will be a sort of oddball game in high school action this fall. Blacksburg will host Salem on a Thursday evening in October. The reason is Tech has a Friday night home ACC game. The ACC, or any conference, should not schedule games on Friday nights. That night should belong to high school football. You should never bite the hand that feeds you.
By DAN CALLAHAN, The Patriot