Friday, October 23, 2009
High school football notebook: Star City dims Friday night lights
varsity.roanoke.com
Timesland on Twitter
High school football is all about Friday night lights.
Except in Roanoke.
The Star City is the home of the Saturday afternoon compromise, which is why Patrick Henry and William Fleming are teeing it up at 2 p.m. tomorrow inside Patriots Stadium.
PH and Fleming are playing on a Saturday for the second year in a row at the facility they share on the corner of Brandon Avenue and Grandin Road,
Why? Because of an agreement the city made with residents who live near Patrick Henry, the Patriots and Colonels are limited to a total of five Friday night games each year.
This fall PH has played at home on three Friday nights, while Fleming has used the field once on a Friday with one more upcoming Friday date against Western Valley District rival George Washington.
That's five. You're out.
Fleming already has played one Saturday game at PH this season. The Patriots' season finale at home is on a Saturday.
Playing high school games on Saturdays stinks, unless the calendar has flipped to December and it's a state semifinal or championship game.
Playing on Saturday stinks because it's an extra day of work for coaches...because the athletes are out of their normal routine...because Tech and UVa usually playing...because the crowds are smaller than they are on Friday night...because gate receipts and concession sales are lower...because it gives banged-up players one less day to recover before the next game.
It's great that PH has a stadium on its campus and that Fleming will have one in 2010 if the construction is on schedule.
It's great that the city allows Fleming to use the PH facility as its home field, rather than the vagabond status both schools had several years ago after the demolition of Victory Stadium.
Playing high school football games on Saturdays? Not so great.
Guess what, Roanoke?
If it were a great idea, Salem already would be doing it.
WILLIAM FLEMING 28, Patrick Henry 17. Fleming has scored seven points in its last two games. PH has scored seven points in the last three.
FRANKLIN COUNTY 34, Halifax County 20. Wins in South Boston and next week in Danville would give Franklin County the WVD title.
SALEM 21, Christiansburg 7. Salem owns three straight shutouts over Christiansburg, which should get injured LB Zack Weller back tonight.
HIDDEN VALLEY 24, Pulaski County 17. Hidden Valley has beaten Pulaski County before, but not in three tries at Bogle Stadium.
CAVE SPRING 26, Blacksburg 22. Even with a 2-5 record, Blacksburg still has Region IV Division 4 playoff hopes.
ALLEGHANY 33, Staunton River 23. Idle last week, Staunton River is looking for a fifth straight win after 28 straight losses.
WILLIAM BYRD 27, Lord Botetourt 20. Byrd still has hopes of finishing 5-5 and somehow sliding into the playoffs.
JEFFERSON FOREST 21, Heritage 12. Forest might need to win tonight and again in the finale against Brookville to make the Region III Division 4 field.
LIBERTY 35, Rustburg 13. Liberty figures to nail down the No. 1 seeding in Region III Division 3 with two more wins.
FLOYD COUNTY 38, Eastern Montgomery 32. Floyd is a playoff longshot even if the Buffaloes run the table and finish 5-5.
GILES 49, Auburn 6. Giles is still in prime position to make the expanded Region C playoffs.
RADFORD 21, Glenvar 14. It wouldn't be a huge surprise if these two teams played each other more than once this year.
MAGNA VISTA 28, Patrick County 20. Could Magna Vista go from worst to first in the Piedmont District in one year?
TUNSTALL 20, Bassett 17. Bassett's win at Martinsville last week was a reminder that the Bengals are still the defending Piedmont champions.
CARROLL COUNTY 31, Grundy 16. A win by the Cavaliers tonight would set up a huge showdown against Richlands next week in Hillsville.
MARION 25, Tazewell 23. Both teams appear secure to make the Region IV Division 3 field.
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY 12, Waynesboro 7. This is the last realistic chance for Rockbridge to avoid an 0-10 season.
FORT CHISWELL 32, Narrows 20. Fort Chiswell looks to spoil Narrows' hall of fame festivities in a battle for first place in the Mountain Empire.
GRAYSON COUNTY 20, Bland County 18. Amazingly, a win by Bland could keep the Bears in the playoff hunt in Region C Division 1.
JAMES RIVER 41, Parry McCluer 21. As usual, some team somewhere in Region C Division 2 is hoping James River does not win the Pioneer District title.
BATH COUNTY 40, Craig County 14. Bath will make the Region C Division 1 playoffs. The only question is whether the Chargers can get a first-round bye.
GEORGE WYTHE 26, Holston 22. Holston is one of six Group A teams without a loss but the Maroons will be the Cavs' toughest test.
CHILHOWIE 14, PH-Glade Spring 12. Chilhowie hopes the seven-mile trip back up Lee Highway after the game will be enjoyable.
RURAL RETREAT 29, Northwood 13. By the end of the night, Rural Retreat could be in great position to make the Region C Division 1 playoffs.
COVINGTON 30, Galax 24. If it's raining, the team that runs the ball best will win.
FUQUA 28, Roanoke Catholic 21. The Celtics need this win since the last two games are against Blessed Sacrament and North Cross.
CHARLOTTE LATIN, N.C. 44, North Cross 28. The Hawks figure to be the best team to visit North Cross this year.
LEONARD HALL ACADEMY (Md.) 35, Carlisle 30. Hargrave cancelled its game against Leonard Hall, giving the reason that the Maryland school is using players from elsewhere.
Last week: 19-6 .760
Overall: 161-46 .778
