Thursday, July 30, was opening day for Pulaski County Cougar football practice. Head coach, Stephen James, had approximately 65 players out for the varsity and junior varsity teams.
Month: July 2015
Pioneer Football Practice Begins
Fort Chiswell head football coach, Todd Tiller, said, “We had 50 players to report to opening day of football practice. I’m very pleased with the turn-out.”
High School Preseason Rankings
The preseason high school football rankings per Virginia Preps are out. Some local teams are in those rankings. In Group 4A the Salem Spartans are ranked third. They are behind Lake taylor and Dinwiddie. Group 3A shows the Northside Vikings are ranked second behind only Magna Vista. Coming in at sixth is Lord Botetourt. Pulaski Co. Cougars will face Northside to open their season. In Group 2A defending State Champions Glenvar is ranked one and the Giles Spartans are second. The Marion Hurricanes are at number nine. Group 1A finds the Radford Bobcats ranked fifth to start the season. Galax is at number seven, George Wythe eighth and the Auburn Eagles under Jack Turner comes in at number nine.
Oak Hill to get Giles
The Oak Hill Warriors basketball team has picked up one of the top basketball prospects for the 2015-16 season. Harry Giles a 6-10 forward and rated one of the top three seniors in high school has announced he is transferring to the Warriors. Giles has narrowed his college finalists to North Carolina. Kansas,Duke, Kentucky and Wake Forest. Giles had been playing for Wesleyan Christian School in High Point, North Carolina. Giles averaged 23 points and 11 rebounds his junior year at Wesleyan. Oak Hill is coming off a 45-1 record from last year.
Oak Hill reloading
The Oak Hill Warriors basketball program under head coach Steve Smith are reloading for the upcoming 2015-16 basketball season. The Warriors finished 47-1 last year and finshed ranked third in the nation. They have added 6-6 Braxton Blackwell from Nashville Tennessee and is ranked in the top 50 of the nation. Joining him will be Matt Coleman a 6-1 point guard from Norfolk ,Va. and is one of the top 30 junior players. Montez Mathis 6-4 from Maryland and Mario Kegler a 6-7 forward from Mississippi are also coming to Oak Hill .
Radford Bobcats has new assistant coach
The 2015 edition of the Radford Bobcat football team will have at least one new face. Long time assistant coach Ken Keister has been hired as an assistant principal at one of the City of Radford Schools. The new assistant will be David Meredith. Meredith is best know as ” Murdock “. He comes to Radford from Grayson Co. where he was also an assistant not only in football, but baseball as well for the Blue Devils.
Former Coach Passes Away
Former Pulaski County Cougar as well as former Blacksburg Indians head basketball coach, Allen Wiley, has passed away. Coach Wiley coached some of the areas outstanding basketball players such as Rick Aydlett of Blacksburg as well as Mike Porter and Ron Shelburne of Pulaski County. Aydlett graduated from the University of South Carolina. Porter graduated from St. John’s University, and Shelburne received his degree from Radford University. Just to name three of the many successes of his career.
Familar face retires
You see him at Radford Bobcat football games. He is always going back and forth at walkways at Bobcat basketball home games . You most surely have seen him in the dugout for Bobcat baseball games. The gentleman with grey hair and beard is Wayne Pridgen. He has retired from Radford City Schools. His last official act was at the VHSL State Championship baseball games that were held at Radford University. He was in the dugout as an assistant for the Bobcat State Semifinal game versus Honaker in which they lost 6-3. He was asked about his final game being in the dugout and he replied,” I wouldn’t want it to end with a greater bunch of players than this years Radford team.” He also jokingly said.” it cost me a lot of down payments for us to get me this far.” Thats Wayne , he was always kidding and having fun. He was and is a sincere gentleman. A man I call a good friend of mine ! He will be greatly missed.
A change on the Radford Bobcat coaching staff
Hearing there may be a change on the football staff for the Radford High School Bobcats . One of their assistant coaches may take an administration job for Radford City Schools. Will post as soon as I hear more !
Frazier to transfer
Jaden Frazier who played junior varsity basketball this past season at Pulaski Co. is scheduled to transfer to Blue Ridge School, outside of Charlottesville this fall. Frazier a 6-6 sophomore will play soccer this fall and basketball this winter. Come spring he is scheduled to alternate between golf and baseball. He is currently playing travel basketball for grassroots and EYBL with Va. Elite.