Max Meadows…The Graham G-Men behind junior running back Jamorya Cousin’s five touchdowns and 222 rushing yards walloped the Fort Chiswell Pioneers 60–0.
Cousin scored on runs of eight, 54, 47, 14, and 25-yards. The G-Men scored four times in the opening quarter to take a 27 – 0 lead and never looked back. They took a 46-0 lead into intermission. The second saw a continuous running clock. Cousin scored his fifth and final touchdown of the night in the third quarter. Ben Meade put Graham up 59-0 on a 65-yard run in the final quarter. Kicker Logan Surface hit his sixth point after for the 60-0 final.
The Pioneers (0-9) never really threatened to score in the ballgame. Davin Odum was their leading rusher with just 39 yards on 11 carries. Quarterback Warren Moore threw four interceptions and finished with only 65 yards passing hitting only 10 out of 23 passes. Logan Hart and Colby Rider both caught two passes for 23 yards each. Odum caught three for just seven yards, and Lucas Edmonds also had three receptions for just six yards.
Graham (4-5) finished with 520 yards of total offense in a dominating performance.
Fort Chiswell head coach, Todd Tiller, remarked, “The Cousin kid (Jamorya) is a man. If you don’t stop him at the line of scrimmage, he’s gone. We made entirely too many mistakes again tonight as we keep shooting ourselves in the foot. We were down tonight 27-0 after one quarter before we know what hit us.” Fort Chiswell will have last chance of getting a victory next Friday at home against the Bland County Bears. Kick off is slated for 7 pm.

Max Meadows… The Pioneers of Fort Chiswell, looking in get into the win column, will play host to the Graham G-Men this Friday. In their last few years, Fort Chiswell has had trouble beating the G-men even when their record was very good.

Injuries and bad breaks have hampered this year’s Pioneer football team. It doesn’t get any easier this Friday as they play Graham who’s been a thorn in their side in the past.

Graham will enter the game with a 3-5 record. They are under the direction of first year head coach Tony Palmer. They will feature over a 1,000-yard rusher junior Jamorya Cousin. He isn’t their only weapon though. Senior quarterback Roman Workman likes to run and throw the ball. Israel Harris, a junior, also is a very athletic running back and wide receiver. Taymon Cooke is another very athletic player for the G-men. The offensive line is senior laden with Canaan Looney, Jarod Brown, Tanner Miller and Adrian Gray.

The G-men are averaging 35 points a game, while giving up 32 a game. They have wins over Tazewell, Grayson Co. and beat Bland Co. last Friday 62-14. Their losses are to some very good football teams. The Bluefield Beavers beat them 28-21, Richlands drubbed them 49-7, Giles defeated them 42-14 and Galax behind running back Charles Harris’ over 400 yards of rushing beat them 41-33.

The Pioneers come into the game 0-8 and are averaging just 10 points a game, while giving up 43 a game. Their starting quarterback Warren Moore is scheduled to return Friday as is his back-up Tanner Bailey. Their offensive line has and still is a question mark. They have had more injuries than any team on their offensive line. Coming into the season, head coach Todd Tiller said, “We are thin on the offensive line,” and no truer words were spoken.

Coach Tiller said, “Graham has some very good athletes and are well coached. They like to run mainly, but their quarterback can throw the ball as well. The Cousin (Jamorya) kid is very good. Their main receiver Cooke (Taymon) and the other back Harris (Israel) both are fast, quick and athletic. “Coach Tiller then added, “Defensively they will show a couple of fronts. They like a 44 and 53 scheme. Will send linebackers from different areas. The secondary likes to match up. They will be a hand full for us.”

Fort Chiswell will be missing somewhere around six, seven player’s because of injuries. That’s the way it’s been all season. Sometimes it’s been as high as 12 kids out.

Kickoff is slated for 7 pm Friday at Fort Chiswell High School.

Independence…The Pioneers saw their losing streak go to eight games in a row as the Grayson Co. Blue Devils defeated them 42-6 in a game played at Independence.

Fort Chiswell (0-8) used tight end Colby Rider as their quarterback in the “wildcat” because of their starter Warren Moore was ejected last week at Narrows. They also lost their second and third string quarterbacks, Tanner Bailey and Davin Odum, last week because of injuries.

Grayson Co. hit the Pioneers in the first two minutes of the game as Tyler Lundy hit Brett McPherson on a long pass and then Isaac Flippin ran in from seven yards to go up 7-0 and never looked back. Grayson went on to score three more times as Lundy hit Seth Phillips for touchdown as well as McPherson. Lundy also rushed for the other first half score.

Fort Chiswell finally got on the board late in the third quarter as junior varsity quarterback Brody Crockett hit Colby Rider from 20 yards out. The two-point conversion pass would fall incomplete for a 35-6 score with 2:04 left in the third.

The Blue Devils (5-3) had gone up 35-0 early in the third as McPherson rushed for a touchdown. Their final score came on a Lundy 12 yard run to go up 42-6.

The story of the game for the Pioneers as has been the whole season is they had trouble moving the football. Then on the other side of the ball, they have had trouble stopping the opposition. Fort Chiswell’s leading rusher, Rider had just 31 yards. They finished 17 of 34 passing for 177 yards.

Grayson Co. finished with 336 yards. Lundy was 11 of 22 passing for 194 yards and threw two touchdowns. He also rushed for 100 yards and rushed for two more scores.

Pioneer head coach Todd Tiller said, “We shot ourselves in the foot again tonight. We got down early and didn’t get stops when we needed them. Mistakes are just killing us.” Coach then added, “Grayson did a good job tonight against us. They are well coached.”

The schedule doesn’t get any easier as they play their nemesis, the Graham G-men, next Friday. Kickoff will be at 7 pm at Fort Chiswell.

Max Meadows…The Fort Chiswell Pioneers coming off one of their worst losses, at Narrows 53-20, will journey to Grayson Co. Friday night. The Pioneers 0-7 have had problems running the football. Then at Narrows ran the ball but defensively couldn’t stop the Green Wave. That’s how their season has gone so far. If its not one thing, then its another. They have had more injuries this season than all of the last six years combined. It makes for very inconsistent play on both sides of the ball. This Friday the Pioneers are down to third string quarterback and possibly using tight end Colby Rider in the “wildcat” formation. They will have approximately eight kids out due to injuries.

The Grayson Co. Blue Devils will come into the contest at 4-3. They are coming off of a loss to Bland Co. 26-18. Grayson also lost to Graham 57-14 and Glenvar 21-0. Their victories have been over Tazewell 26-13, 35-14 over Floyd Co, 41-14 at Alleghany (NC) and defeated Carroll Co. 34-7.

Quarterback Tyler Lundy will lead Grayson. He is a southpaw thrower. He’s a 6-1 senior and a very good athlete. His main targets will be Tanner McPherson, Seth Phillips and Tony Osborne. Carrying the football will Isaac Flippin and Jordan Bailey will be the “H” back.

Pioneer head coach Todd Tiller remarked, ” Grayson Co. likes to throw the football. They will show different formations. They like the one back look, trips and will spread as well. Coach Tiller then added,” Defensively Grayson will show what I call an even defense or a 4-4. They will also run a 5-3 look. When they play even their linebacker on the weak side will walk up to the line of scrimmage.” Coach Brett McPherson is in his 10th year at the helm of the Blue Devils. His record is 54-51. They return five starters on offense and five on defense. Other players to watch will be center Reece Wilson, tackle Jared Phillips, and guard Jeremiah Bost. Defensively watch for linebackers Chance Widner and Adam Carrico. The secondary of Brandon Paschall, McPherson and Lundy are quick and talented. Jesse Hawkins a 280 lb. senior anchors the defensive line.

Kickoff is slated for Friday 7 pm in Independence.

Narrows… The Pioneers season may have hit rock bottom as they lost to the Narrows Green Wave 53-20. Not only did they lost the game but their starting quarterback Warren Moore was ejected on the last play of the first half. Then their backup Qb Tanner Bailey got hurt and their third string quarterback Davin Odum also was injured. Freshman Qb Brody Crockett who have to come in and the Pioneers also used a “wildcat” formation using tight end Colby Rider. They lost five kids to injuries and one by way of ejection.

Narrows (5-2) was led by senior QB Cole Blaker. He rushed for 100 yards and scored two touchdowns and threw for three more. In all the Green Wave accounted for 416 yards of offense. Blaize Hopkins has 14 rushes for 127 yards and Landon Neal caught two td passes for 68 yards. The Green Wave made it look easy as they offensive took the Pioneers out to the woodshed.

Fort Chiswell (0-7) gave up 21 points almost before the crowd took their seats. Moore, before he was ejected, was seven of

12 passing for 100 yards. Between the four quarterbacks and Rider they completed 11 passes for161 yards and two interceptions. The Pioneers accumulated 368 yards but had trouble putting the ball in the end zone. They fumble the ball at one yard on one drive that was ruled a touchback. It was one of those nights that, if it could go wrong, it did for the Pioneers.

A very disappointed and dejected Fort Chiswell head coach Todd Tiller said,” We gave up big plays early and then compounded that with miscues. They (Narrows) passed it on us and ran it also. I know we keep saying we have injuries but it gets real tough when your backup quarterback gets hurt and have to go to third string. Then he gets injured and we have to go to a true freshman and use the wildcat formation with our tight end. I’ve never experienced so many injuries as this team has. We got whooped up front on both sides of the ball. We didn’t play well at times and didn’t execute at times. ”

Narrows jumped out front 14-0 and the Fort Chiswell cut it to 14-6. The Green Wave would make it 21-6 after the first quarter. And led 28-12 at intermission. The injuries and ejection took the toll on the Pioneers as they were outscored 25- 8 in the second half.

Fort Chiswell will stay on the road next week, when they go to Grayson Co. Kick off is scheduled for Friday at 7 pm.

Photo courtesy Tina Quesenberry

Max Meadows… The Fort Chiswell Pioneers (0-6) will travel to Narrows this Friday to see if they can pick up their first win of the season. Last Friday the Pioneers lost to Galax 41-6 but played better than the score shows. Defensively they slowed down the Maroon Tide but then would give up a big play. Offensively they drove the ball three or four times but still are having trouble rushing the pigskin. They actually came out of the game with perhaps just one with an injury. That one is wide receiver, defensive back- backup quarterback Tanner Bailey. He is probable or a game time decision as of this writing. They have had more than their share of those injury problems. Their main two players that will be missing are Grant Milgram and Andrew Stoots. Both are would be starters on the offensive line and at linebacker.

Narrows will come into the game with a 4-2 record. They have defeated Bland 27-26, Craig Co. 49-12, Montcalm, WV 40-6 and Eastern Montgomery 41-13. Their two defeats came at the hands of their archrival Giles 42-6, and Auburn beat them 42-7. The Green Wave is scoring 28.3 points per game, while surrendering 23.5. They are led by head coach Kelly Lowe, who’s in his 13th season and has a record of 49-82. Some of the players to watch on offense will be QB Cole Blaker, running back Bailey Snidow, wide receiver Landon Neal as well as tight end Chase Lawson. The main offensive linemen will be Jake Skeens, Andrew Bragg and Austin Turner. On defense Blaker leads the secondary, manning the safety position. Skeens and Turner anchor the line.

“The Green Wave likes to run more than pass,” said Pioneer head coach Todd Tiller. “The Blaker (Cole) kid is a very athletic quarterback. They will show the spread and run trips out of that. Power I is the offense they like to run.”

Coach Tiller added,” Landon Neal at wide receiver is a good size kid and Snidow (Bailey) runs the ball hard.”

Coach was then asked about the Green Wave’s defense and he remarked, “They like the 52 and 53 scheme and like to send a linebacker. Their secondary will match up and sometimes play zone. Blaker, the safety, likes to sit back at safety and roam the field.”

Coach Tiller finished by saying, “We need to play hard and get after them. I see improvement; it’s been tough with all these injuries to get any consistency.”

Kickoff at Ragsdale Field in Narrows is slated for 7 pm.