Hampton @ Friendship Christian

[acdcfan]

Dang, I'm trying to write this story up as slow as possible. I can't believe I've got to start covering hoops this week. I'm going to miss football. I hope everybody has/had a safe trip back. I reckon I'll finish this thing tomorrow since I'm staying down here in the 'Boro. Again, proud of you 'Dogs.

Edited November 25, 2006 by acdcfan

[orange27]

Hey wes i dont mean to burst your bubble but there is no rule in high school football about helmet to helmet contact. Sorry its football and big players make big plays and that was a big play to close out the half.

[zonepirate]

The only beef I had with the game was the illegal helmet-to-helmet blow from FCS' No. 55 on Hampton's Lunsford at the end of the first half. The play happened right in front of me -- I was walking the sidelines as always. It was a clear illegal blow with the butt of his helmet to the helmet of Lunsford. No. 55 said something out of the way, but to his credit motioned to the side of the field to get some help. Lunsford had a concussion and had to sit out the second half, but he was on the sidelines cheering those boys on.

 

From the angle I had it looked like a clean hit. As hard a hit as you will ever see but I didn't see it as a penalty. BTW, I'm not a FC fan, just telling you what I saw

[zonepirate]

There aint gonna be no crow feedin to nobody. No use in it. Them boys from Hampton was some good uns too. They is good young fellers. They played hard and left it all out there on the field. They hit hard jest like ya'll said.

 

 

 

In pregame I wasn't impressed with the way Hampton looked. They just don't look like an athletic team. I guess the size differences in linemen make them look a little unbalance but once the game got underway I was impressed with how hard they hit. They are a bunch of scrappers. As I said earlier this week I didn't think anyone could hang with FC and as tough as Hampton played tonight they just got beat by a better team.

 

Congragulations to FC on the win

[GUT WRENCH GARY]

I am proud of GRG's Commanders. They really played some ball tonight. Sorry about your luck in Possumtown Slick Pujo. I saw Slick Pujo on the sidelines tonight. GRG predicts his Commanders will win there a state title next week.

[muffin]

Where is pugo,chokeing on his own words?

[1A FAN]

In pregame I wasn't impressed with the way Hampton looked. They just don't look like an athletic team. I guess the size differences in linemen make them look a little unbalance but once the game got underway I was impressed with how hard they hit. They are a bunch of scrappers. As I said earlier this week I didn't think anyone could hang with FC and as tough as Hampton played tonight they just got beat by a better team.

 

Congragulations to FC on the win

 

I agree completely. When I watched Hampton in warmups I thought their line looked slow and their backs small but those kids are well coached and never quit. I was very impressed with their physical play and how well they tackled. No wonder they have owned East TN 1A for the past 2 years.

[1A FAN]

Where is pugo,chokeing on his own words?

 

Guessing he's about Knoxville by now unless he stopped by Coalfield to tell CY jacket how they got busted in the mouth by that lil ole Lebanon private school.

 

Illegal hit!

 

Thats how the game is played each week in Region 4

[Halibut]

Congratulations FCS on the win. Congrats Bulldogs on a good season, battling through adversity and injuries all season to get where you were. Good luck to all of the seniors, even the ones that didn't get in the game tonight.

 

The only beef I had with the game was the illegal helmet-to-helmet blow from FCS' No. 55 on Hampton's Lunsford at the end of the first half. The play happened right in front of me -- I was walking the sidelines as always. It was a clear illegal blow with the butt of his helmet to the helmet of Lunsford. No. 55 said something out of the way, but to his credit motioned to the side of the field to get some help. Lunsford had a concussion and had to sit out the second half, but he was on the sidelines cheering those boys on.

 

My problem is this ... the officials didn't call the thing which was clear as day on the other side of the stadium. They conferred in the end zone for about five mintues before going back to the locker room -- didn't bother calling the penalty. There should have been a penalty there. A flagrant penalty. No. 55 meant to hit Lunsford that hard, I don't know if he meant to put him out, but when he got up and said what he said ... there should have been a penalty. It was a dirty hit. Don't take this as me saying he's a dirty player, I'm not. I didn't see anything like that the rest of the game out of him. He's a good linebacker with good speed. But that one time, that one play - Lunsford was running the ball out of bounds, No. 55 was ahead - he had him lined up at full speed, it was a clear dirty, helmet-to-helmet hit.

 

Hampton should have gotten the ball at the 4 and got one last play towards the end of the first half. Shame on the TSSAA.

 

FCS, the camera guy from Channel 4 had the direct blow on tape and offered to show it to the officials. I was told by the radio guy from FCS that the tape was going to be reviewed by the TSSAA after the game. Yeah right. That hit will be downplayed like crazy, but it was dirty.

 

Now that that's been said....

 

Aside from that play, so all of you FCS fans won't think I'm whining - I'm not, Friendship's defense is the real deal. They are quick at every position and can stop the run. Each team got a couple of breaks, the Commanders made the most of theirs. You're not as good as Trousdale was a year ago, but good enough at every position to be the best in the state at the Class A level this year. Good luck next week and win the gold ball.

 

To the Hampton team: Again, I'm proud of you Bulldogs. The second half play, defensively, was outstanding. It's going to be tough losing Adam, Jon, D.J., Joe Lee and Zach ... but with hard work and dedication in the offseason, plus playing the game up at our neck of the woods ... you might get another shot at it.

 

SENIORS - I covered you all in eighth grade before you took the step to the HS level, and I got to cover you this year...

 

Adam, I enjoyed interviewing you one last time and getting to watch you play that last game. That made my night when you told me, "Wes, I want that interview." You better call me first when you sign those scholarship papers.

 

Jonathan Lyons, like I told you in the locker room... bud, nothing to be ashamed of. You stepped up and proved a lot to people. Now we get to watch you shine on the hardwood. I agreed with Adam, it'd be nice to see both of you play together at C-N, but take the best offer coming. You will get them.

 

D.J., you said it best after the game, "After the first half, I wanted to go out there and leave it on the field, and bust them in the mouth." Those FCS guys won't admit it, but you boys did in the second half. You were fun to talk to and it was fun to watch you play.

 

Joe Lee, what a hit on that quarterback in the second half. You made some big stops in the run game and really stepped up your play these last couple of weeks. Way to go big guy.

 

Zach Thornton, you had a good year. Keep your head up.

 

Will, I didn't get to talk to you much this season and I'm sorry for that. You played good ball this season. Way to get in there and make some good stops in your last game.

 

Josh and Cory, even though you guys didn't rush for a 1,000 yards or record upteen tackles, you wore those uniforms as well as anybody.

 

If I missed anybody else, I'm sorry. I'm going off the top of my head.

 

Dogs, It's been fun writing you guys up all season. I know I wasn't Jamie Combs, but thanks for welcoming me to the fold.

 

- Wes

 

 

I hope your QB #4 is ok he did take a hard hit. Helmet to helmet is not a high school rule and is not an illegal play. Many people get that confused with college because that is a college rule. Spearing a player on the ground with the helmet is an illegal play.

 

If the player was in bounds and fighting for yardage as I think this one was helmet to helmet is legal.

 

Thanks for a great game and hold your heads high you played a very hard hitting game.

[volfan68]

First I want to say congrats to FC. You took home the W and did what we could not.

 

Next, to the Bulldogs. Guys, hold your heads high you are one of only 4 teams that have made it this far in 1A. You guys have all my respect and admiration. For the seniors, what memories you will have for your glory years. You are still winners, because week after week you proved you could play with anyone. You played with this team and in my opinion you walked away the winners of this game.

 

Someone once said that you can win a game but lose at life. You guys may have lost the game but the character and heart that you played with will make you winners in life.

 

Safe travels home and I hope the bus does not break down again.

 

To the FC program, I am really glad that you stopped your half time award presentations and field show, when you got boohed. To have continued while an opposing teams player was down on the field would have really been class-less. I am sure if it had been an FC player it would have never been started. Each of your fans would have been on the edge of their seats praying that he was okay.

 

I am glad it was not seriously hurt but very there was some very tense moments waiting to find out, for our players, coaches and fans.

[Halibut]

First I want to say congrats to FC. You took home the W and did what we could not.

 

Next, to the Bulldogs. Guys, hold your heads high you are one of only 4 teams that have made it this far in 1A. You guys have all my respect and admiration. For the seniors, what memories you will have for your glory years. You are still winners, because week after week you proved you could play with anyone. You played with this team and in my opinion you walked away the winners of this game.

 

Someone once said that you can win a game but lose at life. You guys may have lost the game but the character and heart that you played with will make you winners in life.

 

Safe travels home and I hope the bus does not break down again.

 

To the FC program, I am really glad that you stopped your half time award presentations and field show, when you got boohed. To have continued while an opposing teams player was down on the field would have really been class-less. I am sure if it had been an FC player it would have never been started. Each of your fans would have been on the edge of their seats praying that he was okay.

 

I am glad it was not seriously hurt but very there was some very tense moments waiting to find out, for our players, coaches and fans.

 

 

I felt bad for your player being hurt and am sorry our announcer did not notice he was still down. Our fans were banging on the pressbox and pointed it out to him and he immediately stopped. I have worked the pressbox before and at halftime you immediately go to a sheet that gives you halftime instructions and I can guarantee you that he did not notice the player down. His head was down and he was reading from a sheet.

 

I think he appologized as soon as he saw it and then applogized again later. He is a very classy man and did not do that intentionally. I personally appologized to one of your coaches after the game and let him know we hoped he was ok.

[darook70]

Well my fellow Hampton fans this is what I was afraid of. I predicted FC by 21 initially but to appease the travelers to Possumtown I went with an optimistic but unrealistic prediction of Hampton winning by 1. You guys who were running your mouth get back out here and take your lumps. If you are going to talk the talk then you better make sure you can walk the talk. Else you are going to get what these FC guys are giving you this morning.

 

More importantly though is we need to learn from the losses two years in a row to Region 4. What is Region 4 doing that we have only scored 7 points in 8 quarters? Our defense seems to do good enough after being put in the bad positions by the offense. What is wrong with the offense? That's the question we must answer to take it to the next level. If we don't answer it then Region 4 will come to Hampton next year and demolish us again.

 

Recruiting? Our coach said 'FC recruited and only recruited good players, wouldn't you?' We can't do anything about that but I say let's start recruiting too. Let's recruit from the hallways of HHS. With over 400 students there should be enough athletes in that school to field a team where the same players don't have to play offense and defense. Why won't they come out and play? Another question that needs answering.

 

I'm gone for this year. See ya again next year Hampton fans when the playoffs start.