Friday, October 13 - William Fleming Colonels (Home):

Series:  PC leads 16-10. 
Last Meeting: 1999 at William Fleming.  The Cougars lost the 1999 RVD title on this night, as the Colonels' Jermaine Hardy, various injuries, and the officials combined to cause a heartbreaking loss.  The 33-28 final left coaches, players and fans stunned, frustrated and angry.

What a time for Homecoming!  After playing 5 out of their first 7 games away (travels which ranged from 2 to 6 hours round trip), the 'Road Warriors' finally get a break.  Not until early November for the big finale at Cave Spring do the Cougars have to see the interstate again.  The Colonels (2-4) lost TB Jermaine Hardy to graduation, and are struggling this year under a new coach, since the retirement of George "Killer" Miller.

Official Northwest Region VHSL Power Ratings:  No. 3 in Division 5
AP State Poll (10/11):  No. 5 in AAA, No. 2 in Division 5
Gilliam's Ratings:  No. 4 overall, No. 4 in AAA, No. 2 in Division 5.  Rating:  90.12   (William Fleming is 104th overall, with a rating of 55.91)

Average beginning score:  22-0
Average biggest lead score:  42-5
Average final score:  45-12

One of the best ways to win a football game is to simply hang onto the ball when you have it, while taking it away from the opponent.  This team has been taking excellent care of the pigskin this season, while playing the role of thieves quite well.  This is perhaps best illustrated by the fact that Alan Wheeling is responsible for twice as many interceptions *by opposing QBs* than he himself has thrown.

This team has received a lot of praise from myself and others this season, and deservedly so.  The offense has been unstoppable, the defense has completely turned around this year, and the special teams are much improved.  Make no mistake, the 2000 Edition of the Cougars is a force to be reckoned with, and a wonderful team to watch.  I have really enjoyed covering the games this Fall.  I have spent a good amount of time lately keeping track of the ever-changing record book, and sharpening my skills with a calculator!  The results have made the long hours on the road to Lynchburg, Halifax, etc. worth it.

However, let's keep some things in mind.

First, there have been too many penalties, and of them, too many have been not of the 'refs calling it tighter than normal' kind, but of the 'brain went numb for a minute' variety.  The Cougars have been penalized for an average of over 54 yards a game, just a shade under twice as many as the opponents.

Most importantly:

We have only taken one step out of four in striving for the last Roanoke Valley District Championship.

Patrick Henry and Cave Spring are also undefeated.

Check out the Northwestern Region Standings.

If a Division 5 team wins the Western District (possible), and Culpeper wins the Commonwealth District (looks probable), then there will be room for only *one* Division 5 wildcard team.

One of the currently undefeated RVD teams would be *left out of the playoffs*.

Cruel, but possibly true.

If we were to lose two of the last three games, we could end up 8-2 and still finish only 3rd in the RVD behind, say, a 10-0 Patrick Henry team and a 9-1 Cave Spring team - sitting at home for a record 3rd consecutive year in the Coach Hicks Era, while the Patriots and Knights continue on into the postseason.

This thing is not over by a long shot.

If you want some incentive, as we play the admittedly huge underdog Colonels for Homecoming this week, remember the following:

Cave Spring 14, William Fleming 6.  Close game.

Fleming has defeated us the last 3 games in the series.

Look back to last year's contest.  Read about the way things unfolded.  If they are still available, search the Forum and read some of the posts that followed the game.

If you were there, do you remember the sick feeling you had while heading out of Victory Stadium, and towards the parking lot?  The sense that you  just had your pocket picked?  Did you almost check to make certain that you still had your wallet?

I really hated writing that story.

This game could make the Colonels' year.

Think about that.

Week Seven Review - Franklin County Eagles (Away):

The Cougars absolutely destroyed the Eagles 56-6 , ending up with the largest margin of victory in this 27-year series, edging out the 55-7 win in the 1992 State Championship Season.  It was also the 4th biggest victory margin against any opponent.  Two of those four margins have come this season.  The 56 points tied the second most scored in a game, behind the 63 against Northside in the Nationally-Ranked 1993 Season.

The first half was a virtual carbon copy of last year's game, both ending up 28-6 PC at the break.  This time, there was no Eagle comeback.  Instead, the Cougars just kept on rollin'.  The offense piled up a staggering 542 yards on the ground, a new team record for both rushing yards in a game, and total yards in a game, both set in 1993 vs. Patrick Henry.  Wheeling rushed for 71 yards (not counting a 53-yard TD which was called back) and tossed a TD pass to Jeff King, the second game in a row in which they have hooked up for a score.  Alan is still chasing the record for TD passes in a season.  Josh Calfee (15 carries, 116 yards) scored twice, and moved closer to the Cougar Career Rushing Record (he now has 2,644 yards for his career).  Greg Cobbs recovered Bill Farlow's blocked punt in the endzone for the final TD.  The offensive line did another superb job.  The defense smothered FC's offense.  Wheeling picked off 3 passes, tying a team record.

Mainly, though, it was yet another sterling night for Frank Cobbs.

Just call him, 'Superman'.

Four touchdowns.  276 yards.  All in less than 3 quarters of offensive play.

He broke the Cougar Season Rushing Record (set by Calfee in 1999) by over 100 yards, and with 3 games to spare.  He also broke the season record for Total Offensive Yards, formerly held by Kwasi Scott in 1998.  The totals are now 1,363 rushing yards for this season, and 2,161 for his career.  His 2000 season averages are 195 yards per game and 9.60 yards per carry.  His career average per carry is now 9.20, moving him solidly past past Eric Webb (9.08) to the No. 1 position.  The 4 rushing scores now have him ahead of the pace for the season record set by Craig Hodge in 1996.  The 276 yards not only left him in 6th place on the Cougar Career Rushing List (passing Kevin Hendricks), but also moved him into second place on the single game rushing list ahead of, well, Frank Cobbs against Halifax Co. two weeks ago, and behind, oh, Frank Cobbs against Salem in the 3rd week.

That's right.

Frank now owns the top 3 rushing performances in Cougar history.

All in the last 5 games.

If he keeps up this 195 yard average over the last 3 games, Cobbs would end up with about 1,950 yards for the season, and around 2,750 for his career, moving him up to 3rd place, a mere 50 yards or so behind the current leader Doug Hendricks.  Calfee is on a pace to finish his *Junior Year* tops on the list with over 3,000 career yards.

Some team record notes:

This team is on a pace to possibly break the record held by the 1993 team for points scored in a year, and is set to completely *blow away* the season rushing record set by that same 1993 team by about *640 yards*!  The rushing yards *alone* would also break the 1993 record for total offense by about *360 yards*!

The defense is on a pace, led by Wheeling's 6 pickoffs, to break the record for interceptions set in 1992.

All of the records I have mentioned lately, including ones tied, broken or on a pace to be at least equaled (if not surpassed or obliterated), are the ones I am *aware* of.  There might be more.

Whew.