Friday, November 3 - Cave Spring Knights (Away):

Series:  PC leads 20-6, having won the last 11, and 18 of the last 19.
Last Meeting: 1999 at PC.  One of the greatest games in Cougar history.  After an unbelievable rash of injuries over the season, Coach Hicks decided to try the still-hobbled Frank Cobbs at the FB position for this Homecoming encounter.  Going up against the playoff bound 6-3 Knights, the 4-5 Cougars were faced with the possibility of their first losing season since 1978, the year before Hicks arrived.  PC fell behind 7-0, then went ahead 21-7 before being tied 21-all at the break.  Down 28-21 with 8:35 to go in the final quarter, a Cougar goalline stand followed by a 99 1/2 yard TD drive forced overtime, where a Cave Spring 2-point PAT attempt was stopped a yard short.  The thrilling 35-34 victory gave the team momentum going into this season.  Little was known at the time about exactly how true this was.

Official Northwest Region VHSL Power Ratings:  2nd in Division 5  (Cave Spring is 4th in Division 5)
AP State Poll (11/1):  5th in AAA, 2nd in Division 5  (Cave Spring is 12th in AAA, 5th in Division 5)
Gilliam's Ratings:  4th overall, 4th in AAA, 2nd in Division 5  (Cave Spring is 23rd overall, 21st in AAA, 6th in Division 5)

Northwest Region District Standings and Power Ratings

Playoff Scenario – Northwest Region Division 5

Gilliam's Playoff Predictions
 
 

Average beginning margin:  +18  (best: +54  worst: -3)
Average biggest lead:  +37  (best: +54  worst: +21)
Average biggest deficit: 0  (best: 0  worst: -3)
Average final margin:  +32  (best: +54  worst: +14)

Average Cougar first downs per game:  21
Average Opponent first downs per game:  12

Average Cougar rushing game:  51 rushes, 426 yards, 8.42 yards per carry
Average Opponent rushing game:  28 rushes, 104 yards, 3.72 yards per carry

Average Cougar passing game:  2 completions, 4 passes, 0 interceptions, 24 yards, 6.87 yards per attempt, 13.31 yards per completion
Average Opponent passing game:  8 completions, 21 passes, 2 interceptions, 112 yards, 5.45 yards per attempt, 13.82 yards per completion

Average Cougar total yards per game:  54 plays, 450 yards, 8.33 yards per play
Average Opponent total yards per game:  48 plays, 216 yards, 4.48 yards per play

Average Cougar punt return:  14.15 yards
Average Opponent punt return:  1.43 yards

Average Cougar kickoff return:  22.53 yards
Average Opponent kickoff return:  20.78 yards

Average takeaway margin:  +2
Average penalty yard margin:  -17

Week Ten Review - Patrick Henry Patriots (Home):

It was Senior Night - and what a night!!  In the final RVD game at Dobson Stadium, the Cougars absolutely demolished the 8-0 Patriots 56-14, moving up to sole possession of the lead in the RVD race.  The score was 56-6 early in the 4th quarter.  The team broke the season rushing and total yards records with a game to spare, thanks to a whopping 500-yard output (all rushing).  Also broken was the single game first down mark, set a mere 2 games previous.  The second string offense gained 3 first downs on the game-ending drive to set the mark.  The season record for first downs, set last season, is also in great jeopardy.

Josh Calfee (19 rushes, 177 yards, 3 TDs) officially became the All-Time Leading Rusher in Cougar History, and Alan Wheeling tied the season record for interceptions.  Greg Cobbs ran the criss-cross in for a score.  The offensive line played better than ever, if that is possible!

Speaking of such a phenomenon, Frank Cobbs (15 rushes, 226 yards, 4 TDs) made jaws drop once again with a 95-yard TD run, part of his 200-yard, 4 TD (all 4 in the 2nd quarter!) first half performace.  Frank has rushed for 200 or more yards 4 times this season, including 3 of the last 4 games.  His season average yards per carry is 10.07, and 9.55 for his career.  His 1762 yards for the year (the ever-growing season record) could have been much greater, had not he been taken out of the game during blowouts, as was once again the case on this night.  Nevertheless, he moved past Carl Lewis and Kwasi Scott to 3rd place on the Cougar Career Rushing Yards List on the same night his backfield mate grabbed the top spot.

The 4 rushing scores gave Cobbs 24 on the year, leaving him only 2 short of the season rushing TD mark set by Craig Hodge, who had 26 in 1996.  Frank has 3 defensive TDs to his credit as well.  Calfee's 3 TDs (matching his season high) upped his total to 14.

The defense totally shut down the Patriot rushing game; quite a turnaround from last year's encounter.  QB Maurice Robinson was picked off 3 times, twice by Wheeling and once by Antione Meadows.  The Cougars turned an expected close game into a laugher.