From The Bleachers 2003: Week Twelve (Final Thoughts) by Ardent Cougar
Final
2003 Region III District Standings
5 years
These are some of the main highlights I have witnessed, during my time writing, reporting and photographing, for cougarfootball.net. PC lost only 10 games, out of 32 home contests. 25 road games. From Christiansburg, to Blacksburg, to Salem, to Roanoke, to Daleville, to Danville, to Vinton, to Bluefield, to Lynchburg, to Halifax, to Rocky Mount, to Culpeper, to Tazewell, to Alleghany... The Cougars won 17 of those 25 games. Man, things go by too quickly. Time is indeed a thief. It's funny how time can change your perspective. Perhaps it is more accurate to say, time is the greatest witness to your changing perspectives. It is also a great witness, to the only thing in life that is constant. Change. Some things change a lot. Some things change very little. Cougar Football has witnessed 25 years, since the last losing campaign. We have been blessed. This site has been blessed, as well. On a personal note - working these last few years, for what has to be one of the very best high school football websites in the state, if not the whole country, is something I treasure. There are many thanks to go around. Too many - but here are the ones that most come to mind: Thank you, Steven - for creating cougarfootball.net, for your front row, in-your-face pictures, and for giving me a voice. Thank you, Jeff - for being the original game reporter, for your photographic efforts, for your enthusiasm, and for making some things possible for the site, that would otherwise not have been. Thank you, Dan - for letting us use some of your material, for your work with the 'First and Goal' message board, and for all those years of being such a major force behind Cougar Football. Thank you, Joel Hicks - for the great tradition, and for calling cougarfootball.net, "The best website in the world!" Thank you, Craig - our Cougar Statman. Thank you, Pete - you are the first in what will hopefully be a long line of current student writers. Continue with the good work, and keep rockin'! Thank you, Dave - for your fun-loving fanatical support, for your literary contributions, and (of course) for the tailgating! Thank you, fans - all of you who sent those appreciative emails about the site. Kudos are always great to receive. For those who ever wondered about the origin of this handle - the word ardent means enthusiastic. I'll see you all in the stands. COUGARS FOREVER!!! AC 2003 Cougar Seniors
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For the first time since 1999, the Spartans got the best of the Cougars, in this storied rivalry. It was 7-7 at the end of the 1st Quarter, and only 13-7 heading into the final 12 minutes of the season, but Salem pulled away late, for a 23-7 victory. Andre Hairston was a force all to himself, with over 200 yards rushing, and 3 touchdowns. The Spartans finished 8-2, having lost a pair of games by a total of 5 points, to teams that averaged their 8-2 mark. In Division 4 Region 3 this year, such a good record was not enough to win the River Ridge District, or even get a playoff spot. For the first time since 1981, Salem and Pulaski both missed the playoffs, for a second consecutive season. Derrick Burks scored PC's lone touchdown, and got just enough yards (85), to finish his career trailing only Josh Calfee and Kevin Hendricks, on the list of Top All-Time Rushers in Cougar History. Brandon Anderson led the PC attack, with 91 yards on the ground. Both had great seasons in 2003, each rushing for well over 1,000 yards. Burks' 1,304 yards is the 4th best ever in a regular season, by a Cougar. Full Story and Interviews (Spartans Slam Cougars)
Knights capture 1st victory in new rivalry Blacksburg
20, Christiansburg 10
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Previous 2003 Articles: FTB
Week One - Northside
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