The Locker Room November 7, 2007

The Pulaski County Cougars travel up Interstate 81 this week for their annual rivalry game against the Salem Spartans, only this time there is a whole lot more on the line than just a final score.

Hello again Cougar Fans, and welcome back to the final regular season week of the season……AND IT’S SALEM WEEK!!! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Nothing brings out the best in Pulaski County like the Salem Spartans. Unfortunately, the same can be said about the Salem Spartans as well. It seems like whenever these two teams face each other, records can be thrown out the window. This game is one of the most highly anticipated games of the season every year. In case you're new to Cougar Football, allow me to tell you why.

Pulaski County leads the series between these two teams 16-14, but the Spartans have won the last five. In 1992, Pulaski County won the Division Six State Championship, but lost to Salem that year 22-29. In 2000, the Spartans won the Division 4 State Title, but lost that season to the Cougars 21-35. During our series, 11 of the games have been decided by 10 points or less, 9 have been decided by a touchdown or less.

There has been controversy from time to time as well. Fingers have been pointed back and forth down those 40 odd miles or so down the mountain, with accusations of all sorts going both ways at times. In 1986, Coach Joel Hicks was reprimanded by the VHSL for comments he made on WDBJ-7 during Friday Football Extra. Coach Hicks questioned the validity of calls which turned the course of the game, and then pointed out some obvious ones that WEREN’T called as well. In 1987, it seemed like we were living in the same nightmare, as the “phantom flag” once again made it’s presence felt. Salem fans have their version of these stories as well, pointing out times when the Cougars were the beneficiaries of questionable calls or non calls.

The bottom line is this…..these two teams both would love nothing more than to make a habit out of beating the other one.

The Spartans come into Fridays contest with a fine 9-0 record. Nothing new in Spartanland. They also come into the contest ranked #1 in the area by most polls and sports gurus. They come with a solid offensive line, a very fine running back, a dandy of a quarterback, and a couple of receivers that can catch anything that gets near them. Defensively, the Spartans are a solid unit as well. They posted shutouts against both Christiansburg and Blacksburg. The Spartans have only given up over two touchdowns once, which was against Hidden Valley (21-20 SHS). Every other game they have held their opponents to 14 points or less.

This year the Spartans cant be accused of having a “soft” schedule either. Brookville and Fleming are always tough, but this years William Byrd team stands out as a force to be reckoned with. Salem beat them 10-3.

The bottom line is this….until someone knocks them off, the Salem Spartans are at the top of the hill in the River Ridge District.

I cannot begin to tell you how big a win would be for the Cougar Football program, the school, and this community. Just today I was in the barber shop (no, I didn’t need anything there but my son did), and of course the first thing that came up was “so can the Cougars beat Salem?”

The answer is simply yes. The Cougars CAN beat Salem. The question should be weather the Cougars WILL beat Salem. The Cougars have the skill players, the power players, the beef, and the speed to get the job done, but it’s going to take just a little more than that. For the Cougars to win, the players are going to have to be completely focused. Pulaski County cannot afford to make silly mistakes. No offsides penalties, no holding calls, no facemasks, no personal fouls. No fumbles or bad snaps. We simply must play a perfect football game.

If we are going to beat the Spartans, we will have to leave no doubt about it, because they have a way of staying in a game until the last minute and then snatching a victory in the final seconds.

Folks, it’s time to pull out all the stops. This is the big game that Pulaski County High School has not been in for some time now. This game is for a share of the River Ridge District Title. THE RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT TITLE!! Win this Friday, and you will forever be announced as the 2007 Co-District Champs. Lose Friday, and you will be remembered as victim number 34 in Salem's regular season winning streak.

That’s right, the Spartans currently have a 33 game regular season winning streak.

It’s time to call everyone you know and have them take that drive down the mountain to Salem. If you're already coming, bring a couple of friends with you. Expect a standing room only crowd, as at halftime the Spartans will be officially naming their field after long time Head Coach Willis White.

Let’s get out their Cougar Fans, and let’s show the Spartans that COUGAR PRIDE is alive and well!! Let’s get out there and make some noise as the PRIDE OF PULASKI COUNTY takes the field for their final regular season game of the year!! It’s the Cougars vs. the Spartans on a Friday night……..you just don’t get a whole lot better than that!!

GO COUGARS!!!

BEAT THE SPARTANS!!!

BELIEVE!!

Well, it's Pulaski County and Salem again.

Time to decide the RRD District Championship.

We all know: 33 consecutive regular season wins, Willis White Field being dedicated, and so on.

I hear that Joel Hicks will take part in the halftime ceremony, helping to honor his long time nemesis. 

With all due respect to the very deserving Mr. White, while I offer my congratulations to him, and look forward to Joel Hicks Field one day, I'd love to crash the party.

I'm talking about the actual game, of course.

It is hard to believe, but if we lose, and Christiansburg wins, it is possible that a team with one less win, that we crushed by 20 points in their house, mind you, could squeak into the playoffs ahead of us.

We don't have the "luxury" of thinking we can lose this one, and still have our ticket punched.  It's not a done deal.  Maybe 98%, but that is still not a certainty.  I've seen stranger scenarios come to pass.

Let's look at this as a playoff game.

We win, we are in.

I guess that's the way it really should be.

GO COUGARS!!!