The Locker Room October 14, 2009

After three straight losses in a row, Pulaski County hits the road this week in the hopes of salvaging their season, and by doing so their PRIDE.  The road doesn't get any easier, as the Cougars prepare to face the Cave Spring Knights. 

Hello again Cougar fans, and welcome back to another week here at cougarfootball.net.  There's not really alot you can say after a week like last week.  The Cougars went out and played hard, and they gave the Christiansburg Blue Demons everything they could handle, but in the end it wasn't enough as the Cougars fell for the third week in a row and dropping their record to 0-1 in the River Ridge District and 2-4 overall. 

This is certainly a tough season for Pulaski County, and everyone involved would without question like to see the team have a little more success.  With that said however, I think it should also be said that the team and coaches above all others would like to see that success.  There have been alot of things said in the stands, and alot of things questioned that really don't need to be.  For those with short memories, this group of coaches that is now fighting tooth and nail to get this years team into the win column is the same group of coaches that....just one year ago.....was sitting at 6-0 at this point of the season.  There have been no fundamental changes in the way the team prepares or the way they do things.  It's just a matter of alot of lost talent from last seasons team, and not enough talent to replace it as quickly as we as fans would like.  The kids don't go out and take the field with the intentions of losing, and they and their coaches don't plan to play hard for three quarters and then give in.   Sometimes you just have to face the facts that the other teams are a little better than normal, and your team is down a little. 

With all that in mind though, Pulaski County will continue to fight, and with a little luck can still  salvage their season.  With the Region IV playoffs set up the way they are this season, six teams will make it in.  The Cougars are currently the 5th ranked team power points wise with 17.6 points.  Salem is in the lead with 29 points, followed by Christiansburg with 24 points.  Hidden Valley comes in third with 21.2 points, and Carroll County holds the fourth place with 19.8 points.  Following Pulaski County in sixth place is Magna Vista with 17 points, Blacksburg with 16.8 points, and Bassett with 16.5 points. 

With the remaining schedule, Pulaski can and should be able to secure one of the six playoff spots with two wins out of their remaining 4 games.  Three wins could very well land the Cougars a home game, but four would all but lock it in.  While I'm not a big proponent of the "everybody gets a trophy" setup it seems like we're putting together with all these teams going into the Region Playoffs, the top teams will still rise to the top.  I don't think that adding the extra teams to the playoffs is going to hurt the top teams chances at all, while it will give two teams a chance to fight their way in.  Sometimes you take what you can get, and this is one of those years. 

Before the Cougars can start thinking playoffs though, they will need to focus on the task at hand, the Cave Spring Knights.  Cave Spring brings an impressive 5-1 record into the contest, with wins over Staunton River (26-0), Graham (55-12), Northside (10-7), Patrick Henry (13-10), and Alleghany (19-13).  The Knights found the going a bit tougher last week, as they suffered their first loss of the season to the Salem Spartans by a final score of 42-0. 

The Cougars lead the overall series between the two teams 25 games to 8, with Pulaski winning the last three.  Of the 33 games between the two teams, 13 games have been decided by 10 points or less, and 11 have been decided by a touchdown or less.   Eight of the games have been decided by three points or less, including two overtime games.  If you were one of the lucky few who stayed around until the end of the 1999 contest, you were treated to one of the great games in Cougar football history.  Down by a touchdown, the Cougars were on defense and with the Knights driving the ball.  A loss would give then Head Coach Joel Hicks his first losing season as a Cougar.  While this game didn't have any impact on the overall scheme of things in the district or the region for the playoffs, it did have some impact on PRIDE.   The Cougars showed that PRIDE first by stopping the Knights on 4th and goal from the 1/2 yard line.  Then, with 8:35 left in the contest and 99 1/2 yards in front of them, Pulaski County put together a drive that went the distance in 15 plays, and Josh Calfee scored to tie the game.  After the defense held tough and the clock ran out, the Cougars took the ball in to score first in overtime.  Cave Spring got the ball and scored also, but instead of going for the tie, they elected to go for two points and the win after two timeouts by Coach Hicks.  The Knights running back took the pitch and hit the hole, but Cougar DeWayne Burkes filled that hole quickly and forced a fumble, giving the Cougars....and their fans....a huge overtime win. 

That win was about PRIDE.   I would hope that our current version of the PRIDE OF PULASKI COUNTY would take that lesson to heart, and start to show some of that same grit and determination when they hit the road this Friday night.  For anyone who is heading out, there are plenty of good places to eat along the way.  The Texas Restaurant near Tanglewood Mall is certainly a good choice, as well as the K & W Cafeteria inside the Mall.  There are some nice BBQ places around, and a host of other stops along Electric Avenue if you take that route.  There is also always the bevy of restaurants around the Valley View Mall area.  Dwight Bogle Stadium is one of the nicer fields the Cougars will play on this season, but it doesn't offer alot in the way of creature comforts for the fans in the stands.   The hot dogs are pretty good, but if I were sitting in the stands I might want to bring a stadium seat and an umbrella just in case this rain keeps up. 

Folks, I know it's been rough so far, but let's keep our kids pumped up as they continue to fight through this tough season.  These are still our Pulaski County kids, and they are still our Pulaski County Cougars.  Based on my past experiences, only the toughest and best fans follow the Cougars out on these cold and possibly rainy away games.  I hope we can fill up that visitors side of the stadium and give these kids the support they deserve this Friday night.  Kickoff is set for 7:30, but if you want to get a good parking spot you may want to get there a little earlier. 

GO COUGARS!!!  BEAT THE KNIGHTS!!!