Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, November 3, 1995 TAG: 9511030061
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-17 CURRENT EDITION: NEW RIVER
SOURCE: RAY COX
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
James Monroe High, on the West Virginia side of Peters Mountain from Giles County, does not qualify as ancient. At barely a year and a half old, this consolidation of old Peterstown and Union high schools could barely be considered a toddler among most of its fellow secondary schools.
As for the combative part, that's something else. These Mavericks, as the high school's sports teams are known to their devotees, have become rambunctious in a big hurry, at least as far as football is concerned.
James Monroe arrived crashing through the front door of local high school football prominence, mud caked on its collective cleats, last week. The Mavericks ignored a soggy field and the trickery of the Giles single wing and beat the mighty Spartans, then the No.1-ranked team in the Virginia Group A poll, 7-6 in overtime.
``It was,'' said James Monroe coach Donnie Jackson, ``the biggest victory we've had.''
Now it might not have been the biggest victory Jackson's had personally. This is a fellow, after all, who coached a team at old Peterstown that won a state championship and fashioned a 27-game regular season winning streak.
It was Giles, with all that red and white, with all those fans, and all that single wing, that had put a stop to that streak by the defenseless count of 43-40 a few years ago.
``A shootout,'' Jackson said.
For fanciers of symmetry, it was altogether fitting that it was the Mavericks who shot the lights out on Giles' 36-game regular season winning streak last week.
Fanciers of football can just say it was a terrific game.
The difference finally boiled down to one touchdown conversion in overtime. James Monroe's Adam Jackson, the coach's son, put the boot through and that was that.
Giles had scored first on a 12-yard heave from Reggie Hoston (who also had 176 yards rushing) to Emmanuel Young. It was at that point that Giles coach Steve Ragsdale chose to continue with a familiar strategy and called for a running play for two points.
``We'd done it all year and been successful on it more often than not,'' he said. ``Besides, I decided that I wanted to try to win the game right there.''
Just like any call in football, this one was second guessable. Jackson declined to exercise his option.
``It was a good call,'' he said. ``I know what Steve was thinking and he was right. He knew that I'd go for two if we scored.''
James Monroe did score on a seven-yard run by Lance Burton. That was one of the few times that James Monroe broke loose for anything all night.
``We played excellent defense,'' Ragsdale said.
Jackson agreed with that.
``The defense may be the best part of their team,'' he said.
The offense, as powerful as it is, has some dents in the fenders. Hoston had had one day of practice in two weeks after twisting a knee against Radford. The other primary running back, fullback Kevin Slusser, is coming off a groin pull as is top receiver Anthony Myers.
Giles sank to No.6 in this week's state poll, which isn't any fun but might yet be a useful experience. Nothing like rolling into the playoffs a little on the hungry side.
James Monroe, winners of eight of nine, will be going to the West Virginia playoffs itself, but that may be no more difficult than the regular season has been.
``We haven't had an easy one yet,'' Donnie Jackson said.
That won't change this weekend when back-from-the-ashes Bluefield comes calling.
``It's going to be tough to get the players to forget about the big win over Giles and get ready for another real good team coming in right after them,'' Jackson said.
No doubt he'll think of something
Ray Cox is a Roanoke Times sportswriter.
by CNB