The Craig County Rockets defeated Twin Valley in their rescheduled Homecoming football game Monday, XX-XX, to improve to 4-1. The Rockets haven’t started off 4-1 since 2005, when they finished 7-3 under coach Mark McPherson.
Craig will be at Eastern Montgomery this Friday to take on the Mustangs, looking to improve to 5-1. They haven’t started 5-1 since 1984 when they won eight of their first nine under coach Charlie Darling and were still New Castle High School.
Friday’s game will be the third in eight days for the Rockets. Last Friday they traveled to Kentucky to take on Phelps High and shut out the Hornets, 49-0. It was a long trip to Phelps but a fun trip back to New Castle.
“Long trip, great night,” said coach Jim Fisher. “We expected a shootout but didn’t get one. Defense played really well, as usual. Offensively, we put in a new Single Wing package and wanted to run it a little bit. Phelps couldn’t stop it, so we stayed in it all night and kind of bullied them a little bit.”
Fisher was pleased with the play of Craig’s offensive line. That had been a point of concern in the early season.
“Our offensive line played much better,” he said. “We still have stuff to clean up but it was definitely better.”
Craig didn’t punt once the entire game. They also recovered two onsides kicks.
“They have some special athletes that we did not want to punt or kick to, so we onsides kicked the whole game,” said Fisher. “We ended up recovering two kicks in a row and put the game out of reach early.”
The Rockets had 23 rushing attempts for the game and rolled up over 350 yards on the ground. Craig only passed twice, but one was a 31 yard touchdown strike from Jaycob Wolfe to Bentley Smith for his first high school TD.
Carter Calfee, Joshua Craft and Wolfe led the rushing attack and combined for six touchdowns. Calfee had 143 yards on seven carries, Wolfe had 102 yards on eight carries and Craft had 54 yards on five carries.
Fisher had nothing but praise for Phelps High in the first meeting ever between the two schools.
“Phelps was a great host, very accommodating and classy,” said Fisher. “They fed us after the game and had cases of cold water for our trip home. They treated us exceptionally well.”
This Friday the Rockets will open their Pioneer District schedule against Eastern Montgomery in Elliston. The Mustangs are off to an 0-5 start with losses to Holston, Rural Retreat, Northwood, Fort Chiswell and a 55-6 loss to Giles last Friday. Last year the Mustangs won the meeting in New Castle, 44-24.
