The Craig County football team will take on Parry McCluer this Friday in a huge Pioneer District game. This one has implications in the race for the district championship as well as seeding for the post-season playoffs, and it’s also Veterans Night with all Veterans admitted free of charge.
The Pioneer District has four of the top six teams in Region 1C in the Virginia High School League rankings that came out Monday. Bath County is 5-0 and on top with a 20.4 rating while Narrows(3-2) is fourth at 16.8, Craig is fifth at 16.3 with a 5-1 record and Parry McCluer(4-2) is sixth at 15.6. Two Mountain Empire teams, George Wythe and Grayson County, are second and third.
The Rockets control their destiny as they play the Blues, Bath and Narrows in the next three weeks. Winning two of three would likely give them a home game to open the playoffs and a sweep would put them near the top of the region rankings.
Parry McCluer is coming off a 35-13 loss to Narrows in Buena Vista last Friday while the Rockets hammered Eastern Montgomery in Elliston, 58-0, for their third win in eight days. With a 5-1 record the Rockets are off to their best start since 1984 when it was still New Castle High School.
“It was a great eight days,” said Craig coach Jim Fisher. “We outscored our opponents 167-8 in those three games. Each game the second half has been shortened by a running clock as we were up by more than 35 points.”
The Rockets recently jumped into the Single Wing offense as a change-up and have primarily run it ever since, and Fisher credits that for much of the success on offense.
“I ran it when I coached with Rod Tenney here at Craig 20-plus years ago and Coach (assistant Jayke) Dowdy is a Giles Spartan and that is all they have been running in Pearisburg since 1978. Kids loved the idea and love running it. We are averaging over 55 points per game since we went to it and have had over 1,000 yards rushing.”
Craig didn’t waste any time Friday as Jaycob Wolfe housed the opening kickoff, a 77 yard return for a TD. On Craig’s next series a Wolfe to Carter Calfee pass of 30 yards set up senior running back Josh Craft, who was able to punch it in from four yards out.
After a defensive stop Craig scored quickly again with a Calfee 51 yard TD run. Another defensive stop resulted in a Calfee 28 yard run, then Wolfe hit senior tight End Isaac Lucas with a pass and Lucas bullied himself into the end zone for an 18 yard TD reception.
The defense stopped East Mont again when the Mustangs went for it on a fourth and six and the Rockets came out in the “Gun-T” and ran a couple “Rocket sweeps.” Working on the passing game, wide receiver Blake Wright made a contested 33 yard reception to put the Rockets in scoring position for a 30 yard field goal by Lucas.
Another three-and-out by the Mustangs was followed by a nice punt return by Wolfe, the Craig scored on the next play on a 37 yard run by Calfee. During the next East Mont offensive series sophomore linebacker Noah Paxton picked off a pass and returned the interception 32 yards to the East Mont five. On the next play Craft took it up the middle for yet another Rocket TD.
After Calfee’s third TD of the night in the third quarter Fisher sent the second team in for the fourth period. They were held on their first series, forcing the first Rocket punt situation of the game.
“There is no second team punt group so the starters went in,” said Fisher. “We don’t kick a traditional punt. Calfee is the punter and does a ‘rugby style’ kick. He also has a green light to run for the first down if he thinks he can get it.”
Carter saw some daylight and scampered 14 yards for a first down and the second team offense was back out there. Toning it down to be sportsmanslike with a big lead Fisher called a “power play” right up the middle but junior Isaiah Nichols saw daylight and bounced it outside for a 66 yard touchdown. Nichols is also the varsity back-up kicker and he drilled the extra point.
“I think people see Calfee, Craft and Wolfe a lot in the paper and they have carried a heavy load offensively, but Paxton and Nichols are both very good running backs themselves,” said Fisher. “We have a stable of good young athletes at the running back position. We have some depth there.
“Up front on the offensive line, Lucas at tight end and sophomore Carter Price at strong tackle have been super solid for us. All the guys up front have taken it on their shoulders to play better after the Montcalm game and they take it personally and get upset when they miss an assignment. We made a move and switched Price and junior guard Caleb Fields after the Montcalm game. Carter is a more natural tackle and Caleb is a better guard. I blew it by having them both out of position the first few games but the change has been good for us.”
Defensively, the Rockets have only given up 28 points all season and have three shutouts to their credit.
“We have been super tough against the run this season,” said Fisher. “Our secondary has improved as the season has progressed. We have gotten some leads and forced the other teams into passing situations and have been solid on the back end as well. Our defensive line and linebackers have just been phenomenal. Tristan Dooley led us in tackles for the second game in a row. Calfee, Craft, and Paxton are the other three backers and every one of them is solid. The defensive line has been stingy with yardage. We are big up front. Both ends, Price and Lucas, are around 250 pounds and Big Joseph Lee is weighing in at about 320. They are all three athletic.”
This week will Craig’s biggest challenge to date.
“Parry McCluer will be the best team we have played, by far, this season,” said Fisher. “I see us as the underdogs. We need to play mistake free football and limit the big plays. We are five and 30 all-time against the guys from Buena Vista, and I sure would like to see number six Friday.”
