The most heated football rivalry currently raging in Southwest Virginia will be renewed today.
Clintwood (9-2) and J.I. Burton (9-2) will play for the Region D, Division 1 title for the third straight year this afternoon at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise. It will also be the sixth meeting between the schools in the last three years.
“Ever since I’ve been in the 3rd and 4th grade, it’s been Clintwood and Norton, Clintwood and Norton,” said Clintwood tight end Nick Robinson. “It’s been an ongoing rivalry for years. We all know them and they know all of us. We know their athletes and they know our athletes. It’s really going to be a dogfight.”
The last meeting between the teams resembled more of a beatdown than a dogfight. Burton churned out 292 yards of total offense in posting a 36-0 victory on Oct. 30 at Lawson-Fitchko Stadium in Norton. Martinez Miles rushed for 171 yards and a touchdown, while the Burton defense picked off three passes.
“They beat us pretty bad in the regular season, so we’re coming out this week to try to prove we’re a lot better than we showed,” Robinson said.
The loss appears to have served as a wake-up call for Clintwood. The Greenwave bounced back the next week with a 49-0 victory over Pound and then overwhelmed Thomas Walker, 62-22, last week in the regional semifinals.
The offense has been balanced for the Greenwave, with five players having rushed for more than 400 yards this season. Meanwhile, the defense has been led by 5-foot-11, 195-pound lineman Cameron
Vanover (104 tackles, 19 for loss, three sacks) and the 6-foot-4, 225-pound Robinson (70 tackles, 13 for loss, three sacks).
The key for the defense will be containing Miles, who has gained 1,765 rushing yards and scored 24 touchdowns. He compiled 230 yards and reached the end zone four times last week in Burton’s 42-6 handling of Haysi.
Robinson has started in every Burton-Clintwood clash the past three seasons. He’ll look to help the Greenwave take the latest meeting between the old rivals.
“We know they are going to come out and try to run and they know we’re going to try to come out and run,” Robinson said. “It’s just a matter of blocking and tackling and holding onto the ball.”
thayes@bristolnews.com|(276) 645-2570
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