PREP FOOTBALL: Honaker Edges Hurley

BY ANTHONY STEVENS
Sports Correspondent
HONAKER, Va. – The season was on the line and Honaker was able to survive in a squeaker.

At EMATS Stadium it was the Tigers clinging to a 7-6 win over Hurley in key Black Diamond District football action. Since 1996 it has been Honaker or Haysi as the BDD champion and 2009 will be no different. The winner next week will win the title and an automatic berth to the Region D playoffs.

“We’ll have to play much better next week if we have any intentions of beating Haysi,” said Honaker head coach Doug Hubbard. “It wasn’t pretty tonight but it was a big win, we’ll take it.”

It was a defensive struggle from the start.

Hurley punted on each of its four possessions in the first half. Honaker had a short field most of the first half, but couldn’t capitalize. After punting their first two possessions, the
Tigers turned the ball over on downs at the Hurley 4- and 8-yard line. The horn sounded for halftime with the Tigers at the Hurley 15.

“We just didn’t finish drives in the first half and gave Hurley a lot of confidence,” Hubbard said. “We had opportunities in the first half to put this game away. My kids play hard but sometimes they don’t always finish.”

The Rebels took the second-half kickoff and Gary Blankenship returned it 24 yards to the Hurley 47 – their best field position of the game. But the Tiger defense was up to the task. The Rebels ran four plays and turned the ball over on downs.

The Tigers then put together an impressive drive to the Hurley 17. But they were their own worst enemy. Two penalties and snap over the quarterback’s head and Honaker ended up punting from their 40.

But shortly after the punt came the play of the game for the Tigers. Jeremiah Dye came up with a huge interception and returned it 35 yards for a TD, but it was called back for an illegal block.

“They came out and stacked to the left,” Dye said. “I read the quarterback’s eyes and just jumped the pass.
“I think we came out a little over confident. This Hurley team has worked hard and has really improved.”

Even though the TD was called back the Tigers were able to punch it in. Honaker converted on a 4th-and-3 when Blake Gent scored on a 19-yard rush. Dakota Meade then kicked the critical extra point for a 7-0 lead.

The Rebels received a tough blow when Blankenship went down with an injury early in the second half and was unable to return. Hurley kept fighting. They received a huge break when Honaker fumbled the ball and it was recovered by the Rebels’ Cody Sullivan on the Hurley 40.

Hurley went 60 yards in 10 plays. William Rawlins scored on a 10-yard scamper to pull the Rebels within one. Hurley went for a two-point conversion and the pass by Austin Cooper fell incomplete in the end zone.

“I just don’t know what to say,” said Hurley coach Greg Tester. “We were just a play or two away from taking this one home. Honaker got the job done tonight and we didn’t. But my boys played their hearts out, I’m proud of them.”

Honaker could put the game away with a couple of first downs but were unable to move the football. But they received a beautiful punt from Chaz Miller. The punt traveled 46-yards and went out of bounds at the Hurley 4. The Rebels couldn’t move the ball and turned the ball over on downs and the Tigers were able to run out the clock to notch the win.

Honaker will travel to Haysi with a playoff berth awaiting the winner. Hurley will host Twin Valley. The Rebels still have some Division 1 playoff hopes.