Holston fired up for playoff appearance

Jason Matlock was in middle school the last time the Holston High School football team made the playoffs.

Holston (6-4) has been Southwest Virginia’s most surpising team.

The Cavs won just one game in 2006 and entered the current season under the radar.

That’s no longer the case and a large crowd is expected for tonight’s game.

"Everybody’s super excited about the game," Matlock said. "It seems like everywhere I go, people in town want to talk about football."

Holston captured the attention of most people in Damascus thanks to a 5-0 start to begin the season. The team had to overcome a four-game losing streak late in the season to reach the postseason.

Holston will have to overcome a long break tonight. The Cavaliers haven’t placed since a decisive victory over Castlewood on October 26.

"We just tried to take that time to get healthy and sharpen up a few things we needed to work on and get ready to play, regardless of who our opponent was going to be," Matlock said.

The one-two punch of Aaron Reynolds (936 rushing yards, 10 touchdowns) and Eric Mefford (527 rushing yards, seven touchdowns) have been the catalysts for the Cavaliers’ offense.

Reynolds is actually playing on the varsity level for the first time.

"I think he played in the eighth grade, but this is his first year of playing on varsity," Matlock said. "He’s just done absolutely tremendous for us. He’s one of our strongest players and he gets in the gym and works out all the time. He’s a coachable player and he does whatever we ask him to do."

Bath County (6-4) won a first-round playoff game at Northwood last fall, before losing in the regional title game.

Matlock actually made the three-hour trip to scout the Chargers last week.

"They are perennially in the playoffs and they are just a solid football team," Matlock said.

While Holston ended its playoff drought, Rural Retreat (7-3) will begin defense of its regional title tonight when it hosts Bland (7-3) in the other Region C, Division 1 semifinal.

Rural Retreat has won the last three Region C, Division 1 titles.

"I think the experience is going to help," Rural Retreat coach Quinton Hensley said. "The atmosphere’s a little different, the crowds are larger and it’s a different feel at this point. I’ve got a couple of four-year starters so that’s got to help. I still don’t think we’ve played our best game yet."

The status of star running back Wyatte Pickett is still up in the air. Pickett has been limited to place-kicking duties in recent weeks due to an ankle injury.

Hogoheegee District rushing leader David Harrison has picked up the slack for the Indians in Pickett’s absence.

REGION C, DIVISION 2

Grayson County (8-2) at George Wythe (9-1)

George Wythe opens the playoffs tonight at home. It could be said that this is the Maroons’ second straight playoff contest.

"You got that right," George Wythe coach Donnie Pruitt said.

Needing a win in its final regular-season game against Chilhowie to even reach the postseason, GW received a 1-yard touchdown run by Seth White with one second remaining to pull out a 14-7 victory over Chilhowie on Nov. 2 in Wytheville.

"Our kids really played hard," Pruitt said. "They knew what they had to do and get it done. It was a great football game; a classic."

George Wythe will get a tough test from Grayson County. The Blue Devils are much improved from a team that suffered a 40-20 regular-season loss to the Maroons last season.

"They’re a real good football team," Pruitt said. "They have a good quarterback and a pretty big offensive line."

Giles hosts Floyd County in the other Region C, Division 2 semifinal.

In the fall of 1995, Matlock made the long trip to watch Holston drop a decision to Bath County in the opening round of the playoffs.

"I remember they played the game at Alleghany High School and I went up there with my parents to watch," Matlock said. "Now I’m getting to be part of it again."

The first-year head coach and his team will make the first postseason appearance in 12 years tonight when the Cavaliers host Bath County in the Region C, Division 1 playoffs.