Monday, December 07, 2009

Herald-Progress article on Ray Long

Click on the title for a good article featuring conversation with Ray Long regarding his decision to retire and some of the "circumstances" surrounding it.

Here's one person hoping his wish at the end of the article comes true early next September.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

A word on Ray Long.......

Coach Ray Long came to Patrick Henry from what was then Liberty Junior High School in the fall of 1982 to become head football coach. My class did the same, so I arrived as a sophomore at PH when Long took over the reins.

Those of us who grew up in Western Hanover County in the 1970s knew what Patrick Henry Football represented: very, very little. Losing seasons were the normal, 1-9 was nothing unusual. The thought of having a winning football program at PH was, at worst, laughable, at best, somewhat of a pipe dream.

Ray Long changed all that.

He (as well as the many wonderful assistants who were with him, several for most of his tenure) instilled some things in Ashland that hadn't been found previously.

--Determination
--Focus
--Pride
--Work Ethic
--Enthusiasm

He also was able to recruit kids to try out for the team who, in the past, either didn't want to or simply weren't reached out to.

Here's how the 1982-83 yearbook described Ray Long's first season as Head Football Coach:

"Triumph. Victory. Disappointment. They were all felt during Patrick Henry's most successful football season in 14 years. Coach Long's great leadership ability carried the team to a top 10 position in the district. Not only was there a turnaround statistic-wise, but there was also a turnaround in school spirit and support by Patriot fans. No longer did you find the home side bleachers clearing with the 4th quarter; anxious fans stayed to see the entire victory spectacle. The season provided everyone with a new attitude about being a Patriot."

Upon that foundation, Coach Long leaves tonight with 228 career wins, the most ever in the Central Region.

I remember "storming the field" when PH upset then Richmond powerhouse (and state ranked) Jefferson-Huguenot-Wythe 3-0. I remember the picture of Coach Long holding a football high, being carried off the field by players after the season finale victory over Douglas Freeman in '82, finishing off an unheard of 7-3 Patriot campaign.

I was in the press box when PH finally beat Lee-Davis in the Tomato Bowl in 1983. The first "long trip" my Dad ever let me drive on my own after getting my driver's license was to make the journey from Beaverdam to Hopewell to watch PH in its first-ever playoff appearance against the Blue Devils in November, 1983.

And now, after having been blessed to watch almost every game over the past eight seasons from the press box as well (albeit on the "wrong" side of the field for us elder Patriot alumni--ha ha), I'm honored to say I had a very small part in bringing the story of a true legend to a community he dedicated his life to and loves so dearly.

I already see rumors online that his "retirement" may not of been of his own choosing. It's way too early to know "the whole story". If he was pushed out, shame on the current administration. Either way, Long is too much of a man to tell us what happened. He simply retired.

At the end of the 2008 season, I noted on the air that the Patriots were going into 2009 with more questions than they had had in many, many years. There were large losses to graduation, and the "heir apparent" running back and quarterback weren't obvious to us as observers and fans.

Now, with today's announcement, the number of questions surrounding 2010 and beyond far outnumber the questions of 12 months ago.

I do ask the Patrick Henry decisionmakers to be very prudent about how the program moves forward. One losing season doth not a "problem" make. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater.

In the meantime, I wish Coach Long happiness and great success. And if any high school in the area is looking......they'd idiots not to at least ask him. :)

Long+retiring+as+Patrick+Henry+football+coach+%7C+Richmond+Times-Dispatch

Long+retiring+as+Patrick+Henry+football+coach+%7C+Richmond+Times-Dispatch

Thursday, November 12, 2009

Atlee/Lee-Davis now Monday!

Atlee's fight to make the Division 5 Playoffs will now wait until Monday. The game at Lee-Davis scheduled for Friday night will now be played Monday night at a special kickoff time of 7:30pm.

The JV game between the Raiders and Confederates, scheduled for this evening, will take place Monday at 5:30 at Atlee High.

More postponements.......

Clover Hill, a shoo-in for the D5 Playoffs, will now play Henrico on Monday at 7pm.

Add this to the rescheduling of:

Hermitage/Patrick Henry to Monday at 6pm
JR Tucker/Deep Run to Monday at 7pm.

Patrick Henry/Hermitage Football Postponed to Monday

Senior Night has been moved to Monday, 11/16. The Hermitage/Patrick Henry varsity football game will begin at 6pm.

Tonight's JV game between the two schools has been cancelled.

The Colonial District game between J.R. Tucker and Deep Run is postponed until Monday at 7pm at Deep Run.

Wednesday, October 28, 2009

Field Hockey: No. 1 Atlee 4, No. 4 Henrico 0 | Richmond Times-Dispatch

Field Hockey: No. 1 Atlee 4, No. 4 Henrico 0

Homecoming Friday Night!!

Patrick Henry's 50th Homecoming Celebration Weekend is here!

The Patriots look to win on Homecoming night versus Douglas Freeman. Join us at the field and bring your radio to listen to our coverage on WHAN (1430) beginning just after the 6:30pm news.

See you there!!

Friday, October 09, 2009

Patrick Henry on the air Saturday at 5pm!!

WHAN will provide delayed coverage of Patrick Henry's game against John Marshall at 5pm tomorrow (Saturday, 10/10).

Here's the football schedule for WHAN this weekend:

NOW (345pm, Friday): Woodberry Forest at Collegiate in a battle of unbeatens!

Saturday 10/10 at 12:30pm, Randolph Macon at Frostburg State, LIVE!

SATURDAY 10/10 at 5pm, Patrick Henry at John Marshall (delayed broadcast)

So, come cheer on the Patriots at John Marshall at 1pm, then listen to the game at 5!

Have a great football weekend, everyone!

Saturday, October 03, 2009

PH WINS, 59-12, over Thomas Jefferson

The Patriots break out with a huge 45 point first half to slay offensive frustrations and lead PH to their first win of the year. Click on the title above for all the details.

Friday, October 02, 2009

Some Week 4 Finals.......

Highland Springs 13, Hanover 7
Hermitage 20, Deep Run 14 in OT
Matoaca 46, Prince George 0
Thomas Dale 34, Petersburg 14

Still waiting to hear on PH/TJ......

Off the air tonight..........

Very sorry to report we have had to cancel our broadcast tonight of the Patrick Henry/Thomas Jefferson game due to my illness. I'd much rather broadcast football than throw up and ache, that's for sure!

I'm following two broadcasts online right now and suggest you do the same! Always like to support my friends:

Gary Hess at sportsradio910.com is at the Deep Run/Hermitage game (Hermitage just took the lead)

Terry Sisisky at amen820.com is at the Thomas Dale/Petersburg game (Dale leads 14-0).

We'll be back, promise!!!

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

NEW DigitalSports.com Top 10 High School Football Poll

Click on the title link to see the Top 10, and congrats to Atlee and Lee-Davis for cracking the poll!!

Monday, September 28, 2009

Lee-Davis Wins 50th Tomato Bowl

Click on the title of this entry to read the thoughts of Lee Davis Head Coach Jason Meade on the fourth down resilency of the Confederates and how it was key in winning their first Tomato Bowl since 2004.

The win "returns the favor", spoiling the Patriots' 50th Anniversary Celebration, just as Patrick Henry did one year earlier at Lee Davis' 50th, winning in Mechanicsville, 14-13.

This marks Patrick Henry's first 0-3 start in 20 years and the first time since Hanover High opened in 2003 that the Patriots lost to all three county school rivals in the same season.

Friday, September 25, 2009

Tomato Bowl Preview---Times-Dispatch

Click on the title for today's article from the Richmond Times-Dispatch on tonight's Tomato Bowl!

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Colonial District Poll Results

Hermitage
31 votes / 25.41 %

Deep Run
9 votes / 7.38 %

Patrick Henry
16 votes / 13.11 %

Douglas Freeman
0 votes / 0 %

Mills Godwin
13 votes / 10.66 %

John Marshall
2 votes / 1.64 %

J.R. Tucker
35 votes / 28.69 %

Thomas Jefferson
16 votes / 13.11 %

Other
0 votes / 0 %

Sunday, September 20, 2009

NC State's Russell Wilson sets passing mark - NCAA Football - SI.com

Congrats to the Collegiate School graduate!!!

NC State's Russell Wilson sets passing mark - NCAA Football - SI.com

Shared via AddThis

Atlee Football---The Beginning!

 

Atlee 46, Patrick Henry 7

BIG win for the Raiders, one that has been, in their fans eyes, a long, long time coming, after many years of being on the losing end of lopsided scores against the Patriots.

Congratulations to Coach Roscoe Johnson and team on their first-ever 3-0 start!!!

Patrick Henry now must find a way to regroup and get ready for the 50th Tomato Bowl this Friday night against Lee-Davis.

Monday, September 14, 2009

Central Region Football Podcast!

Click on the BlogTalkRadio.com widget to the right, LIVE at 7pm ET, or anytime as a podcast!!

We review week one and preview week two!!

Saturday, September 12, 2009

Patrick Henry/Hanover Podcast Available!

The podcast is available! Look just above this blog post to listen or download. We lost recording connectivity about halfway through the 4th quarter, with the game well in hand for Hanover. We'll get the kinks worked out for you in time for the Atlee game next week! :)

Friday, September 11, 2009

2009 Week One Schedule!

Patrick Henry at Hanover, 6:30 pregame, 7pm kickoff on WHAN!!

(Teams in italics are Colonial District schools)

COUNTY GAMES:

Deep Run at Atlee, 7pm
Lee-Davis at Hermitage, 7pm

OTHER GAMES:

Thomas Jefferson at Armstrong, 4pm
Trinity Episcopal at Collegiate, 4pm (ALSO ON WHAN-AM, 1430!!)

Meadowbrook at Highland Springs, 7pm
Varina at Dinwiddie, 7pm
L.C. Bird at Matoaca, 7pm
Monacan at Mills Godwin, 7pm
Benedictine at J.R. Tucker, 7pm
Henrico at Caroline, 7:30pm
Hopewell at Cosby, 7:30pm
Clover Hill at Prince George, 7:30pm
Manchester at Thomas Dale, 7:30pm
Douglas Freeman at James River, 7:30pm
Huguenot at Monticello, 7:30pm
Midlothian at Powhatan, 7:30pm
Amelia at Goochland, 7:30pm
King William at New Kent, 7:30pm

Saturday Sept. 12

John Marshall at Jamestown, 1:30.

Tuesday, September 08, 2009

PREMIERE----Central Region Football Internet Radio Show!!

I am happy to announce that, premiering next Monday, September 14th at 7pm, I will be hosting the first-ever weekly Internet radio show dedicated to Central Region High School Football!

Click here or on the title link to go to the page where you can join in. CALL IN with your questions and chat live with me in the chatroom, Monday nights at 7p!

Can't join me then? The show will be available for download anytime after the show HERE at PatrickHenrySports.com! Just click on the BlogTalkRadio.com widget to the right!

Monday, September 07, 2009

FREE Colonial District Preview from Virginiapreps.com

Tom Garrett and the gang at virginiapreps.com do a fantastic job covering all things high school.

This year, take advantage of their free Colonial District Preview by clicking on the title! And consider becoming a member there; they do fantastic work all year 'round!

Sunday, September 06, 2009

Atlee wins opener over Benedictine, 14-12

Published: September 4, 2009

Tailback Trevor Elie had 103 yards rushing and scored two touchdowns as Atlee edged Benedictine in a non-district game at Atlee.

Benedictine (0-2) took a 12-7 first-half lead on the second of Isaiah Alston's two touchdown runs. But Atlee's Josh Doggett intercepted a pass in the third quarter and returned it to the Cadets' 5-yard line. Elie scored on the next play for the Raiders (1-0).

Benedictine quarterback Greg Petrohovich was 12 of 22 for 170 yards. Drew Petrohovich had six catches for 100 yards.

Benedictine ------------------------- 6 6 0 0 -- 12
Atlee ------------------------- 0 7 7 0 -- 14

B -- Alston 2 run (kick failed)

A -- Elie 6 run (Boothe kick)

B -- Alston 4 run (kick failed)

A -- Elie 5 run (Boothe kick)

Colonial District: Colonial Heights 34, Thomas Jefferson 25

FROM TIMESDISPATCH.COM: Published: September 4, 2009

Vikings quarterback Marvin Robinson threw for 283 yards, rushed for 45, and threw four touchdowns. The Colonials went with a ground attack, as Calvin Rhodes had 19 carries for 120 yards, and Tyler Drewes had 23 carries for 152 yards.

Thomas Jefferson ------------------------- 7 6 0 12 -- 25
Colonial Heights ------------------------- 7 13 7 7 -- 34

TJ -- Bland 17 pass from Robinson (Byrne kick)

CH -- Brown 30 pass from Nears (Holzner kick)

CH -- Drewes 4 run (kick failed)

TJ -- Simpson 30 pass from Robinson (kick failed)

CH -- Rhodes 4 run (Holzner kick)

CH -- Brown 8 run (Holzner kick)

CH -- Drewes 25 run (Holzner kick)

TJ -- Tweedy 7 pass from Robinson (conversion failed)

TJ -- Simpson 11 pass from Robinson (conversion failed)

Friday, September 04, 2009

Patrick Henry Preview---DigitalSports.com!

Click on the title link for the scoop from Stephen Lewis and video from Coach Ray Long as the Patriots prepare for next week's opener at Hanover!

Wednesday, September 02, 2009

Patrick Henry Preview--Mechanicsville Local

A young team that may struggle, especially if the injury bug hits.

That's the view of the Mechanicsville Local of what may be the 2009 campaign for the Patriots.

Click on the title for the well-written preview!

Tuesday, September 01, 2009

DigitalSports.com: Hermitage Preview

Click on the title link to read Stephen Lewis' report and watch his video preview of the defending Colonial District champions, the Hermitage Panthers.

Led by junior linebacking phenom Curtis Grant, lineman Daryl Howell and new quarterback Brendon Riddick, they are certainly favored to make it three straight District titles in 2009--find out more about the biggest obstacle to Patrick Henry's return to District prominence!

Division V Update: Petersburg Wins Opener

Click on the title for the details of the Crimson Wave's season-opening victory. Quarterback Eric McGruder ran for two TD's and threw for two more in the 38-7 triumph.

Petersburg returns to the field in Norfolk against Maury this Thursday night. You can click here to listen to the webcast at 7pm!

Monday, August 31, 2009

Patrick Henry #12.........

Tom Garrett, veteran Central Region Football reporter, puts Patrick Henry at #12 in his pre-season countdown of the Central Region, just behind Hanover at #11.

His preview is part of the Premium package, which is definitely worth having during this time of year. Excellent reporting and analysis from Tom and the guys at Virginiapreps.com. AND, they offer a 7-day free trial.

Check them out by clicking on the title above!

Wednesday, August 26, 2009

PH Boys Volleyball Win Opener

Congratulations to the Patrick Henry Boys Volleyball team for winning their opening match of 2009 yesterday, defeating the Henrico Warriors three games to none.

The final score was 25-19, 25-18, 25-22.

Tuesday, August 25, 2009

Lee-Davis 2009 Preview from DigitalSports.com

Click on the title to see and read Stephen Lewis' preview of the 2009 Lee-Davis Confederates!!

Hanover Hawks Preview from DigitalSports.com

Click on the title link for a full report from our friend Stephen Lewis at DigitalSports.com on the 2009 Hanover Hawks!

Thursday, August 20, 2009

Patriots go 7-on-7 in Harrisonburg--a first-hand account

Click on the title above to read Carter Neal's take on the first steps the 2009 Patrick Henry Patriots took toward victory by taking a road trip to Harrisonburg.

Hanover Hawks have first-ever D-1 signee!!

Click on the title to learn about Blake Jones, and where the Hanover senior will be playing on Saturdays starting in the fall of 2010!

Digital Sports Colonial District Profile: Thomas Jefferson

Click on the title to see Stephen Lewis' report on the Vikings, as they hope to break into the win column early in 2009!

Thursday, August 13, 2009

Atlee High Football Preview from Digital Sports

Click on the link for the article and video from Stephen Lewis' trip to Atlee, checking on the prospects for the 2009 Raiders, Patrick Henry's foe in week two, the home opener on September 18th!

Hanover High School to hit the airwaves!!!

I'm happy to announce that WHAN-AM (1430), the home of Patrick Henry football, will also be the home for the Hanover Hawks!

Games will be taped on Friday night and aired on Saturday mornings, except for the October 9th showdown with Varina, which will be broadcast LIVE!

Good luck to the Hawks and we welcome them aboard the growing football family at WHAN!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Good Luck Adrian Cavanaugh!

Click on the title to see video of #7 in action from his Patrick Henry days. We look forward to following Adrian as he cracks the starting lineup in Harrisonburg!

Go Adrian!

Wednesday, July 08, 2009

Patrick Henry Turns 50! Get The Details!

Get the latest on Patrick Henry's 50th Anniversary celebration by clicking the title above for a link to the school's web site!

Monday, June 08, 2009

Central Region Division Reclassifications

Very little change for the next two seasons, unless you are a Cosby Titan. Welcome to the non-forgiving world of Division 6.

No word yet on the progress of "redistricting" for the 2010 season with the new Glen Allen High School on the horizon. If they elect not to field a varsity football team in 2010, one wonders how that might changes things, if at all.

PATRICK HENRY STAYS IN DIVISION FIVE-----great news for playoff prospects.

BOLD teams are in the Colonial District.
Italicized teams are in Hanover County.

2009 and 2010 FOOTBALL DIVISIONS
Central Region


Division 6

Thomas Dale: 2,374
Hermitage: 2,051
Varina: 2,015
James River: 2,005
Cosby: 1,902
Manchester: 1,902
Henrico: 1,887
Deep Run: 1,874
Meadowbrook: 1,859
Prince George: 1,815
Mills Godwin: 1,778
Highland Springs: 1,778
L.C. Bird: 1,723
Matoaca: 1,669
J.R. Tucker: 1,643
Lee-Davis: 1,639

Division 5

Douglas Freeman: 1,603
Patrick Henry: 1,555
Dinwiddie: 1,554
Clover Hill: 1,542
Atlee: 1,518
Midlothian: 1,465
Monacan: 1,367
Hanover: 1,338
Petersburg: 1,262
Huguenot: 1,206
Armstrong: 1,076
Hopewell: 1,059
George Wythe: 920
Colonial Heights: 896
John Marshall: 850
Thomas Jefferson: 735


(Maggie Walker Governor's School not included in divisional breakdown.)

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

2009 Football Schedule for Patrick Henry!

Here it is!


Wed 08/26/09 @ *Scrimmage - Highland Springs High School 5:30PM
Thu 09/03/09 @ *Scrimmage - Cosby High School 7:00PM
Fri 09/11/09 @ Hanover 7:00PM
Fri 09/18/09 Atlee High School 7:00PM
Fri 09/25/09 50th Celebration 5:00PM
Fri 09/25/09 Lee-Davis 50th Celebration 50th Tomato Bowl 7:30PM
Fri 10/02/09 Thomas Jefferson High 7:00PM
Sat 10/10/09 @ John Marshall High School 1:00PM
Fri 10/16/09 Mills E Godwin High School 7:00PM
Fri 10/23/09 @ Deep Run High School 7:00PM
Fri 10/30/09 Douglas Freeman High School 7:00PM
Fri 11/06/09 @ John Randolph Tucker High School 7:00PM
Fri 11/13/09 Hermitage High School 7:00PM

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Spring has sprung!

....and so have plans for the 2009-2010 school year!

Soon we'll be announcing what's in store for September and beyond, from Patrick Henry High School football broadcasts to who knows?!?!

In the meantime, visit my NEW Web site (click HERE) for updates on new and exciting ventures!

As soon as we get the 2009 football schedule, you'll see it, right here!