By CHAD COOPER
A true angel leaves her mark on Buchanan County
Buchanan County lost a true angel this past week.
I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mary “Susie” Ratliff Rife, the beloved wife of legendary Buchanan County coach Roger Rife, who also serves as the South Grundy District supervisor.
Personally, I can’t remember ever seeing Miss Susie without being greeted by a warm hug and an even warmer smile. Her gentle spirit had a way of brightening anyone’s day. Although soft-spoken, she possessed a tremendous passion for God, Coach Rife, her family and Buchanan County.
One of her greatest legacies will forever be the transformation of what is now known as Roger and Susie Rife Park, formerly known as Poplar Gap Park at Southern Gap. Coach Rife has always been quick to credit Miss Susie as the driving force behind turning the park into one of Buchanan County’s premier recreational facilities.
From the state-of-the-art playground equipment and Frisbee golf course to the horse arena, the Consol Energy Main Stage, the gym, the magical Christmas light display and the popular drive-through Trunk-or-Treat each Halloween, Miss Susie’s fingerprints can be found everywhere. Those events created countless memories for families throughout the county, and her work will continue bringing smiles to children for generations.
She was also Coach Rife’s biggest supporter. Rarely did you see one without the other.
Throughout Coach Rife’s legendary coaching career and more than three decades of public service, Miss Susie quietly served as a team mom and supporter for hundreds of student-athletes. My own family was fortunate enough to know the Rifes during Coach Rife’s days at Hurley High School in the mid-1980s when my brother, Mark, played for him.
Coach Rife built an incredible coaching résumé. During 18 seasons as Garden High School’s boys basketball coach, he won 223 games, a school record that will never be broken. His teams captured three district tournament championships, reached regional play nine times, and he earned District Coach of the Year honors four times.
His football success was equally impressive. Over nine seasons, Coach Rife won 55 games, another Garden school record. His teams claimed four district championships, won the Region title in 1986 and finished as VHSL state runner-up that same season. He was also named District Coach of the Year three times.
Behind every one of those accomplishments stood Miss Susie.
She wasn’t looking for recognition. She loved serving others.
Beyond athletics, Susie dedicated her life to Buchanan County. She was a member of Little Prater Church of Christ, worked for many years as a teacher’s aide and substitute teacher with Buchanan County Public Schools, and devoted countless volunteer hours to improving her community.
Her legacy isn’t measured only by the facilities she helped build or the events she organized. It lives on in every child who laughed on the playground, every family who enjoyed Christmas lights or gave their lives to Christ at one of the park’s many faith-based events, and every athlete whose life she quietly touched.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Coach Roger Rife, her beloved son Greg and wife Debbie Rife, and the entire Rife family during this difficult time.
Thank you, Miss Susie, for showing us what servant leadership truly looks like. You will be forever missed, and your legacy will live on.
Now, shifting from one legend to the future of basketball, the NBA Summer League has provided an exciting glimpse of the league’s next generation of stars.
The first four selections in the 2026 NBA Draft have all looked worthy of their lofty draft positions.
No. 1 overall pick AJ Dybantsa has been everything the Washington Wizards hoped for after selecting him out of BYU. The 19-year-old has showcased elite scoring ability, averaging 25 points and 7 rebounds per game. His defensive prowess has been equally impressive, averaging 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks.
Washington’s future suddenly looks much brighter with Dybantsa joining Alex Sarr and Tre Johnson, giving the Wizards one of the NBA’s most promising young cores.
Utah’s Darren Peterson, selected second overall out of Kansas, has answered many of the questions critics raised before the draft. Peterson is averaging 20.7 points, four rebounds and four assists while showing he can be a true floor general.
The Memphis Grizzlies may have landed one of the biggest steals of the draft when Cameron Boozer fell to them at No. 3. After an outstanding freshman season at Duke, Boozer has continued his stellar play in Las Vegas, averaging 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocks.
Perhaps the biggest surprise has been Chicago rookie Caleb Wilson. The former North Carolina standout has been electric, averaging 27.7 points per game while looking every bit like a future NBA star. His Summer League performance has already sparked conversations that he could eventually prove to be one of the best players from this draft class.
Another player making plenty of noise has been Cleveland’s Maleek Thomas, who leads the Summer League in scoring at 29 points per game. His offensive creativity and scoring instincts have reminded many observers of a young Tyrese Haliburton.
Of course, Summer League numbers don’t always translate into NBA success. We’ve all seen players dominate in July only to disappear once the regular season begins or end up in the G-League. But this rookie class appears different.
If these young stars continue developing at this pace, the NBA could be entering another exciting era led by one of the deepest draft classes we’ve seen in years.
I’m certainly looking forward to watching their journeys unfold.
