By CHAD COOPER
This week, I want to recognize some of Buchanan County’s youngest athletes and the adults who make their seasons possible.
Homecoming week put the spotlight on our Little League football players and cheerleaders. Seeing them in uniform, representing their teams and communities with pride, was a reminder that the future of Buchanan County athletics is already taking shape.
What fans see on game day is only part of the story. Coaches spend countless hours planning practices, teaching fundamentals and encouraging their young athletes. Parents and families give up evenings and weekends for practices, camps, games and travel.
The children are learning more than football and cheerleading. They are learning teamwork, discipline, sportsmanship and how to keep going when things get hard.
Every varsity athlete starts somewhere. For many, it begins on a Little League field with a volunteer coach patiently teaching the basics and helping a child believe in himself or herself.
Winning is exciting, but youth sports are about more than the score. They give children a place to belong, friendships to enjoy and memories they will carry for years.
I want to recognize the players, cheerleaders and coaches who make up this year’s teams:
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES SMURF BLACK FOOTBALL
Players: No. 3 Kayce Hall, No. 4 Jamison Mullins, No. 5 Eli Burkes, No. 7 Byron Dailey, No. 10 Collin Hurley, No. 14 Bennett Mullins, No. 19 Jaxon St. Clair, No. 22 Archer Owsley, No. 23 Kiser Peck, No. 25 Grayson Dotson, No. 31 Myles Stevenson, No. 32 Lance Barton, No. 33 Tobias Endicott, No. 35 Cayson Ward, No. 36 Oliver Looney, No. 38 Jeryd Knopf, No. 40 Clayton Adkins, No. 41 Sam Street, No. 45 Mathias Endicott, No. 47 Mason Bland, No. 50 Corey Stacy, No. 52 Aydin Grindstaff, No. 57 Chase Stacy, No. 66 Tucker Lester and No. 83 Elijah Allen.
Coaches: Daniel McClanahan, Dathan Vanover, Jeremy Hurley, Greg Stacy, Charlie Cochran, Michael Blankenship, Cole Stacy, Glenn St. Clair, Cody Looney, Kyle Hall and Cody Skeens.
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES SMURF GOLD FOOTBALL
Players: No. 0 Cruz Rife, No. 1 Isaac Bradley, No. 2 Dax Hensley, No. 8 Karson Still, No. 9 Blaine McClanahan, No. 11 Beau Vanover, No. 12 Davis Hurley, No. 13 Caiden Keen, No. 15 Evan Shortridge, No. 16 Max Cochran, No. 17 Eli Metz, No. 18 Tripp Boyd, No. 20 Jonah Tester, No. 21 Rhetley Coleman, No. 24 Myles Travis, No. 27 Carter Blankenship, No. 30 Colt Skeens, No. 34 Elijah Rife, No. 42 Easton Stacy, No. 44 Dylan McClanahan, No. 46 Chris Sanabria, No. 54 Easton Lee, No. 60 Dawson Clevinger, No. 67 Alex Sanabria, No. 68 Ayden Sanabria, No. 70 Xander Yates, No. 75 Brek Ratliff and No. 88 Liam Smith.
Coaches: Daniel McClanahan, Dathan Vanover, Jeremy Hurley, Greg Stacy, Charlie Cochran, Michael Blankenship, Cole Stacy, Glenn St. Clair, Cody Looney, Kyle Hall and Cody Skeens.
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES SMURF CHEER
Cheerleaders: Erin Berglowe, Olive Dotson, Emily Gallagher, Lou Hurley, Callie Justus, Everleigh Lester, Karaline Looney, Blair McClanahan, Hadley Waynick, Ember Webb, Trinity Wolford, Chrissy Coleman, Riley Coleman, Aria Dotson, Cayden Epling, Aubrey Mullins, Abigail Onate, Aubrey Owens, Maddie Perry, Oaklynn Street, Callie Yates, Sophie Yates, Catherine Adkins, Mya Armendariz, Kinsley Clevinger, Emma Horn, Rylan Hibbits, Blakeli Justice, Lilith Lee, McKenlee Meadows, Blakely Owens, Stella O’Quin, Kensley Ratliff, Margot Robertson, Mary Savage, Lakota Smith and Ada Viers.
Coaches: Brittany Clevinger, Whitney Rowe, Erica Owens and Angie Wolford.
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES PEEWEE FOOTBALL
Players: No. 2 Jason Colley, No. 3 Hunter Cooper, No. 4 Logan Johnson, No. 5 Caden Charles, No. 6 Jackson Perry, No. 7 Joeden Rowe, No. 8 Jensen Dale, No. 9 Brantley Ward, No. 10 Elijah Roden, No. 11 Houston Shumate, No. 12 Colston Stacy, No. 14 Jaxon Stiltner, No. 16 Walker Yates, No. 18 Cashton Stacy, No. 20 Brayden Baldwin, No. 22 Wyatt Lee, No. 25 Jonah Shelton, No. 27 Waylon Rife, No. 33 Eli Cochran, No. 34 Keagan Davis, No. 44 Emmitt Church, No. 45 Ryker Hibbitts, No. 45 Chrstopher Moore, No. 47 Eli Blankenship, No. 54 Brently Elswick, No. 55 Anthony McClanahan, No. 56 Caitlyn McClanahan, No. 62 Colton Ratliff, No. 77 Dakota Clevinger, No. 98 Conner Wolford and No. 99 Ian Charles.
Coaches: Tyler Cooper and Jason Ward.
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES PEEWEE CHEER
Cheerleaders: Lana Bennett, Tinleigh Blankenship, Kinsleigh Bostic, Kinzley Bowman, Ashlynn Brown, Ida Clevinger, Addyson Coleman, Audriana Dales, Isla Evans, Grace Hackney, Bralynn Hardin, Bailey Looney, Emalynn Looney, Lashay Looney, Savannah Looney, Charlotte Miller, Olivia Prater, Addilyn Ratliff, Whitney Rowe, Mia Stiltner and Emmy Underwood.
Coaches: Traci Evans, Hope Dales and Ashlee Miller.
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES MIDGET FOOTBALL
Players: No. 1 Jase Hardin, No. 2 Bryson Blankenship, No. 5 Lane Owens, No. 6 Luke Hensley, No. 7 John Vencil, No. 8 Mason Smith, No. 9 Westin Mullins, No. 10 Cael Savage, No. 11 Madix Taylor, No. 12 Dalton Hockman, No. 13 Zack Viers, No. 15 Canaan Yates, No. 16 Conner Yates, No. 18 Aiden Boyd, No. 19 Eli Looney, No. 21 Maddox Meadows, No. 22 Jaxon Boyd, No. 24 Uriah Whitt, No. 30 Ledger Baker, No. 34 Colton Clevinger, No. 35 Lincoln Baldwin, No. 42 Seeley Dale, No. 42 Keelan Daugherty, No. 52 Jaxson Justus, No. 54 Tank Bailey, No. 55 Kreed Lester, No. 60 Joseph Belcher, No. 65 Chase Stiltner, No. 77 Kaden Vance, No. 79 Rylan Lester, No. 88 Grayson Rice and No. 99 Ace Cochran.
Coaches: Aaron Looney, Ben Bailey, Matthew Baldwin and Wesley Meadows.
SOUTHERN GAP EAGLES MIDGET CHEER
Cheerleaders: Nadia Belachew, Sadie Blankenship, Venna Blankenship, Ariel Coleman, Ahleah Daniels, Cheyenne Davis, Brystol Grizzle, Abby Dye, Melody Hockman, Madelyn Lane, Brienne Lester, Isabella Lockhart, Paislee Looney, Gabby Perry, Sopheia Perry, Harper Prater, Autumn Quinley, Aubree Stacy, Aulora Stanley, Amelia Whitt and Rylee Wilson.
Coaches: Kayla Prater and Katelyn Blankenship.
Thank you to Glenn and Angel St. Clair for gathering the team photographs and to Ashley Boyd and Traci Evans for providing photographs and continuing to promote our student-athletes.
Every child on these rosters matters, and every coach, parent and volunteer deserves our appreciation. Their time and encouragement are helping build not only the future of Buchanan County athletics, but the future of Buchanan County.
“Thanks for joining me In the Locker Room. Until next week, let’s keep celebrating the victories, learning from the defeats, and always standing behind Buchanan County’s athletes.”
