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GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
Jun 09, 2024 at 08:57 AM ET
Congratulations to the Rye Cove
War Eagles out of Clinchport Va (home of Natural Tunnel, which puts Natural Bridge to shame) for winning the class 1A softball state championship)! School’s first ever.

27 Replies

BlackwaterHokie BlackwaterHokie
My HS alma mater.
There were around 350-360 students grades 8-12 in late 90s. My graduating class had 53(ish?).
hokiepro hokiepro
Was this their first ever team championship in any sport?
I know CBurg has a bunch of wrestling titles but got their first softball one yesterday ** Edited by hokiepro at 6/9/2024, 2:28:35 PM
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
No. They dominated 1A volleyball
between around 2000 and 2010 (not sure about those years), maybe winning 5 or 6 state championships. They are also (someone correct me if I’m wrong) the only school to win 2 state championships in the same sport in the same calendar year (VHSL volleyball used to be played in the winter/spring and girls basketball was played during football season; they swapped them a few years ago so girls basketball could be played concurrently with boys basketball; RC won the Vball ship that spring and then again that Fall). The only other sport they have won it all is in girls basketball I believe.
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william floyd
Rye Cove only won two state championships in volleyball, both in 2003, one
in the spring, when volleyball was played in the winter months, and then again in November when volleyball was played in the fall for the first year in Virginia. Rye cove finished runner-up for the state championship four times prior to that, and each time the winning school had a 2A enrollment, and played in the 2A division the next year. The volleyball coach, Donnie Qualls, is in the Virginia High School League sports Hall of Fame.
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
You get bonus points if you know
what the coach’s name was that took over for Donnie Qualls when he retired.
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william floyd
Yes, I do. I have been away from home today, but here is your answer -
Greg Gilliam. I have officiated more Rye Cove matches than any other twenty volleyball officials added together. Since Greg, there have been two new coaches - Brittany Lawson Salyer and Heather Jones Peterson -- the current coach.
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
+100. I’m impressed. Thank you for your
commitment to be a HS ref.
laphroaig laphroaig
Winner Winner Bojangles Dinner
laphroaig laphroaig
Don't now the last name but my money says the first name is COACH. :-)
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
Thanks for clearing up my
foggy memory about the total no. of championships. I knew I got the fact about winning 2 in one year right though.
YorkHokie YorkHokie
When I was a sophomore at Hampton HS in 69/70
we won state titles in football, basketball and chess.
laphroaig laphroaig
Same players on all those teams?
hokiepro hokiepro
That’s awesome for that tiny school (200 9-12) CBurg won their 1st state
Title in class 3 yesterday too! ** Edited by hokiepro at 6/9/2024, 2:32:26 PM
hokiepro hokiepro
They have a pitcher colleges should be all over
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
She is very good. Going to ETSU.
VTChip VTChip
Looks like she has signed with East Tennessee State
Sounds like a team that is easy to pull for
hokiepro hokiepro
Yeah. She will immediately help them win
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william floyd
Time will tell on that one.
F
FriendofCoal
Congratulations to Rye Cove!
U
UpperQuad
That's the 1st time that I've ever heard of Natural Tunnel
VA needs to do a better job of publicizing its state parks!
MAJ Gobble MAJ Gobble
The world's shortest train tunnel is also in VA on the road between
Big Stone Gap and Appalachia. Been a long time but as I remember its only maybe 20 ft long. Also, there is a smaller Natural Bridge in Lee County, I think in the Flatwoods area.
R
RJHokie
It’s located in Scott County north of Gate City near Duffield.
The tunnel and park are not far from the Virginia/Tennessee state line. The tunnel itself has a Norfolk Southern rail line running through it and is a very large naturally formed cave.
laphroaig laphroaig
Real interesting experience being inside when a train comes thru.
R
RJHokie
I bet!
Not going to find out though!
GCHokieof91 GCHokieof91 OP
You can trout fish in the stream
(Stock Creek) that made Natural Tunnel. Here is a pic of the north side of the tunnel.
H
hokeeron1
One of my Richlands HS pals became Ranger there years ago
R
RJHokie
I’ve driven through that area a fair number of times when
I had work to do in the general area. When I was a kid in the 50’s a friend of mine from the Duffield area resided in our neighborhood in Charlottesville for a couple of years. His father was one of the construction managers when U Va did a major expansion of their hospital in the late 50’s. His name was Dude W. Bowen, nicknamed Bo. Had a younger sister, but don’t remember her name. They owned a farm near Duffield. If Bo is still alive he would be around 75 years old now. Last time I did some work in that area, about 8 years ago, I believe he and his father were still “kicking”.