Bluefield – Last season it appeared Bluefield’s run of playoff dominance would come to an end without a chance to even make the big dance.
A chance was all the Beavers needed.
Ravaged by Covid and forced to forfeit a game just to be playoff eligible, the Beavers went on a late tear and backed into the playoffs as the No. 14 seed. From there they went on the road to beat No. 3 Point Pleasant before dispatching of North Marion on their way to the semifinals.
Leading 20-7 in the semifinal game, the Beavers ran into a bit of adversity they couldn’t overcome as QB Ryker Brown tore his calf against Independence, ending the improbable run in Coal City.
Now the Beavers are tasked with replacing a pair of all-staters in Brown and Jacorian Green along with a bevy of other key players if they hope to maintain their incredible run.
“The kids replacing them are going to have to step it up,” Bluefield coach Fred Simon said. “We’ll see how our offensive guys go. Amir (Hairston) is going to have to do it, (Caleb) Fuller at quarterback is going to have to do it. At receiver we have a few like (Sencere) Fields, R.J. Hairston and those guys are going to have to step it up a little bit.”
Hairston will be the foundation of the Beavers’ offense earning a first-team all-state selection last year as a sophomore running back. He’s got speed to spare having been a part of the school’s 100- and 200-meter dash attendance championship teams in May. Just a junior, he’s already earned high praise from Simon who’s compared him to some of the great running backs in school history.
“He is like the real good ones we’ve had in the past,” Simon said of Amir. “Mookie (Collier) who won the Kennedy – he listens, he works and there’s no complaint about him. He’s going to have a good year because of his head.”
Hairston leads a stable of talented skill players that Simon is high on that includes Fields, who scored a touchdown on defense in the semifinal game, and R.J. Hairston a 6-foot-4 basketball star who can be a matchup nightmare. Together they all form a group Simon hopes will help new Beaver QB Caleb Fuller in his first year as the starter.
“I think the surprise there is R.J. will be good offensively too,” Simon said. “We can play him more at tight end and as an outside receiver. I think he’s going to help us a lot. He’s tall, rangy, can jump and run so I think we can use him a lot. He’s a talented kid that’s tough to matchup with. I think the skill positions overall are probably where we’re the strongest.”
The one concern Simon has though is along the offensive line. The Beavers return numerous players with experience but they’re still learning. Adding to his concern is the limited amount of players he has out this season. With it, depth has been harder to build.
“With experience, we’re returning four guys with experience,” Simon said. “All the linemen have had experience to some point because of last year. I’d love to have a line that can just play o-line if we can pull it off. The numbers have been down a little bit but I don’t mind small numbers. They’re easier to coach and handle and you don’t have as many headaches – not as many shoulder pads to hand out, not as much stuff to do but you also don’t have as much depth either. That’s the other part but barring injuries I like what we’ve got going on.”
Building depth was one of the positives from last year. Another was that it gave the Beavers an opportunity to get some younger players some meaningful reps. Rising juniors Spencer Fields and Gerrard Wade were amongst those that played key roles on defense down the stretch as the Beavers faced adversity and the belief is it will only help this year.
“I think they definitely have a clue about what’s going on because they played a lot,” Simon said. “The key again is our offensive line. I think that’s going to be the key about what makes us go. If that line can get us some holes and give us a little time to throw it and know they’re assignments, I’ll be happy. Really defensively it’s going to be the same for us too.”
If the Beavers can make the playoffs again they’ll be battle tested. While playing all their games at Mitchell Stadium throughout the postseason is a nice luxury, they proved last year they can still go into somebody else’s house and walk out with a win. It’s why Simon, despite playing one of the most brutal schedules in Class AA, is more so worried about just making the playoffs instead of running the table.
If they can get in, he feels like they’ll have seen enough to be prepared for anything.
“We’ve got a tough schedule,” Simon said. “We open up with Graham, we’ve got Princeton, Pulaski County and Woodrow. Those first four, shoot if we get in the playoffs with a winning season I’ll be happy because it means we’ll have been battle tested with everything you could’ve seen and that would be great. I don’t know what’s going to happen but the goal is to work hard, get better and get our butts in the playoffs somehow, someway.”
Bluefield will open the season with Graham, Va. on Aug. 26 at Mitchell Stadium.
Email: tylerjackson@lootpress.com and follow on Twitter @tjack9
1 | 08/26/22 | 7:30PM | A – | GRAHAM,VA H.S. | – |  | ||
2 | 09/02/22 | 7:30PM | H – | PRINCETON SENIORÂ | – | Â | ||
3 | 09/08/22 | 7:30PM | H – | PULASKI,VA H.S. Â | – | Â | ||
4 | 09/16/22 | 7:30PM | A – | WOODROW WILSONÂ | – | Â | ||
5 | 09/23/22 | 7:00PM | A – | RICHLANDS, VA H.S. Â | – | Â | ||
6 | 09/30/22 | 7:30PM | A – | INDEPENDENCE SENIORÂ | – | Â | ||
7 | 10/07/22 | 7:00PM | A – | PIKEVIEWÂ | – | Â | ||
8 | 10/14/22 | 7:30PM | H – | TAZEWELL, VA H.S. Â | – | Â | ||
9 | 10/21/22 | 7:30PM | H – | OAK HILLÂ | – | Â | ||
10 | 10/28/22 | 7:30PM | H – | RIDGEVIEW, VA HSÂ | – | Â |