2022 1A State Championship Game
- Thread starter buzzcoach
- Start date
. Got me laughing hard frWe all know it is still the Tarboro invitational
Lest we forget, Tarboro is still a dynasty. They are the measuring stick! They will be back. East Surry smoked them in 2019, but Tarboro came back to win 2 more in a row. It will take the same effort, planning, and execution to attempt to beat them next year. "The Tarboro Invitational" quote fired up the team, but it really was.
Wonder if they will Invite MA back to their tournament next year?
MA returns 26 players off the championship roster. 16 starters. Around 15 seniors. Underclassmen to watch will be #2, #4, #10, #12, #22, #71 With 6 playoff games all the kids got almost another full season of experience.
Last edited:
Thanks, Buzzcoach. I have watched the NFHS version twice, in person in Raleigh,, and now watching this broadcast.
I have watched the game now 3 times, there and twice on tv tape. Once with all the emotion of being at the game and in the moment. And twice to see "whatever I did not see at the game".
Daddy Doug correctly talks about "the Tarboro Dynasty". And Buzzcoach relates the number of Mt Airy players coming back and the new ones to look forward to see bloom into stars. Both are correct and spot on.
But in the third watching of the game I tried to zero in on what may have been one of the biggest elements of the game. The Coaches on the sideline: both ours and Tarboro's. My goodness who can argue with the influence that Coach Craddock and his staff have had on Tarboro's excellence over the past many years.
But in this game, in this season, OMG how important has the influence of Mt Airy's team of coaches been to their success. Have we seen two years of defensive MIGHT as we have seen from the solid wall that the Granite Bears put in place. Average allowing only 3.3 points per game last year and 7 and so this year. (I believe my numbers are close to correct.) Hats off to Darren and Company.
But this year, in my opinion, it was the calmness, the focus while in the moment, the adjustments both offensively and defensively made at halftime. And on Saturday, the demeanor of the coaches on the sideline during the game. Tarboro is certainly very fortunate to have the staff they do, but ....... Mt Airy has what I believe could the the staff of all staffs for the next several, several years.
I believe I can point to several events that had to happen for Mt Airy to arrive at this point.
1. The administration had to make the correct selection of a head coach 5 years ago.
2. JK had to hold together an already excellent staff.
3. JK had to ask Kelly to join and help the coaching team.
4. Kelly had to say yes and do so whole heartedly as he has.
I am sure there are other elements but, to me, Mt Airy should be very proud of where we are and where I believe we are going the next couple of years.
Daddy Doug correctly talks about "the Tarboro Dynasty". And Buzzcoach relates the number of Mt Airy players coming back and the new ones to look forward to see bloom into stars. Both are correct and spot on.
But in the third watching of the game I tried to zero in on what may have been one of the biggest elements of the game. The Coaches on the sideline: both ours and Tarboro's. My goodness who can argue with the influence that Coach Craddock and his staff have had on Tarboro's excellence over the past many years.
But in this game, in this season, OMG how important has the influence of Mt Airy's team of coaches been to their success. Have we seen two years of defensive MIGHT as we have seen from the solid wall that the Granite Bears put in place. Average allowing only 3.3 points per game last year and 7 and so this year. (I believe my numbers are close to correct.) Hats off to Darren and Company.
But this year, in my opinion, it was the calmness, the focus while in the moment, the adjustments both offensively and defensively made at halftime. And on Saturday, the demeanor of the coaches on the sideline during the game. Tarboro is certainly very fortunate to have the staff they do, but ....... Mt Airy has what I believe could the the staff of all staffs for the next several, several years.
I believe I can point to several events that had to happen for Mt Airy to arrive at this point.
1. The administration had to make the correct selection of a head coach 5 years ago.
2. JK had to hold together an already excellent staff.
3. JK had to ask Kelly to join and help the coaching team.
4. Kelly had to say yes and do so whole heartedly as he has.
I am sure there are other elements but, to me, Mt Airy should be very proud of where we are and where I believe we are going the next couple of years.
Tarboro’s only two losses to 1A opponents since 2017 have come against teams from Surry County. East Surry defeated Tarboro in the 2019 1AA State Championship to stop the Vikings short of a three-peat, just as Mount Airy did in 2022.
Tarboro 3
NWC 2
Can we tie this up in 2023 ?
Tarboro 3
NWC 2
Can we tie this up in 2023 ?
Bears out scored opponents in the playoffs.......
268-37
That's 44.4 - 5.2 per game
268-37
That's 44.4 - 5.2 per game
I don't know about that. I think Mount airy is very good and this year they were definitely better than tarboro. However number 68 did not play. And when I say that he was probably the best player on the field for either team he was the top three I can promise you. He was the guy that pulled and made those big blocks to spring those big runs. And he was out that game. Now Mount airy had some great players out too. Number 75 was out 32 was out most of the game. And I believe they lost their big lineman they're big left guard right. Not to say you shouldn't have some confidence. But tarboro has a bunch of good football players. I think right now and next year Mount airy probably is better. But it's not always going to be the same.
In comparing the two games Tarboro lost they had a ton of turnovers against ES. Mt Airy had a much better defense and Tarboro was matching ES first quarter scoring before all the fumbles. Tarboro quarterback in 2019 superb athlete with speed.
If Tarboro didn't have #7 MA would had several runs to the house! Watch the tape you will see he ran MA backs down few times and was last man their. Pretty good.
#11 will be a great running back for Tarboro. He is fast and has some moves. # 7 has good speed and is a very good athlete.
See every play of the game in 13 minutes
Must see! Epic battle for sure
12/23/2022 Edit: Oh well, it is no longer available with this link, but it is still there if you do a search
Must see! Epic battle for sure
12/23/2022 Edit: Oh well, it is no longer available with this link, but it is still there if you do a search
Last edited:
To the MT Airy fans. Do y’all feel like this Mt Airy team was the best team ever. All I know is they really had a good team this year.
Them Wheeler boys and Dobson were a beast in 08 for sure
Man, that is a tough one probably better left alone. However, the question will always be asked. Both teams were some of our best, and right up there with the undefeated State Championship teams of 1942 and 1946. The 42' team only gave up 22 points all season while winning the State Championship game 41-0! The 22 points allowed in a season is still a school record! The 46' team averaged 36.7 pts./game. The 46' team scoring average was a record until 2007!
As for 2008 and 2022, the 08' team lead the nation in scoring with 846, averaging 52.9 points per game, with a winning margin of 46.8 points per game while going undefeated and winning 1A subdivision championship. These are all school records. Defense gave up 6.1 points per game. They were never really challenged.
The 22' team played a much tougher post season schedule and a much tougher State Championship opponent while amassing the 2nd most points in school history with 777 while averaging 48.6 points per game. The defensive numbers are staggering considering the playoff opponents and only gave up 7.4 points per game.
I will let you decide. Either team has a legacy that is etched in our storied history.
As for 2008 and 2022, the 08' team lead the nation in scoring with 846, averaging 52.9 points per game, with a winning margin of 46.8 points per game while going undefeated and winning 1A subdivision championship. These are all school records. Defense gave up 6.1 points per game. They were never really challenged.
The 22' team played a much tougher post season schedule and a much tougher State Championship opponent while amassing the 2nd most points in school history with 777 while averaging 48.6 points per game. The defensive numbers are staggering considering the playoff opponents and only gave up 7.4 points per game.
I will let you decide. Either team has a legacy that is etched in our storied history.
O8 MA went undefeadet blew out ESurry. O9 pretty good also. 22 special but 08 we knew MA would not be beat.
Would have been interesting if 1A hadn’t been subdivided in 2008.
The 2008 team won the 1A and could have won the 1A in 2009. The 2009 BEAR team lost in OT when the BEARS scored 1st in OT to make it 37 - 30 over Wallace Rose Hill, and then WRH scored and went for the 2-point conversion and made it winning 38-37 in OT to win the 2009 game. They were basically evenly matched and it could have been back-to-back Championships if the BEARS had stopped that 2-point conversion. Two great teams and WRH took a chance that paid off. BEARS played small 1A in 2008 & 2009 and back to 1AA in 2010. Seems they were always borderline 1A - 1AA every year after that and before also, as I can remember. BEARS were State runner-ups in 2009 & 2017
Last edited:
I think I will watch and read mostly for a while and look forward to August 2023 BEAR football. That's what I did last year except posting some basketball scores I stopped posting on football a week or so after BEARS finished. Not a lot going on in NWC basketball yet. BEARS had a great year and I hope for the same next year. Y'all keep it going and enjoy, I enjoy reading posts and may post some but not much. It's been fun !
Merry Christmas
