By Debbie Adams
Rec league players in Vinton were recognized at “Youth Night” prior to the second William Byrd Terriers home game against Hidden Valley High School on September 3.
The young athletes walked the track in front of the stands to the cheers of their families and Terrier spectators prior to the game.
Teams introduced included the 8U Grasshoppers Co-Ed Soccer Team coached by Mike Terrell. Players include: Londyn Terrell, Cannon Jones, Charlie Ralph, Mason Fields, Odin McKinney, Jude Failes, Parker Henry, Lucas Romeo, Ila Thomas, Gia Henderson, and Olivia Heaps.
Next up were the 10U Ladybugs Girls Soccer Team, also coached by Mike Terrell. Players include Kinsley Ring, Hanna Counts, Sage Hazlewood, Janilla Henderson, Mia Johnson, Samantha Keith, Addyson Lutz, Cally Lutz, Ava Maute, Madison Pohlman, and Collyns Terrell.
The 7U Saints Flag Football Team coached by Erin Berry and Andrea Hebert walked the track next. They include Miles Berry, Emelia Hebert, Landon Sheridan, Noah Thomas, and Landon Wilson.
The 7U Eagle Flag Football players, coached by Devin Yeatts, included Elijah Brewer, Shane Clinebell, Jr., Demitrice David, Eli Robertson, Gunner Shepherd, Isiah Strother, Hayden Thomas, and Liam Yeatts.
The 9U Cowboys Flag Football Team, coached by Jeff Clinebell, Robbie Hebert, and Jerome Mann includes players Landon Clinebell, Alexander Hebert, Sincere Mann, Bentley Oliver, Conner Martin, Reece Brady, Brett Gardner, Carrington Gill, Tyler Carter, and Tyler Terry.
The 11U Giants Flag Football Team, coached by James Martin and William Brodmerkel includes players Evan Bays, Jude Hinkle, Ryan Bell, Jacob Bryant, Michael Dixon, Benjamin Gurley, Kyler Martin, Landon Rodgers, Blair Godlesky, and Ryan Witcher.
The 8U Cheerleaders, coached by Morgan Edberg, Valerie Counts, and Victoria Thomas include Ali Burwell, Bayleigh Edberg, Arabella Ferguson, Adlee Kennedy-Mackay, Gracelynn Leary, Rylee Lutz, Harper Mitchell, Emma Morris, Madilynn Oliver, Lexi Reeves, Carleigh St. Clair, Aubrie Taylor, Lilly Thomas, Ava Thornton, Makenna Tingler, Ella Turman, and Arabella Weeden.
The 12U Cheerleaders are coached by Marceline Huff, Tina Black, and Samantha Morgan. They include Kendall Adams, Charley Harmon, Cassidy Thompson, Asia Bannister, Mariah Black, Sofia Butler, Riley Cummings, Macie Fields, Ayriana Huff, Tinley Humphries, Octavia Mann, Layna Miller, Layna Miller, Gracie Morgan, Violeta Ramirez, Haleigh Sauceda, Isabella Wirtz, and Kaydy Wright.
Tackle Football teams recognized on Youth Night include the 8U Terriers, coached by Marcus Hill. The team includes Bentley Perdue, Grayson Underwood, Riggins Hill, Owen Gibson, Johnathan Looney, Issac Ray, Kennedy Hernandez, Liam Krista, Hayden McClure, Colton Flannagan, Brylan Shupe, Peyton Barton, Landen Nichols, Tyler Jones, Jaxon Kish, Niko Bardales, Tucker Mahanes, Easton Nicely, Emmett Colvin, and Bryson Whorley.
The 10U Terriers Tackle Football team are coached by Mitch Kotz. Players include Zachary Ingram, Conner Daugherty, Peyton Underwood, Jackson Poindexter, Jacob Morris, Nolan Riley, Brennan Leary, Liam Shaw, Wyatt Magill, Briggs Kotz, Zachary Camden, Aden Sanderson, Greylin Peters, Austin Thomas, Eli Poindexter, Reid Divers, Joshua Hale, Pierce Franks, Josiah Wines, Mason Williams, Bentley Shupe, Levi Amos, Benjamin Amos, Jayden Omiyo, and Gavin Cook.
Gary Wheeler coaches the 12U Terriers Tackle Football team which includes players Caleb Wrye, Eli Ratliff, Carson Wheeler, Mason Hershel, Ethan Parker, Nicholas Toney, Michael Fleisher, Ryan Carroll, Stephen Byars, Andre Chapman, Joshua Serreno, Jakeem Toler, Jamari Toler, Eli Barton, Bradley Counts, Isaiah McElvy, Jaylen Blake Anderson, Zane Taylor, and Jackson Booze.
At the September 3, the Terriers paid special tribute to the 13 U.S. service members who gave their lives on August 26 serving in Kabul, Afghanistan—11 Marines, one serving in the Army, and one in the Navy. Terrier announcer Chris Carr said, “We will always be grateful for their sacrifice.”
The tradition of honoring American soldiers who have given their lives in Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom was begun by Head Coach Brad Lutz.
The 13 soldiers remembered include:
- Marine Sgt. Johanny Rosario Pichardo, age 25, from Lawrence, Massachusetts, a member of the 5th Marine Expeditionary Brigade in Bahrain
- Marine Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, age 23, from Roseville, California, a maintenance technician with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit’s Combat Logistics Battalion 24
- Marine Staff Sgt. Darin T. Hoover, age 31, from Salt Lake City, Utah, a member of the 2nd Battalion 1st Marine Regiment, who joined the Marines immediately after high school in 2008
- Marine Cpl. Hunter Lopez, age 22, from Indio, California, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
- Marine Cpl. Daegan W. Page, age 23, from Omaha, Nebraska, an infantry rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
- Marine Cpl. Humberto A. Sanchez, age 22, from Logansport, Tennessee, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
- Marine Lance Cpl. David L Espinoza, age 20, from Rio Bravo, Texas, an infantry rifleman in the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton, California; he joined the Marines just out of high school
- Marine Lance Cpl. Jared M. Schmitz, age 20, from St. Charles, Missouri, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
- Marine Lance Cpl. Rylee J. McCollum, age 20, from Jackson, Wyoming, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment; he was married in February and expecting his first child in October; he had wanted to join the military his entire life and signed up for the Marines the day he turned 18
- Marine Lance Cpl. Dylan R. Merola, age 20, from Rancho Cocamonga, California, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
- Marine Lance Cpl. Kareem M Nikoui, age 20, from Norco, California, a member of the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regiment
- Navy Corpsman Maxton W. Soviak, age 22, from Berlin Heights, Ohio, a medic serving with the 1st Marine Regiment at Camp Pendleton; he was on the football, track, wrestling, and tennis teams in high school, and a member of the school band
- Army Staff Sgt. Ryan C. Knauss, age 23, a special operations soldier from Corryton, Tennessee in the Army’s 9th Psychological Operations Battalion, in Fort Bragg, North Carolina; he joined the Army in 2016 just out of high school
The JROTC Color Guard, including Nathan Andersen and Hunter Burns from William Byrd High School, participated in the tribute prior to the game with the presentation of colors and the National Anthem.
The Marching Terriers performed their entire program, “Escape from the Mind” during halftime—this time in full uniform.
The final score in the hard-fought game was Hidden Valley 42—Byrd 10. The Terriers play at Christiansburg on September 10.