By BRIAN WOODSON

Bluefield Daily Telegraph

BASTIAN, Va. — Brian Arnold had a feeling prior to the season.

He was right.

“It was just the offseason,” Arnold said. “I feel like we put more time into the weight room and out on the field getting better.”

Bland County has surprised many with a 6-1 start to the season, which has included being the top-rated Class 1A team in Virginia in terms of rating points just two weeks ago. They are No. 2 right now.

Arnold isn’t surprised.

“It went through my head quite a bit because of all the hard work that we put in over the offseason,” Arnold said. “I figured this could be the year.”

So far it has been. The Bears followed up a one-point loss to Narrows with a 26-18 win over Grayson County, led by Arnold, who scored three touchdowns and had a key defensive play on a goal line stand to end the game.

“The loss just gave us more determination to come back and get back on track,” Arnold said. ‘That just kind of made us mad. We felt like we could have done better than what we did that day.”

They did just fine last Friday, led by the 5-foot-11, 165-pound junior, who ran for 105 yards on 15 carries, scoring on runs of 39 and 9 yards, and also caught a 68-yard touchdown pass from Alec Taylor.

He also tackled Grayson County quarterback Tyler Lundy for a five-yard loss on a goal line stand that secured the win for the Bears and their faithful following of fans.

“We play hard and don’t quit and keep playing,” Arnold said. “The players definitely were excited, and the fans do a good job in what they do, they show good support...

That effort earned Arnold the Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week award.

Just don’t expect the soft-spoken Arnold to take credit for the accomplishment.

“I am blessed, but I couldn’t have done anything that I have without my team,” Arnold said. “I couldn’t have done it without everybody else, I need those guys.”

That type of attitude isn’t surprising to Bland County head coach Harris Hart.

“They appreciate it, and when any one individual gets recognized on a team I think everybody is aware it is more of a team award,” Hart said. “Certainly for running backs it has a lot to do with the offensive line and the other backs blocking for him.

“That was the key. Colton Slaughter came in there at the end of the game and made some key blocks to spring him, especially that last touchdown.”

Arnold is one of several productive backs for the Bears, who can also call upon Isaiah Boyd, Dylan Jackson, Slaughter and quarterback Alec Taylor.

“I feel like if you have more people out there you just get them more involved and they don’t focus on just one person,” Arnold said.

There is also the offensive line that includes Dustin Pennington, Zane Cunningham, Alex Treadway, Garrett Steffey and Sawyer Lambert.

“They are strong and big,” he said. “They open up those holes.”

He has had other big games this season. He had 84 yards rushing and four athletic catches for 72 yards in the loss to Narrows, and also had 77 yards and two scores at Montcalm.

Add to that a 40-yard touchdown run against Northwood, a 24-yard run and a fumble recovery for a score at Rural Retreat, and two scores in the season opener over Craig County, and Arnold has continued to improve.

“It is confidence and coming out here working with these guys,” he said. ‘I am just wanting to be better, we want to get to the playoffs.”

They are well on their way, and the win over Grayson County definitely helped, with Arnold scoring on a 39-yard run in the first quarter to put the Bears up 14-0.

“The offensive line opened up a great hole,” Arnold said. “I have got to give it to them, I saw that hole open and I just took it.”

Bland County has thrown the ball more in recent games, and it paid off in the second quarter when Taylor found a wide open Arnold and he dashed 68 yards for a touchdown to build the lead to 20-0.

“It was a fade, there was nobody around,” he said. “I threw my hand up hoping the quarterback would see me, sure enough he did and it was a pretty pass, you have got to give it to him.”

Grayson County pulled with 20-18 going to the fourth quarter when Arnold struck again, following his blockers nine yards to the end zone for the final score with 3:26 left in the game.

“That was amazing blocks is all that was, it was all them,” he said. “I just followed my blockers.”

That was followed by a key defensive play. One of the smaller football playing schools in the region, Arnold has played all over the field for the Bears, who have no choice but to play numerous positions.

“We have moved him around defensively,” Hart said. “At the beginning of the year we had him at safety and then he played some outside linebacker.

“He is versatile obviously so we have put him at defensive end to have speed coming off the edge to rush and contain and he has done a great job learning that. He had practiced the week before a good part of the week at safety. It was a situation that arose where we needed him, he is very versatile.”

When Grayson County was challenging to possibly force overtime in the final minute, Arnold did it again, tackling Lundy for negative five yards. The Bears also deflected a pair of passes before the outcome was decided.

“They didn’t block me on the edge and I ran right around them and got him,” he said.

Arnold leads the Bears with 563 yards and 10 touchdowns, averaging 80.4 yards per game. He also has seven receptions for 183 yards, has averaged 13.33 yards on returns, and has 11 solo tackles, 23 assists and two sacks.

“Offensively he runs so hard, so physical with a purpose, as hard as any back I have ever coached,” Hart said. “Very seldom does one man bring him down, he keeps his feet going, gets vertical and just keeps running.”

That is the plan every time Arnold touches the football.

“Get yards is all I try to do, don’t try to go down,” Arnold said. “That is my main goal when I have the ball, don’t let them bring me down.”

He will try to do the same on Friday when the Bears travel to Mitchell Stadium to face Graham. There is little doubt what Arnold feels like Bland County must do as the season approaches playoff time.

“Play hard and win these games and get in the playoffs and win,” Arnold said. “We just have to focus, keep our heads on right and just don’t quit and keep playing.”

That isn’t a problem for Arnold. He only knows one way to play the game.

“Determination,” he said. “That is all, just determination.”

Jerry Scott contributed

to this report

Player of Week Honorable Mention

Bland County (26-18 over Grayson County): Alec Taylor 3-7 77 yards 1 td (68) pass; Isaiah Boyd 15-47 rush.

Giles (35-27 over Radford): Brian Mann 41 (school record)-290 4 td (19, 7, 34, 6); Max Riley 5-5 extra points; Patrick Beidleman 44 rush.

Graham (41-33 loss to Galax): Jamorya' Cousin 18-198 4 td (46, 18, 4, 1); Roman Workman 20-125 rush, 5-13 123, 1 td (73); Ben Meade 1 td (73) catch.

Grundy (56-0 loss to Richlands): Christian Jackson 6-76 catch.

Honaker (49-22 win over Hurley): Avin Parrott 14-103 1 td (24) rush, 1 td (49) catch; Bryson Bostic 16-93 2 td (3, 56) rush; Hartley Hilton 177 yards 3 td (49, 23, 22) pass, 1 td (1) rush.

Hurley (49-22 loss to Honaker):Brady Justice 270 yards 3 td (56, 97, 51).

James Monroe (17-14 loss to Princeton): Evan Beasley 12-18, 223, 1 td (29) pass, 16-56 rush; Grant Mohler 22-61 1 td (6) rush; Tyler Moore 1 td (29) catch.

Mount View (34-19 loss to Wyoming East): Elijah Collier 16-35 279 2 td (52, 18) pass; Treyvon Richardson 3-69 1 td (52) catch; Quis Bonds 4-100 1 td (18) pass; Jaquane Imes 2-55 1 td (10).

Narrows (53-20 over Fort Chiswell): Cole Blaker 138 yards 3 td (29, 51, 40) pass, 68 yards 2 td (14, 6) rush; Blaize Hopkins 15-113 rush; Landon Neal 2 td (29, 40) catch; Matthew Mullins blocked punt.

PikeView (28-14 over River View): Hunter Michelson 23-131 3 td (1, 3, 2) rush, 1-18 catch; Levi Nash 6-67 rush; Joe Jennings 4-67 rush; Jerrett Ellison 23-51 td (2) rush.

Princeton (17-14 over James Monroe): Zach Standifur 18-159 rush, 1-8 catch; Kevin Phillips 9-57 rush 1-20 catch; Christian Shafer 3-7-84 pass, 1 td (2) rush; Tyler Whitt 1-56 catch; Jacob Whittington, FG (30) game-winner at buzzer, 2-2 on extra points; Jared Hamm, punt return td (79).

Richlands (56-0 over Grundy): 9-11 211 4 td (34, 63, 7, 58) pass; Austin Atkinson 2-92 2 td (34, 58) catch, 49 yard punt return to set up a td; Nick Blankenship 7-118 3 td (7, 1 55); Cody Howie 3-40 catch; Nick Barrett 7-7 on extra points; Defense, held Grundy to negative (-27 yards) rush; 73 total offensive yards.

River View (28-14 loss to PikeView): Chance Stone 21-109 2 td (1, 89) rush; 41 pass yards.

Summers County (28-21 loss to Meadow Bridge): Matt Ryan 14-22 154 1 td (14) pass, 26-101 1 td (14); Greg Shrewsbury 13-87 rush; Caleb Harrah 6-69 catch; Nathan Grimmett 1-13 td (14) catch, 2-22 rush, 2 fumble recoveries.

Twin Valley (39-14 win over Thomas Walker): Austin Shortridge 16-154 3 td (rush); Caleb Keen 10 tackles, 1 interception on defense).

Wyoming East (34-19 win over Mount View): Uriah Atkins 21-252 2 td (91, 75) rush; Steven Shrewsbury 11-73 2 td (4, 5); Hunter Hall 3-4 60 pass.

2015 Winners

Week 1: Evan Beasley, James Monroe

Week 2: Brian Mann, Giles

Week 3: Mookie Collier, Bluefield

Week 4: Zach Standifur, Princeton

Week 5: Matt Ryan, Summers County

Week 6: John-Luke Asbury, Richlands

Week 7: Brady Justice, Hurley

Week 8: Brian Arnold, Bland County