RICHLANDS, Va. — Reece Strong enjoyed one of the best games by a quarterback in Richlands football history.

Not that he realized it, or even cared. He certainly didn’t attempt to find out how he did.

“That is what they told me, I don’t think about it when I am playing,” said Strong, Richlands’ senior quarterback and standout kicker. “I didn’t know until Monday that I had set a record for the top 10 for the school, I hadn’t thought about it.

“I don’t read the paper. Unless there is an article about me, I don’t read the paper or the look at the scores, I just do what I do.”

He does it well. Not that he’s all that impressed.

“It is pretty easy when you have got these guys,” said Strong, of a potent collection of offensive weapons who have helped Richlands score more than 40 points per game through its 8-0 start to the season. “You just give them the ball and they make me look good.”

Strong did real good on Friday night, putting on a quarterback clinic in a 48-23 win at Carroll County. He threw for 240 yards and three touchdowns, completing 18-of-22 passing attempts to seven different receivers.

His touchdowns were from 43 yards (D.J. Flack), 15 (Todd McGlothlin) and 27 (Devon Johnson). He did miss two extra points, but is now 40-42 this season, continuing to add to one of his school records.

“That is the mark of a great player, he makes the people around him better and that is what Reece does,” Richlands head coach Greg Mance said. “He spreads the ball around so as a defensive coordinator it is very hard to lock him down where he is going to throw the football...

“He looks great. He is fun to watch because he is so smart and he makes great decisions with the ball in his hands.”

Mance called it a “special” night. It was so special that Strong — who is also a talented baseball player — is the recipient of the latest Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week award.

Not that Strong felt worthy of the honors.

“It is definitely nice, but I don’t think I deserve any of the recognition,” Strong said. “The offensive line, receivers, running backs, coaches, I like to put it all on them, I don’t think I deserve it.”

Mance — and fans of the Blue Tornado — might disagree. Strong has enjoyed a stellar campaign as Richlands heads into Friday’s regular season home finale with Abingdon with an unblemished record.

“Reece is a coach’s dream, he is the smartest quarterback that I think we have ever coached,” Mance said. “He is a very, very talented, he gets the ball where it is supposed to go, he audibles 60 percent of the time at the line of scrimmage...

“He knows his keys, his reads and he is throwing the ball the last few weeks as good as I have ever seen him throw it, He is throwing it exactly where he is supposed to throw it on time, and he hasn’t taken any sacks.

“He is just playing really well right now.”

How well? Strong has completed 67.8 percent (80-118) of his passes this season for 1,220 yards, 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions, and none in the last three games.

“He is our offense,” Mance said. “If he does well the offense is going to score points because he is in charge. He checks run, he checks pass...

Mance added, “He’s a student of the game.”

Not bad for a 5-foot-9, 185-pound football/baseball player, who was a waterboy for the Richlands football team from first grade until finally playing the game as an eighth grader.

Strong had to wait for his chance to be the primary signal-caller for the Blue Tornado, although Strong did play every third series last season behind starter Cody Lockhart during a 13-1 state runner-up campaign.

“He played so well last year, we couldn’t afford not to play him,” Mance said. “We prepared him like he was starting every week.”

“I feel like I had did all right, it was a little different last year in that if I did bad Lockhart came in, but this year there is a little bit more pressure,” Strong said. “I know I have to get a lot better, but I feel like I am doing all right. I get the ball to the receivers and they make me look good all the time so it is kind of an easy job.”

Called the ‘spiritual’ leader of the Blues by Mance, Strong wears a wristband with a Biblical scripture. He would prefer Hebrews 10:36, but Hebrews 10:32 wound up on there instead. It still works in his favor.

“I wanted 10:36 because it talks about patience and endurance, but they messed up and put 10:32,” said Strong, who will weigh his options on whether to play college football (as a kicker), baseball or both. His brother, Bradley, is currently playing baseball at Western Carolina.

“I looked it up and it is about when you first saw suffering and with the state game last year that is what I think about.”

Strong is quiet, but a definite leader, preferring to let his actions do his talking for him. He regularly leads the team in prayer, and God will always play a vital role in his life.

“I try to give all the credit to Him, He has given me everything, some people can’t walk and I can go out there and play football every day,” Strong said. “I wouldn’t be able to do this without Him, I try to set a good example around the team and the school so hopefully they can look up to me.”

Richlands’ offense is led by Strong, but there are plenty of other weapons, including Johnson — who ran for 231 yards and scored three touchdowns himself last Friday at Carroll County.

With such a balanced attack, no wonder the Richlands offense can be tough to tame, and Strong thinks they’re only going to get better.

“I hope so, that is what we want to keep going, but it is real easy,” said Strong, who regularly studies film with his father, Brad, who is a football assistant and head baseball coach at Richlands. “If I don’t feel good about a pass play I can check to a run and I know Devon is going to take it on, plus I have a good offensive line.”

Strong is also a standout kicker. He has five field goals — including a game-winner in the final minute of a 24-22 win over Union — is 40-42 in extra points and is averaging nearly 39 yards per punt this season.

He is the school’s all-time leader in points scored, extra points and his 48-yard field goal is the longest in Blue Tornado history.

All that is nice, but what Strong really wants is to win that last game of the season in Lynchburg in December.

That would be a Strong ending to a Strong career.

“I think we can get a lot better,” Strong said. “We have a lot of little things we need to work on which will lead to big things.

“I think we have a lot more potential than we’re showing right now.”

—Contact Brian Woodson

at bwoodson@bdtonline.com

HONORABLE MENTION

Bland County (56-13 loss, Grayson Couny): Ray Holston, 68 yards rushing, td.

Giles (41-28 win, Glenvar): Brad Kessinger, 168 yards, 2tds; Ethan Mitchell, 236 yards on 15 carries, 3tds; Zach Keaton, 2 FGs (40, 26).

Graham (45-14 loss, Galax): Gabe Hurt, 52 yards rushing, td, 40 yards receiving.

Grundy (47-0 win, East Ridge, Ky.): Tyler McClanahan, 110 yards rushing, td; Nick Travis, 108 yards rushing, 2td, td pass; Traquan Oliver, 71 yards rushing, td; Ben Rife 8-16 passing, 193 yards.

Haysi (50-10 win, Twin Valley): Zack Owens, 3 rushing tds, 2 passing td; Dakota Stanley, 68-yd punt return td.

Honaker (49-26 win, Hurley): Jerod Honaker, 175 yards rushing, 3 td.

Hurley (49-26 loss, Honaker): Tyler Berglowe, 224 yards rushing, td.

James Monroe (49-7 loss, Shady Spring): Micah Deskins, 62 yards rushing, td.

Montcalm (55-12 loss, Craig County): Jason Grose, td run; Ryan Absher, td run.

Narrows (42-6 loss, Fort Chiswell): Wyatt Robinson 61 yards, td.

Princeton (17-0 loss, Spring Valley): Jared Skeens 13 tackles; Alex Abdelwahed 11 tackles.

Richlands (48-23 won, Carroll County): Devon Johnson 231 yards rushing, 2td, 1 td reception.

River View (52-32 win, Midland Trail): LeShon Benton blocked punt, receiving td; John Bailey rush td, fumble recovery; Jacob Muncey 9-11 passing, 174 yards, 3 tds; Austin Walker int., rushing td.

Summers County (26-6 win, Meadow Bridge): Jesse Howdershelt 211 yards, 2td.

Tazewell (37-10 loss, Marion): Cody McCann 10-21 passing, 183 yards, td; Andrew Murray FG (40)