BY ANTHONY STEVENS

for the Daily Telegraph

HONAKER, Va. — The high school football regular season will end on Friday, and Honaker will traveling to Haysi with a pair of Tigers meeting with the Black Diamond District championship on the line.

Leading the Honaker Tigers into battle will be senior tailback Jerod Honaker.

Jerod or “J-Rod” as coaches and teammates refer to him, is coming off a big game last week against Grundy.

In Honaker’s 42-20 win over the Golden Wave, he finished with 163 yards on 17 carries and scored two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score in the decisive third quarter at the Tigers battled back from a 14-7 halftime deficit.

That performance helped Honaker earn this week’s Pocahontas Coal Association/Bluefield Daily Telegraph Player of the Week award.

“He ran the ball hard,” Honaker coach Doug Hubbard said. “He followed his blockers and made some good cuts, especially in the second half.”

J-Rod has four years of varsity experience. He has amassed 3,028 rushing yards to this point in his high school career. The 5-foot-10, 179-pound Honaker averages almost seven yards a carry. He has scored 33 touchdowns, with 15 of those coming this year in his senior season.

“He had a few carries his freshman year, but his sophomore season we started getting him into the mix,” commented Hubbard. “About halfway through his sophomore year he was the starter.

“He just has a lot of God-given natural ability. He works hard in the weight room, is very coachable and is just a good kid.”

He has built on an outstanding junior season (1,188 yards) with his best year yet. Through only nine games he has 1,251 rushing yards for an average of 7.2 yards per carry and 15 touchdowns.

“Jerod has a good combination of speed, power, good vision and elusiveness,” Hubbard said. “He’s patient and takes what you give him. He finishes runs extremely well.”

The soft-spoken Honaker likes to share his success with teammates.

“The offensive line is basically the reason for all my success,” he said. “I count on them and fullback Tyler Bailey paving the way.”

J-Rod and all the Tigers hope the season is far from over. With a good performance and a win at Haysi on Friday, the Russell County Tigers should lock up a good seed in the Western Section, Division 2 playoffs that begin next week.

“It’s very important for us to win at Haysi,” J-Rod said. “The BDD title is on the line and that has been a goal of ours from the beginning of the year.

“It would also help in getting home field advantage in the playoffs.”

The Tigers (7-2) are currently rank fourth in Group A, Division 2, Western Section and have already punched their ticket for a playoff berth.

A lot of their success on Friday and in the postseason for Honaker will depend on the running game led by tailback who is also named Honaker.

HONORABLE

MENTION

Bluefield (23-13 win, James Monroe): D.J. Edwards 66 yards rushing, 2 tds, 33 passing; C.J. Manns 142 yards on 14 carries; Montel Leggett 74 yards rushing, td.

Bland County (49-0 loss, Galax): Jakob Haun 65 yards rushing.

Giles (35-0 win, Eastern Montgomery): Ethan Mitchell 149 yards on 13 carries, 3 tds; Brad Kessinger 105 yards, td, 84-yard passing td.

Graham (10-7 win, Fort Chiswell): Spencer Sheets 71 yards rush, 1 td pass; Gray Baker td reception; Sam Stowers 26 FG.

Grundy (42-20 loss, Honaker): Ben Rife rushing td, passing td; Tyler McClanahan rushing td.

Haysi (39-8 win, Phelps, Ky.): Derick Blair 133 yards, 3 tds, 19 tackles; Zach Owens 135 passing, td, rushing td.

Honaker (42-20 win, Grundy): Ty Hall rushing td, passing td; Jordan Hess 70-yard int return td.

Hurley (8-6 loss, Rye Cove): Tyler Berglowe 102 yards rushing, td.

James Monroe (23-13 loss, Bluefield): Matt Romanello 87 yards rushing; Trevor Fullen 38 yards rushing, td; Zach Payne 70-yd fumble return td.

Montcalm (36-0 win, Hannan): Bobby Bailey 2 rushing tds, int return td; Aaron Presley rushing td; Jason Grose rushing td.

Mount View (56-12 loss, Westside): Laquell Martin 71-yard kick return td; Tashaan Vineyard rushing td.

PikeView (58-12 loss, Oak Hill): David Keen 50 yards rushing, td, 56 passing, td; Brandon Hazelwood 56 yards receiving, td, 62 yards rushing.

River View (44-6 loss, Lincoln Co.): Brandon Church 59 yards rushing, td.