Today's Sports

INDEPENDENCE –– A pair of second-quarter touchdown passes from Warren Kerley boosted Johnson County, Tenn., into a 27-13 halftime lead and the Longhorns went on to defeat Grayson County 33-13 in a nonconference game Saturday at Bill Strong Field.

Following an evenly-played first quarter that included an interception return for touchdown by each team, Johnson County (1-1) pulled away from a 14-13 lead beginning with Greg Roark’s 23-yard touchdown reception from Kerley with 8:59 left in the first half.

Galax had just wrapped up its first preseason scrimmage at Radford, having failed to reach the end zone while watching the Bobcats rip off five touchdowns of between 60 and 70 yards each. Talking to his team at midfield following the action, Maroon Tide coach Mark Dixon advised his players not to pay any attention to the Internet messageboards that would surely be buzzing, proclaiming the downfall of the Maroon Tide.

But those amateur obituaries never came.

2009

The first team to represent the area in a Dixie world series in 20 years, Carroll County was eliminated after suffering losses to Collierville, Tenn., and Duplin County, N.C. in Skipperville, Ala.

Kylee Hill placed third in the standing long jump at the Hershey Track and Field state championships at Charlottesville. Hill qualified for the meet by being one of the top two performers in the Southwest region, which reaches from Lynchburg to Bristol.

2004

Twin County swimmers broke eight conference records and racked up 21 event championships Friday and Saturday as the Blue Ridge Swim Conference wrapped up its 2014 season with its conference meet at the Galax Recreation Department.

Elkin came away with the team championship, amassing 1,953 points in 86 events to outdistance runner-up Galax’s 1,544. Dobson (1,194) placed third and was followed by Wytheville (1,035), Reeves Community Center (983) and the Carroll Wellness Center (545).