WISE – Year two of the
Gary Bass era kicks off Saturday evening as the Highland Cavaliers host Concord Saturday afternoon at 6 p.m.
This will be the season opener for both teams. Links to the game program, live stats, and Cavalier Sports Network video stream can be found on the right.
This will mark the 35th season of UVA Wise football and will be the sixteenth time the Cavs open the season at home (and the thirteenth time on the Beaty-Richmond Field at Carl Smith Stadium). The Cavs are 10-5 when opening the season at home (8-4 after the opening of Carl Smith Stadium). Overall, UVA Wise is 20-14 in season-opening games.
This will be the twelfth meeting between the two schools, with the Cavs riding a two game winning streak and they have won three of the last four. CU's last win in Wise was a 30-13 win on Nov. 1, 2014.
It will also be Lelia Maude Richmond Day, an annual tradition on the home opening game honoring the long-time UVA Wise supporter. More information can be found at the link on the right.
ABOUT UVA WISE
- Continuity will be a key feature for the team this season as they have a strong core of players back from last season as well as the majority of the staff. Coach Bass and crew have also hit the recruiting trail hard and signed 37 new players on signing day back in February.
- On offense,
Jake Corkren is back as quarterback looking to build upon an injury-shortened 2024 season where he went 124-204-3 for 1154 yards and eight touchdowns. He also ran for 174 yards and a touchdown last season.
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Ian Scammell (112 carries for 452 yards and 4 TD), Corkren, and
DJ Powell (6 carries for 43 yards and a touchdown) are the top three rushers returning.
Seth Fischbach (45 receptions for 514 yards and three TD) and Powell (34 rec. – 422 yards – 1 TD) are the top receivers back.
- The defense returns several starters from last season, led by
Brub Hines III (68 tackles – 1 INT),
Jalen Pickens (54 tackles), and
Matt Strong (46 tackles).
- Other key returnees on defense are
Kenneth Long (38 tackles) and
DaCorian Jones-Montgomery (35 tackles).
ABOUT CONCORD
- The Mountain Lions are coming off of back-to-back 1-10 seasons and enter the game with a new staff and a largely new roster, including 14 players from former South Atlantic Conference member Limestone University, who transferred after LU closed in May.
- The new coach at Concord is a familiar face to the Cavalier faithful as Cody Edwards will return to his alma mater to coach his first collegiate game. The Haysi native was a wide receiver on the Cavalier squad from 2006-09. He then spent some time as on the staffs at Emory & Henry, Tusculum, Tennessee, John Carroll, and Western Carolina. This will be the third time he has faced his old team as while an assistant at Tusculum he helped the Pioneers pick up wins over the Cavs in 2016 and 2018.
- The Mountain Lions are bare on returners on the offensive side. Tristan Gabreis had ten rushes last season and Zion Odoms had 12 receptions for 200 yards and three touchdowns.
- Defensively the cupboard isn't as bare, but Nehemiah Scott is back following 59 tackles and seven break-ups last season.
UP NEXT
UVA Wise hosts Newberry in the South Atlantic Conference opener on Sept. 6. This will be the first meeting between the two teams in two years since last season's game at Newberry was cancelled due to storm damage from Post-Hurricane Helene. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m.
