Bill Archer
A column by Bill Archer, senior editor of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph
BLUEFIELD, W.Va. — I was sweating bullets on Saturday morning, Oct. 10. In the heat of the moment, when Brian Woodson asked if I could cover the Grayson vs. Graham football game at Mitchell Stadium that Friday, Oct. 9, I thought I could help out. Bob Redd had moved on to an SID position at Bluefield College and Tom Bone III was sidelined for the day. It had been a few years since I had covered a high school football game, but Brian really needed me, so I agreed.
There’s nothing tougher than being the reporter of a daily newspaper at a high school football game. High school sports reporters have to watch every moment of every game, take legible notes — often in the dark — make note of every punt or kick and every reception, record the yardage gained or lost and penalties on every play and search for significant blocks or game-changing tackles and do it all while noting the time on the scoreboard clock.
Although I have 20-20 vision with my glasses on, my night-time vision isn’t what it used to be. The glare from oncoming headlights gets to me, and the roads seem to be darker now than when I was a kid. Worst of all, it’s hard for me to see the jersey number of ball players who ran the ball, caught the ball, recovered a fumble or made an interception. When a kid intercepts a ball and runs it back for a touchdown, high school sports reporters for a daily newspaper have to make mental note of where the player was when he made the interception, and any significant blocks that helped him make it to the endzone. It all happens in a few seconds…