The Pulaski County Cougar football team will hit the road this week to take on a team they are all too familiar with in the Salem Spartans.
No team is more talked about when it comes to football in Southwest Virginia. No team has received as much statewide and, at times, national attention as Salem. If you were to ask most teams who they would consider a huge win for their program against, that team would be Salem High School.
Salem and Pulaski County were once the hottest rivalry most people knew of. Both teams were consistent playoff teams that had the potential to go the distance. Both programs were blessed with huge fan followings that traveled around the Commonwealth to support them.
“It was always a big week when I was a player here,” Cougar Head Coach Cam Akers said. “Those rivalry games are always the best ones. The excitement and history of it all are part of what makes high school football so great.”
There are plenty of old stories about that rivalry that extend past the football field. It was once said that when the Salem planners were making detailed decisions on their stadium, the question was asked, “How high should we make the flag pole?” Someone else asked, “How high is Pulaski County’s?” After looking it up, the decision was made to make theirs 10 feet higher.
It just goes that deep sometimes.
Salem High School opened in 1977, not long after the opening of Pulaski County High School. The first meeting between the two teams saw the Spartans win 34-6 in a season that Salem finished 6-4 under then Head Coach Tom Kucer. The following season, Kucer and the Spartans lost to Pulaski County 15-6.
Salem leads the series with Pulaski County 30 games to 19. The Spartans have won the past 13 meetings between the two teams. The last time Pulaski County beat Salem was in the 2010 matchup at Kenneth J. Dobson Stadium. It was the first season under former Head Coach Todd Jones. The Cougars were under VHSL sanctions for what was deemed “out of season practice violations” that were made completely legal the following season. The Cougars were 4-5 coming into the game and knew they were not allowed to enter the playoffs.
Salem scored first in the matchup, but Cody Long scored on a four-yard run to tie the game. Salem retook the lead, but the Cougars kept working. Rick Cobbs scored on a run, but a penalty erased the play. Salem scored with 9:36 remaining in the game to take a 13-7 lead after a failed PAT attempt. Chad Perry found Chase Cook open for a passing touchdown, but the Cougar PAT failed as well, leaving the score tied at 13-13.
Joey Trigg intercepted a Salem pass attempt and returned it to midfield, giving Pulaski County a chance. Senior quarterback Chad Perry made the most of the last play of his Cougar football career with a punishing six-yard run to score and give the Cougars the lead. Cody Long ran the two-point conversion in with 2:39 remaining and the Cougar defense held on to earn the Pulaski County win.
Most of the games since then haven’t been close, with a few notable exceptions. The 2012 playoff game ended with Salem up 17-14. The 2019 game was a final score of 6-12 for the Spartans, with the Cougars having a great chance to win it at the end.
The Spartans come into the matchup with a record of 5-1. Their lone loss of the season came at the hands of Martinsburg, West Virginia, 40-7. That Martinsburg team is a perineal powerhouse and are normally nationally ranked. This season they are 5-1, with a loss to Highland Springs, Virginia. That team has beaten everyone they’ve faced this season. Their only close game of the season was a 26-20 win over Julius L. Chambers High School out of Charlotte, North Carolina. Outside of that game, Highland Springs has only allowed 10 points in five games, winning by no less than 31 points.
“When Coach (Willis) White took over that program in 1983, he took them to another level,” Coach Akers said. “The coaching in our area at that time included so many legendary figures that winning was an even bigger deal. You had legends like Joel Hicks, Willis White, Jim Hickam (Northside), and so many others out there at that time. Meanwhile you had younger guys like Steve Magenbauer, Jack Turner, Jeff Woody, Dan Newell, Brad Bradley, and Jamie Harless out there cutting their teeth and getting ready for their turn. It was a competitive atmosphere for sure.”
There is no real secret to Salem’s success. They have the same basic playbook that they’ve used since Willis White was the head coach. They aren’t flashy. They don’t use gimmick plays. They run the ball most of the time, but throw effectively when needed or to keep the defense honest. Defensively, they fly to the ball and they tackle well. Overall, they play sound, fundamental football and limit their mistakes. They also take advantage of their opponent’s mistakes.
“It’ll always be a big game,” Coach Akers said. “The rivalry has fallen off a bit the past few years, but we still see sparks of it. When both teams are playing well and having a good season, you can expect a packed house on game night. We’re working hard to get our program back to where it needs to be. A win against Salem would be huge, no question. We’ll need to play our best football and avoid mistakes to have a chance to get that.”
The Cougars come into the game in overall decent shape. Most varsity players are healthy, aside from some bumps and bruises that are normal at this point of the season. They hold a record of three wins and two losses.
Some of the rushing leaders heading into game six have put up decent numbers. Senior Trevor Burton has 89 carries on the season for 775 yards with 14 touchdowns. Junior quarterback Christopher Gallimore has 72 carries for 307 yards with two touchdowns. Junior Brett Jones has 15 carries for 129 yards with a score. Tanner Mace has 11 carries for 51 yards. Freshman Cole Boone has four carries for 56 yards and a score. Junior Tyler Underwood has nine carries for 54 yards.
“Nothing is different,” Coach Akers said. “We need to establish the ground game, move the chains, avoid penalties and negative yardage plays, and control the clock on offense. On defense, we need to tackle better, defend the pass, read our keys, and avoid mistakes. This team is getting better, but we need to pick things up. I like our attitude and effort so far this season, we just need to keep growing up and getting better.”
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. at Salem Stadium.