In 1936, with a little boost from President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration, the City of Bluefield, West Virginia constructed one of the icons of high school football. Named Mitchell Stadium after former Bluefield City Manager Emory Mitchell the stadium has served as the home of Bluefield High School Football, Bluefield State Football before disbanding the program in 1981 and restarting it again in ____, Bluefield University Football since restarting the program in 2011, and Graham High School, the small school powerhouse from the Virginia side of Bluefield.
Graham was unique in that it was one of the rare – if not only – Virginia high schools that actually played their home games in another state. They won the 1990 Virginia AA; Division 3 title at Mitchell Stadium and the school has hosted many a regional championship or state semi-final game on the Mitchell Stadium turf.
This year that all changes. The City of Bluefield offered the Tazewell County School system a 5-year contract to allow Graham to continue playing their games in the grand old lady on Stadium Drive. The school system asked for a two year deal and when the City wouldn’t accommodate, Graham – which has long coveted its own turf – decided to move their games out of Mitchell Stadium.
Graham will play 3 home games on its practice field beside the school. The field is field turf and thanks to a donation, there is a scoreboard. What there is not are lights and bleachers. The school intends to put bleachers on the visitor side of the field, but home games will look a lot like tailgates with Graham fans sporting lawn chairs and blankets. Due to the lack of lights, those three home games will be played on Saturday afternoon. The two remaining “home” games will be played at Tazewell High School when the G-Men host Union and at Richlands High School when they host Tazewell on the season’s penultimate week.
Graham’s opening game against Bluefield will still be played at Mitchell Stadium as it is Bluefield’s home game. The game annually draws about 10,000 – 12,000 people. 2026 marks the 100th meeting between the two schools and where it is played, is anybody’s guess at this point.
Graham coach Tony Palmer probably couldn’t care less where he plays because for the past four seasons, his team has owned Region 2D. The G-Men have won 4 consecutive regional titles and two of the last three Class 2 State Championships. In that span Graham is a staggering 42-2 with losses to Union and Radford. No reason to believe that the 2D regional championship doesn’t once again run through Bluefield. This time it will just take a different route, through Virginia.
Graham G-Men
Southwest District
2024 Record: 15-0; 5-0 Southwest District
Playoffs: Won Virginia Class 2 State Championship over Strasburg 31-8
Points Scored/Average: 512 (34.1)
Points Allowed/Average: 107 (7.1)
Head Coach: Tony Palmer - 11th season
Career Record: 112 - 18
Record at Graham: 112 - 18
2025 Schedule
August 29 - at Bluefield, WV
September 5 - at Galax
September 11 - vs. Union (Tazewell H.S.) (Thursday)
September 19 - Open date
September 26 - at Princeton, WV
October 4 - vs. Marion (Saturday)*
October 10 - at Pulaski County
October 18 - vs. Virginia (Saturday)*
October 25 - vs. Lebanon (Saturday)*
October 31 - vs. Tazewell (at Richlands)*
November 7 - at Richlands*
*Southwest District game
Notable: Recorded 6 shutouts in 2024 and gave up over 20 points just one time in the State Semi-Finals vs. Glenvar. Closest game all season was an opening night 10-0 win over Rival Bluefield.
Union Bears
Mountain-7 District
2024 Record: 9-4
Playoffs: Lost in the Region 2D championship game to Graham 21-0
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Travis Turner - 15th Season at Union
Record at Union: 118- 39
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Lee*
September 5 - vs. Daniel Boone, TN.
September 11 - at Graham (Tazewell H.S.) (Thursday)
September 19 - at Tazewell
September 26 - at Central-Wise*
October 3 - vs. Gate City*
October 10 - vs. Ridgeview*
October 17 - vs. Lebanon*
October 24 - Open date
October 31 - at Abingdon*
November 7 - vs. John Battle*
*Mountain-7 District game
Notable: Lost twice to Graham in 2024, first game 7-6 and the second game the only time they were shutout all season. Have lost in back-to-back Region 2D championship games. They were the last team to beat Graham in the 2023 regular season meeting in Big Stone Gap.
Central-Wise Warriors
Mountain-7 District
2024 Record: 2-8
Playoffs: None
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Josh Spurlock - 2nd year
Career Record: 2-8
Record at Central-Wise: 2-8
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Eastside
September 5 - at Marion
September 12 - vs. Ridgeview*
September 19 - vs. John Battle*
September 26 - vs. Union*
October 3 - Open date
October 10 - vs. Richlands
October 17 - at Abingdon*
October 24 - vs. Lee*
October 31 - at Gate City*
November 7 - at Grundy
*Mountain-7 District game
Gate City Blue Devils
Mountain-7 District
2024 Record: 6-5
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of the Region 2D playoffs to Union 12-0
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Jeremy Houseright - 7th season
Career Record:
Record at Gate City:
2025 Schedule:
August 28 - at Richlands
September 5 - at Dobyns Bennett, TN.
September 12 - vs. Abingdon*
September 19 - vs. Marion
September 26 - vs. Davey Crockett, TN.
October 3 - at Union*
October 10 - at John Battle*
October 17 - vs. Lee*
October 24 - Open date
October 31 - vs. Central-Wise*
November 7 - at Ridgeview*
*Mountain-7 District game
John Battle Trojans
2024 Record: 0-10
Playoffs: None
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Jacob Hess - 2nd season
Career Record: 0-10
Record at John Battle: 0-10
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at John Battle*
September 5 - vs. Virginia
September 11 - vs. Holston (Thursday)
September 19 - at Central-Wise*
September 26 - at PH-Glade Spring
October 3 - vs. Lebanon
October 10 - vs. Gate City*
October 17 - vs. Ridgeview*
October 24 - Open date
October 31 - at Lee*
November 7 - at Union*
*Mountain-7 District game
Lee Generals
Mountain-7 District
2024 Record: 5-6
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of the Region 2D playoffs to Graham 49-14
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Joey Carroll - 5th Season at Lee
Record at Lee:
2025 Schedule:
August 26 - vs. Union*
September 5 - at Thomas Walker
September 12 - vs. Richlands
September 19 - Open date
September 26 - at Ridgeview*
October 3 - at Rye Cove
October 10 - vs. Marion
October 17 - at Gate City*
October 24 - at Central-Wise*
October 31 - vs. John Battle*
November 7 - vs. Abingdon*
*Mountain-7 District game
Notable: Carroll was once the coach at Marion where he went 48-41 and won 3 playoff games before going to coach in North Carolina.
Ridgeview Wolfpack
Mountain-7 District
2024 Record: 9-3
Playoffs: Lost in the Region 2D semi-finals to Union 21-14
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Kent Grant - 1st season
Career Record: 0-0
Record at Ridgeview: 0-0
2025 Schedule:
August 26 - vs. Grundy
September 5 - at Honaker
September 12 - at Central-Wise*
September 19 - Open date
September 26 - vs. Lee*
October 3 - at Paintsville, Kentucky
October 10 - at Union*
October 17 - at John Battle*
October 24 - vs. Abingdon*
October 31 - vs. Perry County Central, Kentucky
November 7 - vs. Gate City*
*Mountain-7 District game
Notable: Grant takes over as a first-time head coach after serving as an assistant since the school opened in 2015.
Lebanon Pioneers
Southwest District
2024 Record: 7-4 overall; 2-3 Southwest District
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of the Region 2D playoffs to Virginia 49-32
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Hunter Norris - 2nd season
Career Record: 7-4
Record at Lebanon: 7-4
2025 Schedule:
August 28 - vs. Honaker
September 5 - at PH-Glade Spring
September 12 - at Marion
September 19 - vs. Rural Retreat
September 26 - vs. Richlands*
October 3 - at John Battle*
October 10 - Open date
October 17 - at Union
October 25 - at Graham (Saturday)*
October 31 - vs. Virginia*
November 7 - vs. Tazewell*
*Southwest District game
Marion Scarlet Hurricane
Southwest District
2024 Record: 0-10 overall; 0-5 Southwest District
Playoffs: None
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Billy Testerman - 1st season
Career Record: 0-0
Record at Marion: 0-0
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Chilhowie
September 5 - vs. Central-Wise
September 12 - vs. Lebanon*
September 19 - at Gate City
September 26 - Open date
October 4 - at Graham (Saturday)*
October 10 - at Lee
October 17 - vs. Tazewell*
October 24 - vs. Fort Chiswell
October 31 - vs. Richlands*
November 7 - at Virginia*
*Southwest District game
Notable: Testerman is the 4th coach at Marion in the past 8 seasons
Richlands Blue Tornado
Southwest District
2024 Record: 2-8 overall; 1-4 Southwest District
Playoffs: None
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Ronnie Davis - 2nd season
Record at Richlands: 2-8
2025 Schedule:
August 21 - vs. Virginia*
August 28 - vs. Gate City*
September 5 - Open date
September 12 - at Lee
September 19 - vs. Abingdon
September 26 - at Lebanon*
October 3 - vs. Grundy
October 10 - at Central-Wise
October 17 - Open date
October 24 - at Tazewell*
October 31 - at Marion*
November 7 - vs. Graham*
*Southwest District game
Notable: 2 wins in 2024 were over two teams who went a combined 1-19. Good news is that Richlands finally broke a 19 game losing streak by beating Galax 42-15.
Tazewell Bulldogs
Southwest District
2024 Record: 5-6 overall; 3-2 Southwest District
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of the Region 2D playoffs to Ridgeview 40-19
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Seth Padgett - 7th Season overall; 1st season at Tazewell
Career Record: 37-20
Record at Tazwell: 0-0
2025 Schedule:
August 26 - Open date
September 5 - vs. Pulaski County
September 12 - vs. Grayson County
September 19 - vs. Union
September 26 - vs. Giles
October 3 - at Virginia*
October 10 - at Grundy
October 17 - at Marion*
October 24 - vs. Richlands*
October 31 - at Graham*
November 7 - at Lebanon*
*Southwest District game
Notable: Former coach J'me Harris left to take an assistant coaching job at Northgate High School in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Padgett took PH-Glade Springs to six straight playoff appearances.
Virginia Bearcats
Southwest District
2024 Record: 8-4 overall; 4-1 Southwest District
Playoffs: Lost to Graham in the Region 2D Semi-finals 34-0.
Points Scored/Average:
Points Allowed/Average:
Head Coach: Derrick Patterson - 11th season overall; 5th season at Virginia
Career Record: 52-44
Record at Virginia: 28-17
2025 Schedule:
August 21 - at Richlands*
August 26 - vs. PH-Glade Spring
September 5 - at John Battle
September 12 - vs. George Wythe
September 19 - vs. Tennessee, TN.
September 26 - at Grayson County
October 3 - vs. Tazewell*
October 10 - Open date
October 18 - at Graham (Saturday)*
October 24 - Open date
October 31 - at Lebanon*
November 7 - vs. Marion*
*Southwest District game
Notable: Will play the first game of the season as due to Scheduling issues they will meet Richlands on August 21st meaning two games in 5 days.