Beavers' Fox making most of 'amazing' opportunity
Friday, December 4, 2009
By JED LOCKETT- The Bluefield Daily Telegraph
Every team needs unlikely heroes, players who exceed expectations to come through for their team when they are needed.
Brad Fox is one of those players. The sophomore received his opportunity to show his talents in the middle of this season.
“After Gate City, coach gave me a chance to play,” he said. “Before then, I really hadn’t had any experience playing and I just took advantage of what coach gave me and just played to the best of my ability.”
Fox made an impact right away. He has amassed 606 yards and five touchdowns on 79 carries this season.
“I feel like I have (made the most of the opportunity),” Fox said. “But I feel like I have one more game to prove myself and just keep playing how we have been.”
As Fox has gone, so have the Beavers. After he entered the fray, Bluefield has won eight straight games including three playoff contests on the road to Wheeling.
Fox said the season’s turning point came after Bluefield’s loss to Gate City. It was, “The talk coach Simon gave us after the game about heart and discipline and practice and talking about the seniors and this is their last year and just give it all you have for the final games.
“I just feel like since Gate City we’ve all tried a lot harder and we’ve all every practice just done what we’ve had to do to get better for the game and we’ve got this far with it.”
As Fox has seen playing time, he has gained more belief in his abilities.
“Every game, I feel like I’ve gained more confidence than I did the last one,” Fox said. “I feel like I can do more and contribute more to the team.
“I’ve just tried to prove that I belong and I hope I have.”
Many of Bluefield’s other stars like Jake Lilly and Marcus Patterson are seniors who have firsthand experience of winning the school’s last state title by beating James Monroe two years ago. Fox watched that game from the stands.
“I went to that game and it was a good game,” Fox said. “They won 20-12 and they just came out and played with heart.
“Once I went and saw them win the state title, I knew my ninth grade year I was going to come out and play. And I was hoping we’d make it that year. But it got cut short. But now that we’re here and I have a chance to play, I’m going to make the most of it and do the best I can.”
Last year, Wayne ended Bluefield’s postseason run. Whether they saw action the previous season or not, each member of the Beavers wants a taste of revenge.
“I know they beat us last year, but we think if we focus and just keep our heads on straight, play how we are supposed to, we can win,” Fox said.
“We want it bad. We want this more than any game we’ve wanted all year. Playoffs were important, but this game’s more important than anything we’ve played in yet.”
This game means as much to Fox’s family. They plan to be in Wheeling tonight to see their son in possibly a defining moment.
“I look up in the stands every game and make sure they’re there and once
I realize they’re there and watching I just go out and play,” Fox said.
“My dad and my mom, they’re proud of me. My whole family’s proud of me and they’re just glad we made it to the state championship and they just hope, even if I don’t play they hope we make it and just hope we win.”
Earlier this week in practice, Fox could only think about what it would be like to be on the field in Wheeling.
“It feels pretty good,” Fox said. “I’m just trying to get through today, tomorrow and Thursday and just waiting for Friday to get here and hopefully winning the state championship.
“It just feels great to know that in a couple of days you’re going to be playing for a state title, get the 10th for Bluefield and it just feels great being able to play Wayne in it.”
If Bluefield does win, Fox will join Lilly and Patterson on the list of Bluefield Beavers who won a state football championship in their sophomore year.
“It would mean everything,” Fox said. “It would be my first state championship here. It would be the second for the seniors and send them out with a state championship. It would be important to the whole community.”
It would also be an important milestone in Fox’s life.
Fox said, “It would be amazing to just be able to talk about the experience in general and just how Wheeling was and how the game was and just if we win it, it would be amazing.”
