Friday night in Roan Mountain, as Hampton and Cloudland battled it out during their yearly showdown, the Bulldogs donned the No. 54 on their helmets in remembrance of former Hampton Bulldog Logan Blake Andrews, who passed away last week.
On the sidelines during the contest were Cloudland head coach Mike Lunsford and Hampton head coach Michael Lunsford. During Andrews’ four years at Hampton High School from 2006 to 2010, he started for the Bulldogs football team, and at that time he played alongside Michael while also playing under Mike, Michael’ father.
After Friday night’s game, the two Lunsfords took a moment to talk about Andrews and what they remember about the Bulldog.
“I remember his toughness,” said Hampton head coach Michael Lunsford. “I think he is the only lineman that dad ever had that started all four years.”
Michael went on to talk about a game at Johnson County, during which Andrews dislocated his shoulder, and instead of coming out of the game, Andrews stayed in and toughed it with his teammates.
“I didn’t know he separated it,” said Lunsford. “He was starting as a freshman at middle linebacker in a tough game against Johnson County. I remember jumping down trying to get him to come back up being rough on him not thinking he was hurt. He had a separated shoulder and never came out of the ball game. He had surgery on it and played for three years. That shoulder would come out, and he would come to the sidelines and just put it right back in.
Michael said that under that layer of toughness, that Andrews was a just a genuinely good guy.
“He was just a great fellow,” said Michael. “He always had a smile on his face. He was just a quality person.
“He is a part of the Bulldog family,” added Michael about why the Hampton players decided to wear the No. 54 on their helmet. “His dad Tim (Andrews) was my coach. We love his family, and we just wanted to do something special in remembrance of him.”
Like his son, Mike Lunsford, who was Andrews’ assistant and head coach, echoed the same sentiment about Andrews.
“He was one of the finest young men that I have ever coached,” said Mike Lunsford. “He was just a hard worker. He played hard. He did anything I asked of him.”
Mike shared a memory he said he would always have about Andrews.
“We were in the playoffs, and I was trying to push Logan to the next level,” said Mike. “I was trying to get him to snap back at me a little bit. Michael was a quarterback, and we drove the ball 60 yards, and I was on Logan every play. At the end of it, he finally turned around and fussed at me a little bit. His dad jumped all over him for it. I was like, ‘No, Tim. That is what I wanted him to do and play that way.’ He was something. He was a super athlete. He was just a great kid.”