FBDevotee 34 Report Share Posted March 23, 2017 Union has had very good football teams the past two seasons; but a valid argument can be made that the 2017 team will be the best squad to date in the school's short history. First, if you include big Jeb, 6'3" 290 pounds, who started on offense his sophomore year but played mostly defensive line last season, the team returns eight experienced offensive starters. That would be the most returning offensive starters so far for the Bears and the only time two first-team all-state players are back. It also includes James Mitchell as a 6'5" 225 pound senior and a battle tested Bailey Turner at QB. I think Turner did a surprisingly good job last year for a sophomore but I suspect his improvement this year will be significant. Of course the team was extremely deep last year and has all kinds of talent and size from which to pick. All four top quality linebackers return and this may be the most important reason to expect big things from the orange and blue. I will concede that 2018 will likely be a rebuilding year; but I think the current run has one more lap. BigWinners 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GoBearsGo 142 Report Share Posted March 23, 2017 I'm with you FBDevotee.. should be another good year for the Bears, not sure if it will be the best but just as good. And I couldn't agree more with 2017 being their shot. Probably the last shot at a deep playoff run. 2018 will be a turning point IMO for Unions program. Theres still a little talent in the 2018 class but after that it drops way off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bulldogs52 482 Report Share Posted March 23, 2017 Pretty much spot on of what I would guess... Top teams: Richlands, Graham, Union (not sure how they will finish).... only team I know much about is Graham and they will be nearly as good as last season, maybe slightly better with the upgrade at the QB position and development of Chinault and Reed at RB's... Hearing a couple of athletes transferring in...2 (possibly 3)..but those are rumors right now... you know how people talk. Lineplay will be better, but I think Richlands will have the team to beat on the line of scrimmage and on the defensive side of the ball... Graham will be loaded offensively, again. I don't know anything about Union, just that they are always good and well coached. Middle Teams: Marion, Va High, Gate City, Central, Ridgeview (Is Grayson in Southwest this year... if so, I'll put them at the bottom of the middle...I heard they were alternating districts every other year, which blows....L) Lower Tier: Lebanon, Tazewell, John Battle... * Tazewell will be very young... in a couple of years they will be very competitive, I'm not giving up on them.... this is assuming they get a quality coach, which I feel confident that they will... there were some very good coaches in the pool of applicants before Colobro was hired. Did I leave anybody out? Like Leftwich? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted March 24, 2017 Like Leftwich? Alpha Dog... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted March 24, 2017 Leftwich, there was a couple of youngsters that just graduated and played at the College level.... They have RE-Posted the job, however and are now accepting applications again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 I don't disagree with the logic. Any team replacing the caliber of players we will be graduating has to take a small step back. Sturgill was a stud and will do very well for himself at the next level. He was he main cog. But that cog alone doesn't run the machine. 7-8 games sounds about right. If the summer workouts continue like the past they will be ready. Like Richlands, we should be pretty good defensively. We didn't lose as many on that side of the ball. OOC? Everyone we play in SWVA is OOC for us. We are the only 3A team on this end of the state. The only 3A or higher teams we are Pulaski, Christiansburg, and Hidden Valley. 2A we have Battle,GC,Ridgeview,Central,VHS,Lee,and Union. I meant out of the CMC, since you guys joined I was curious to the games outside of those b Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted March 26, 2017 Union has had very good football teams the past two seasons; but a valid argument can be made that the 2017 team will be the best squad to date in the school's short history. First, if you include big Jeb, 6'3" 290 pounds, who started on offense his sophomore year but played mostly defensive line last season, the team returns eight experienced offensive starters. That would be the most returning offensive starters so far for the Bears and the only time two first-team all-state players are back. It also includes James Mitchell as a 6'5" 225 pound senior and a battle tested Bailey Turner at QB. I think Turner did a surprisingly good job last year for a sophomore but I suspect his improvement this year will be significant. Of course the team was extremely deep last year and has all kinds of talent and size from which to pick. All four top quality linebackers return and this may be the most important reason to expect big things from the orange and blue. I will concede that 2018 will likely be a rebuilding year; but I think the current run has one more lap. Not worried bout the RB position? Losing Fannon could be huge on both sides. The secondary also has holes losing Cam and Jenkins. Zirkle isn't a RB IMO, no speed and not a lot of vision. He's a good physical LB but not an outstanding RB. But Owens could be a dynamite playmaker. He needs to get 10-15 touches per game. The OL has to reload as well, lost three starters from a very good unit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SXSW 557 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I think that Union may have some growing pains early, but come playoff time will be a tough out. Richlands will be Richlands. I don't no why the Mountain and Southwest just make one big district and rotate opponents. They all play each other, or have, anyway. You could call it the Southwest District. Correct me if I am wrong but didn't the old SW District have 12 teams in it, maybe Bluefield Researcher can find out for me! Graham should be good again, Abingdon is a big unknown, and the rest of 2A, you could probably drop their names in a hat and pick their places like that! BigWinners 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Deleted Account 5,203 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I think that Union may have some growing pains early, but come playoff time will be a tough out. Richlands will be Richlands. I don't no why the Mountain and Southwest just make one big district and rotate opponents. They all play each other, or have, anyway. You could call it the Southwest District. Correct me if I am wrong but didn't the old SW District have 12 teams in it, maybe Bluefield Researcher can find out for me! Graham should be good again, Abingdon is a big unknown, and the rest of 2A, you could probably drop their names in a hat and pick their places like that! If Tazewell is stapled and glued to the bottom of the hat, perhaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SXSW 557 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I always try to be an optimist, and quantify that by realizing that things are never as good as they seem or things are never as bad as they seem. Tazewell by all accounts here, has young talent, who just needs a coach or coaches to mold it but meddling boosters and parents that need to go away. My school Gate City is currently trying to recover from a bad situation and I have faith that it will and be back sooner rather than later. Tazewell folks should understand football runs in cycles and when your down it sucks, but when your up it's a fun ride. Try to keep the faith and your chins up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Correct me if I am wrong but didn't the old SW District have 12 teams in it, The most the old SWD had at one time was 11... Graham Tazewell Richlands Marion Grundy Lebanon Patrick Henry Abingdon John Battle Virginia High Gate City cityofRaven and GC_Quincy 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityofRaven 2,444 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 The most the old SWD had at one time was 11... Graham Tazewell Richlands Marion Grundy Lebanon Patrick Henry Abingdon John Battle Virginia High Gate City Wasn't Saltville in there at some point as well? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtiger 1,740 Author Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I don't like the big district with rotating games for a couple of reasons but the biggest one is the rivalry games would go years without happening. That would basically be the new Region "D" that we will have next season minus Grayson, so might as well add them in and Abingdon too. 15 teams? No way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SXSW 557 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I think Saltville was there for a couple of years. Harry Fry left GC for a year to coach there. The combined district would have 13 teams. Ridgeview,Union, Wise Central, Lee High, Gate City, Virginia High, John S. Battle, Abingdon, Marion, Lebanon, Tazewell, Richlands and Graham. I doubt the VHSL would allow 13 in a district, but it would be a killer district and you wouldn't have to worry about scheduling. I may have missed one somewhere so if I did I'm sorry. blueinbama 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueinbama 259 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Saltville was in the SWD back when they were the R.B. Worthy Shakers. I left Saltville to come to Richlands in 1967. Saltville used to have some really good football teams back in the day. Chappy 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Wasn't Saltville in there at some point as well? Not that I'm aware of post-1970 (the creation of the VHSL's 3-class system)...and prior to that, I don't think all those teams were members of the SWD... cityofRaven 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueinbama 259 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Not that I'm aware of post-1970 (the creation of the VHSL's 3-class system)...and prior to that, I don't think all those teams were members of the SWD... Maybe the district was named something else back then, but Saltville (R.B. Worthy) was always in the same district as Graham, Grundy, Abingdon and Tazewell when I was there in 1967 and before. But I always thought it was the Southwest District. Would love to see more info on that. GMan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichlandsAlum 678 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Wasn't Saltville in there at some point as well? Saltville was a charter member of the SWD in 1956, but dropped out in the late 1960's before the massive VHSL realignment of 1970. The 11-team SWD configuration existed from 1980 until the Highlands split off in 1985. Deleted Account, cityofRaven, GMan and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichlandsAlum 678 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Maybe the district was named something else back then, but Saltville (R.B. Worthy) was always in the same district as Graham, Grundy, Abingdon and Tazewell when I was there in 1967 and before. But I always thought it was the Southwest District. Would love to see more info on that. The SWD was formed out of District VII -- although the SWD member schools may have kept concurrent membership for some sports and activities for many years thereafter (the State Band Association, for example, is still organized along the lines of the VHSL's ancient arrangement for schools below Division 1). So it's possible that "District VII" is the other name that pops up in the historical discussion. GMan and blueinbama 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichlandsAlum 678 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Not that I'm aware of post-1970 (the creation of the VHSL's 3-class system)...and prior to that, I don't think all those teams were members of the SWD... Abingdon, Lebanon, Patrick Henry, and John Battle were not members of the SWD prior to 1970. Gate City had a brief stint in the SWD for a few years around 1960 but then went back to the LPD before the 1970 realignment. GMan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueinbama 259 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Abingdon, Lebanon, Patrick Henry, and John Battle were not members of the SWD prior to 1970. Gate City had a brief stint in the SWD for a few years around 1960 but then went back to the LPD before the 1970 realignment. Thanks, @RichlandsAlum. I guess I was thinking Saltville and Abingdon were in the same district because we played them often. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blueinbama 259 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I just got this info from a Saltville friend who is very knowledgeable about Saltville and R.B. Worthy. When districts were created, SHS was in District 7. From the fall of '56 to spring of '65, we were in the Southwest District. Back then, we were the smallest school in the Southwest District because the VHSL would allow schools to compete in a district with larger schools if they felt they could do so. We won or shared the Southwest District football title three times for the 9 years we were in it. Graham, the next smallest school, won or shared it at least 4 times while we were in it. In the fall of '65, we were placed in a new District 6. In the fall of '70, a new Hogoheegee District was created that we are still competing in. redtiger, RichlandsAlum and GMan 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichlandsAlum 678 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 I was a little off in what I posted before. After double checking, here's what I have as the scoop on the SWD from 1956 to 1986: 1956 (7 members) Charter Members: Graham, Grundy, Marion, Richlands, Saltville, Tazewell, and Virginia High. 1960 (8 members) Gate City joined the SWD. 1961 (7 members) Gate City withdrew from the SWD. 1966 (6 members) Saltville withdrew from the SWD. 1969 (9 members) Abingdon, John Battle, and Patrick Henry join the SWD (most likely in anticipation of VHSL realignment the following year). 1970 (10 members) Gate City joined the SWD as part of VHSL realignment. 1980 (11 members) Lebanon joined the SWD. 1986 (5 members) Abingdon, Gate City, John Battle, Marion, Patrick Henry, and Virginia High withdrew from the SWD to form the Highlands District. cityofRaven, GMan, redtiger and 2 others 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichlandsAlum 678 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 Thanks, @RichlandsAlum. I guess I was thinking Saltville and Abingdon were in the same district because we played them often. My pleasure. Abingdon/William King played a lot of the SWD schools on a regular basis prior to the creation of the district in 1956, so I'm kind of surprised that they didn't come along. My theory is that this is when Washington County built new schools, so the enrollment at Abingdon was somewhat diluted and they didn't meet the enrollment requirements for Division 1. GMan and blueinbama 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichlandsAlum 678 Report Share Posted March 27, 2017 As I've stated many times, I loved the SWD alignment from 1970 to 1980. Sure it placed some tremendous demands upon players and coaches in every single game (and there were occasionally some 8- and 9-win teams who sat home come playoff time). But if you did capture a district championship -- in any sport -- it was a truly significant accomplishment. (The level of competition was true from 1980 until the 1985 split as well. But the loss of "round robin" play made things much less satisfying for me personally.) ....And I also apologize for the multiple posts in this thread. I should've tried to combine at least several dozen of them. Mea culpa..... GMan 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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