BandanaVTDavis4321

I see we’re back to picking on poor Will again!?!?!

If Union had 11 Reyshawns, they’d never lose and it wouldn’t be competitive. It’d be laughers every single week. That kid is a dog, in the best possible way. His brothers are too but he’s something special. 

After time to chill and gather my thoughts, here’s what I think (I know all y’all just waiting to hear my final take as you guys respect me sooo much):
 
First off hats off to Graham, Tony Palmer and the Graham staff for an excellent job of preparing thru the week. They knew how to attack Union, where Union would attack back and had his team mentally prepared for four full quarters of war. 
Union was also very well prepared and knew they had the advantage in a few areas and consistently exploited them as well and were prepared for a full four quarter battle. 
 
But Graham found out early Clemens was ready to rock. Before the play from the 1, I don’t believe any other offensive player for Graham had a touch. The QBs job consisted of saying hut and getting out of the way. Graham realized Union was seeing Clemens (from now on 5 to save me time lol) for the first time full strength this season and was not ready to consistently get him on the ground, so they said here Travis, here’s what we gonna do, stop it. Union could not do it and that’s the ballgame. 
 
Graham almost let the moment get to them and fumble away a golden opportunity. The first and goal ending up outside of FG range was wild and could have put lesser teams in a blender. 
 
Union had their chance to really step on Grahams neck and couldn’t do it. 4th and 3 from the three and get turned away while up three. A score there and possibly a conversion and now Graham maybe thinks they can’t just run 5 and have to go somewhere else who would undoubtedly be less effective. But with the stop, Graham regained control and never looked back.
 
Union played a fantastic game for most of the game. A couple untimely penalties and a few mistakes like burning time outs but other than that, the offense was almost mechanical in its efficiency. The defense, well not as much lol. But I can’t fault the Union D as much as 5 and the Graham OL deserve credit. They didn’t allow Union to swarm 5 before he got going and that was the difference. If Union was getting off blocks and meeting 5 before he builds up any speed at the LOS, Union wins and likely by two scores like the first game. But the Graham OL deserves a whales share of credit, 5s individual effort was insane but the big boys up front gave him just enough room to take off. 
 
 
On the flip side, Grahams DL and LBs better hit the film room this week. If Reyshawn can make you squirm, Clark can melt you. The Graham DL at times got pushed around just like the Union group and it allowed the Bears to just eat clock and march. But they made a couple huge stops the Bears couldn’t get and that proved to be the difference. 
 
now, the officials. It evened out, by the end. A lot of the Graham calls were procedural and not opinion calls like the false starts. The holding hurt both teams, the targeting hurt both teams, so I don’t believe either team really got an advantage in the end. A big targeting in the first half that was iffy went the other way in the second. A holding call stalls Graham and then the same happens to Union. Some are sure Bunch committed PI in the end zone, I was on that end. Take the names off the jersey and it’s still not a flag I think. Both plays Bunch had great position and didn’t hit the WR in any real way before the ball. 
 
The better team won by executing when it matters, like Roberts standing in and delivering two STRIKES late in the fourth to seal it. Union couldn’t get off the field and Graham escaped with a hard fought win. 
 
I hate to see Reyshawn Anderson lose. That kid is so tough, so talented and such a gamer. Without him Union loses by 21+. He is a leader and has improved a ton as a passer to go along with elite athleticism and grit that you can’t teach. 

It's down to a 3 point predicted win by Calpreps after today.  Honaker 31, Galax 28. That score tightened quick. 
Other scores predicted,
Essex 24, Galax 22.
Honaker 33, Essex 31. 
Essex 31, Altavista 24.

Princeton has had a great season but it ends here. I'd be surprised if it's within 40. Martinsburg just plays a different level of football than the rest of the state. I think Princeton can build off this and it's only up from here. They should benefit when WV goes to 4 classes for football. 

VHSL REGIONAL FINALS
 
1A
Northumberland 26
Essex 54
 
1B
Altavista 22
Sussex Central 16
 
1C
George Wythe 14
Galax 17
 
1D
Rye Cove 18
Honaker 28
 
 
 
2A
Amelia County 18
Poquoson 57
 
2B
Riverheads 41
Central Woodstock14
 
2C
Glenvar 24
Radford 29
 
2D
Graham 33
Union 24
 
 
 
3A
Lafayette 49
Heritage-Newport News  0
 
3B
Brentsville District 30
Armstrong/Kennedy 28
 
3C
Turner Ashby 14
Liberty Christian 63
 
3D
William Byrd 31
Magna Vista 7
 
 
 
4A
Warhill 13
Phoebus 41
 
4B
Varina 14
King George 24
 
4C
John Champe 21
Tuscarora 24
 
4D
EC Glass 14
Salem 42
 
 
 
5A
Indian River 10
Green Run 7
 
5B
Warwick 20
Maury 48
 
5C
Matoaca 42
William Fleming 3
 
5D
Briar Woods 6
Stone Bridge 29
 
 
 
6A
Manchester 6
Highland Springs 17
 
6B
Battlefield 7
Freedom Woodbridge 50
 
6C
Lake Braddock 39
Fairfax 20
 
6D
Westfield 7
James Madison-Vienna 31

Galax=Little Salem. A winner. 

Incredible throw and catch by Anderson to Huff. Again, makes Union different in 2023. Couldn't do that in years past.

Start of 4th qtr, Graham 20, Union 16. Bears ball just passed midfield, 2nd and 7.

Officials miss calls. It happens. Is Graham getting cheated? NO. Do some officials literally cheat? They absolutely do. 

The one missed was the pass interfernce by Union in the endzone. Thst would have put the ball back at the 1 for Graham after the "weird" holding call on a straight dive from the 1 (which I've never seen in my life), but I recommend rewinding NFHS for those watching. It wasn't 50-50. It wasn't even close. The Union defender was on his back in the endzone. That cost Graham 7 points and the back judge was within 3 yds, within 9 feet of the play.

Officials miss calls. It happens. Is Graham getting cheated? NO. Do some officials literally cheat? They absolutely do. 

TD Ryan Cove, Run failed
Honaker 22 RC  12
3Q 7:45
 

Big Bird

For state title winners, we often see a super senior at the helm, an elite type player thst just dominates and has D1 offers. This favors Riverheads and Graham and Radford and not Union and not Poquoson. The thing is, I think Union is as good or better than all of em, but historically going by odds, this goes against Union. So many times, an Appo team with Scruggs or Trey Lawing or Graham with the Defensive stud who had D1 offers last year or Graham with Cam Allen in 2018 or King William with Claiborne. We see the picture over and over. This year, 3 seniors with D1 offers in Clark from Radford, Clements from Graham, and Cash from Riverheads. 
With all of the above written, I think Union wins the state championship.

No one out coaches the Sundance Kid.

Absolutely. I've said this for years. Yes, the cleats thing and really ugly personal choices when he was still not even 36 years old and that doesn't excuse it, but many either forgot or don't know the brain power of this cat on the field/xs and os. I've seen a many of em because I'm older, and I haven't seen any at the HS level better than Vaught. I've seen a many of em just as good, but not better. Said this for years, an absolute "Field Wizzard" for HS football. Again, me talking about his on field coaching ability and a justification for his behavior are entirely 2 different things. 

Not me Union Fan, I respect your opinion, but I think film, NFHS, You tube is the same or better. I haven't seen one NFL team in person this year nor have I seen Ohio St, Georgia, Bama, or Oregon, but I think the film/tv is accurate enough for me to assess them. The same holds true for the SEC coaches. I doubt if any of them have seen Ohio St or Washington this year in person, but I'm certain they have a good idea about how good or not good Washington and Ohio State are.

Heck of a show by Princeton 2023. They are competing at the highest level/highest classification of West Virginia football and playing for the state championship. A great moment whenever a team from the coverage area plays for a title.
 

Heck of a show by Princeton 2023. They are competing at the highest level/highest classification of West Virginia football and playing for the state championship. A great moment whenever a team from the coverage area plays for a title.
 

Scoreboard operator just scheduled carpal tunnel surgery for early Monday morning.

Got to give Princeton credit. Up 60-43, they've knocked down their open threes and even though their half court D has been exposed, their transition D has been decent.

Got dominated. Byrd won 31-7

I think Poquoson beats Riverheads next week at Riverheads. They were my pick to represent the East and I'll stick with it. I think the winner of Graham/Union wins the state title over Poquoson in Salem. 

Mario Revels with an interception in the end zone to stop Eastern Randolph. Mount Airy can run the clock out now.