LongTimeSWVAFan

Looks like we'll get an early gauge of how good each team is Saturday. The two are going to play Saturday at UVA-Wise in the finals of a tournament. No way either loses on Friday. I went and watched last night. I think they are pretty even among the first six or seven but Central has much more depth. They had a girl come off the bench that was in the 9th grade that I'm not so sure won't turn out to be the best player that is in that tournament when all is said and done. Pretty good girls players in that thing, some kid from Jenkins scored her 4,000th point, Central has talent out the wazzoo and Ridgeview has some players in Mullins - the Gully girls. Frazier and the Counts girl aren't bad either. Curious to see what GC has, they'll have to play to beat one of these two, may be the most competitive girls basketball has been around here in a while.

They were but as I've stated before they gamed the system. They were the third best team in the league. I tip my hat to VHS for figuring out a way to get out of playing Union twice.

When is the last time GC didn't make regional play in boys basketball? Facts are facts.

You can basically pencil GC in as one of the two regional teams every year. Everybody else is playing for one spot.

Looks like Honaker-Eastside-Castlewood are the early teams to watch in A. Eastside will struggle with size, they'd have to shoot the lights out to beat Honaker I'd think.

Not sure they can hang with Honaker but, they're off to a great start. Already 3 wins over AA teams. Anybody have any insight on the Devils?

Heard the Mullins girl got hurt in a scrimmage, any truth?

You've seen both Appomattox and Union, how would you evaluate each team relative to each other other?

High school sports in general are out of control around here. Bob is spot on about Union-GC-Richlands. Throw in holding a kid back for HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS and the pretty blatant cheating going on with recruiting players and you've got a mess. And a mess is exactly what high school sports around here are. It's a game played by 14-18 year olds. It's not life and death and people act like it is.

They won by a single point on a day when I saw the best performance by a small level high school quarterback in my life. Turner never had a day like that against that competition, neither did Robbins or Spivey, etc. I tip my hat to Union they aren't rattled by any situation and they've been fortunate to play each of their big games at home. The test will be if they can take the act on the road. I'm rooting for them.

Glenvar was definitely bigger. They just faced the same problems others have this year in that Union can get the ball and score on two or three consecutive possessions and if you have to punt you get in a hole you can't get out of. I've been to two games this year where I thought Union was the inferior team and won, yesterday and Richlands. Coach Turner was the difference in both, his play calling yesterday was incredible and the decision to call timeout after seeing Glenvar's alignment on the two point try was crucial. I for one hope Turner keeps pushing the right buttons for two more weeks.

They've lost one game. I wouldn't sleep on Clarke and Union has to travel over 350 miles coming off an emotional win over Glenvar. From talk on here injuries seem to be taking a toll on Union. I was at yesterday's game and noticed they lost an offensive lineman too. Number 50 did play the whole game despite reports on here. How are those guys? Union struggles to stop the run and that seems to be Clarke's strong point. Of course if the quarterback continues to hit 19 of 21 passes they'll win the state title. What they run is impossible to defend at this level when ran correctly.

I picked Glenvar to win and think they will but, I'm not sure you can use his predictions on Union. He doesn't count out of state games and Union has two wins over larger out of state teams. David Crockett went 6-4 in 5A in Tennessee if I remember correctly.

I would assume 93.5 would cover the game?

My only opposition to the regional format returning is that I feel like D would be much stronger C top to bottom, at least right now. If you assume Graham and Richlands are Region D teams (which to me they would have to be). Region D would consist of these teams that have shown recent success: Richlands - Graham - Union - Gate City - Ridgeview - Central - Lee - Virginia. If you only take four of those, it's a mess.

Glenvar's experience proves to be the difference in this one. Union is also due for some turnovers and the weather should assist in that. Glenvar 28-21.

No argument from me beast, Graham was pretty classless. How bad is #50 hurt?

Ridgeview boy's basketball is in for an awakening. The difference between A and AA is enormous.

Graham wins if Cousin doesn't get hurt, plain and simple. Graham embarrassed the town of Bluefield from the time they arrived until it ended. Worst display of sportsmanship I've seen in a long time. I had no dog in the hunt I just went to the closest game.

How's practice going? When is the first game?

The size of Lee County makes athletics very difficult. From a pure land area perspective that county needs at least 3 schools.

How John I. Burton keeps its doors open is a mystery to me. It would make them all 3A but, Union should have PV-Appy Burton and Central should take in Eastside.

I looked through the records on here. Am I right in saying the town of Wise hasn't seen a playoff win since 1981?

I didn't realize Howie played basketball too. His athleticism alone should be a big boost. I'm still picking Gate City from 39 and 40 and Union second. The extra practice time for GC should be benefitial.

Va High was a joke last year and only made it because Barry Reed worked the other Ads in the league. He basically manipulated the system to get his team in, they didn't play everybody in the league twice and for some reason the other Ads went along with it. Props to Barry for getting in the 2A west tournament.