Bearcat Dad

Agreed

Same thing happened against Chilhowie Friday night. Same thing happened against Battle. Same thing happened against Tennessee High. I can be the first to admit, that I’m not qualified to coach at this level. With that said, I can tell you what I’ve seen in 2A West football over the last 3 1/2 seasons. Offense means success, period. There have been one or two teams in that time that have had stifling defenses. Last year’s Union team, for example. They also had one of the top players in the entire state, who touched the ball on every single offensive snap. Our defense has taken many steps back from last year, while returning a lot of the players that were there last season, including our all-state LB. We have given up 30 points to Tazewell, 42 points to Tn. High, 37 points to Chilhowie, 27 to you guys, and 13 to Battle. Needless to say, there are some struggles there. We have a golden opportunity on offense, to move the ball on ANY defense in the region, and it is just simply not being taken advantage of. It’s ok though. I still love the Bearcats, I stand behind the coaches and players alike. I, like so many others, scratch my head at some things that happen on Friday nights, but none of those guys are professional coaches. They believe they are doing what’s best. I have a personal relationship with most of the VHS coaches and players. Most of them know who I am on this board. I don’t hide behind my screen name. They know I would state my opinion directly to them, exactly how I type it out on this board. I strongly disagree with how certain things are being handled this season, but they are paid to make those decisions, not me. I still consider them friends, and I love those boys that strap it up every Friday night. My opinion is just that we will continue to be average, with the way things have been going this season. If we know anything as VHS football fans, it’s how to spot “average”. The disappointing thing this year, though, is we actually have talent.

That’s one of our biggest issues. In 5 games, #2 has had more than 11 carries, only twice. One of those games was out of necessity because of injury to our freshman RB. Against Battle he had 8 carries(barely won) and another 9 carries against you guys(barely won). He has 4 catches on the year(none of which were designed plays to him, only checkdowns) for nearly 20 yards per catch. He is averaging over 9 yards per run for the season. He was an all-state LB last year and the coaches feel he is more valuable to their defense, which has seriously limited his opportunities on offense. Our QB definitely has the ability, but has not shown the confidence in his two years against stronger opponents. The confidence seems even less so far this year, but we keep going to the well, over and over, with the same results. I love both of those boys as if they are my own. The distribution of opportunities on offense have been grossly mismanaged between the two. I’m in complete agreement with your take. I’ve just lost faith that what you suggest, will happen.

Virginia High is in disarray. As a member of Bearcat Nation for 30 years, I have developed a sickening feeling in my stomach that 2018 will go down as the most disappointing season during that time, at least for me. Too much ability, not reaching its potential. Friday night’s game against Chilhowie will be viewed by the region as strictly that Chilhowie’s completely dominant, without a thought to the fact that VHS just couldn’t get out of their own way, which is a death sentence against a really good team like the Warriors. The schedule for the Bearcats does not get any easier, with matchups still against Graham and Richlands to go, as well as this week against the Falcons. It truly saddens me, but things will not improve for the Bearcats. I feel a more talented Bearcat team in 2018 from 2017 falls from 7-3 to 5-5. Abingdon comes to Gene Malcolm and leaves with a convincing win. Abingdon - 40 VHS - 17

Hard to believe it’s already Week 7! Let’s vote, shall we? 1. Bluefield 2. Ridgeview 3. Pulaski 4. Chilhowie 5. Mount View 6. Union 7. Graham 8. Patrick Henry 9. Abingdon 10. Grundy

They played well tonight, for sure. I have even more respect for coach Robinson, his staff, and a number of players after tonight. When we were on the field after the game, so many of them came up to us and told my son that he was every bit as good as advertised. Classy group you guys have over there.

With the way we played tonight, we’re gonna need it! 😂 I hope you guys bring a title back to this end of the state!

If I could like these twice, I certainly would! Color me impressed! Kudos, gentlemen!

Kudos to Chilhowie! We were simply outplayed. Good luck the rest of the way to the Warriors!

I will be impressed if anybody can tell me who these two players are, without the assistance of Google lol. Beattie Feathers - offense Mike Locke - defense

The VHS staff as a whole isn’t big, but we do have 4 brutes! One former D1 lineman who is about 6’6 350, another former collegiate player who looks like he was chiseled out of stone, a former collegiate baseball player that could have played football in college as well who’s about 6’3 275, and our new addition to the staff that was a collegiate all-american and played a few years on Special Teams and at LB with the Jacksonville Jaguars. No description needed for him lol.

He is!

1. Bluefield 2. Ridgeview 3. Pulaski 4. Chilhowie 5. Graham 6. Union 7. Richlands 8. Galax 9. VHS 10. Mt. View Others receiving votes Patrick Henry Abingdon Grundy JI Burton

I have been fortunate enough to see both Chilhowie and Union. Union has the definite size and strength advantage. Avery has legit speed but Chilhowie has more team speed. Coaching is pretty even. Union also has the numbers advantage. In my opinion, this is the one big issue when ranking teams from different classes in the same poll. They’re probably not going to play each other. With that said, I think the pros outweigh the cons in doing it this way, and makes for some pretty awesome discussion!

I’m curious to see everyone’s opinion if VHS beats Chilhowie again. Will it be because Chilhowie is overrated because VHS sucks, or will it be because VHS is a little better than people give them credit for 🤣 In all seriousness though, speaking only for me, I rank teams in my poll, similar to how the AP does the Top 25. There are countless examples of teams being ranked too high and teams being ranked too low. To me, you should account for a team’s entire body of work, so there is something to what @EH31 said, when it comes to wins and losses. @Union_Fan also has a point about not necessarily going by what a team has done in the past (which is impressive, because there are a couple of Union fans on this board that believe that the Bears could beat Alabama because of Union’s success over the last few years. Kudos, sir!). A recent example would be Virginia Tech. Ranked #13 last week. They lose to a winless ODU team. Did Tech deserve their ranking BEFORE that game? Absolutely! Did Tech deserve to drop AFTER the game? Absolutely! In college football, Alabama is clearly better than every other team in the country. 1D is much closer to having an “Alabama” in Chilhowie, than 2D is. Ridgeview is definitely ranked #1 for a good reason. So far, they have yet to lose a game. They should not be #1, solely based on the fact that they beat Union(goes back to not using the past) CAN Chilhowie beat this year’s Union, Graham, Ridgeview, and Richlands? Yes! Would Chilhowie win 5 or 6 out of 10 games against any of those teams? No. Those teams have a little more of what’s needed to win a hypothetical 10 game series against Chilhowie, but it’s not impossible at all for Chilhowie to win a couple. Chilhowie is good enough to win 2 or 3 of the games in a “10 game series”. Now, to use a winless area team like Lebanon(sorry Pioneers, not picking on you guys. I realize the program is suffering because of numbers). In 2018, would Lebanon beat any of those teams even once in a 10 game series? My money says “No way!” My point in all of this is, people voting in polls is not a perfect way to rank teams, but what would be a better system? There isn’t one. Teams may be ranked higher than other teams, but that does not mean they are necessarily better than a team ranked one or two spots below them. It means they are good and their season has been a smidge better so far, than the teams right below them.

This is the surest way to get a prediction correct. Pick one team, wait a day or so, then pick the other team. I like it! 🍻 I’m with ya, though. Go Bearcats!

Can each of you name your Top 3 best, and bottom 3 worst venues to watch a high school football game? All things considered....vantage point, bleacher comfort(or lack there of), concessions, PA guy, stadium location, parking, etc. Only one rule. It’s a tough one! NO RICHLANDS 🤣 Anyone can name their home venue. I’m trying to challenge you two, ya know? Keeping ya on your toes😉

Tazewell by 30+

Abingdon bounces back, big. Wise will be a tough out next year. Youth hurts them some this year.

Hey brother, no sweat! Most people outside of this matchup will take Chilhowie, and rightfully so! The senior classes of these two teams started dominating the area when they were in 8th grade. Both schools tried to work out a game at the end of the year back then, but it couldn’t be done. This will be the fourth year in a row that these groups have done battle. VHS won in 2015, Chilhowie got payback in 2016, and we won last year. It has quietly become a great rivalry, with playmakers all over the field for both sides. The region as a whole usually doesn’t expect much out of either team, historically speaking. VHS opened some eyes last year, and they honestly do have a better starting lineup than they did last year. Chilhowie took the “eye opening” even further with their kick ass season that they had. Speaking as a football fan, and not a dad of one of the players in this rivalry, I would expect this to be one of the best football games played in SWVA all season. Of course, it is high school, so we may go up there and get our asses handed to us, but I’m betting that the game will not be one-sided, as some feel.

Here we go again. Better turnout last week. Let’s get even more this week! 1. Bluefield 2. Ridgeview 3. Pulaski 4. Graham 5. Chilhowie 6. Union 7. Virginia High 8. Mount View 9. Galax 10. Richlands

👍🏼

Let me start by saying that mine and my family’s thoughts and prayers are with the entire Chilhowie community over the recent, tragic news of the loss of one of their own. On a much less important note, there is a high profile football game to be played on Friday night. Last year’s game saw the Bearcats give the Warriors their worst loss of the regular season. Both teams return a high number of players from that game and are a combined 8-1 this year. Emotions will run high for a number of reasons Friday night. I expect a hard fought game from both teams. I feel the Bearcats have what most 1A programs don’t have, to allow them to match up with Chilhowie; speed. I see this game being close through 3 quarters, but I believe the power aspect of the VHS running game will eventually take its toll on the Warriors. VHS - 34 Chilhowie - 19 Good luck to the Chilhowie players and God be with the entire community thru this difficult time.

Same