Graham wins Region D the main reason is because of speed they have more than anyone else left playing. Union seems to be going in the wrong direction from what I have read, RV secondary will be destroyed if they make it, and Central is having a great year but they do not have the cats that Graham has. You still have to play the game and anything could happen if they dont take an opponent seriously but with a group of 16 seniors and the fact that they have done it before means the G Men should be in Salem
Will be a good game could come to who has ball last central different offense this time around with there speed. Ridgeview with ground and pound with Adkins on an undersized central team as far as line play will they wear down near the 4th quarter? Should be a good one on the ridge
central may be undersized up front but they play very low and are very fast off the snap. Ridgeview has some beef but in high school football I will take a quick lean 230 lb kid over a slower 280 any day of the week. With that being said Adkins is very good and RV has speed if they can get the ball there. #7 can flat out fly and reverse or end around to him and he can score from anywhere. The run D for RV is very good mostly because they load the box and play man though I am not sure what centrals passing attack looks like. If central can throw for more that Adkins rushes for they win
Graham is the most complete team in the region hands down. Ridgeview is going to get beat by anyone that can tackle 6 and complete a hitch because that pass defense is not great for a 1 seed. Wise Central has hit their stride they are a good team and they did beat a down Richlands team by their standards. GC and Union are tough hard nose teams that play football like "the good old days". But Battle and Lee?? The top side of the M7 is better with the exception of Graham but the bottom is the same. Plus as long as Abingdon is in the M7 any team that can beat them is going to out point a team with a similar record in the Southwest.
PH has no shot. No offense to anyone, but the only team in 1A with a realistic shot at Riverheads is Galax.
Riverheads dismantled the top team in 2A Region B last week, they would be a threat to win the 2A title. I thought Chilhowie was better last year than PH this year and Riverheads was slightly worse and Warriors got routed.
agreed Riverheads will win it again PH is good for 1D I would be surprised if they made it to Salem at all with Galax standing in there way. I think Union and GC is interesting #45 for GC is a pretty darn good line backer and so is the Polier kid I would expect a lot of good collisions there if GC can slow it down they have a chance. I dont think Wise is going to be afraid of that R on the side of the helmet considering they took down Union. Richlands had 2 of the best interior D lineman I've seen all year and Sage Webb is a game changer. Mance will have a plan but Richlands has had early exits before with good teams.
I dont know stats for sure this list is for the most part an eye test
1. Simmons GW this kid is lights out and by far the best true QB in the region even if you cover well he is capable of breaking a 40 yard scramble
2. Lester Graham - one of the top athletes in SWVA. He is playing out of position at QB that is the only reason he is 2 on the list
3. Simmons Richlands- Mance has a great system and this kid has learned it as the year has gone on. It doesnt hurt that he has the webb kid to throw it up to
4. Thomas VA High- I know he is a running back but he does catch the snap for them more times than not. If this kids was on any other team he would be an all state kid for sure. If he can get some help look out he could be future POY in the southwest district
5. Pickett Galax- I havnt seen him play but they stats yall keep throwing up are pretty darn impressive.
I definitely wouldnt call the system broken, 1 additional week is added with some bad games and no deserving team will ever get left out. Its not perfect but broken is an overstatement imo.
I agree 100% red tiger! Just 2 years ago there was an 8-2 team on the road which just speaks to the depth of the region that year. Some years it’s going to be really competitive and some years (like this one) a team that isn’t very good is going to sneak in. I’ve said this on this board multiple times more football is not a bad thing. An 8 seed is going to lose to a 1 seed most of the time BUT those younger guys on that team had the opportunity to have an extra week of practice and most likely some game experience when things get out of hand and that goes so far in developing a program. Now if you tap out and forfeit a playoff game because you don’t wanna be embarrassed take you whistle, pack up your sh** and get outta coaching you don’t deserve to lead young men.
I've tried to be as positive as possible this season, and I appreciate that you're trying, but this is a team that has gotten worse in every game that they've played in partially because of injuries, I'll give you that, but more importantly because the team has lost all semblance of fundamentals. I've seen more horsecollar penalties from this team than the previous five years combined. They are consistently tackling by the shoulder pads and helmet, taking the wrong angle, not attempting to find the ball on pass plays, and getting stood up at the line of scrimmage because they aren't getting low enough to have a shot at winning at the point of attack. They lost an all-state player in the preseason, but there are two more all-state players who are on the team. If the team has lost 12 players (an entire team's worth) that is an alarming statistic that reflects horribly on the coaching staff. Rather than galvanizing under pressure as the season progressed like the Carroll coached teams did, a mediocre team has become the worst team that the school has produced since WWII as the season has progressed. A team that has three wins, have given Virginia High their only win of the season, getting beaten by 35 points, despite two of those three victories coming over teams that had beaten VA High.
We're talking about a team that has fundamentally regressed to the extent that they don't even begin to resemble the same team they were five weeks ago, and sure, the players quitting hurt, but you can't convince me that twelve players quitting isn't reflective on the coaching staff. I'm not here to take a crap on Smith's staff because he is working with a stacked deck and it's his first year, he's still learning, but if any one can absolve the coaches of responsibility means that we're watching two different teams.
You are right it is a different team because the same kids arnt on the field mostly because of injury and concussions. The kids that are no longer on the team quit because they were back ups and didn’t get the playing time they wanted or didn’t come to practice because their parents said that’s okay and got mad they didn’t play but when you have the injuries and you back ups are no longer on the team you get what you have seen. I have a hard time believe that a defensive head coach doesn’t work on tackling but the kids have to execute. The coaching staff isn’t perfect no staff is sometimes bad luck and a rough cycle makes good coaches look bad
So here is what Marion has had to deal with this year
Best linebacker (hm all state) quits before the season starts
12 “concussion“ through out the year with most of those player being starters
11 other players that started 2 a days are no longer on the team (quit, trouble at school, and didn’t like being told they couldnt play if they didn’t come to practice)
0 support from the community instead of cheering at any point they are trashing the coaches in front of the kids which after a while makes the kids second guess the coach when mom dad uncle grand dad etc tell him that the coaches are dumb asses and he should quit.
Greg Mance would have a hard time winning with what Marion has to put on the field at the moment.
Are they world beaters.. no. Do they have good individuals.. yes. Does their record deserve a play off appearance? No but that’s not the kids fault let them play it’s the last time some of them will put on a helmet. Is there a culture of folding it up and quitting when things don’t go your way? Yes it’s been like that even with the good teams Marion has had.
It takes time to change a culture and that hard to do when you are in a down talent cycle. Coach Smith is doing everything he can with the cards he has been dealt.
The biggest advantage VA High has is that speedy running back. If he get lose it could be a long night for the pioneers. If Lebanon can shorten the game and just run that power I right down the throat of the bearcat D then we may have a nice little shoot out on our hands.
Doesn’t seem very fair that these 2 teams play every year it’s been a blood bath the last few years. I just hope everyone gets outta there healthy. The injury bug has been bad for a lot of teams this year
GW will make big plays the QB is electric and skill guys that can flat out boggie. I havnt seen Galax but I do know Dixon is a hell of a o line guy and Galax wins because of that it might be close because GW will big play them a few times but bigs>skills in this one
I gotcha we were just assuming the top 4 teams will win first round (but maybe not) but if they do the 2nd round will be fun to watch. Know one is saying 5-8 didn't earn it but it's hard to imagine a 1-4 losing to a 5-8
That’s the whole point of the playoffs the first round should be easier than than any other for the teams that get that first home game. But you still have to play the game. I didn’t see any Richlands fans saying Richlands didn’t earn a playoff spot when they barely made the 8 seed then almost upset Union. I guess those Tazewell county has the only fans that stand by there team regardless oh record
Yeah but you listed some teams who are probably combined 5-30
I understand that but one of those teams has to get the last seed and they did earn that seed by beating the teams below them which is going to be the case for one of those teams it’s not like everyone gets in they earn a spot even if it is only with 3 or 4 wins
I guess Marion, Battle, VA High, Lee, and Lebanon should just pull a Bland and cancel their season since the don’t deserve to be in the playoffs.... I mean what’s the point of playing the rest of the games if making the playoffs as an 8 seed if they just don’t deserve to be there. Just throw in the towel and teach these kids that when things do go you way quit because they don’t deserve to even try. Most of those teams have a ton of injuries or had people quit. The coaches are doing there best with the cards they are have but all that hard work doesn’t deserve a playoff appearance. If you don’t like the product in the field don’t show up because I promise you the schools don’t need you $7 and the kids could care less they just want to play ball.. maybe next time the head coaching job comes open at your local high school put in for the job then maybe you can one of the poor pathetic sorry excuse for a football program around and if it you don’t like your playoff match up don’t get on the bus to go to ridgeview or big stone and see how far that gets you
Battle has too many key injuries to win this one I know central is banged up too but unless the young QB from battle has grown up a lot since his first game and that o line has improved I see central taking this one in a 21-14 game
GW going to spank that tail tonight!!!! GW going to run tempo all night and wear those big lineman out will be playing our second and third string by mid 3rd quarter. 54-21 GW give me 2 claps and a Ric Flair!!! Woooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
GW does not run a tempo offense....
and with 30 ish players and no jv team there is no 3rd string
I totally agree. If all of Lebanon's athletes played from baseball and basketball we would have a fairly good team. I don't agree with it , but when kids are getting full rides to play D1 or playing minors it's hard to argue. It was also a problem at JJ Kelly when I was in school there. The baseball program ruled the school. It took a coach by the name of Kevin Saunders to turn it around during the Shupe Era.
I think lebanon will be more competitive next year, right now they are just too young. Our 9th and 8th grade team on the other hand is 3-1 so far and has a lot of talent, we will see if that will translate down the road.
Specializing is killing all sports in this area honestly and the sad thing is that most of these kids that see one or two special talents do big things and they think they will follow never make it past high school ball. It’s the sad truth of college ball.
Moving said rb from the line back to fullback was the best decision Jeremy has made. No way he needs to be at OG. Jeremy has my full support in anything he does. As does most GC fans. It's a long way back to being the GC of old and will not happen over night. But I believe it will happen in the future. It just takes time.
Wow someone supporting a coach and understanding that it takes time I didn’t know these people existed any more. Good for you sir
When you have 11 injuries, I guess that is expected. Several key players are out fornthe rest ofnthe season this year. Been a tough couple of years for injuries for the Bulldogs.
Injury bug seems to hit them pretty hard every year and with a small roster that makes things tough. The early 3 wins should help as far as post season goes with VA High lee and Lebanon sitting with 0 wins and battle also having key injuries should be a battle with Gate city Marion and Tazewell for those last few spots and the southwest district is down compared to mountain 7 this year gate city could out point the other two just on strength of schedule. So I guess the battle for the ugly dragon trophy could decide that last spot.
You said it. “Winning Culture” and VA High football definitely don’t go together.
VA High is would be a hard job IMO for a few reasons. First there is a lot more to do in Bristol than Chilhowie. Kids have other options and just don’t come out. In a town like Chilhowie that prides themselves of community support and kids want to play on the same field that big brother and dad and granddad did that makes a did difference as far as numbers go. Plus just not much to do. Second, it has to be hard to build a program when your sport plays second fiddle to a power house program that is sending kids to college. Why play football and get hurt when I can get my school paid for and play baseball. I don’t agree with it but VA High is not the only victim in this. Just look at Lebanon (baseball) and Gate City (basketball). Coach Crist is a good coach and does the best he can with what he has to work with. He lost a ton of seniors and is having to rebuild. The playoffs are out of the question this year but they will get back soon.
I hate that for them I was hoping they'd make the playoffs for the first time in years, maybe they still will. Its neat seeing a young team come of age, and it sucks when petty plays affect their ceiling. I'm hoping the pioneers will get it together in the next year or so until then I will just enjoy watching them improve and take their lumps.
Good luck to the Bulldogs the rest of the way.
If they win the games they should they will be in the play offs now that may mean going to bullit park or RV first round but they should get in. I feel for the Harris kid he one heck of a ball player
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Graham vs Union Part 2
in SWVA Football
Posted
Graham wins Region D the main reason is because of speed they have more than anyone else left playing. Union seems to be going in the wrong direction from what I have read, RV secondary will be destroyed if they make it, and Central is having a great year but they do not have the cats that Graham has. You still have to play the game and anything could happen if they dont take an opponent seriously but with a group of 16 seniors and the fact that they have done it before means the G Men should be in Salem