On Virginia preps message board Lynn Burke posted some results of his research and I wanted to add them to this site. I would like to get all of this updated on fourseasonsfootball.com because I think it is very interesting history.
Pre-1920
First, in many cases, playoff game were simply arranged. Everything was unofficial since there was no statewide governing body for football. The Virginia Literary and Athletic League didn't start overseeing football until 1920. And there were arguments, sometimes very heated arguments, over which teams had legitimate claims to championships.
1914 John Marshall Richmond
>The Richmond Times-Dispatch on Nov. 24 says John Marshall claimed the Eastern State championship. JM then beat Roanoke 7-6 in an East-West game. JM lost only to Raleigh, N.C. and was 7-0 against Virginia schools before beating Roanoke.
1916 John Marshall Richmond
>On Nov. 27, the Virginian-Pilot of Norfolk reported that Roanoke chose to play John Marshall (7-0-1) for the championship, rather than Maury, which was 8-0-1. Because of that Maury challenged the winner, but the Dec. 5 Times-Dispatch said JM would not play Maury, that the team had disbanded despite an offer from Virginia Tech for an expense-paid trip to Blacksburg to play Maury. So the Virginian-Pilot reported Maury won the Tidewater championship and tied John Marshall for the state championship.
1919 Jefferson Roanoke
>On Dec. 7, 1919, the Richmond Times-Dispatch printed that Roanoke’s 8-0 victory over John Marshall secured the state championship, but in the same newspaper, unbeaten Newport News issued a challenge to the winner. And two days later, Lynchburg disputed Roanoke’s championship. The Newport News Daily Press then said Newport News claimed the championship since it reported Roanoke declined to play the Typhoon, despite an offer from Virginia Tech to play host to the game. Newport News and John Marshall had played a scoreless tie early in the season.
Next is Class B champions
1925 Norton
> According to newspapers, Norton and South Norfolk (now Oscar Smith) won half-state championships. The Newport News newspaper said Norton forfeited to South Norfolk, setting up an overall title game between Newport News and South Norfolk (more on that later)
1928 South Boston defeated Big Stone Gap
1928 Alexandria defeated Oceana
> The Virginian-Pilot said Alexandria beat Boston 31-12 for the Class B championship. In the semifinals, Alexandria beat Clifton Forge and South Boston beat Big Stone Gap. In the first round, Big Stone Gap beat Christiansburg and Alexandria beat Oceana.
1929 Washington and Lee tied Big Stone Gap 12 - 12
> In the semifinals, Big Stone Gap and Saltville played to a 0-0 tie. The Big Stone Gap Post reported the Virginia Literary and Athletic League declared, because of the two ties, the three teams involved would share the title. Left out was Suffolk, which lost to Washington-Lee 20-0 in the other semifinal.
1931 William Byrd defeated Norton Class B playoff
> The VLAL did away with Class B state championships in favor of half-state championships. William Byrd won the West, Suffolk in the East.
1934 Suffolk
1934 Clifton Forge Half State Championship
> Suffolk and Clifton Forge were half-state champions.
1935 Suffolk
> Since Fredericksburg forfeited to Suffolk in the East and Narrows forfeited to Clifton Forge in the West, the VLAL let the teams play each other. Suffolk won 12-0.
1936 Fredericksburg
> Fredericksburg won in the East, Big Stone Gap in the West
1938 Fredericksburg
> Fredericksburg won in the East, Clifton Forge won in the West
1939 Fredericksburg
1939 Clifton Forge tied Big Stone Gap 0-0 Half State Championship
> Half-state champs. Fredericksburg beat Cradock 25-0
1940 Appalachia
> Half-state again, Appalachia in the West, Suffolk in the East.
1941 Appalachia
> Clifton Forge and Appalachia won their half-state titles, but decided not to play a state championship game.
1942 Martinsville
> Covington won the East, Martinsville the West. Covington beat Martinsville 26-0 in the championship game.
1943 Harrisonburg
> Harrisonburg in the East, William Fleming in the West
1944 Harrisonburg
> Harrisonburg in the East, Wytheville in the West
These are not state championship games. Class B schools could play regional championships, District 1 vs. 2, 3 vs 4, 5 vs 6 and 7 vs 8. They were not mandatory and there were no games past the regional games.
1946 Lexington
1948 Glen Allen defeated Suffolk
1949 Glen Allen defeated Suffolk
1949 William Fleming tied Handley 14 - 14
1952 William Fleming
Next is class C Champions
1939 Narrows Class C playoff
> I'm missing some information here. I have Narrows winning the West, and Warrenton in the East, but I have no record of a championship game.
1941 Culpeper
> Culpeper beat Deep Creek 30-0 in the East, East Stone Gap beat Bedford by forfeit in the West because the Bedford coach died of a heart attack the week before the game.
Finally Im not sure what classification these are.
1930 Marion
> Class B state championship game
1936 Big Stone Gap
> Half-state champion in the West. See 1936 above.
1937 Covington Half State Champions
> Covington and Fredericksburg won half-state championship, but didn't play a championship game because they couldn't agree on a site.
1939 Warrenton
1939 Narrows
> See Class C above
1941 Clifton Forge defeated Suffolk
> See Class B above
1942 Covington Half State Champions
> See Class B above
1945 Covington tied Suffolk 6-6 playoff
> Covington tied Suffolk in the Class B East, William Fleming won the West
See explanation of regional championship games above
1946 Covington Half State Champions
1947 George Wythe Whythville Regional Champions
1947 Tazewell Regional Champions
1947 Blackstone
1948 Virginia Regional Championship
1949 Appalachia Regional Champions
1950 Coeburn Regional Championship
1951 Liberty Bedford playoff win
1951 Richlands Regional Champions
Final note: After the VLAL started Class B playoffs in 1925, it allowed the Class B champion to challenge the Class A champion for the overall title.
1925: Newport News pulled ahead in the second half and beat South Norfolk 47-6
1926: Bristol forfeited the overall championship game to Wilson, saying the Portsmouth school wouldn’t offer a guarantee that would cover Bristol’s expenses to come to Portsmouth
That was it. Beginning in 1927, Class A schools determined the state championship only by the regular season, something that didn't change until 1965.
Hope this helps .....
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