mnhokie 10 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 In 1984 Graham and Abingdon each went 8-1 to tie for the SWD Championship. Due to scheduling we did not play each other. We lost to Bluefield by 1 and Abingdon beat Chilhowie in our non-district games. Abingdon was awarded first seed in the playoffs and us second. We had to go to Blacksburg and Abingdon hosted Radford. We lost and Abingdon won. Hey G-Man: Do you know how they were seeded 1 and us 2. I have wondered to this day. I know I am biased, but I feel that kept us from advancing far into the playoffs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigD4VT 11 Report Share Posted September 23, 2009 Based on overall record? If both were 8-1 in district, but Abingdon beat Chilhowie and Graham lost to Bluefield, that would make Abingdon 9-1 and Graham 8-2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason 299 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 In 1984 Graham and Abingdon each went 8-1 to tie for the SWD Championship. Due to scheduling we did not play each other. We lost to Bluefield by 1 and Abingdon beat Chilhowie in our non-district games. Abingdon was awarded first seed in the playoffs and us second. We had to go to Blacksburg and Abingdon hosted Radford. We lost and Abingdon won. Hey G-Man: Do you know how they were seeded 1 and us 2. I have wondered to this day. I know I am biased, but I feel that kept us from advancing far into the playoffs. The reason Graham did not advance far in the playoffs is because Blacksburg beat them not because Abingdon got the #1 seed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
broady 12 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 http://www.scott.k12.va.us/gchsfootball/yearpages/1984.htm Gate City beat Abingdon in 1984 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 The reason Graham did not advance far in the playoffs is because Blacksburg beat them not because Abingdon got the #1 seed. I was at that Graham and Blacksburg game...An inadvertant whistle when Mike Murphy was running into the endzone untouched for Graham on a trick play....and 20 below zero with 30 mile per hour winds had something to do with it too....Graham was capable of beating Blacksburg that year, but it wasn't in the cards that night.. Not taking anything away from Blacksburg, they won....but I remember that night like it was yesterday...that is the coldest I have ever been at a football game...2002 watching Floyd County and GW in the playoffs was a close 2nd. I would think that they went by overall record, also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoard 18 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 I would say Abingdon got awarded the SWD title via the VHSL rating scale. If I remember correctly, Tazewell was 8-2 that year (7-2 SWD) and Abingdon beat them, while Graham's only SWD loss was to Tazewell (I remember going to that game, it was 7-6 on a Saturday night at Mitchell). Beating an 8-win team probably helped Abingdon out-point Graham. Back when the SWD and the New River were the only two districts in Region IV, each league sent its top two teams to the playoffs, with the district champs hosting first round games. During the period there were 11 schools in the SWD, 10 teams played nine district games and one school played all 10 of its games against district foes. I think it was one of the former Highlands teams (usually John Battle?) that always played the 10-game district schedule. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VHSLhelper 571 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Battle did play all 10 teams, but 1 game didn't count for them, so all teams had 9 games that counted in the district standings. The ratings determined the #1 seed. Abingdon had a higher rating thanks to Tazewell's bonus points AND the non-district win. The system then was 9 points for beating AA, 6 points for beating A, and 1 bonus point for every win by a team you beat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnhokie 10 Author Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Graham's non-district game was against the AAA WVA Champ Bluefield Beavers (1 pt loss) Abingdon's was against single A Chilhowie. I do not know how they did that year. Graham lost to Tazewell by 1 pt Abingdon lost to GC by 14 pts. If Abingdon was awarded the top seed based on this all I can say is, I cant print it due to inappropriate language. Graham had only 4 seniors on that team. Coach Carlock told us after the season that this team was the biggest surprise (good) of his career. He told us he was hoping we could win a couple games at best. I know this sounds like "Glory Days", but it shows how much of a lasting imprint playing H.S. football leaves on you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Graham's non-district game was against the AAA WVA Champ Bluefield Beavers (1 pt loss)Abingdon's was against single A Chilhowie. I do not know how they did that year. Graham lost to Tazewell by 1 pt Abingdon lost to GC by 14 pts. If Abingdon was awarded the top seed based on this all I can say is, I cant print it due to inappropriate language. At that time, the ratings system was based on wins only, teams got no points for losing. Graham finished 8-2...all wins over AA schools (8 victories X 9 points each), 72 points plus one point for each victory those defeated teams had over opponents who were same class or higher. Abingdon had nine wins, eight over AA (8 victories X 9 points each) and one over A (1 victory X 6 points each), 78 points plus one point for each victory those defeated teams had over opponents who were same class or higher. Since both schools played virtually the same schedule of teams, there likely would not be much difference in the bonus points. Abingdon clearly held the point advantage and was the #1 seed from the SWD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Graham had only 4 seniors on that team. Coach Carlock told us after the season that this team was the biggest surprise (good) of his career. He told us he was hoping we could win a couple games at best. I know this sounds like "Glory Days", but it shows how much of a lasting imprint playing H.S. football leaves on you. But from those four seniors, Graham had the SWD Running Back of the Year and SWD Lineman of the Year...and a pretty talented group of underclassmen to go along with them... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
futbolking 766 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 and Region IV player of the year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Observer77 12 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 But from those four seniors, Graham had the SWD Running Back of the Year and SWD Lineman of the Year...and a pretty talented group of underclassmen to go along with them... Was that Kimbo & Large? Or was Joe the back of the year? Did Kimbo get hurt his junior or senior year, I can't remember...help a brother out here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Was that Kimbo & Large? Or was Joe the back of the year? Did Kimbo get hurt his junior or senior year, I can't remember...help a brother out here Kevin Yost was back of the year in '84. And yes, Large was the lineman of the year. Kimbo was a senior the year before and hurt his knee on the first play of the game of the first game of the season. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_general 13 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 Kevin Yost was back of the year in '84. And yes, Large was the lineman of the year. Kimbo was a senior the year before and hurt his knee on the first play of the game of the first game of the season. That first game was against Richlands. I played in that game and was in on the tackle that resulted in Kimbo getting hurt. Kimbo was a good ball player. Play against him from 8th grade up. We were disappointed that he was hurt. Richlands won that game but looking back it would have been a better win with Kimbo in the lineup all 4 qtrs. The Graham I remember the most was with Eddie Hall and Eddie Neal teams. Those guys were good. Does those names ring any bells..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GMan 3,569 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 That first game was against Richlands. I played in that game and was in on the tackle that resulted in Kimbo getting hurt. Kimbo was a good ball player. Play against him from 8th grade up. We were disappointed that he was hurt. Richlands won that game but looking back it would have been a better win with Kimbo in the lineup all 4 qtrs. The Graham I remember the most was with Eddie Hall and Eddie Neal teams. Those guys were good. Does those names ring any bells..... Oh yeh, and Eddie Hall rang a lot of bells (of other players) in the SWD...he was a one-man wrecking crew on both sides of the ball. Jake Houseright from Gate City reminded me a lot of how Eddie Hall played...both could control a game from either side of the ball. And Eddie Neal could do it all...throw, run, catch, tackle, kick...tremendous player. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VHSLhelper 571 Report Share Posted September 24, 2009 If Abingdon was awarded the top seed based on this all I can say is, I cant print it due to inappropriate language. Some coaches agreed... that's why they changed the ratings sytem so you could get points from your losses, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the_general 13 Report Share Posted September 25, 2009 Oh yeh, and Eddie Hall rang a lot of bells (of other players) in the SWD...he was a one-man wrecking crew on both sides of the ball. Jake Houseright from Gate City reminded me a lot of how Eddie Hall played...both could control a game from either side of the ball. And Eddie Neal could do it all...throw, run, catch, tackle, kick...tremendous player. Agreed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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