redtiger 1,740 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 Too many posts for me to respond to them all so I will just throw some stuff out there. If the 2014 Haysi team played the 2015 Ridgeview schedule I think they would go 7-3. Depth of the big schools would make a huge difference. Depth is a lot of what led to Haysis losses against Honaker and Essex(Haysi also lost to Tug Valley) Many tout Union as a dominant 2A team but lets remember Clintwood almost beat them in week 1, I think in 2014 a Ridgeview team would have beaten Union by at least 3 scores (I was not impressed by Union at the Norton scrimmage but it was still early in the season and they were very young last year, obviously not the team they grew to be by the end of the season). The strength of the inaugural Ridgeview team will be backs/WRs. Someone asked if Clintwoods QB returns, no he graduated as did Haysis. Clintwood had other capable QBs on their roster(from what I understand injuries kept 1 from playing) and Haysi has a couple of skill position players from last years team who can compete for the QB spot this season. Clintwood lost WR/DB Mullins, WR/CB Turner(one of the best athletes I saw last year, right there with Herron) and RB/LB Dahley, QB/OLB and some OL/DL but im not sure of positions or quality. Haysi lost QB Sykes, WR Mullins, FB Yates, 3 solid/very good OL/DL and a few others. My prediction is Ridgeview knocks off a team or two that they "should" lose to and they lose to a team or two that they "should" beat. Haysis kids know what its like to play against VERY good competition(Essex, Altavista, Galax, Honaker, 2014 Tug Valley), they just dont know how to do it week in and week out. That will be their struggle and imo it will take a season or two to adjust to strength of schedule. I see 2015 Ridgeview as runner up in the Mountain and a 3rd round playoff team. Maybe they do better than that, maybe they do worse but thats what I see given the talent they will have and the schedule they will face. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtiger 1,740 Author Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 As far as THE MOUNTAIN goes next year; Central and Lee lost a lot (so who knows what they will bring to the table) Union has the backs/receivers but from what I understand they may not have a QB GC should be the top team Battle is back to being john battle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 Union will be just fine at QB, I feel very confident in that. Union was not some elite team, and CW did almost beat them early, but they didnt. Union was playing much better down the stretch, and beat Richlands. Union returns an All-State TE (who will be a sophomore), a second team All-State WR/RB in Noaks, and a big time athlete in Gavin. They were very young on the offensive and defensive lines last season, those kids will only improve. Bryce Spears, a very clutch WR, also returns. No one said Union was a dominant 2A team, they got railed by GC. They were a good team, and were seven turnovers away from beating the eventual state champion, but they are not a powerhouse just yet. I think Haysi+CW v. Union would have been a great game last year and either team could win. Not many teams in the area can guard Union's wide receivers. When you have a TE that no TE or S in the area can cover, a scat back WR/RB that is a big play threat and makes people miss and can break a big play at any time, and a long, athletic WR in Gavin who is a legit 6'3 with great leaping ability. He was injured all year and never got into his groove, he should be much better next year. Return Jake Barnett, a LB, a big strong kid (the basketball player), and a freshman DT named Jeb Stidham that is gonna be a force to be reckoned with going forward. He was a true freshman last year and started every game at DT, and played a few games OL and DL. Does Union lose Sage and their RB? If so, they lose a lot. My guess is, Union, Gate City, Marion, and Ridgeview will all have a shot at winning the district, with Gate City being the obvious front runner with Union behind them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan4VT 4,554 Report Share Posted February 1, 2015 My guess is, Union, Gate City, Marion, and Ridgeview will all have a shot at winning the district, with Gate City being the obvious front runner with Union behind them. Marion is in the Hogo, unless something has changed recently. Just a heads up. BigWinners, redtiger and Deleted Account 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWVASportsGuru 15 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Union's TE will be a D-1 player. He's miss-used though, they don't get him the ball near enough. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtiger 1,740 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Yeah LEE lost their QB, RB and I think most of their WRs but return their Line. I think 2014 Haysi beats 2014 Union in a close game. Imo Union and GC are the favorites to win the Mountain, Ridgeview is the darkhorse, with Lee as a unknown. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Counts 156 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 I think Union will be tough BUT I also think Union will have a tougher time at QB than many think it is not that easy to replace a 4 year starter. As for Ridgeview I think that the key will be if we can put together a good line Both Clintwood and Haysi looked to be thin in returning players at those positions. As for the best TE/WR in the area i would put Gage Hill up there with anyone in SWVA. IMHO AA is tougher top to bottom than Single A but over the last few years IMHO I think that the Top teams in the State have been in single A. If Haysi had been in Single A last season I think that they at the very least finish in the top 4 in the west. I see the season like this Jenkins (Easy win--- glorafied scrimage I will hate this game if it continues past this cycle but I think Ridgeview will need a soft start to gel as a team) Central (Win--- Central has a hell of a QB but lost his supporting cast) Pantsville (Loss-- From what I am hearing they are on par with the Hazard teams Clintwood played in there State Championship run with a Div 1 QB prospect Could be the toughest team that they see all season) Union (Tossup --- Mullens has owned Turner in the Clintwood vs Union series....Union Looks to have the best team in several years but with an untested QB it could go eaither way) Lee (Win ---- Lee is heading in the right direction But IMHO is graduating to many multi year starters at the skill possitions there year will be wheather they rebuld or reload) GC (Loss -----Hate picking losses but GC was a softmore domanated team last season they will be NASTY there next 2 years I am just glad that the game is at Ridgeviwe this season) Battle (Win -- I think Battles run as a legt continder is over) Marion (Win --- As I understand it Marions STUD players from last season all graduated so this will be for the most part the team that lost to Northwood in week 1 last season) Grundy (Win -----No idea what has happened to Grundy over the last ten years ) Honaker (Win ----Honaker Graduated 20+ seniors the BDD is up for grabs this season) I think Ridgeview is looking at 7-3 or 8-2 next season.....that being said Haysi and Clintwood will need to Gel and find there new identy which could be an issue early in the season (And why I HATE the district games being played that early in the season) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redtiger 1,740 Author Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 I actually think the schedule sets up weel for the playoffs; soft to start, tough in the middle, softens up at the end. 7-3 should get Ridgeview a solid playoff seed and is a good starting season(regardless of what happens in the playoffs), at the same time if they slip up and go 6-4 they will end up getting a low seed and playing a top seeded team and thats a rough start to the playoffs. Like you said Counts, a lot just depends simply on how these kids gel. If they get it together the skys the limit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cityofRaven 2,444 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 It's really not that big a deal for district games to be early in the schedule seeing as districts really don't matter in the grand scheme of things anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 I think Union will be tough BUT I also think Union will have a tougher time at QB than many think it is not that easy to replace a 4 year starter. As for Ridgeview I think that the key will be if we can put together a good line Both Clintwood and Haysi looked to be thin in returning players at those positions. As for the best TE/WR in the area i would put Gage Hill up there with anyone in SWVA. IMHO AA is tougher top to bottom than Single A but over the last few years IMHO I think that the Top teams in the State have been in single A. If Haysi had been in Single A last season I think that they at the very least finish in the top 4 in the west. I see the season like this Jenkins (Easy win--- glorafied scrimage I will hate this game if it continues past this cycle but I think Ridgeview will need a soft start to gel as a team) Central (Win--- Central has a hell of a QB but lost his supporting cast) Pantsville (Loss-- From what I am hearing they are on par with the Hazard teams Clintwood played in there State Championship run with a Div 1 QB prospect Could be the toughest team that they see all season) Union (Tossup --- Mullens has owned Turner in the Clintwood vs Union series....Union Looks to have the best team in several years but with an untested QB it could go eaither way) Lee (Win ---- Lee is heading in the right direction But IMHO is graduating to many multi year starters at the skill possitions there year will be wheather they rebuld or reload) GC (Loss -----Hate picking losses but GC was a softmore domanated team last season they will be NASTY there next 2 years I am just glad that the game is at Ridgeviwe this season) Battle (Win -- I think Battles run as a legt continder is over) Marion (Win --- As I understand it Marions STUD players from last season all graduated so this will be for the most part the team that lost to Northwood in week 1 last season) Grundy (Win -----No idea what has happened to Grundy over the last ten years ) Honaker (Win ----Honaker Graduated 20+ seniors the BDD is up for grabs this season) I think Ridgeview is looking at 7-3 or 8-2 next season.....that being said Haysi and Clintwood will need to Gel and find there new identy which could be an issue early in the season (And why I HATE the district games being played that early in the season) Arent you guys replacing a QB too? And the Union QB stepping in his played some last season and some believe he will be more talented and better than the graduating senior. Gage Hill is great, but James Mitchell is a legit D1 prospect as a freshman. As Guru said, if Union would use him the way NE uses Gronk or NO uses Graham, he might get 20 TD catches. And Mullins is 3-1 v. Turner, but at least two years CW had clearly better teams and one was a state title contender. And three of the four games have been decided by four points or fewer. CW won in 2013 23-21, killed us 29-7 in 2012, and it was a 30-26 game in 2011. Mullins is one of the best coaches in the region and Turner is a first time HC, I wont really hold it against him because its no shame whatsoever in losing to CW and Rick Mullins. But Union is on a winning streak v. CW, even if it is just one game :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Marion is in the Hogo, unless something has changed recently. Just a heads up. Youre right, I got mixed up. The Mountain District is just: GC Union Lee Central RW right? But wasn't Marion and VHS both in the district with GC and Union two seasons ago? Or am I just imagining that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Counts 156 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 I think Battle is in the district now as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Yup youre right, I forgot Battle. Gate City Union Ridgeview Lee Central Battle Thats the district, and how they finish IMO Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dick_Vitale 342 Report Share Posted February 2, 2015 Districts are now obsolete. They literally do not matter. Go research what the new conference alignments are BigWinners. Just have to be top 16 in points to proceed to Regions in the West. You better hope you are opposite Gate City and more importantly Richlands... They are loaded next year. cityofRaven and Deleted Account 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 The districts mean nothing playoff-wise, I know how the power points work, I was just saying those are in that district, and thats how I believe they end up. Gate City is gonna be scary good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ryan4VT 4,554 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 The districts mean nothing playoff-wise, I know how the power points work, I was just saying those are in that district, and thats how I believe they end up. Gate City is gonna be scary good. That GC/Richlands game in week 1 will most likely decide who gets the top seed in 2A. GC loses Herron and a few others, but being back the majority. Richlands loses a QB, RB, WR, and 1 OL on offense. The new QB (Asbury) will be a name before the mid point of the season. And Waldron did a nice job replacing Griff at RB. And on defense, you lose 3 starters from a defense that was outstanding the second half of the season sans Abingdon. That game will be worth every cent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigWinners 1,643 Report Share Posted February 3, 2015 Didnt Richland use two QBs at one point during last season? I seem to remember them using another kid at QB during the Union game (a game that Richlands gave away, damn we had no business winning up there that night). Gate City loses their best overall playmaker, but they were so young anyway they will just reload. It will sound homer-ish, but really dont sleep on Union. When the offense is rolling, its very tough to stop. The only time Union was not in a position to win a game was at Gate City and Marion, and both games started in the worst possible way for the Bears and Union isnt the same team on the road as they are at home. Union's defense should be improved on the inside run game, those youngsters will continue to grow and develop, but I admit I know very little about the linebackers aside from James Mitchell at OLB and maybe Noaks at FS/CB. We (Union) have most likely the most athletic offense in region. Its going to be up to the QB to be able to get them the ball in the right spots and the offensive line to at least pose a threat of a running game. But Union returns their top four receivers, and I really believe Mitchell will be the focal point down the field this season and he will be hell on defenses because he lines up at TE a lot to throw off the other teams. There are no linebackers in this area that can guard him one on one. Itll still likely be Richlands or GC, but Union should have a good team. And its crazy to think but shows how much football is about matchups, Richlands beats GC, Union beats Richlands, but Gate City SMASHES Union. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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