Classification appeals tomorrow.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Princeton Senior High School has 1061 students, which is about 65 shy of that needed for 4A.  Frankly, I'm shocked that Virginia schools aren't beating down Princeton's doors to schedule football games.  I understand that Princeton's locked into its schedule in terms of playing 6 AAA-equivalents, but were I a school's AD, I'd lock Princeton up for eternity.  

 

BR: Abingdon's enrollment is 874.  About 60 short.

 

As far as Graham's scheduling goes, Graham will have no problem finding opponents.  Graham historically has never cared who it schedules, with the exception of that decades-long refusal to play single-A squads, no matter how good.  

[RichlandsAlum 678]

Can someone explain to me what is wrong with a district composed of

 

VA High, Battle, Abingdon, Marion, Carroll and Grayson ?

 

VA High wasn't happy in the MD and in this scenario would pass schools from 2 different(and perfectly suitable) districts to play ANY of their district opponents if they stayed in the SWD.

 

 

Virginia High's apparent preference for the SWD is another case that somewhat defies logic.  Maybe it's historical and/or nostalgic.  (The Bearcats were charter members back in 1956 and had longstanding scheduling relationships with SWD member schools for many years prior to that.)  But it's hard to believe that the current motivating factor for alignment trumps economics.

 

The population dynamics of the region are (unfortunately) still working themselves out.  Within a matter of a decade, I predict that there will be enough equity in terms of enrollment to allow geography and proximity to be the driving factors in district alignment.  And then we'll see districts that are both large enough (in terms of membership) and compact enough (in terms of geography) to be economical.

[West12aaa 99]

I wasn't aware Graham was having a hard time completing a schedule????

belfry is

[EH31 2,526]

belfry is

Curious why you think Graham would travel 2.5 hours to play a school in KY?

 

I would assume that If they ever actually do have trouble filling their schedule they could easily spread out on 460 or 81 and find some team that would rank around the same enrollment wise as Belfry, but at least an hour shorter drive.

[SW_VA_boy 492]

Curious why you think Graham would travel 2.5 hours to play a school in KY?

 

 

 

Wasn't too long ago they did a home and home with Greeneville, TN.   Pretty much the same distance from Bluefield as Belfry.  

[50kw 140]

Virginia High's apparent preference for the SWD is another case that somewhat defies logic.  Maybe it's historical and/or nostalgic.  (The Bearcats were charter members back in 1956 and had longstanding scheduling relationships with SWD member schools for many years prior to that.)  But it's hard to believe that the current motivating factor for alignment trumps economics.

Do you think baseball may be a factor?

[ISOaPBR 15]

Carroll being allowed to join a district where the second largest school will be less than half their size is absurd!

If enrollment had anything to do with it, Carroll would be 8-2 or 9-1 every year. It's money. Revenue from football has dropped by two-thirds since leaving the Southwest and they had basketball games with bigger gates than three of their five football gates last year. Can't fund an athletic department like that.

[GMan 3,569]

Would graham get 2A or 3A points for playing Princeton?

 

Almost certain 3A, but I wouldn't expect them to play.

 

I could see Graham's schedule something like this...

 

Six "automatic" games...

Bluefield

Tazewell

Richlands

Lebanon

Marion 

Virginia High

 

And pick four from the following...

 

Giles

Radford (especially if they go AA, used to be a fantastic rivalry)

Fort Chiswell (especially if they go AA plus their history in the MED)

Grayson Co.

Abingdon

Gate City

Galax

Grundy (if they remain AA)

Carroll Co.

 

And maybe even (potential newcomers to the schedule)...

George Wythe

Honaker

Floyd Co.

James Monroe (WV) - they've always wanted a piece of Graham, even back to when they were Peterstown.

[GMan 3,569]

Wasn't too long ago they did a home and home with Greeneville, TN.   Pretty much the same distance from Bluefield as Belfry.  

 

That was when they were really good and had a hard time scheduling teams, but that was about 15 years ago.  BTW, that was so long ago, Jason Witten was still in high school...

 

They'll have plenty of options for filling a schedule.  See my post above.

[Mountain Football 1,533]

Graham would always have a potential out of district opponent in Galax as much as they love to run up and down Mitchell.

;)

Hey sixcat for the well being of those running the chains I hope Galax never returns to Mitchell!!! I felt like I had run a marathon after last year. Fortunately I wasn't chasing Peoples up and down the field 3 years ago.

[Canes00 434]

I see Marion is playing the old game that Lebanon used to play back in the day and can't figure out which district they want to be bottom dwellers in. 

 

Either one it really don't matter 

[HurricaneWarning 212]

I see Marion is playing the old game that Lebanon used to play back in the day and can't figure out which district they want to be bottom dwellers in.

It'll be hard to compete in a district with the state champs in it lmao.

[West12aaa 99]

Curious why you think Graham would travel 2.5 hours to play a school in KY?

 

I would assume that If they ever actually do have trouble filling their schedule they could easily spread out on 460 or 81 and find some team that would rank around the same enrollment wise as Belfry, but at least an hour shorter drive.

I would love the challenge, a perennial team for over 20 years, rivals that of the old pv, that and pond creek travels and I mean TRAVELS

 

Would prepare you for an hard nose team and would be a nice boost in gate

[Deleted Account 5,203]

Would prepare you for an hard nose team and would be a nice boost in gate

(1) Yes.

(2) LOL, not at all.

[West12aaa 99]

 

In bowling green I think the 4th of 5 straight finals.

[EH31 2,526]

I would love the challenge, a perennial team for over 20 years, rivals that of the old pv, that and pond creek travels and I mean TRAVELS

 

Would prepare you for an hard nose team and would be a nice boost in gate

I agree good competition but the gate comment is laughable and the exact reason why a trip to Blacksburg or Christianburg for example would make more sense

[RichlandsAlum 678]

Do you think baseball may be a factor?

 

In Abingdon's case, probably.  With the exception of Battle, there doesn't appear to be a lot of competition or tradition within the Mountain District in terms of baseball.  The Falcons should reasonably expect to challenge for the title or win it outright most years.

 

I would think that Virginia High will miss Abingdon as a regular opponent on the diamond.  Richlands and Tazewell will still offer the Bearcats some quality competition within the SWD, but probably not to the same extent that Abingdon did.

[Widespread_Panic 197]

In Abingdon's case, probably.  With the exception of Battle, there doesn't appear to be a lot of competition or tradition within the Mountain District in terms of baseball.  The Falcons should reasonably expect to challenge for the title or win it outright most years.

 

 

 

Wise Central has more tradition than any baseball program in the state of Virginia. They've won 9 state titles.

[hhstigers7327 217]

Wise Central has more tradition than any baseball program in the state of Virginia. They've won 9 state titles.

No that would be J.J. Kelly high school that won 9 state titles in baseball not central.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

Wise Central has more tradition than any baseball program in the state of Virginia. They've won 9 state titles.

 

J.J. Kelly's heritage is certainly impressive and worth noting as a contributor to the present competitive level of the Mountain District.  However, I'm not sure that it's appropriate for Wise Central to co-opt that identity at this point.

 

For the sake of precedent, Northfork won 8 straight West Virginia state basketball championships in a row.  Mount View (the school into which Northfork was consolidated in 1985) has never won a state championship of any kind.  

 

NOTE:  I was a few minutes slow on the trigger.  Didn't mean to duplicate the effort of hhstigers7327.

Edited August 8, 2016 by RichlandsAlum

[hhstigers7327 217]

As long as the point gets across lol

[Leatherhead Larry 530]

No that would be J.J. Kelly high school that won 9 state titles in baseball not central.

Exactly! That's like how Union claims all of Appys and Powell Valleys football titles. Doesn't count in my book.

[hhstigers7327 217]

Imo it's ok to acknowledge those championships won by the old schools, but those are not the new schools championships by any means!

[RichlandsAlum 678]

Imo it's ok to acknowledge those championships won by the old schools, but those are not the new schools championships by any means!

 

Bit of a grey area, IMO.  

 

Further exploring the example I cited, Mount View was initially formed by the consolidation of Gary and Welch -- both of which had considerable football histories.  The idea at the time (1978) was that the new school would be a real juggernaut on the gridiron.  That never occurred.  A couple of tangible reasons jump out immediately.  One was the fact that the new school found itself at what I refer to as the shallow end of the Class AAA pool in West Virginia.  The other was the complete free fall of the economy in McDowell County that began almost concurrently with the school consolidation.  The addition of Northfork in 1985 produced no notable results in basketball for largely the same reasons.

 

Based largely on the history of their contributing constituent schools, it's reasonable to think that Union will eventually claim a state title in football and that Wise Central will be able to do the same in baseball.  But there are certainly no guarantees.  And there are several examples (particularly in West Virginia) of the opposite effect.

[SXSW 559]

The only reason Union would claim titles they didn't win would be to make them feel good about themselves and until they win (or if they ever win) one, that is all they have, a feeling of history! I don't know if Union will ever win a State Title in football, the competition is stacked against any team from S.W Va. (the talent level in Eastern Va. is insane) but when they do it will their first. It is like in college all these teams have all these "mystical" championships, I guess Sir Elton John was right when he sang "What ever gets you through the night"