VHSL denies Giles bid to move down a classification.

[RichlandsAlum 678]

9 hours ago, UVAObserver said:

The VHSL goes to pretty great lengths to protect Shenandoah Valley and Central Virginia schools.  

I think there are two issues at play with classification -- enrollment and attendance policies.  Generally speaking, enrollment levels in Shenandoah and Central Virginia appear to be amazingly consistent over a long period of time.  Thus there isn't as much bouncing between classifications in these areas compared to pretty much every other part of the Commonwealth.  So on that note it's hard to cast blame on the VHSL and/or the new classification system -- or at least it's hard to do so in a manner that will actually "stick."

Attendance policy is the bigger issue, IMO.  And that's where outliers like Riverheads, LCA, and John Marshall come into play.  Once the enrollment issue pretty much settles, I'd like to see the VHSL issue stronger guidelines about attendance zones and develop some enforcement issues to follow through.  The numbers at the schools I singled out aren't the issue -- it's the qualitative nature of them (and namely the fact that rosters are being assembled with little to no attention to geographic issues that have traditionally bound most public schools).  But given the apparent assault on community-based schools nationwide, I'm not optimistic at all about the likelihood that this part will be addressed.

[Union_Fan 2,154]

25 minutes ago, rsntu88 said:

Riverheads fans, I haven’t really seen a huge issue with. 
 

Appomattox fans? Entitled. Whiny. Insufferable. 

 

13 minutes ago, swva_havok_fan said:

I haven't had a problem out of them either.  BoBob who is a member here, is one of the nicest folks you'll ever meet.

I think it's more of the bandwagon fans that aren't even from Appo that are the problem, on the forums at least. The ones I know that are actually from Appo and have supported them for years are nice folks.

In person, they were very nice in 2016 with both the game and the passing of our cheerleader's mother. Many reached out on Union related social media.

 

[RichlandsAlum 678]

13 hours ago, UVAObserver said:

Protecting Riverheads in football...

Playing Devil's Advocate here....  Probably more to do with the fact that Giles has an enrollment of 70 more kids than the largest (on the original list) Class 1 school.  Based on pure speculation it looks like decisions about dropping down (aside from geography) may have been driven by an arbitrary percentage difference in the schools that were classified higher as compared to the top of the classification that they were seeking.  And that number may be 10%.  (Deriving that by comparing Lebanon -- and their successful request -- to Northampton as opposed to Giles.)

I know that a few of the coaches at my local school favored a request to drop from Class 3 to Class 2.  And we would meet that hypothetical 10% threshold right now.  However we are also seeing some population growth locally that would bounce us back.  So long story short, we didn't pursue it.

I'm aware of the shenanigans associated with the ebb and flow of players among Augusta County, Waynesboro, and Staunton.  But I will stick to the opinion that enrollment isn't the argument that peels that onion.

[mmqp 30]

2 hours ago, sixcat said:

Not necessarily true.  If Galax had committed to the run game earlier in the championship game in December, Galax very likely would have won the game.  Even Riverheads coaches and fans admitted as much in post game interviews.  But as they say, if if's and buts were candy and nuts...........

As for the fans, the ones I have encountered have been completely realistic and very polite.  The community support they have rivals anything I have ever seen in far SWVA.  

Haha thats the problem at the 1A level though, inferior coaching. Not only is Riverheads the most talented, they also have the absolute best coaching at that level. It was and is inexplicable what Galax did in that game. And dont get me started on the goal line sequence late in the game where they had to settle for a field goal. I know Dixon said before the game that the kids liked running more spread... um, okay? And that was the second best coach at the 1A level, it's gravy after those two coaching squads.

At 2A I still believe Riverheads would be one of the top teams and I do believe they would have won the title last season.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

1 hour ago, mmqp said:

At 2A I still believe Riverheads would be one of the top teams and I do believe they would have won the title last season.

There’s no doubt in my mind that Riverheads would have been the East’s representative in 2A last season.  That being said, the real state title game was played in Appomattox the week before.  
 

Though Riverheads is so fundamentally sound, you can out-athlete them at times if you have equivalent discipline.  Galax did it, and Graham would have last season.  Appomattox runs a similar style but would have just beaten them up on the lines.  Either school would have beaten Riverheads by 14+.

[mmqp 30]

3 minutes ago, UVAObserver said:

There’s no doubt in my mind that Riverheads would have been the East’s representative in 2A last season.  That being said, the real state title game was played in Appomattox the week before.  
 

Though Riverheads is so fundamentally sound, you can out-athlete them at times if you have equivalent discipline.  Galax did it, and Graham would have last season.  Appomattox runs a similar style but would have just beaten them up on the lines.  Either school would have beaten Riverheads by 14+.

Fair enough. Now if we could just talk them into stepping up to those challenges and get them the hell out of 1A. With Dixon leaving Galax they have absolutely no competition at that level now.

[Deleted Account 5,203]

2 minutes ago, mmqp said:

Fair enough. Now if we could just talk them into stepping up to those challenges and get them the hell out of 1A. With Dixon leaving Galax they have absolutely no competition at that level now.

That’s very true.  There’s no one in that division that can compare now.  It’s embarrassing really.

[mmqp 30]

19 minutes ago, UVAObserver said:

That’s very true.  There’s no one in that division that can compare now.  It’s embarrassing really.

There is really only 2-3 legit teams in 1A. And I dare to say that number is down to 1 now. 

Essex is a squad that should be much better than they are with the horses they have on their line. But the coaches there are die hard spread passing obsessed. I believe if any team in 1A beats Riverheads in the next 5 years it will be GW. But that, in my mind, is a long stretch as well.

 

Coaching at 1A needs to get better overall across the board IMO or we'll see Riverheads repeat year after year after year. 

[mmqp 30]

I know I've mentioned this on the Preps board many times and it is not fair for me to target Riverheads specifically.

 

But in my humble opinion this is how the divisions should look

1A  -  400 or less students

2A - 401 to 750 students

3A - 751 to 1450 students

4A - 1451 and above

I've kicked that horse half a million times now but I'll kick it again for safe measure. And that includes adding in the private schools. Boarding schools not allowed lol.

[rsntu88 84]

10 hours ago, Union_Fan said:

 

I think it's more of the bandwagon fans that aren't even from Appo that are the problem, on the forums at least. The ones I know that are actually from Appo and have supported them for years are nice folks.

In person, they were very nice in 2016 with both the game and the passing of our cheerleader's mother. Many reached out on Union related social media.

 

Yeah there are a fair amount that are pleasant. BoBob seems to be one. 
 

I see a lot of the people on social media posting crazy stuff. They ruin it for the good ones. 
 

Of course, I do live 20 minutes from Salem, who has a bad reputation. 
 

 

[Union_Fan 2,154]

1 hour ago, rsntu88 said:

Yeah there are a fair amount that are pleasant. BoBob seems to be one. 
 

I see a lot of the people on social media posting crazy stuff. They ruin it for the good ones. 
 

Of course, I do live 20 minutes from Salem, who has a bad reputation. 
 

 

The crazy ones on social media shouldn't be allowed to procreate! Lol

[oldfool 98]

I missed it somewhere. How did my beloved RAIDERS get caught up in this thread? 

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

1 hour ago, rsntu88 said:

Yeah there are a fair amount that are pleasant. BoBob seems to be one. 
 

I see a lot of the people on social media posting crazy stuff. They ruin it for the good ones. 
 

Of course, I do live 20 minutes from Salem, who has a bad reputation. 
 

 

They have a bad reputation cause everyone that way hates them...you know why they hate them? Because Salem owns every single one of them

[Union_Fan 2,154]

54 minutes ago, oldfool said:

I missed it somewhere. How did my beloved RAIDERS get caught up in this thread? 

The same way everything else gets dragged through the mud... discussing Riverheads' enrollment. 😁

[Single A west 113]

Lebanon and fort, I think that their drop down is for the 2021-22 season, if I read correctly.

[rsntu88 84]

18 hours ago, Hokiebird7 said:

They have a bad reputation cause everyone that way hates them...you know why they hate them? Because Salem owns every single one of them

I know. Most of the Salem fans I encounter everyday are generally pleasant. 
 

Most of them I have met don’t get triggered at the mention of Richlands. 

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

33 minutes ago, rsntu88 said:

I know. Most of the Salem fans I encounter everyday are generally pleasant. 
 

Most of them I have met don’t get triggered at the mention of Richlands. 

No they don't.... but don't  they have reason to be?

[rsntu88 84]

1 hour ago, Hokiebird7 said:

No they don't.... but don't  they have reason to be?

Very much so

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

14 minutes ago, rsntu88 said:

Very much so

Yep they sure do

[Bluefield researcher 1,195]

The only two people that are to blame for the Richlands - Salem fiasco in the coach of Richlands and the Richlands principal. The coach knowingly cheated. When the principal found out he should have taken matters into his hands and forfeited the game. The players and fans of Richlands are innocent and yet it is them that constantly take all the heat.

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

1 minute ago, Bluefield researcher said:

The only two people that are to blame for the Richlands - Salem fiasco in the coach of Richlands and the Richlands principal. The coach knowingly cheated. When the principal found out he should have taken matters into his hands and forfeited the game. The players and fans of Richlands are innocent and yet it is them that constantly take all the heat.

Exactly right

[rsntu88 84]

53 minutes ago, Hokiebird7 said:

Exactly right

Yeah. 
 

Is Giles supposed to be any better if there’s even a football season?

[Hokiebird7 1,416]

7 minutes ago, rsntu88 said:

Yeah. 
 

Is Giles supposed to be any better if there’s even a football season?

Probably about the same or maybe a little better...we don't have the athletes to compete in D2 right now

[Ryan4VT 4,550]

15 hours ago, rsntu88 said:

I know. Most of the Salem fans I encounter everyday are generally pleasant. 
 

Most of them I have met don’t get triggered at the mention of Richlands. 

When I worked for the Salem Sox while at VT, I wore a Richlands hat often. Once had a guy who looked to be in his 50s ask me if my hat was regulation length. I told him it happened 24 years ago and offered directions to the nearest Lowe’s so he could get supplies to build a bridge and get over it. He told me he hoped I crashed my car. 
 

Not a fan at all of Salem fans. 

[Deleted Account 5,203]

1 hour ago, Ryan4VT said:

When I worked for the Salem Sox while at VT, I wore a Richlands hat often. Once had a guy who looked to be in his 50s ask me if my hat was regulation length. I told him it happened 24 years ago and offered directions to the nearest Lowe’s so he could get supplies to build a bridge and get over it. He told me he hoped I crashed my car. 
 

Not a fan at all of Salem fans. 

I’ve never understood Salem fans.  They have one of the 10 winningest programs in the state by any measure.  They have loads of state titles.  Yet they get triggered over the faintest hint of that 1992 game.  
 

It wasn’t as if the game was all that close anyway.  Richlands was quite obviously better and would have throttled Salem if not for turnovers.  Salem won a very similar game over Richlands in 2004 en route to a title, but you don’t hear Richlands fans harping on it.