Best Team To Not Win A State Championship

[JDHoss]

3 hours ago, vol_husky said:

I would say 2006 John I Burton is one. Lost 21-20 and there was a controversial flag on a Burton TD. 
 

There was one Gate City team in 2002? They shut out most of their opponents. The only team to score more than 2 TDs on them actually beat them AND won state. 
 

Of course numerous Greeneville and Elizabethton teams. 
 

01-03 had some TOUGH Cloudland teams, but the level of competition in regular season really hurt them once they played some Knoxville, Chattanooga teams. 

On a cold, windy day in Cookeville in 2008 or 2009 as Greeneville and Giles Co were tied at 14-14 late in the 4th and Giles was forced to punt into the wind from deep in their own territory. It was a short punt, and blowing away from the punt returner. Instead of letting it go and giving the Devils great field position around the Giles 30, they returner tried to field it on the run, and muffed it. Giles recovered, and a couple of plays later, Giles QB Bo Wallace (who would later go on to be the starter at Ole Miss) threw a 70+ yard TD pass with around 2 minutes to go to give the Bobcats a 21-14 win. I hated that ended like they for Greeneville, but they came back the next year and eviscerated a mouthy Memphis Trezvant team and hung 60+ points on them. 

[Real Sasquatch]

2002 Floyd County Buffaloes.  Lost to George Wythe 16-8 in -20 wind chill in state semis.  8 turnovers in those horrible conditions ultimately did them in. 

[redtiger]

Ill add

'13 Haysi. Undefeated and throttled a 9-0 Honaker team in the last week of the regular season, a Honaker team that also made the semis. They beat arguably the best Galax team a few weeks later, eventually falling, in a close game, to a Juan Thornhill led Altavista team that gets a ton of respect state wide as one of the best 1A teams ever.

'73 Clintwood, undefeated going into the state title game with 7 shutouts, lost by 1 to Madison.

1974 Saltville. Tied Appalachia 6-6 and didnt lose a game until running into eventual state champion Clintwood in the state semis, falling 0-3. 

[JDHoss]

6 minutes ago, redtiger said:

Ill add

'13 Haysi. Undefeated and throttled a 9-0 Honaker team in the last week of the regular season, a Honaker team that also made the semis. They beat arguably the best Galax team a few weeks later, eventually falling, in a close game, to a Juan Thornhill led Altavista team that gets a ton of respect state wide as one of the best 1A teams ever.

'73 Clintwood, undefeated going into the state title game with 7 shutouts, lost by 1 to Madison.

1974 Saltville. Tied Appalachia 6-6 and didnt lose a game until running into eventual state champion Clintwood in the state semis, falling 0-3. 

That 73 Clintwood team had several horrible calls go against them that day at Bullitt Park. 

[old_school_blue]

On 1/27/2026 at 10:24 AM, cityofRaven said:

Snowed in and bored.

What are your thoughts on the best teams around that have not won a state championship?

From my Richlands perspective, I'll start with the 1994 Richlands team. They were good in all 3 phases of the game and were just a play or two away from winning the region. 

I agree 100%, but I am a little biased.  That team featured McCommons at tailback, Jason Lester at fullback, an aggressive senior laden offensive line and Stevie Dye at quarterback.  The defense was stout against the run.  Pass defense was our Achilles heel.  

[hoard]

On 1/27/2026 at 6:08 PM, RichlandsAlum said:

My opinion is that Richlands underperformed in the three straight title games that they played from 2005 to 2007.  Even the one they won (2006) was closer than it should have been.  The Blues were far superior to the 4-loss Rockbridge County team they beat -- even accounting for Marcus Mayo's personal brilliance.  Had the same impression when they lost to Poquoson in 2010. 

Maybe it had something to do with LU/Lynchburg.  But I always found it perplexing.

Richlands got out-schemed in the 2005 Turner Ashby game. TA threw a lot of different offensive formations at Richlands and they did not adjust well. I remember every time TA lined up in 5-wide I was like "It's going to be a QB draw" yet it seemingly worked every time. TA won that game comfortably but it should have came down to the wire. It's also worth noting that TA would have been in Division 4 had they been in any other region as this was back in the days when the divisions were determined at the region and not the state level as they are now. 

I agree 100% on the 2006 game vs Rockbridge. I'm in the stands in the second half thinking "How is this game even close? Richlands should be winning by 3 or 4 TDs".

The 05 and 06 Richlands squads were significantly better than 07 as they both had better running games. The thing I remember most about the 07 state game was Austin Fuller keeping Richlands in it as Monticello just couldn't cover him.

Poqouson's ball-control Wing-T combined with their disciplined defense was the perfect recipe to beat that Richlands team. The Blues still should have won that game, though, and I thought they were going to once they recovered that onside kick in the 4th.

When I first saw the title to this thread the first two teams that immediately came to mind was 2010 Richlands and 2001 Graham.

The thing I recall most about the Graham - Harrisonburg game was Carlock abandoning the spread he had used all year and going back to the wishbone. I think Graham outgained HBurg by a lot (maybe even 2 to 1) but turnovers and that fake punt did them in.

 

 

[Fairlawncat]

1 hour ago, hoard said:

 

Poqouson's ball-control Wing-T combined with their disciplined defense was the perfect recipe to beat that Richlands team. The Blues still should have won that game, though, and I thought they were going to once they recovered that onside kick in the 4th.

 

 

 

Most fans in the west don't know this, but that 2010 Poquoson team had their best WR and QB probably in their school history on the same team and they actually put the ball more in the air that year than they ever have under Coach Elliot Duty. They still wing T'd as many do down there on the coast, but that team could actually throw it efficiently.

[#1BLUESFAN]

1986 Garden Green Dragons 

[gwloyal]

On 1/28/2026 at 10:53 PM, Real Sasquatch said:

2002 Floyd County Buffaloes.  Lost to George Wythe 16-8 in -20 wind chill in state semis.  8 turnovers in those horrible conditions ultimately did them in. 

Coldest game I've ever been to, and it's not even close lol

The final was actually 20-16. Floyd had mounted a 16-0 lead and had goal-to-go inside the 5 when GW recovered a fumble and momentum flipped. Eventually, we would cut the lead to 16-14. Floyd went to punt in the 4th and the wind caught the ball and went damn near straight up in the air....One of the wildest things I've seen on a football field. 

We would get ball with 5 or 6 minutes left with great field position and punched it in on a Barcliff TD with less than a minute left. 

We were huge underdogs going into that game, and that Floyd team was also one that came to mind reading thru this thread. 

[Real Sasquatch]

4 hours ago, gwloyal said:

Coldest game I've ever been to, and it's not even close lol

The final was actually 20-16. Floyd had mounted a 16-0 lead and had goal-to-go inside the 5 when GW recovered a fumble and momentum flipped. Eventually, we would cut the lead to 16-14. Floyd went to punt in the 4th and the wind caught the ball and went damn near straight up in the air....One of the wildest things I've seen on a football field. 

We would get ball with 5 or 6 minutes left with great field position and punched it in on a Barcliff TD with less than a minute left. 

We were huge underdogs going into that game, and that Floyd team was also one that came to mind reading thru this thread. 

I was there.....couldnt remember the score.  I think that punt actually went backwards... lol...but yes, the coldest I have ever been at a football game.  

[Real Sasquatch]

5 hours ago, Fairlawncat said:

Most fans in the west don't know this, but that 2010 Poquoson team had their best WR and QB probably in their school history on the same team and they actually put the ball more in the air that year than they ever have under Coach Elliot Duty. They still wing T'd as many do down there on the coast, but that team could actually throw it efficiently.

I was at the title game.  Their QB was outstanding.  The refs standing over the football and slowing down Richlands offense was frustrating 

[gwloyal]

3 hours ago, Real Sasquatch said:

I was there.....couldnt remember the score.  I think that punt actually went backwards... lol...but yes, the coldest I have ever been at a football game.  

It very well may have lol! I was about to say that it did, but I wasn't certain. 

The more I think about it, I think it even went out of bounds on Floyd's sideline as well. 

[Real Sasquatch]

4 hours ago, gwloyal said:

It very well may have lol! I was about to say that it did, but I wasn't certain. 

The more I think about it, I think it even went out of bounds on Floyd's sideline as well. 

Yeah and I think it gave GW great field position. Was Throckmorton the QB for GW?

Floyd had a couple of bruisers for running backs.  

[Football is Cool]

Wasn’t there a pretty good coeburn team early 90s? 

[gwloyal]

12 hours ago, Real Sasquatch said:

Yeah and I think it gave GW great field position. Was Throckmorton the QB for GW?

Floyd had a couple of bruisers for running backs.  

He was, and yes they did. One was a Hawkins kid but I cannot think of the other to save me. 

Really good team. They were state runner ups the previous season. 

[Real Sasquatch]

5 hours ago, gwloyal said:

He was, and yes they did. One was a Hawkins kid but I cannot think of the other to save me. 

Really good team. They were state runner ups the previous season. 

Josh Deweese was the other kid.  Just came to me when I saw the name Hawkins.

[redtiger]

On 2/1/2026 at 12:57 AM, Football is Cool said:

Wasn’t there a pretty good coeburn team early 90s? 

The '91 Blue Knights were 9-1 with their only regular season loss inexplicably coming to a 6-6 JI Burton team. The boys from Coeburn rolled into Sandlick for the Region D title game and took a 28-6 whooping from the Tigers.

They had few other playoff appearances in the 90s, that mostly met Haysi in the 1st round, and ended with sad trips back over Sandy Ridge 

[1inStripes]

I think 97 ended in the opening round to PV who were without the services of a a few players due to a postgame video after beating Appy to end the regular season.

[JDHoss]

10 hours ago, 1inStripes said:

I think 97 ended in the opening round to PV who were without the services of a a few players due to a postgame video after beating Appy to end the regular season.

I remember chuckling at someone from the Kingsport paper who wrote an op/ed type of article praising Robbins for suspending the players, and in the process sacrificing their season to do the right thing. I mean, they were going to beat Coeburn regardless of who was out. I guess whoever wrote the article didn't really follow high school football. 

[redtiger]

Phil set out some players to appease some upset parents and allowed some SRs who had been backups to start a playoff game in one move, all while playing a team that they had no chance of losing to and had smoked 48-14 earlier in the season.

[rvtne216]

On 1/29/2026 at 10:04 AM, redtiger said:

'13 Haysi. Undefeated and throttled a 9-0 Honaker team in the last week of the regular season, a Honaker team that also made the semis. They beat arguably the best Galax team a few weeks later, eventually falling, in a close game, to a Juan Thornhill led Altavista team that gets a ton of respect state wide as one of the best 1A teams ever.

I had a lot of fun taking Saturday trips to Sandlick to watch this team. 

[Bulldogs52]

IMO the Tazewell team that lost to Gretna in the Semis. Can’t remember year but early 2000’s. 

[Real Sasquatch]

1 hour ago, Bulldogs52 said:

IMO the Tazewell team that lost to Gretna in the Semis. Can’t remember year but early 2000’s. 

Graham lost to Gretna in the semis in 2002.

[cityofRaven]

3 hours ago, Bulldogs52 said:

IMO the Tazewell team that lost to Gretna in the Semis. Can’t remember year but early 2000’s. 

2004, same day we lost Salem in Division 4 semis.

[Snacks4778]

As a Graham guy, 2001 Graham and 2002 Graham for sure…. But one no one ever talks about 97 Graham, only two teams to beat them were Bluefield (WV state champs) in a close game wheee they lead late in the game (and that’s possibly the best Beaver team since the 60’s other then 2004) and Gate City (Va state champs) with Houseright and Co. in a classic triple overtime game. They lost their QB in overtime for the year and weren’t able to play Gate City near as well in the playoffs.