Fantasy match up - 97 Bluefield vs 97 Powell Valley

[Snacks4778]

Would love to hear some folks thoughts on this. 

[tornado99]

97 Vikings. I know the transitive argument is not always accurate, but I distinctly remember losing a tight one to the Beavers on Halloween night. (1 point, maybe?). I don’t remember PV being that close. Admittedly, most years I am taking Bluefield, but during the Jones era, the Vikings were even more special. As a matter of fact, the next season we beat the Beavers somewhat handily though they still likely had a speed advantage with Amaker. We were close speed wise with Adam Davis at running back. Then all you needed was 1-2 fast kids. The Vikings beat us pretty badly, one of only 2 regular season losses we sustained, the other we avenged in the playoffs against Lee.

[Snacks4778]

That was probably the worst game Beaver played all year, they played Graham close too (who was pretty good) but once they started giving amaker the ball, they jumped up a notch I think

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[tornado99]

26 minutes ago, Snacks4778 said:

That was probably the worst game Beaver played all year, they played Graham close too (who was pretty good) but once they started giving amaker the ball, they jumped up a notch I think

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Maybe so. It’s all I have to go on.That said, it is really hard to emphasize the Jones impact without taking away the remainder of the team. My best guess is great team/one of the best in the area without them, with likely state titles. One of the best all-time with them. “Team of the 90s. I can’t remember a more dominant era, though older posters would argue Clintwood or Gate City in the 70s.
 

The Beavers, I consider the best all-time in the area throughout the years (1960s through present.)

[1inStripes]

I didn't see that Beaver team play but I would be hard pressed to pick against the Vikings at that time.  They were possibly the best time in the lower 4 divisions in the state that year.

[goose111874]

6 hours ago, 1inStripes said:

I didn't see that Beaver team play but I would be hard pressed to pick against the Vikings at that time.  They were possibly the best time in the lower 4 divisions in the state that year.

Agree and they possibly win state even without Jones.  Loaded team even though Appy almost got em but they were pretty loaded too.

[BigWinners]

1 hour ago, goose111874 said:

Agree and they possibly win state even without Jones.  Loaded team even though Appy almost got em but they were pretty loaded too.

Best HS game ive ever seen, still. Tons of elite talent, bitter rivals, LPD in balance, HOF coaches, etc.  

[Fairlawncat]

Saw Bluefield in 97 play James Monroe and saw Powell Valley against Radford in the 2nd meeting (missed the first one). I like Powell Valley 97 over Bluefield by 7 to 9 points. I saw Bluefield in 2004 and the 2004 Bluefield Title Team beats 1997 P. Valley by 10-11 points. I watched the 2004 Bluefield team beat Martinsburg. That 2004 team would handle the 3 state title 97 (Gate City, Appy, P. Valley teams). The 2004 Bluefield beats the 1997 Bluefield comfortably by 2 touchdowns. I've talked to a few from Bluefield over the years that were high on their 97 team and even being better than the 2004 team. I dont buy it. I saw both. 2004 was clearly better,

[goose111874]

1 hour ago, Fairlawncat said:

Saw Bluefield in 97 play James Monroe and saw Powell Valley against Radford in the 2nd meeting (missed the first one). I like Powell Valley 97 over Bluefield by 7 to 9 points. I saw Bluefield in 2004 and the 2004 Bluefield Title Team beats 1997 P. Valley by 10-11 points. I watched the 2004 Bluefield team beat Martinsburg. That 2004 team would handle the 3 state title 97 (Gate City, Appy, P. Valley teams). The 2004 Bluefield beats the 1997 Bluefield comfortably by 2 touchdowns. I've talked to a few from Bluefield over the years that were high on their 97 team and even being better than the 2004 team. I dont buy it. I saw both. 2004 was clearly better,

Not arguing with you because I know nothing about the Bluefield team but that 97 PV team had alot of players who played at the next level and a couple who played D1.  Of course Bluefield probably had a few too.

[tornado99]

I’d take 98 PV over 97. That said, the style of play has clearly changed making it hard to compare eras. I can’t remember specifically the group (Ponder and Lilly, maybe?), but Bluefield often has playmakers. It seems like the passing game with multiple playmakers began in the early 2000s. I think in the 90s, a great back and dominant line were all you needed with just enough passing.

Another subject for another day, but where have all the linemen gone from most areas (Graham, Mercer County, and Union excluded)? For context, it seemed they were everywhere in Richlands with speed the Achilles heel. In recent years, it’s hard to find more than 2-3.

[buzzsaw]

I obviously didn’t see pv but followed bluefield closely, I can only tell what I know about that ‘97 bluefield team. Bluefield’s rb C Tynes was one of the better rb’s in Bluefield’s modern history with speed and power, he ended up being a good starting safety at Marshall. A big lineman on their team, Krauss?, was a good linemen at Marshall. Their other rb Amaker was an all American kick returner at tuscalum? college. Their qb was a punter and safety at wake forest. Their 2 linebackers, dews and disibbio were each men among boys players, maybe dews played at a lower level college but not going to say that without being certain. Disibbio was d1 talent who didn’t go to college. They were solid in every phase of the game, physical and fast. They excelled on d. The team that defeated graham in ‘01 title game, harrisonburg?, was a carbon copy of ‘97 Bluefield team. I’m not suggesting what team might have won but Bluefield was at their best in the playoffs that year. The team they defeated in the semis, weir, had rb quincy wilson who started at rb for wv and was a punishing runner there. 

[Bluefield researcher]

Bluefield 1997 season on film:

 

[BigWinners]

I wouldn’t bet against PV. They’d have the best player on the field and when the talent is close, that matters. 

[Wolf1207]

There were so many good teams around here from94 to 98 it's crazy to think about. 

[1inStripes]

A golden era of football in the area.

[Gridiron60]

26 minutes ago, 1inStripes said:

A golden era of football in the area.

I don’t think we’ll ever see an era like that again in our area. Kids in general are a lot softer these days and don’t want to put in the effort. Not all kids but a lot. It just meant so much more back then and parents weren’t out of control and wanting little Bobby handled with kid gloves. Coaches could coach hard and nobody minded. Some area schools can’t even get enough to field both JV & Varsity now. I know there’s a decline in population but I’m not sure that’s the driving factor.
 

Man, those were the good ole days of high school football. Stadiums packed out every Friday night. Fun memories. 

[tornado99]

Do some of you think that year-round practices in some sports stresses the remaining student population, especially with football being one of the harder sports?

Coaches, parents, and athletes themselves seem to require more specialized or at most 2 sports.

Case in point, we didn’t have to commit to a sport year-round just to be able to compete and play. Off-season would mean strength and conditioning or the occasional open gym of your choosing. Other than that, you played a fall sport (football), a winter sport (basketball or wrestling), and a spring sport (baseball). If you want to even compete in baseball, basketball, of soccer you had better commit to traveling and playing that sport 3/4 of the year. I hear some coaches discouraging participation in other sports.

I think there is some credence to kids being softer, but maybe some of over optimization or concentrating on what you like best or are naturally inclined.

Thoughts?

[Comegetsum]

That Blfd 97 had some grown men,  they would’ve beat th future Blfd champs for sure.  They might had few on gurney from those teams 😂