Projections For Your Teams

[Unchained]

We did this last year, and it was good stuff, so I will start the ball rolling:

UNION BEARS

Any program that lost as many players as the Bears did to graduation would be in "Taking our lumps" mode, but thanks to a great feeder program and a new but proven head coach in Jamie Harless who has energized the players, the Bears will have a say in the mix of things come playoff time. Abe Hall is bigger, faster and stronger this season (really impressed me with his wheels on the diamond), and he has a cannon for an arm. "Fred" Dillman is exactly the same, bullish back that Chandler was. The defensive line will be a strength with the majority of starters back. Matty Polier should have a monster year. Talented players like Abe Potter and Milbro will certainly be weapons. The key to the Bears will be how quickly the offensive line gels and develops. I think Union will be a very dangerous team late in the season. This squad will be where Graham was last year. I have them with a loss to Graham and toss up vs Ridgeview, and the rest of their games winnable. I honestly do believe it will be Graham-Strasburg for all the marbles this year. Excited to be talking football again!

[Fairlawncat]

Strasburg has more seniors than a 100 year old nursing home for 2025-26. They are well coached, but like Poquoson, way to many losses.

Out of the East in Region A. Thomas Jefferson or King William or Southampton (2 D1 prospects and bucket loads of talent). Old timers from Gate City and Graham will remember Southampton. In Region B, Stuarts Draft.

In C, Appomattox over Radford and Glenvar. Both of us (Radford) and Glenvar will have a shot, but Appo is the favorites. No. Martinsville and Gretna or Floyd isn't winning C.

In D. All Graham and Union. And no, Ridgeview isnt winning D.

Champion. Graham/Union will walk through the semis and finals

[Beaverdad16]

For Bluefield, anything less than a state championship would be rough with the returning talent. 

Graham will be loaded and make a deep run. 

Early prediction, both win the state title this year. 

[Real Sasquatch]

1 hour ago, Beaverdad16 said:

For Bluefield, anything less than a state championship would be rough with the returning talent. 

Graham will be loaded and make a deep run. 

Early prediction, both win the state title this year. 

This was my thought as well.  Union will stand in Graham's way in region D....but I think Union is a year or two away with the new coach and loss of talent.

I think Bluefield will be the better team early on.  Graham tends to get better as the season progresses each year.  I would give Bluefield the edge in that first game of the season, but wouldn't be surprised if Graham won that game either.  

As a Tazewell fan also, I think the Bulldogs will be slightly better then last season, despite losing a lot of talent.  That God - Awful offense they were trying to install last year caused a ton of problems.  They definitely win more then 2 games this year with much less talent then they had last season.  They have enough talent returning to win a few games.  I'll say 4-6 for the Dogs this year and over 500 next year.  They have a good QB returning, a little bit of speed at the skill positions and a couple of key returning linemen.  The Beavers kid on the OL and DL line could potentially be one of the best linemen in the region this year.  He will definitely be one to watch.

[UnionGuy2017]

Look for Ridgeview to contend in Region D aswell. Harless will make a difference immediately, but after the last couple years, when Union travels to Ridgeview and all of Dickenson County is waiting, it’s gonna be a battle. 

[Unchained]

3 hours ago, Real Sasquatch said:

This was my thought as well.  Union will stand in Graham's way in region D....but I think Union is a year or two away with the new coach and loss of talent.

I think Bluefield will be the better team early on.  Graham tends to get better as the season progresses each year.  I would give Bluefield the edge in that first game of the season, but wouldn't be surprised if Graham won that game either.  

As a Tazewell fan also, I think the Bulldogs will be slightly better then last season, despite losing a lot of talent.  That God - Awful offense they were trying to install last year caused a ton of problems.  They definitely win more then 2 games this year with much less talent then they had last season.  They have enough talent returning to win a few games.  I'll say 4-6 for the Dogs this year and over 500 next year.  They have a good QB returning, a little bit of speed at the skill positions and a couple of key returning linemen.  The Beavers kid on the OL and DL line could potentially be one of the best linemen in the region this year.  He will definitely be one to watch.

With the previous coach, I would take Graham over Union by 21. I don't think folks realize just how much we've lost to graduation. Having said that, Harless will make it interesting. I honestly don't see any team in 2A in VA beating Graham. The G-men would have to have an off-night IMO. We will have our say over the next years, but we are rebuilding and adjusting to a new boss for the first time in school history. There are tons of things we will have to learn, changes to adapt to, and this is a big ask. Our kids will be fine and do just that, but it will take time.

[CPF]

7 hours ago, Beaverdad16 said:

For Bluefield, anything less than a state championship would be rough with the returning talent. 

Graham will be loaded and make a deep run. 

Early prediction, both win the state title this year. 

Might be only the only loss for either team this year imo.

[KevinG]

Any thoughts on GC?

[UnionGuy2017]

40 minutes ago, KevinG said:

Any thoughts on GC?

They’ll be right there. I still think depth will still be enough of an issue to keep them away from consistently competing for the M7 and 2D this year. 

[Real Sasquatch]

2 hours ago, CPF said:

Might be only the only loss for either team this year imo.

Yeah.  Depending on what Heritage brings to town.... Larger School with a bigger pool of talent to choose from.  Even though they may have lost some key players, the ones behind them are good too.

[SwvaOG]

On 6/5/2026 at 7:36 PM, Fairlawncat said:

Strasburg has more seniors than a 100 year old nursing home for 2025-26. They are well coached, but like Poquoson, way to many losses.

Out of the East in Region A. Thomas Jefferson or King William or Southampton (2 D1 prospects and bucket loads of talent). Old timers from Gate City and Graham will remember Southampton. In Region B, Stuarts Draft.

In C, Appomattox over Radford and Glenvar. Both of us (Radford) and Glenvar will have a shot, but Appo is the favorites. No. Martinsville and Gretna or Floyd isn't winning C.

In D. All Graham and Union. And no, Ridgeview isnt winning D.

Champion. Graham/Union will walk through the semis and finals

Just curious. Why the shot at Ridgeview?  They were a dropped TD pass away from a potential upset of Union in the Region championship. They return 80% of their starters albeit their few losses are key. 
I warned the board that RV would be a problem last year and was laughed at a bit. “They don’t play anyone” and the usual tripe.  
IMHO they are a couple of OL away from playing with anyone anywhere. If those OL gel and. Are viable starters, they will be tough.  That is a team that is annually underrated for their physicality. I’m not high on their offensive coaching or offensive scheme but they keep churning out athletes.