Rivalries

[mikesalem]

I always think of big rivalry games when the season rolls around. So who in your mind are some of your team's biggest rivals?

As far as Salem goes, I would say we're marked on everybody's calendar. I would say our biggest and most competitive rival all time, would definitely be Pulaski.

Because of proximity and the many years we've played them, I would say Northside is right up there.

We have played Blacksburg many times over the years as well, but in the last 3 years they have really stepped up the level of competition, winning 2/4.

I would also include Amherst because of our playoff history, and more recently playing during the regular season.

So who would you say is your team's biggest rivals?

 

[Caraxes]

I'd say it changes for Sherando. At present, probably Millbrook or Martinsburg. Sherando leads the Millbrook series 14-3, but the games have been close as of late. Martinsburg leads the series over Sherando 10-4, but like with Millbrook many of the games have been very close.

Up until around 2010 I would have said Handley. Liberty has also been a close series overall, with Sherando having the edge 14-10, but I think Kettle Run is a bigger rival for them.

I guess there's no one I'd like to beat more than Martinsburg, but Millbrook is typically the more important game and their fans have been particularly uppity as of late (not necessarily a bad thing in this context), so it's tough to say.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Man, that's a tough question for me. As far as District play goes, you can pick any team. We want to beat them all, and they want to beat us. Badly!!! Thomas Dale, Petersburg, Matoaca, Meadowbrook, Hopewell, Prince George, and Colonial Heights. All, long term matchups, and all tremendous rivalries.

Our OOD schedule is all new this year, but you know that the last two years against Salem was pretty special.

As far as playoffs go, it's about the same. Everyone we have ever played is now a rival. Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor have a bit of a history. After getting the boot from EV last season, I would think any rematch will be special. Hanover has been a bitter rival over the years.

But, my personal favorite is Phoebus. Man, do we owe those guys a whooping. It may never happen now that they are Class 3, but if the chance ever arises...!!!

 

[VolNation85_rivals]

For Glass it's Heritage, hands down. No other team is even close. These games are always super crowded and super competitive and almost always decided by 7 points or less! The next biggest rivalry for Glass is JF although these games aren't always as competitive as Glass vs Heritage.

 

[SpartanOfYore]

As a Salem high grad who also attended Andrew Lewis - I was a freshman the last year AL was a high school - I would say that, overall, Northside is Salem's biggest rival. Primarily due to the two schools being little more than five miles apart, as the crow flies - only Glenvar is closer to SHS. History also plays a part, as Lewis and Northside kids were sparring on and off the playing fields since about 1960. Surprisingly, Lewis and Northside didn't start playing football against each other until 1970, and the Wolverines took four of the five meetings. The only one won by the Vikings was the last game AL played as a high school. It was a miserable way to go out, as Northside prevailed 37-6 in what stood for a long time as the coldest game I ever attended. Over the years, Salem and Northside have had heated rivalries in both football and boys basketball, with the hoops rivalry becoming particularly intense from 1993 to 1996. The Spartans and Vikes butted heads four times in the football playoffs from 1992 to 2000. Believe it or not, from the '70s into the '90s, Lewis and Salem both had somewhat bitter rivalries with Northside in cross country, of all sports. However, once Northside moved to a different district and region, and then a different classification altogether, a little of the juice went out of the rivalry. The two schools still love to beat each other, in all sports across the board. And, the communities still border each other.

If we're talking strictly football only, I would have to agree that Pulaski County is Salem's biggest rival. The second-biggest rivalry overall probably exists with the Cougars. The two have played a lot of high-stakes football games against each other over the decades, in both the regular season and the playoffs (six playoff meetings), and often in front of enormous crowds. I doubt if you could find one old-school Cougar fan who, if they're being honest, doesn't hate Salem with the white hot intensity of ten thousand suns. While still (hopefully) harboring some grudging respect for the Spartan program. And that's fine - a little healthy, non-violent hatred is a hallmark of a good rivalry. Aside from football, PC and Salem also had a lot of spirited clashes on the hardwood in the mid- and late-2000's, several in the district and regional tournaments. There have been occasional big games in other sports through the years, as well. But given the importance of football to the two fan bases, and football's standing as de facto king of high school sports in Virginia, this rivalry is always going to burn a little brighter than those with other schools.

I've never really sensed much of a rivalry with Amherst County. Whatever rivalry there is stems from the ten times the two have crossed swords in the playoffs in football, including five regional finals and one state semifinal. The regular season football rivalry has been one-sided in Salem's favor, as the Spartans have won eight of nine, most in convincing fashion. Granted, a lot of history and emotion has been generated by those playoff games. However, with Amherst County and Salem being an hour-and-a-half from each other, and meaningful games in any sport besides football few and far between, I just don't see much of a rivalry with the Lancers. I think emotions generally just heat up whenever the two collide on the gridiron in the postseason, where Salem holds a 6-4 edge in those ten meetings.

The rivalries with most of the others have ebbed and flowed over the years, seemingly following the fortunes of particular sports. In general, Salem and Blacksburg have had good rivalries in both football and boys basketball for forty-some years, but the rivalries cool as one or the other team is up or down. The relationship between the two fan bases seems, in general, to be an amicable one. Christiansburg, I really don't view as much of a rival at all, due not only to the Blue Demons being in a lower classification, but also to their general ineptitude (over the long term of decades) in the two big revenue sports. Patrick Henry of Roanoke is an old rival, and probably generates more feeling among the older Andrew Lewis crowd (even older than me) than most other opponents. However, PH has almost always been in a different classification, which has eliminated potential postseason clashes with Salem. The football series between the two has been entertaining since starting up again in 2013, after seventeen years of inactivity. The biggest rivalry between the Spartans and the Patriots, over the long haul, has probably been in boys basketball. And Glenvar, the school closest in proximity to Salem, has never been an on-field, on-court rival at all, due to the significant size difference in enrollments (Glenvar is Class 2). I have a feeling off-the-field shenanigans are a different matter, entirely.

Which leaves the two southwest Roanoke County schools. I don't know for sure, but for Salem fans, the most rancorous relationship over the long term might be with Cave Spring. Though standout meetings in football have been few and far between since the Tiki and Ronde Barber days of the early nineties - the Barber-led Knights never beat Salem, by the way - there have been memorable moments, and things always seem heated. The Spartans and Knights have really had a strong, often intense basketball rivalry through the years. Again, it's just an impression, but I'd say there is a lot of bad blood between the two schools' fans. Put simply, these two teams and communities just don't like each other. And then - there's Hidden Valley. For reasons that I will not discuss, as that would lead to absolutely no good, the Titans are the team I personally most enjoy seeing Salem beat. That, despite the fact that the football "rivalry" has been one-hundred percent one-sided (knock on wood) in Salem's favor. When Salem was leading HV 77-7 (yes, you read that correctly) at halftime in 2015, I nearly wept with joy. A not-so-tiny part of me almost wished our coach weren't such a nice guy. Not because of their kids, but entirely due to other, off-the-field issues. That's just the way I felt, and I won't apologize for it. At any rate, I'd say the Titans are rivals with Salem for three reasons: they split off from Cave Spring, and share that old animosity toward all things Spartan; the two are in the same district; and geographic proximity, which is probably the biggest reason. Aside from boys and (occasionally) girls basketball, and girls soccer, there hasn't been much sports-related to base a big rivalry on.

 

[Coachlow]

I would say for Kettle Run that Liberty is their biggest rival. Nothing like an in-county rivalry! Aside from that, it’s between Millbrook and Sherando- not that it’s a legitimate rivalry since Kettle Run is relatively new, but those have been big games the last 2 years. Sherando has been the cream of the crop, so maybe you can call it more of a “measuring stick” game. That playoff game was fun, though. Millbrook’s head coach has made some comments in the paper after getting whooped 44-22 (44-14 before KR put their backups in) about how it was a fluke and “they didn’t do anything, we beat ourselves,” so I know KR enjoyed that playoff game, too. Given KR didn’t really play Sherando or Millbrook that often until recently, I guess it will take a few years before those are legitimate rivalries.

 

[wikki]

I always think of big rivalry games when the season rolls around. So who in your mind are some of your team's biggest rivals?

As far as Salem goes, I would say we're marked on everybody's calendar. I would say our biggest and most competitive rival all time, would definitely be Pulaski.

Because of proximity and the many years we've played them, I would say Northside is right up there.

We have played Blacksburg many times over the years as well, but in the last 3 years they have really stepped up the level of competition, winning 2/4.

I would also include Amherst because of our playoff history, and more recently playing during the regular season.

So who would you say is your team's biggest rivals?

I agree with Amherst and Salem. Those playoff years, you couldn't have asked for a bigger or more boisterous crowd.

 

[Thomasddev_rivals]

HSHS vs Varina use to be a big rivalry but not so much the last 5 years. It's always the last game of the regular season and it use to be the game that determined which team would advance to the playoffs and which team would be out before they recently changed the playoff format and realignment. For example, highland springs and
Varina both would come into that game 9-0 and whoever lost did not advance to playoffs even at 9-1. This happened several times before realignment.

 

[courtlandcougars1987]

Courtland and Chancellor, ever since Chancellor opened in 1988 the rivalry was on! Nasty game every year regardless of talent or record. Also would say Courtland and JM, ever since an altercation between students of both schools off the field, its been very intense! But overall, its Courtland and Chancellor as Spotsy countys biggest rivalry game.

 

[Gunz41!]

Just thinking about this and reading something else came to mind for me.

What is the biggest team rivalry on here? That usually seems like it comes up more often than real rivalries. So that doesn't mean that the teams play often, or even at all

 

[86CulpGrad_rivals]

You would think Culpeper and Eastern View would be a huge rivalry. 2 schools that are basically the same size about 3 miles apart in the same county. But since Culpeper has never beaten EV in the 11 years they've played, it's hard to create an atmosphere. The atmosphere for the Louisa/EV game last year was awesome. I wish those 2 schools played each other every year.

 

[courtlandcougars1987]

Need to get the old Battlefield District back together as there are some long time rivalries amongst those teams.

 

[tommythecpa]

HSHS vs Varina use to be a big rivalry but not so much the last 5 years. It's always the last game of the regular season and it use to be the game that determined which team would advance to the playoffs and which team would be out before they recently changed the playoff format and realignment. For example, highland springs and
Varina both would come into that game 9-0 and whoever lost did not advance to playoffs even at 9-1. This happened several times before realignment.

Some years the loser would have been a state contender with expanded playoffs. The Central really shoot itself in the foot staying a 4 playoff spots.

 

[71ShadesofNavy]

You would think Culpeper and Eastern View would be a huge rivalry. 2 schools that are basically the same size about 3 miles apart in the same county. But since Culpeper has never beaten EV in the 11 years they've played, it's hard to create an atmosphere. The atmosphere for the Louisa/EV game last year was awesome. I wish those 2 schools played each other every year.

I can't speak for everyone in Region B, but I would certainly like to see Louisa and Eastern View play every year too. My reasoning is selfish in nature and surely not about "good old competition". My thinking is if they played, one team would have a loss (unless they tied) thus giving my Generals a chance for a higher seed (if our record dictated it). Heck in the past three years the points between 1-4 has been minuscule. @86CulpGrad, please try and get it taken care. Great idea!

 

[86CulpGrad_rivals]

I can't speak for everyone in Region B, but I would certainly like to see Louisa and Eastern View play every year too. My reasoning is selfish in nature and surely not about "good old competition". My thinking is if they played, one team would have a loss (unless they tied) thus giving my Generals a chance for a higher seed (if our record dictated it). Heck in the past three years the points between 1-4 has been minuscule. @86CulpGrad, please try and get it taken care. Great idea!

Unfortunately, I don't have that kind of "pull".

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I don't think this qualifies as a rivalry, but there must be tremendous motivation here.
Matoaca has beaten Prince George 18 times in a row. This is not a lopsided matchup because Matoaca is Class 5, as is PG. I wouldn't want to be on the first Matoaca team that got beat by PG.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Navy, tell them about the rivalries back in your playing days. I would say having tobacco juice spit on you constitutes a rivalry!

 

[71ShadesofNavy]

William Fleming and Pulaski bar none. The Cougars and Chris Kinzer ruined my senior year. We went 1-2 against Pulaski and 2-1 against Fleming in my days. The Pulaski fans did spit tobacco on us coming down the steps from the Fieldhouse. Got hit with some coffee too. It was about 20 degrees that night (1982).

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I've read a few stories about some of the schools in SWVA. I'll say back in the old days, but what I mean by that was when EVERY small locality had a high school and a football team. Teams like Hasyi, Narrows, Council, Independence, and a hundred more, lived and died by Friday night football. Oh, if those old fields could only talk, we would be entertained for the next 10 years.

 

[Gunz41!]

I don't think this qualifies as a rivalry, but there must be tremendous motivation here.
Matoaca has beaten Prince George 18 times in a row. This is not a lopsided matchup because Matoaca is Class 5, as is PG. I wouldn't want to be on the first Matoaca team that got beat by PG.

We have had one of those here. Stuarts Draft vs. Wilson. 26 years in a row that Wilson didn't win (2 ties), and I can remember the talk when the 1st game for SD was lost. The 2 schools used to be in same middle school, and every year in those 26 Wilson kids would talk all kinds of stuff that they were going to whip SD.

I can't remember the other one that was involving teams from around here, but where a team had never beaten the other. In fact I'm so forgetful on it right now it could still be going on haha. I don't want to go through every school around here on fourseasonsfootball to look it up.

 

[SpartanOfYore]

William Fleming and Pulaski bar none. The Cougars and Chris Kinzer ruined my senior year. We went 1-2 against Pulaski and 2-1 against Fleming in my days. The Pulaski fans did spit tobacco on us coming down the steps from the Fieldhouse. Got hit with some coffee too. It was about 20 degrees that night (1982).

Yes, Pulaski County used to be a pretty rough venue, for both visiting players and fans.

 

[SpartanOfYore]

I've read a few stories about some of the schools in SWVA. I'll say back in the old days, but what I mean by that was when EVERY small locality had a high school and a football team. Teams like Hasyi, Narrows, Council, Independence, and a hundred more, lived and died by Friday night football. Oh, if those old fields could only talk, we would be entertained for the next 10 years.

I just happen to know the following information from having looked it up recently, so don't think I read your post and went scurrying off to fact check you. According to fourseasonsfootball.com, Council has only had a football team for one four-year stretch of their history - 1992 to 1995. Over those four seasons, the Cobras went a combined 0-40, with the average score being a 40-5 loss. They were shut out twenty times, and in only a handful of games was the margin within twenty-one points. That is the epitome of futility. In Council's defense, I should mention that they had an outstanding basketball program from the mid-'90s to the early '00s. I saw them play a couple of times. The Cobras actually won the old consolidated single A state title in 2001, despite having one of the three or four smallest enrollments in the state - which has always seemed to me to be an excellent argument against having the divisional set-up in any sport but football. If Council could do it, by golly, anybody could do it.

Now - why did I look that information up recently? Read on, and you will see why the fact that you mentioned both Haysi and Council, out of all the schools that could have been mentioned, is a bit of a freaky coincidence.

I have a good friend who, as a teacher, has his summers free. For the past few years, we've had a tradition where we take one day, and just ride around. Don't really do anything, just ride around and see the sights. Just in normal, everyday places around our glorious Commonwealth. This year, we decided to head for the far southwest. For us much as I've read and heard about the towns and schools out that way, I've never really been past Richlands, or Abingdon if following I81. So, our goal was primarily the counties of Buchanan, Dickinson, and Wise. Two weeks ago, we left the Center of the Universe (ie Salem, and yes that's tongue-in-cheek), and took all secondary and back roads to Tazewell County. Here's a condensed [Edit: not as condensed as I was planning!] highlights list, in order, of things we saw or were near:

• Tazewell: We drove right by the high school, but didn't stop, as we'd both seen a game there before (Salem versus Grundy, 1996 Division 4 semifinals). I have tons of family history in Tazewell. My mother grew up and went to high school there, and a week-long stay with my grandparents constituted every single summer vacation we took the whole time I was growing up. Beach, schmeach.
  
• War, WV: War was home to Big Creek High School. Big Creek was the school attended by Homer Hickam, author of The Rocket Boys, which made it to the big screen as "October Sky". Homer's brother, Jim, played at Big Creek, and went on to coach at Northside in Roanoke for a few decades. The legendary Merrill Gainer was the head coach at Big Creek before winning a AAA state championship at Roanoke's Patrick Henry. Joel Hicks, famed of song and story in Pulaski County, was also the head man here, and Willis White, who would win four state crowns at Salem, got his start as an assistant in the Owls' program, as well. So, Big Creek is rich in football lore, of both the Virginia and West Virginia varieties. Sadly, neither the old high school nor the stadium still stand. The site of the stadium is now occupied by a large, consolidated elementary school. Directly behind that elementary school is an empty, grassy lot. This was the site of Big Creek High, until it was demolished in 2015. Adding insult to injury, the venerable edifice was torched just a few days before it was torn down. The school where the stadium once stood is snug against route 16, and we drove right by it - without even realizing it! I had said I'd like to see where Big Creek stood, but didn't learn until I got home that night and checked out Google Earth that we had passed within 150 yards of the site (and had passed right beside the site of the football stadium). The winding, circuitous route 83 took us back into Virginia.
• Grundy: We stopped at the school, and walked into the football stadium. After walking a lap around the track, we entered the unlocked field house, which was built in the late '90's, and stands on the inside of the track, immediately behind the east goalpost. We saw no one, other than one industrious young fireplug of a man, who was working out on the track. We then drove into town, and had lunch at a chain establishment that featured photos of teams from Grundy (especially that '96 team that we'd seen in person), Hurley, and Twin Valley. The latter two are each within half an hour's drive of Grundy. I would have liked to had visited both, but time just didn't allow. Twin Valley opened in 2001, and is the consolidation of Garden and Whitewood high schools, both of which were small single A institutions. Garden's Green Dragons actually had the occasional good team, chief of which was the Division 6 (now known as Division 1) state runners-up of 1986. Whitewood, with a tiny enrollment, apparently only had football from 1992 until 2000, the last fall the school was open. In those nine seasons, they managed eleven wins. The Garden building in Oakwood still stands; Whitewood High fell to the bulldozer nine years ago.
• The Breaks Interstate Park: This was somewhat unplanned, and had nothing to do with football. I'd always heard about the Breaks - my mom's father took my dad out there a few days before my parents' wedding - and since we were so close by, we headed out that way. It's called the Grand Canyon of the South, and while that moniker is somewhat hyperbolic, the gorge and views thereof are pretty spectacular. We spent probably close to two hours walking and driving around the park before heading south on route 80.
• Haysi: Not much to see here in the guise of a town. The old high school is perched on the side of a cliff, as so many structures in western-most Virginia are. It sits right above a hairpin curve in 80. There are no fences, and one can drive right up and park beside the building, which we did. The school has only been closed for four years, and is in a badly dilapidated state. If the exterior gave us a sobering impression of neglect, peeking in the ground floor windows absolutely disheartened us. Nearly everything is rotting, falling apart, or otherwise broken, either by accident or by vandals. I have no idea, but it doesn't seem as if Dickinson County has any plans for the old high school, other than destruction. We drove southward, very soon passing Haysi's old football field, which stands by an elementary school, both of which lay across the creek from the road we were on. Trees blocked our view, and we didn't stop.
• Council: Both the elementary and high schools are right beside route 80. We stopped, and got out at the high school. We were both aware of the Cobras' basketball history, but were unsure as to whether or not they had ever had a football program - which is what led to me checking the archives for that information when I returned home that night. The Council building is a simple, one-story structure, undistinguished, but typical of its time, which was probably the mid or late '60s. No football field in sight, but just down the road was a recreational area that is very nice for such a small community - playgrounds, shelters, a tennis court, and a couple of softball fields. We continued south on trusty 80, and as we left Dickinson County and entered Russell County, we dropped down out of the mountains, and the landscape and the views opened up quite a bit.
• Honaker: We motored both through the town and past the high school, then got on route 67, which runs through Swords Creek and leads to Honaker's sports complex. I'd seen the Tigers' football stadium on Google Earth, and the real thing did not disappoint. It's a lovely facility, regardless of classification: Fieldturf field with excellent graphics, three light poles on each side, ample seating for home and visiting fans, field house and other buildings. Check it out on Google Earth, or just look for images of it. Honaker's stadium must be one of the best single-school facilities in the state at the Class 1 or 2 level. I imagine much of this was made possible through funds provided by Heath Miller, of UVa and Pittsburgh Steeler fame. 67 continues on more or less directly back into Tazewell County, which I hadn't realized prior to our excursion.
• Richlands: I had attended both playoff games Salem had played at Richlands ('92 and '04), but my friend had been to neither. We drove around through the town of Richlands, then made our way a little further east to the high school. Ernie Hicks Stadium, which is just behind the school, is another fine facility with a nice Fieldturf playing surface. What appeared to be the middle school team was practicing when we stopped by. By this time, the westering sun was casting long shadows, so we found some supper at Cuz's BBQ between Richlands and Tazewell, then set sail up 460 for home, passing close by the high schools of Graham, Narrows, and Giles along the way. We'd both seen all three of those schools before, and both of us have watched football games at Giles.

I really enjoy doing things like that ride. I now can not only put these places in context, but I also have a better feel for where they are in relation to each other. I had thought of making a separate post about all of the above, but I figured very few would be interested, and this seems like a good place to put it. I wish I could link photos from my iphone, but I don't think that's possible (if anyone knows how, I'm all ears). I regret not taking a camera other than my phone.

We didn't make it to Wise County at all, and there were lots of things all along the way we didn't get to see. Another trip, I suppose. Something that really strikes one about Buchanan and Dickinson counties, as well as southern West Virginia, is how claustrophobic the settings can be. Driving along those roads, with steep-sloped hills and mountains on both sides, one gets the impression of driving down wooded hallways. Look out one side, and all you see is a leafy wall; turn your head to look out the other side, and it's a steep bank down to a railroad, buildings in a long, narrow strip, and the inevitable creek. And of course, much of West Virginia and far southwest Virginia just has a certain look to it. Through little or no fault of the average citizen, mining, the railroads, and the neglect that stems from economic downturn have left an indelible mark, and combined to create a distinctive - if seldom beautiful - appearance.

At any rate, I highly recommend DP and anyone else reading head out that way, if possible. Especially if you've never visited the region. There's lots of history, both in general and football-related, and endless scenery, much of it gorgeous. In the meantime, look for images of these places, and find them on Google Earth. It's amazing, and a bit shameful, how hard it seems to be to visit places that are just a few hours away.

 

[86CulpGrad_rivals]

Back in the day Culpeper and Orange had a pretty heated rivalry. I remember one instance of the Culpeper bus being rocked back-and-forth as they were trying to leave after the game. Hard to flip over a school bus full of people but they tried. Funny how something like that today would probably make national news....people would go to jail.....jobs would be lost. Back then it was just, oh well, on to the next game.

 

[DEVILSLB99]

Hopewell vs. Petersburg will always be a heated rivalry in football and basketball. Two schools that flat out don't like each other!!

 

[btowenatc]

For GW Danville, by far the biggest rival of all time was EC Glass. Going to the GW EC Glass game in the 90s was a huge deal. Then EC Glass left the district. Over the last decade and a half or so I'd say Franklin County was GW's biggest rival, and now they have left the district as well. Currently I guess our biggest rival is Magna Vista?? EC Glass is back on the schedule, maybe that rivalry will now become big again, but not the same as having the district title on the line.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Excellent, and very descriptive narrative, Spartan. I enjoyed riding along with you.

You know from some of my previous post that when I finally retire, my goal is to drag my poor wife along as I visit many of the high schools and other places special to me as possible, in the western part of our state.

Devils, how could I overlook Petersburg and Hopewell. I think the rivalry is just as strong as ever, but it's different now. Like you said, all my life there was a feeling pretty close to hatred. Now, it's based more on the true athletic competitiveness of the teams. Maybe the term, "begrudging respect" describes the relationship. But make now mistake, these two teams will pull out all of their tricks to beat each other. The fans/crowds just tend to get along a little better than they did back in my era.

 

[blackknight_pride]

Technically our main rival in Monticello but there isn't a more crowded high school sporting event in our area then when Albemarle and Charlottesville meet up for football or basketball.

 

[Marshall-Dillon_rivals]

I've read a few stories about some of the schools in SWVA. I'll say back in the old days, but what I mean by that was when EVERY small locality had a high school and a football team. Teams like Hasyi, Narrows, Council, Independence, and a hundred more, lived and died by Friday night football. Oh, if those old fields could only talk, we would be entertained for the next 10 years.

Graham versus Bluefield is one of the top 10 rivalries in the nation according to most sporting publications. Virginia high versus Tennessee high is at least 100 years old I believe

 

[AMHERST #1]

For AMHERST I'd say glass they've been playing since WVD an probably before.
I know back in the 80's an 90's Rustburg was. An it was what you would think of a rivalry an it wasn't just football. I dont know the specific reason but it was a true dislike between the two it was always a pack house at the games. It even went as far as dixie youth when Madison heights would meet rustburg in all-stars. The crowds would get pretty rowdy an go back an forth with each other.

 

[WP02alum]

Spartan, Wise is worth another drive out if not just to see that beautiful campus at UVA-Wise. Breaks really is an awesome park between VA & KY. Also pretty sure that big pool up there serves as a central spot for kids in the summer. Camped up there not too long ago.

When you talk about the distinct look of the hollowed-out SWVA town, Haysi is definitely the perfect picture of that. I remember being amazed at how much it felt like a time-warp just driving through there. From the scenery to the colors of paint on the buildings.

Thanks for the write up.

 

[SpartanOfYore]

Spartan, Wise is worth another drive out if not just to see that beautiful campus at UVA-Wise. Breaks really is an awesome park between VA & KY. Also pretty sure that big pool up there serves as a central spot for kids in the summer. Camped up there not too long ago.

When you talk about the distinct look of the hollowed-out SWVA town, Haysi is definitely the perfect picture of that. I remember being amazed at how much it felt like a time-warp just driving through there. From the scenery to the colors of paint on the buildings.

Thanks for the write up.

You’re welcome. I hope you enjoyed it. The wife and I might take a trip out to Wise this fall.

 

[LVHSViking]

As a Loudoun Valley student, our biggest rival is most certainly woodgrove. The atmosphere at the basketball and football games is always great, the student sections are always packed and cramped (I have experienced this a lot) and there’s so much yelling and everyone knows everyone bc the schools are in the same town and just 10 minutes apart

 

[Cougardave]

I very much look forward to the coming day when Pulaski County versus Salem is not only a huge game again for both programs, but a true battle like it was back in the glory days. Yes there are other rivalries. We don't particularly care for Blacksburg. We aren't big fans of Hidden Valley or Cave Spring. Patrick Henry, Northside, William Fleming, and Christiansburg won't likely get a Christmas card from us (well, maybe one or two from Christiansburg, but only because I know they can cook). But they're not Salem.

Do I have that burning, white-hot hate for all things Salem? Of course I do. I won't even get some military styles shirts or products I've liked because they have a Spartan emblem or a big "S" that could possibly be considered a Salem emblem on them. I've refused to buy a few jackets and shirts that I really liked because their colors were too close to Salem's. Knocking Salem out of the playoffs, beating them in the playoffs, and beating them in the annual matchup was always a little better than beating other teams. Losing to them always stung a little more. The 1986 loss, my senior year, was a particularly tough loss because of the controversy that surrounded it and the fact that it knocked us out of hosting the first round of the playoffs and sent us to Courtland instead, which is another long story all together.

Do I respect their body of work and the program that they've built in football? Or course I do. How can you not? They've built a true program. This year was a disappointing one for them. Why? They didn't win a State Championship. Anything less than that is below their goal. I know some of the people who helped get the Spartans where they are and I know the work they put in to make that happen. Some of them aren't around anymore, and one in particular became a pretty good friend. His daughter was the Salem cheer coach for a few years and I did her wedding pics. Ol' Hippy was a good one. So is Old Mule (Lee) and his corn chowder. They still knew I hated Salem though.

So many things have changed since Pulaski versus Salem drew huge crowds every year, mostly for Pulaski County. Factories closed and jobs left the area. Our population grew older and many young people moved away. Our attendance went from close to 3,000 students at the high school to less than half of that. Pulaski County went from 6A to 4A, and now we'll be moving to 3A. I know a lot of schools are seeing a drop in their enrollment, but I'm not fans of those teams.

Fortunately, the many rivalries from the River Ridge District and old Roanoke Valley District (along with a few from the Blue Ridge District, Mountain 7 District, Seminole District, Jefferson District, Northwestern District, and Piedmont District) will continue to be possible opponents.

Pulaski County has seen success in several sports outside of football, but yes, football is king. We're pretty proud of our Lady Cougar basketball program and the history it's building. Our track and field program won a State Championship last spring and our indoor and outdoor programs have seen solid success at the region level as well as a steady stream of individual Region and State Championships through the years. Our drama department has four VHSL State Championships in the one-act play. Nobody even realized we had a State Championship in creative writing from 1980 until we found the trophy in a closet and I verified it through the VHSL. Our other programs have had their share of problems to overcome, but they're working on it.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work from some people, we're starting to see some slow growth and investment in our county, but it's going to take time. Our county has made some good decisions lately to help promote growth. Investing in our school system (facilities, course offerings, dual enrollment offering, CTE/STEM/STEAM programs that are continuing to grow and offer our students the opportunity to walk directly out of high school into a career) have all been big positives for our students and community. Our schools are safe and the safety of our students is constantly reviewed by local and state law enforcement and emergency management. New businesses are showing up. New people are moving here. Our relatively new tourism department is doing a great job of promoting the many great things about our hometown.

The Cougars have some great kids in the program. The going has been rough in many areas for us. Three head coaches in four years kept things a little off balance, along with COVID, but the kids keep working. The past head coaches have all done something for the Cougar Nation, and now we'll see how far Head Coach Cam Akers can lead our Cougars in the right direction. There may be other Head Coaches that win more games and bring home more trophies, but no other Head Coach will love his program, school, and community as much as Coach Akers does and will. He would willingly bleed for this program today, just like he did as a player in the past. I think our staff has done an outstanding job of pulling behind him and maintaining as much stability as possible during the changes and I hope they're all still there when Pulaski County gets back to winning. I know I will be.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I very much look forward to the coming day when Pulaski County versus Salem is not only a huge game again for both programs, but a true battle like it was back in the glory days. Yes there are other rivalries. We don't particularly care for Blacksburg. We aren't big fans of Hidden Valley or Cave Spring. Patrick Henry, Northside, William Fleming, and Christiansburg won't likely get a Christmas card from us (well, maybe one or two from Christiansburg, but only because I know they can cook). But they're not Salem.

Do I have that burning, white-hot hate for all things Salem? Of course I do. I won't even get some military styles shirts or products I've liked because they have a Spartan emblem or a big "S" that could possibly be considered a Salem emblem on them. I've refused to buy a few jackets and shirts that I really liked because their colors were too close to Salem's. Knocking Salem out of the playoffs, beating them in the playoffs, and beating them in the annual matchup was always a little better than beating other teams. Losing to them always stung a little more. The 1986 loss, my senior year, was a particularly tough loss because of the controversy that surrounded it and the fact that it knocked us out of hosting the first round of the playoffs and sent us to Courtland instead, which is another long story all together.

Do I respect their body of work and the program that they've built in football? Or course I do. How can you not? They've built a true program. This year was a disappointing one for them. Why? They didn't win a State Championship. Anything less than that is below their goal. I know some of the people who helped get the Spartans where they are and I know the work they put in to make that happen. Some of them aren't around anymore, and one in particular became a pretty good friend. His daughter was the Salem cheer coach for a few years and I did her wedding pics. Ol' Hippy was a good one. So is Old Mule (Lee) and his corn chowder. They still knew I hated Salem though.

So many things have changed since Pulaski versus Salem drew huge crowds every year, mostly for Pulaski County. Factories closed and jobs left the area. Our population grew older and many young people moved away. Our attendance went from close to 3,000 students at the high school to less than half of that. Pulaski County went from 6A to 4A, and now we'll be moving to 3A. I know a lot of schools are seeing a drop in their enrollment, but I'm not fans of those teams.

Fortunately, the many rivalries from the River Ridge District and old Roanoke Valley District (along with a few from the Blue Ridge District, Mountain 7 District, Seminole District, Jefferson District, Northwestern District, and Piedmont District) will continue to be possible opponents.

Pulaski County has seen success in several sports outside of football, but yes, football is king. We're pretty proud of our Lady Cougar basketball program and the history it's building. Our track and field program won a State Championship last spring and our indoor and outdoor programs have seen solid success at the region level as well as a steady stream of individual Region and State Championships through the years. Our drama department has four VHSL State Championships in the one-act play. Nobody even realized we had a State Championship in creative writing from 1980 until we found the trophy in a closet and I verified it through the VHSL. Our other programs have had their share of problems to overcome, but they're working on it.

With a little luck and a lot of hard work from some people, we're starting to see some slow growth and investment in our county, but it's going to take time. Our county has made some good decisions lately to help promote growth. Investing in our school system (facilities, course offerings, dual enrollment offering, CTE/STEM/STEAM programs that are continuing to grow and offer our students the opportunity to walk directly out of high school into a career) have all been big positives for our students and community. Our schools are safe and the safety of our students is constantly reviewed by local and state law enforcement and emergency management. New businesses are showing up. New people are moving here. Our relatively new tourism department is doing a great job of promoting the many great things about our hometown.

The Cougars have some great kids in the program. The going has been rough in many areas for us. Three head coaches in four years kept things a little off balance, along with COVID, but the kids keep working. The past head coaches have all done something for the Cougar Nation, and now we'll see how far Head Coach Cam Akers can lead our Cougars in the right direction. There may be other Head Coaches that win more games and bring home more trophies, but no other Head Coach will love his program, school, and community as much as Coach Akers does and will. He would willingly bleed for this program today, just like he did as a player in the past. I think our staff has done an outstanding job of pulling behind him and maintaining as much stability as possible during the changes and I hope they're all still there when Pulaski County gets back to winning. I know I will be.

Well stated sir.

 

[Uh1966uhpickupsticks]

Talking about SWVA teams, Chilhowie vs Marion vs Northwood.. Anytime those teams play each other it’s an event!!

 

[Hilltopper1991]

For E.C. Glass it is Heritage by a mile, then GW.

 

[MaroonDude]

I don't think Salem has a rival.............

 

[wikki]

I always think of big rivalry games when the season rolls around. So who in your mind are some of your team's biggest rivals?

As far as Salem goes, I would say we're marked on everybody's calendar. I would say our biggest and most competitive rival all time, would definitely be Pulaski.

Because of proximity and the many years we've played them, I would say Northside is right up there.

We have played Blacksburg many times over the years as well, but in the last 3 years they have really stepped up the level of competition, winning 2/4.

I would also include Amherst because of our playoff history, and more recently playing during the regular season.

So who would you say is your team's biggest rivals?

I agree with Salem and Amherst, some of the largest crowds ever for those playoff games.

 

[wolverinedad2018]

For Woodgrove competitively it changed over the years. It was John Champe for a couple of years than Champe moved up. Then it was Dominion but their program weakened. In 2017 and 2018 it was a heated rivalry with Loudoun County ( there was always heightened energy with Tuscarora). Through all this time the one constant and ultimate rival for Woodgrove is Loudoun Valley. The kids grow up playing football together and split in high school. It’s always the last game of the season, Woodgrove has won the last 11.

 

[General172011]

Playoff wise it’s Hanover by a significantly large margin.