We waste no time here in the Valley, so it appears that there are some non-district games scheduled for as early as Monday and Tuesday, the 1st and 2nd. So here are my thoughts on the season and who might be expected to do what this year.
Before I get to that, congrats are in order for the Buffalo Gap football team. Only in the wacky Shenandoah would the sixth-place team that finished the regular season with a losing record be the only one still alive in the state playoffs. They are peaking at the right time and I actually like their chances to make it to Salem and possibly win it. So as they say out there "Go Gap Go."
As for basketball, it will be as hard to predict as football was, partly because of the two new kids on the block. But at least that should make for an interesting regular-season as each team will have 16 district games. The ADs probably like that because it involves less scrounging around for non-district games.
Looking at our nine teams, I think I see a possible division between a top five and a bottom four. That top five, in alphabetical order, will be Alleghany, Fort Defiance, Staunton, Stuarts Draft and Wilson.
Alleghany has to be included just because of the size of the school and the athletes that they quite obviously had in football.
Fort Defiance finally loses Gio but I think they have enough returning talent to challenge the rest of the district.
Staunton has, and always will have, tradition on its side, so they will definitely be in the mix.
Stuarts Draft had insane size last year and I doubt if they graduated all of it.
Wilson returns a lot of size and experience also, and look for Jones and McWhorter to be among the best talents in the district.
I am not going to attempt to rank those five in order but if you make me pick a winner, it would probably be Wilson.
The remaining four teams, again alphabetically, will be Buffalo Gap, Riverheads, Rockbridge, and Waynesboro. Of course any one of the four could surprise us and challenge for a better season, but on paper, they all look like wins here and there against each other, and "maybe" an occasional upset over one of the top five, will be the best they can hope for.
Buffalo Gap was way down last year, both varsity and JV, plus the success of their football team will complicate their season. Don't see much hope there.
Riverheads lost a great deal of its offensive firepower and this year's team will have to formulate a whole new identity.
Rockbridge remains a puzzle as to why a Class 3 team struggles in most sports, and if I recall they were near the bottom in the Valley last year.
Waynesboro has struggled in recent years, but if Spears returns to coach, he seems to have them headed in the right direction.
Again, no predictions for pecking order but the team with the best chance for an upset here and there will probably be Waynesboro.
So there you have it. Enjoy the season but as they say on TV, "expect the unexpected."
Before I get to that, congrats are in order for the Buffalo Gap football team. Only in the wacky Shenandoah would the sixth-place team that finished the regular season with a losing record be the only one still alive in the state playoffs. They are peaking at the right time and I actually like their chances to make it to Salem and possibly win it. So as they say out there "Go Gap Go."
As for basketball, it will be as hard to predict as football was, partly because of the two new kids on the block. But at least that should make for an interesting regular-season as each team will have 16 district games. The ADs probably like that because it involves less scrounging around for non-district games.
Looking at our nine teams, I think I see a possible division between a top five and a bottom four. That top five, in alphabetical order, will be Alleghany, Fort Defiance, Staunton, Stuarts Draft and Wilson.
Alleghany has to be included just because of the size of the school and the athletes that they quite obviously had in football.
Fort Defiance finally loses Gio but I think they have enough returning talent to challenge the rest of the district.
Staunton has, and always will have, tradition on its side, so they will definitely be in the mix.
Stuarts Draft had insane size last year and I doubt if they graduated all of it.
Wilson returns a lot of size and experience also, and look for Jones and McWhorter to be among the best talents in the district.
I am not going to attempt to rank those five in order but if you make me pick a winner, it would probably be Wilson.
The remaining four teams, again alphabetically, will be Buffalo Gap, Riverheads, Rockbridge, and Waynesboro. Of course any one of the four could surprise us and challenge for a better season, but on paper, they all look like wins here and there against each other, and "maybe" an occasional upset over one of the top five, will be the best they can hope for.
Buffalo Gap was way down last year, both varsity and JV, plus the success of their football team will complicate their season. Don't see much hope there.
Riverheads lost a great deal of its offensive firepower and this year's team will have to formulate a whole new identity.
Rockbridge remains a puzzle as to why a Class 3 team struggles in most sports, and if I recall they were near the bottom in the Valley last year.
Waynesboro has struggled in recent years, but if Spears returns to coach, he seems to have them headed in the right direction.
Again, no predictions for pecking order but the team with the best chance for an upset here and there will probably be Waynesboro.
So there you have it. Enjoy the season but as they say on TV, "expect the unexpected."