I believe if JF finds a defense then they could definitely be a team that can make a deep playoff run. Glass and Amherst will both be tough outs. I pick Glass to finish top 3 in Region D this year.
The best teams
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Game changers are always hard to come by, but having a program to develop kids top to bottom enhances the chances of success.
Amherst loses a ton of Sr's again (23) including Turner (QB) Megginson (WR) & Wimbish. (NG, G) They lose a lot of other OL/DL as well. They do return RB Ross and 17 other rising Sr's, but it will be interesting to see how they will do with that tough schedule. (Salem, GW, and Blacksburg OOD plus the tough Seminole slate) I think JF will improve again and make the playoffs. LCA will probably be borderline again, but I expect them to just miss out with them having to replace the coach. Heritage will drop some with the loss of some good playmakers, but they should make the playoffs. Brookville has to replace their QB, but they always seem to have talent at that position, they will make the playoffs. Rustburg will probably be borderline on making the playoffs, but I think they make it. Liberty just hasn't had a super competitive team in a few years and I expect they'll likely be cellar dwellers again. Glass will be the favorites with all of the offensive playmakers they return, and despite losing their stud LB Patterson.
What’s up with the QB that Amherst has coming up from JV? I recall someone on here saying he’s the real deal. As far as Region D goes I’ll say top teams: Salem, GW (the offense will be scary but they gotta find a defense), and Glass. Second tier: WB, Blacksburg, and JF. LCA, Pulaski, and Amherst fight for the last 2 spots.
If JF ever gets a Defense, they could very well be at the top. Glass lost some good Seniors, but the sophomore class is really strong. Heritage still has playmakers, but inexperiencd. As long as they replace their offensive line they’ll be good. Amherst needs to replace their line as well. If they can do that and play better defense, they’ll be good as well. LCA was hot at the end of the season beating Glass and narrowly losing to Brookville and Amherst. It’s gonna be a dogfight for the top spot.
My top 5 in the Seminole this year:
1) Glass
2) Brookville
3) JF
4)Heritage
5)Amherst
As far as Region D, I have:
1)Salem
2) Glass
3) Blacksburg
4) GW(If they had a defense, and a tougher schedule, id put them higher)
5) JF(higher if they have a defense)
Let’s not act like Blacksburg doesn’t play a weenie dog schedule as well. Giles and Richlands aren’t exactly LCA, Amherst or JF. Thank god for Amherst LB and Salem huh? Like I said before, GW needs to be in the Seminole especially in football. Piedmont will once again come down to Magna Vista and GW.
Giles and Richlands are good football teams they are just small schools. There are years where Giles or Richlands would actually be better than LCA or JF. (Amherst would be a stretch)
Mike we're speaking presently. This upcoming season....Richlands isn't what they were in 2010 or 2011. Appomattox has blown Giles off the map in the playoffs I know the past 2 years... And LCA beat Appomattox! Just saying! Them cats aren't better opponents than those Seminole teams presently. You are correct (as far as records and championships) but also you have to look at the level of competition. Those guys don't play in the Seminole aka the best district west of Richmond.
Blacksburg has beaten Glass, Amherst ,Brookville, Jefferson Forest and Heritage in the last 2 years. Just saying ! As for schedules they are made sometimes due to the cost of traveling or the numbers at the gate . Giles and Richlands both travel better than any1 in the Piedmont or Seminole period. As for Giles this is a neighboring county game , been played longer than you have been alive. Richlands was added due the former coach being from Richlands. I seriously doubt it will be continued after the 2 year deal is over.
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LCA hasn't played Appomattox recently, Heritage was the only team to beat Appomattox in the last 3 years.
They beat them last year in the benefit game. LCA is way better than both of those programs presently. Giles does have that 1 kid with D1 offers.
Of course y’all will say it’s a benefit game but we all know that starters play the whole game or well into the 4th quarter. 45-28 LCA had 6 rushing TDs and then turned around and almost beat GW the next week.
Benefit games can be like scrimmages to certain coaches and they don't really show much. The kids and the fans want to win them, but if the coach isn't treating it like a game with the full playbook then you can't really draw much from them. LCA wasn't a better team in any of the last 3 years (over Appomattox) and that's coming from an LCA alum.
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Regardless of strength of schedule comparisons between Blacksburg and GW, there was absolutely no comparison in the strength of the 2 teams. Blacksburg was far and away better than GW.
LCA has got a long way to go imo to be able to make a deep playoff run. I know they are newcomers to the Seminole and the VHSL, but their only appearance in the playoffs thus far was an absolute waxing by Millbrook, followed up by back to back 4-6 seasons.
Hey have it your way. We all know the mythic reasoning behind Blacksburg being so superior. Just another Salem’s fan way of making Salem look good. GW & Blacksburg didn’t go head to head so that’s just more subjective talk like all the other (Appomattox better than LCA and Blacksburg being the second best team in the state hublah)...Blacksburg got the same thing GW got last year...An L to end the year. BTW Shawn Watlington, Carl and Los Poole had a good showing this weekend down in Charlotte. Should have some offers by the start of the summer
.Edit: Add the NC football better than VA football to the subjective talk. Sports Head is no hypocrite
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First off, I never said Blacksburg was the 2nd best team in 4A. They were a Top 5 team for sure. GW wasn't even a Top 10 team. Blacksburg had the speed of GW and the line play of Salem. I saw both GW and Blacksburg play in back to back weeks against Salem. GW was losing 42-0 early in the 3Q, Blacksburg went toe to toe with Salem. (Not to mention the 49-12 beat down they put on Salem Week 5) Subjective or not, unlike you I actually saw both teams and it would be no contest. As far as saying Blacksburg was awesome to make Salem look better, Salem won the title 3 years in a row they don't need my help in looking good.
Blacksburg was way more than Cole Beck. Beck got the headlines, but Noah Ramsey is also going to VT for track. Driscoll, Orndorff, Roberson, and Eliott from the OL/DL are all playing college ball at D2 or better. Wise is going to JMU. Next year Terry will likely go to an ACC school. Brian Mitchell's (CB) dad just happened to play for the Redskins as a successful PR & DB back when they were actually good. There was talent, strength, athleticism, and speed all over the field.
Blacksburg was way more than Cole Beck. Beck got the headlines, but Noah Ramsey is also going to VT for track. Driscoll, Orndorff, Roberson, and Eliott from the OL/DL are all playing college ball at D2 or better. Wise is going to JMU. Next year Terry will likely go to an ACC school. Brian Mitchell's (CB) dad just happened to play for the Redskins as a successful PR & DB back when they were actually good. There was talent, strength, athleticism, and speed all over the field.
LOL! Have it your way Mike. GW wasn’t a top 10 team but we went 9-1 and grabbed the 2 seed in Region D? That may be funnier than the statement that the QB at Sherando is better than Los Poole. And very good for those guys at Blacksburg going places. Don’t doubt their talent, however to say a team is head and shoulders better than another team based off of how they play against your team (Salem)...Especially when they didn’t go head to head. Only one team could win the state championship and the best team won...On to this year. GW has more talent than Blacksburg..It’s up to them to get bigger and stronger in the trenches and get their defense up to par.
Region B had 4 undefeated teams. Region D had Salem and Blacksburg. Region A had Lafayette, King's Fork, Deep Creek. Region C had Sherando and Millbrook. GW was just on the outside of the Top 10 imo. (Vhsl-reference.com had them 18th, but that is way too low) C4 had 15 teams with 9+ wins, so to say GW was just outside of the Top 10 imo is not an outlandish statement. The Top 10 doesn't stop at the end of the regular season BTW. GW's 10 wins came against average teams at best, look at the records, MV was the only team with a pretty good record and they weren't the team they normally are. LCA 4-6, Amherst 6-5, JF 5-6, Martinsville 5-6, Patrick 1-9, Tunstall 3-7, MV 8-4, FC 4-7, Bassett 1-9, HC 5-5. The Top 10 doesn't account for how many athletes you have, it's about Wins. (Although Blacksburg had as much speed and strength as they have ever had)
Blacksburg will likely drop off some this year with everyone they lose and a new head coach. GW should improve this year and be better. It's quite possible that the only reason Blacksburg had a good 2 year run is because of talent and maybe they'll drop off kinda like Christiansburg has. GW will always have the talent it's really a question of what they can accomplish with it.
Blacksburg will likely drop off some this year with everyone they lose and a new head coach. GW should improve this year and be better. It's quite possible that the only reason Blacksburg had a good 2 year run is because of talent and maybe they'll drop off kinda like Christiansburg has. GW will always have the talent it's really a question of what they can accomplish with it.
Mike Salem and DSH, you know I think the world of you guys, but I am not sure why you are still debating this. Personally, I don't think Salem was the best Class 4 team we played last season (early in the season and match ups); however, they won it all and based on that I consider them the "Best of Class 4 in 2017"!
Each team matches up differently with a given opponent, so there is no real way to determine where teams rank/lineup other than our own opinions. That being said, this years March Madness should be a strong indicator that on any given day a team can have a bad day or match up and get beat.
On another note. DSH you referenced a statement about someone saying the Sherando quarterback was better than Poole. Again, its a matter of opinion. Are we talking about as a high school quarterback or college potential. Poole is probably one of the top quarterbacks in the State of Virginia when you look at recruiting upside and athleticism; however, when you look at it from a hs team standpoint is he the best? Before you shake your head let me explain. Everybody except Hoos, questioned Malik Bell's ability as a quarterback; however, he surely proved his value and at times single handedly took over games. Is he going to be a college quarterback? No, but he ran his offense to perfection, was a leader, and took his team to the state title game. I realize Poole cannot be blamed for the inept defense GW played in 2017, but is he the guy to elevate GW to the next level? Hopefully, things will slow down for me soon and I will be able to put the final touches on my 2018 quarterback review to help explain my thoughts on the very good returning quarterbacks we have in Class 4.
2017 is gone and Salem as @Southbottom consistently reminds us (no slur bottom) is on top of the mountain. Time to get our fingers limbered up and throw out why and how each of our teams will be gunning for the Spartans.
Hey, like Navy says, it’s all opinion based. Ham, Poole is 6’4 with a cannon of an arm. Not his fault he runs a 4.45 40. Has a very high IQ too. Kid is raw talent. Hey, I tell you what.. Give Poole that WR you all had that’s going to UR and his numbers go up. I gurentee 1k more yards passing. This kid’s leading receiver was a 14 year old sophomore.. Poole put up numbers that Hunter Byrnes (Davidson) put up without the top flight receivers. 2 interceptions all year, with 1 being a 99 yard return via Tuck. Can’t teach what Poole has. Your boy is good but if he wants to play on the same collegiate level Poole plays, then baseball may be the better option.
Brian Mitchell is cornerback coach for VT, not the former Redskin.
My bad, well his son is a good player and was just a Sophomore last year. I think he's going to be a RB this year too. His dad played for the Falcons for 3 years. I got them mixed up.
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Correct. Brian Jr. should be getting lots of playing time both ways this year. Played RB behind Beck and Terry. If I was Bburg, I’d play Mitchell at RB and Terry in slot.
How did I get involved? I've hardly posted in months and what few post I have made have dealt with the challenges that Salem faces next year
@Southbottom, you were not involved I was just referring to your truisms that Salem won it and Salem deserves to be deemed the best. I even said "not a slur".
Courtland returns all the skill positions, they will have one of the biggest O-lines in the history of the program next year. They have a Junior D-lineman that is getting serious recruiting inquires from both D1 and D2 schools. They had several seniors last year, but several only saw limited action. They had several Sophs playing up who were more talented than the older players. They will have the best all around athlete in the district and possibly Fred area in Auddie Burroughs, the kid is just simply gifted. Cougars will be a challenge to stop on offense and defense will be better than last year. EV will have a good team, just not what they were this past season. Yes, I do believe we will beat both Louisa and EV this year at home. Wont be easy and I feel a little better about Louisa than EV, gonna be great games. Also, Look for a couple transfers to show up at Courtland to bolster and already strong team hint hint! Free lance star looks at returning starters and overall talent, Courtland got the highest points for the skill position and lines. On paper very strong but have to take that to the field and produce. Also here a uniform change is in the works? Gotta find out more info, will pass along when I do.
Either Courtland will be very very good or you’ve got my vote for used car salesman of the year
Ok, stright shooting here, Great post, got me cracking up. In all honesty the Cougars are going to be good solid team with weapons on offense. If JC will use QB more, then they become very very good. QB has jets, one of the fastest if not the fastest kid at any level of high school football in the state and does not run track! Just gotta see him take off, he is trully unknown and thats probably because he is a running back playing QB. How good of a team comes down to coaching and offensive play calling out of the old style wing T!!! Cougars are better suited for a triple option offense, especially next season with the horses in the backfield.
How much you willing to spend on a great used car? Low miles and new tires lol.
How much you willing to spend on a great used car? Low miles and new tires lol.
Lol I appreciate your humor boss! Where was these cats at last year though? I’m not even trying to be sarcastic or anything. Why couldn’t they pull it together this past year?
They had too many seniors to get it right. They closed the gap at the end of the season partially but not enough
I don’t doubt that if they were in the West, they’d be a contender but I don’t see them beating EV, Louisa, Monacan or Dinwiddie to get out of Region B. I, as well as most of us, said that about Louisa last year so anything can happen!
C.J Rose was J.V QB last year.I think C.J could start next year all depends if he keeps working hard in spring and summer.Good pedigree and very athletic but still very raw..C'J only been playing QB a few years now but has a higher ceiling than any back Amherst got.
Not another Rose lol. Them boys could play! If he’s anything like his name, Amherst will be a problem! What about Blaine Johnson? Saw him play Qb for almost half of the last regular season game. He looked pretty good at QB.
C.J is more athletic than Peter and Jonathan but he isn't very durable and don't have that IT factor yet.I like Blaine also but he is a passer first QB.Will he be able to fit in Coach system.
So in other words, Amherst will be a contender for the next 2-3 years lol..Dang man, more athletic than Pete and John..JESUS!