Biggest rivalries

[mike salem]

I usually post this on the boards in the offseason to see who everyone thinks is their team's biggest rival. I'll start with Salem. Right now it is definitely Northside. They look to be stellar again this year. Home team has won the last 4 & this year's game is at Northside. Over the years, Pulaski has been the most competitive & may be again this year. Amherst was a big playoff rival in the 2000's & they play game 1 this year, so that should be exciting. So, who is your team's biggest rival?

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Wow, Mike. I'm a little scared to touch this. I wouldn't want some other team to think they were being overlooked and use that in their locker room. The easy answer is "the next team up".

Taking a different approach to your question, here are a couple of games that I feel are huge on our schedule.

We open with James Monroe. Their history says it all. First game of the season for both, and first time ever meeting. Two stellar programs that do not want to start the season with a loss.

Second up is Hanover. Last time we played them, they won and knocked us out of the playoffs. That makes this a bit of a revenge game. A loss by Dinwiddie will be tough to swallow, especially if we stumble against JM.

I think going either 0-2, 1-1, or 2-0 will make a giant statement about the rest of our season. Maybe this doesn't speak directly to the rivalry question, but as far as importance, this is at the top.

 

[mike salem]

Wow, Mike. I'm a little scared to touch this. I wouldn't want some other team to think they were being overlooked and use that in their locker room. The easy answer is "the next team up".

I don't think anything I have ever said or will say, will be used as locker room motivation- good or bad. Your situation is probably different since you're more of a Dinwiddie insider. I know with Salem being a top Roanoke area team for basically 30 years, they have a bullseye on them every week. So your next team up philosophy definitely applies to Salem, but from a fan's perspective there's always at least one game every year that you're a little more amped up about. Thanks for replying, I was just trying to learn more about some of the other teams that I don't know much about.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

And you are a lot more tactful than I am too. I'm always afraid something I say will get twisted and come back to haunt me. And, as far as Dinwiddie goes, I share my thoughts with you in private anyway.

If "I" had to pick two central district teams that could be construed as rivalries with Dinwiddie, it would be Meadowbrook first, and Matoaca second. Meadowbrook, because we went 0 and forever against them before the Billy Mills era. And Matoaca just because they are just across the river and it's a natural rivalry. (Another thing about Matoaca that still sticks in the craw of us old timers is a game several years ago, when they kept their first string in for the whole game and just ran the score up. They were very good that year, and we won maybe one game. They took the opportunity to rub our noses in it. You don't forget things like that). Thomas Dale is always a war. For no reason other than these are two schools that have very good programs that hate to lose to each other. Hopewell is a similar situation, a storied school that has the talent to win the game every year. Throw in Petersburg, which is always laden with several "fast and elusive" athletes that cause every opponent fits. Prince George has struggled in recent years. If by chance they only won one game this year, as long as it was over Dinwiddie, they would probably consider the season a great success and hold a parade! Not a lot of love lost here. The only reason I don't mention Colonial Heights is that they just can't seem to get enough of their best atheletes to come out for football. Until they figure out a way to develope a winning tradition in football, they have a tough task to be seriously competitive in football, in the Central District.

The bottom line is that the Central District is a hell of a district. Just like the Seminole. Take any team lightly, and you can put a chalk mark in the loss column. Trying to point out a rivalry game here is almost pointless. They are all big rivalries.

I would like to hear Devils take on LT's top rivalry game. And outside of that, there are some historic rivalries down in Tidewater. As there are all across the state. Sadly, with hard times and changing demographics over time, many of these great rivalries have faded. I'm so old I still remember the biggest game of the year in the Central District was once Colonial Heights and Petersburg..., on Thanksgiving Day!

I was only considering district opponents when I wrote this. But, since we have Hanover scheduled this year, (and next), that is another one that everybody gets amped about. Especially this year. I don't think even Pete Rose would want to put money on this one.

 

[shauntclair]

Wow, Mike. I'm a little scared to touch this. I wouldn't want some other team to think they were being overlooked and use that in their locker room. The easy answer is "the next team up".

Taking a different approach to your question, here are a couple of games that I feel are huge on our schedule.

We open with James Monroe. Their history says it all. First game of the season for both, and first time ever meeting. Two stellar programs that do not want to start the season with a loss.

Second up is Hanover. Last time we played them, they won and knocked us out of the playoffs. That makes this a bit of a revenge game. A loss by Dinwiddie will be tough to swallow, especially if we stumble against JM.

I think going either 0-2, 1-1, or 2-0 will make a giant statement about the rest of our season. Maybe this doesn't speak directly to the rivalry question, but as far as importance, this is at the top.

Dinwiddie should not be pressed by JM if they approach this correctly. JM is a big play team. Hold them to under a hundred yards rushing and you'd think you win. That's not how they work. They can still put up 28 or 35. Punt return. Kickoff run back. Interception return. Fumble. Rediculous pass play when you've got them totally locked down. The impossible is what they do. Trash talk and cheap shots to get in your head. Their attitude is if it's not called, it's not a penalty. They can often unimpress in general but Serbay gets them way pumped and makes them believe things they cannot do. There are nosebleeds on the sidelines, they play so far over their heads. They NEVER quit and ALWAYS believe they will win. That's all Serbay. He gets more from his players than any Coach I've ever seen. The Generals should win this game but if they don't bring it every second, JM will steal it and you leave the field shaking your head. No way you should have lost. If that happens, you're not alone. That's what the Jackets do. GL in 2015.