The sky has fallen. The transfer of power has finished, from Fairfax to the Western counties. Chantiily has about 50 players on the varsity roster, Stone Bridge ~ 85.
Football power has shifted west
- Thread starter Concorde_district
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Exactly, the issue is that Chantilly and other Fairfax schools rosters are decreasing.
I think 50 players on a roster is about perfect. Most of those players will never see the field regardless on an 85-player team, even most second team players unless it's a blowout. Plus it makes it harder to keep track of all those players in practice and give them good reps. 2004 Stone Bridge had close to 90 players on the roster, and lost to Harrisonburg 14-3 in the playoffs. I think 40-50 player rosters is the sweet spot. Courtland and Lake Taylor consistently win with 35-45 player rosters. I think with the NoVA population boom, more schools getting built, and talent getting more spread out, the Fairfax teams just aren't as talented from top to bottom as in the past.
Sure, just cut the last 40 from the SB roster. You are missing the point. The SB coaches have 90 kids from which to select their top 50. Chantilly has 20 players who would be in the bottom 40 at SB.
No I get what you're saying. I just think those extra 40 kids wouldn't even sniff the field at most schools, and they're just there to boost numbers, from what I have heard from coaches, and that you're overreacting/overthinking about the depth thing. Plus it's not like Chantilly has been a consistent football powerhouse, most of the talent is usually at Westfield.
Chantilly is a solid middle of the road team, usually makes the playoffs and wins one game. Westfield is the Fairfax powerhouse, as you state, but they also have 90-100 kids to choose from. It is not a matter of depth, it is the size of the selection pool.
There are many factors that go into the "selection pool." I will point out once again that Westfield is not as large as they used to be. Chantilly had a larger student body than Westfield last year.
I was at the Chantilly-Stone Bridge game last night and I have to say the Chargers were a better team than the one I saw the last two seasons. If not for a HUGE game from the Stone Bridge QB Chantilly might have won. They had it tied 21-21 late in the 3rd quarter. Stone Bridge defense tightened up in the second half - Chantilly drove the ball (got first downs) on their first five possessions.
I was at the Chantilly-Stone Bridge game last night and I have to say the Chargers were a better team than the one I saw the last two seasons. If not for a HUGE game from the Stone Bridge QB Chantilly might have won. They had it tied 21-21 late in the 3rd quarter. Stone Bridge defense tightened up in the second half - Chantilly drove the ball (got first downs) on their first five possessions.
One would think since SB has such a big selection pool, they wouldn't need to *coughrecruitcough* ahem.
Sour grapes. Accept it for what it is. 6A schools are bigger than 5A schools and have more kids to "recruit" to play. If Mickey Thompson can sell his program better than Mike Lalli than so be it. Pretty sure Coach Fischer does not turn down legitimate transfer or two in Mineral VA.
A particular lineman who currently plays for Alabama, and others weren't legitimate transfers. Nothing to have "sour grapes" about, I still think Thompson is a good coach and the kids obviously love him.
2012 Dvision 5 State title game:
Stone Bridge 83 players
Lake Taylor 38 players
I sat int he pressobx and counted their guys and had a conversation with Coach Thompson later at the all state meeting about why he has so many guys he told me why and it makes sense. LOL
Let's remember who they lost to this year. And oakton beat that team. Is SB down a bit? Oakton up about?
The number of kids out for the team is reflective of enthusiasm about the program.
LT football isn't for everyone there is a reason our numbers are low. I know it's like that at Phoebus and some other places as well. We aren't going to carry 80 kids to say we have 80 kids.
I remember going in our field house last season during halftime of our game against Dinwiddie and they had so many kids that some had to sit outside of the locker room. Those kids were huddled up freezing their tails off, but hey that's the life of a JV call-up.
The season's only halfway over. I wouldn't write Stone Bridge off just yet.
A LOT of football left to be played and counting out Coach Thompson is not wise.
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