Freedom - Woodbridge
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They were not ranked in HSFA Top 300 poll. Only Highland Springs (#75) and Phoebus (#257) were ranked from VA. HSPRINGS was #52 in MaxPreps and Phoebus is #61 with Freedom #100. HSHS and Phoebus both beat nationally ranked teams during the season and Freedom didn’t.
MaxPreps yes but not in NFHS,BECAUSE they didn’t beat anyone of merit. HSPRINGS and Phoebus are ranked in both polls because they played and BEAT nationally ranked teams.
I saw that. That should be a good matchup for you guys. You going to make the trip?
I'm not as familiar with them. Really not that familiar with FL ball. But they're a 3M school, so probably not bad.
They lost in the 3rd round of the playoffs to Homestead. Homestead is in the state finals with St Thomas Aquinos. Miramar finished 10-2. They are our head coach’s alma mater.
DeMatha wants to play Freedom next year. Serious. They scrimmaged this year but want a regular season game in 2023. DeMatha will be strong.
DeMatha has played strong Northern ZVA schools before: Lake Braddock twice in the mid ‘90’s (sellout crowd for first game at LB), Centreville (same two years) and Garfield three times from ‘89 to ‘91.
A game between DeMatha and Freedom would be good for mid Atlantic high school ball.
DeMatha has played strong Northern ZVA schools before: Lake Braddock twice in the mid ‘90’s (sellout crowd for first game at LB), Centreville (same two years) and Garfield three times from ‘89 to ‘91.
A game between DeMatha and Freedom would be good for mid Atlantic high school ball.
Gonzaga, St Johns, Arch Bishop Carol and Dematha would be good games for Highland Springs. I heard there is a good private school in Richmond.
Yes Smith was ranked ahead of HSHS nationally on Maxpreps until Phoebus beat them. Smith was undefeated until Phoebus beat them.
Yes indeed, it will be a great road trip.
If Freedom plays and beats Dematha it would help them nationally but possibly hurt them with homefield advantage because they get 0 points for playing private schools under the VHSL points system. Highland springs beat the brakes off of Avalon(MD Private School) 3 years ago and it almost cost them home field advantage in the playoffs because they didn't get any points. That's why HSHS has not played any other private schools since then. If I was Freedom I would play Dematha in a scrimmage buy play it like a regular game like HSHS did against Thomas Dale( it was a benefit game) this year right before their first game against Chambers. It would only be for bragging rights but it wouldn't hurt them points wise.
Highland springs won't play any private schools anymore because they don't get points for it under VHSL scoring. That's why they try to play top tier public schools.
But if it's not a border state, OOWP is assigned 0.5 in the RPI. Which most people aren't a huge fan of.
It's terrible that you guys have a game like that right on the beach. Lol.
I think what would help is if the Beach District which has 11 schools would split into 2 districts that would give them local schools more good teams to play in the regular season.
Big Drop, are you the DeMatha guru from a national forum? If so, we've chatted over there and good to see you posting over here.
This reason and 2 other precisely are where they don't quite match up with the '96 Crabbers. Since the Eagles are young they can capture that #1 ranking but I believe Hampton also had 2 #1 ranked position players at QB Ronald Curry who also won National Player of the Year and Bobby Blizzard at TE. The Eagles are new on the scene and that might be why they have not grabbed national attention although it is deserved.
There is circumstantial evidence that Dinwiddie, Phoebus & Freedom are even with Highland Springs pulling up 2nd out of the four teams. Dinwiddie/Phoebus have a common opponent (Heritage) beaten by the same score(42/41). Phoebus/Freedom have similar opponents (Oscar Smith/Western Branch) beaten by the same score (56/55). I put Highland Springs 2nd because when everyone agreed Maury was at their worst because of injury we only got a 14 point victory. Maury has at least 4 serious point spread hiccups on their schedule against subpar opponents. None bigger than 6-6 Menchville with only a 37 point win. Phoebus took down Menchville by 63 points and it was not that close.
Yes, thanks for the nice words. Sincerely appreciated. I was told several weeks ago that DeMatha was going to approach Freedom for a regular season game in ‘23. My source is primary.
I was also told the results of the scrimmage.
Freedom needs to play DeMatha in a regular game. If they win it will have the effect of a championship. The game would also receive national coverage and sell out.
DeMatha has been on ESPN numerous times. This would be a natural for the early season. Both DeMatha and Freedom return their qb’s and a lot of others
I saw ‘96 Hampton standing on the sidelines only a few feet from Ronald Curry. I talked to Mike Smith in their locker room afterwards and he told me that the one team he really wanted to play from the DC area was DeMatha (who were especially strong then).
Freedom has that chance for next year. IF they could beat DeMatha it would put them on the national map.
‘96 Hampton was one of the best high school teams anywhere from any era. They won their state championship game 51-0 and the semi-final 76-12. Ronald Curry (in his 40’s today!) is the best hs player I have ever seen.
Freedom needs to play DeMatha in ‘23. And I’ve seen a LOT of hs ball all over America at age 76.
Freedom has that chance for next year. IF they could beat DeMatha it would put them on the national map.
‘96 Hampton was one of the best high school teams anywhere from any era. They won their state championship game 51-0 and the semi-final 76-12. Ronald Curry (in his 40’s today!) is the best hs player I have ever seen.
Freedom needs to play DeMatha in ‘23. And I’ve seen a LOT of hs ball all over America at age 76.
Can anyone reading this try to encourage Freedom’s coach that a regular season game with DeMatha would be good for him and DC area hs ball?
With all due respect to the World Cup (Argentina) and soccer fields with crowds like hs football DeMatha vs Freedom is needed.
The interest, the passion, the Press it would generate. Freedom needs to play DeMatha in ‘23.
With all due respect to the World Cup (Argentina) and soccer fields with crowds like hs football DeMatha vs Freedom is needed.
The interest, the passion, the Press it would generate. Freedom needs to play DeMatha in ‘23.
Scheduling Dematha can be a lose/lose or a lose/win for Freedom. If Freedom loses to Dematha It would hurt their national ranking and they don't get any VHSL points for a playing a private school(which could cost them home field advantage late in the playoffs. If they beat DeMatha, it would help their national ranking but they would not get any VHSL points(it would be as if they forfeited a game). For example Highland springs played Avalon(private school in Maryland) in 2019 and they got 0 points for the game and it almost cost them home field advantage in the regional championship. HSHS went 10-0 in 2019 only got vhsl credit for 9 games. Since then HSHS has Never played another private school.
This is the biggest knock on (MaxPreps) rankings for a lot of people. It prioritizes wins over strength of schedule. It basically incentivizes a weak schedule.
I would caution against playing DeMatha. If you lose you lose and if you win you can hope that it translates into success for your VHSL season and playoffs. The problem is DeMatha can succeed convincing your best player to leave Freedom and move to Hyattsville, Md for a bigger and more prestigious stage after they bust you up for 4 quarters. It does not have to be a senior, they have the resources to scout and recruit your best young player away, thus potentially ruining your 2024 or 2025 season. This happened to Phoebus in 2013 following their game against DeMatha. There must be a bigger reason for playing the Stags and it cannot be to improve college recruitment chances. That’s hogwash. The school and team leadership would want to get a written agreement that no Eagle players or family members will be approached with promises, money or other gifts for successfully recruiting any Freedom player to DeMatha. You might end up needing that man against the Magna Vista Warriors during your 4th quarter 28 point comeback in the 2015 playoffs.
Personally, my first time covering the DeMatha Stags was the worst experience I have ever had in the 48 years that I have been attending high school football games. As a veteran I purposefully went to the Brothers Forever Classic match played against the Lasalle Explorers. A game purported to show support for veterans. You see, I had contacted the AD and received permission to cover the game. I was excited. I told them I am a veteran and this is a wonderful gesture! Upon arriving to the game knowing I would get to see one of the premier teams on the east coast, I was immediately accused of being a spy for their rival; the Good Counsel Falcons. The AD that gave me permission to be there supported this wild and crazy accusation and they refused to apologize. I was stunned and exasperated by the unbridled paranoid behavior of these adults left to lead and influence young minds. Has anyone ever told you what happen to former Phoebus Phantom Robbie Robinson after he moved to the Stags? After my experience I really was not surprised. It is not all potatoes and gravy with DeMatha.
VA schools recruit. They recruit players that aren't even on their schedule. It might not work out for them. But I can guarantee it happens!
It is messed up that you don't get credit for a game like that. Good team shouldn't have to worry about seeding in the playoffs imo. BUT you shouldn't be dinged for scheduling it.
Mike Smith who coached Hampton in ‘96 and almost 50 other years (VA lifetime achievement and one of America’s absolute best), wanted to play DeMatha. He passionately believed he would beat them.
Why wouldn’t Freedom’s coach today believe that? They are claiming they are comparable to ‘96 Hampton. Then play the best.
…..and maybe Freedom will score a td this time.
Why wouldn’t Freedom’s coach today believe that? They are claiming they are comparable to ‘96 Hampton. Then play the best.
…..and maybe Freedom will score a td this time.
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I must add: Mike Smith and ‘96 and ‘97 Hampton were named #1 in America by several sources. He wanted DeMatha.
He was willing to play anyone.
If Freedom thinks they are comparable to those incredible Hampton teams then prove it: play DeMatha in the regular season. Either you are that good or you’re not. It’s no longer about being a class 6 state champion. Rather, it’s about just how good are you? Are you really a special team?
Let’s find out.
He was willing to play anyone.
If Freedom thinks they are comparable to those incredible Hampton teams then prove it: play DeMatha in the regular season. Either you are that good or you’re not. It’s no longer about being a class 6 state champion. Rather, it’s about just how good are you? Are you really a special team?
Let’s find out.
One more: in 1980 DeMatha (before Bill McGregor) thought they had a special team. In 1979 Hampton Bethel thought they were special, too. (And Miami Christopher Columbus, Detroit Brother Rice, Dallas Jesuit, Anaheim, CA Servite (Steve Beuerlein), and others all thought they could beat the best.). They went to Cincinnati and played maybe the best of all time, Gerry Faust’s Moeller.
They all lost. Every single school. But they played Moeller. And Faust went to Notre Dame as their head coach.
DeMatha played that game. Freedom should play DeMatha. If you believe that you are good, promote that you are good then find out, HOW GOOD.
Freedom must play DeMatha in the regular season.
They all lost. Every single school. But they played Moeller. And Faust went to Notre Dame as their head coach.
DeMatha played that game. Freedom should play DeMatha. If you believe that you are good, promote that you are good then find out, HOW GOOD.
Freedom must play DeMatha in the regular season.
Butler played a school from that region (St. John's) a couple seasons ago. Butler lost 33-0. Not one of their better teams. They lost by a similar score in the playoffs. Charlotte Catholic beat DeMatha. That's probably been ten years ago though. It was actually Gonzaga, not DeMatha.
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I mean, if you're going to punch above your weight class you might as well go for the grand prize and load up an uber-elite school. Of course, after what happened to OS last year, I doubt any team from VA tries such an act anytime soon. Lot scarier programs lurking outside the borders of the state of Virginia lol.
FWIW, this board shows me registering on May 29, 2001. Not sure what it or the first national board was called but I’ve been around for a while. Regional games like the potential Freedom vs DeMatha in ‘23 come along about every 20+ years.
Lake Braddock (Westfield AD), Centreville and Garfield accepted the challenge. (Yes, I’m back to ‘89….). Now it should be Freedom’s turn.
A third of a century later.
And, respectfully to this morning’s World Cup: I live behind Reston’s South Lakes high school (moved to Reston in ‘88 from Silver Spring, born near Gonzaga in ‘47 at the original Sibley hospital) I am tired of seeing larger crowds for neighborhood soccer games than at South Lakes on Friday nights. We need a game that generates interest, that the Post and others will write about. And television will have on their evening shows. And put people in the stands. Even fill them as a game like this may do.
Freedom vs DeMatha. In season-when it matters. Someone please show this thread to Freedom’s coach.
Thanks to everyone for reading this far.
Lake Braddock (Westfield AD), Centreville and Garfield accepted the challenge. (Yes, I’m back to ‘89….). Now it should be Freedom’s turn.
A third of a century later.
And, respectfully to this morning’s World Cup: I live behind Reston’s South Lakes high school (moved to Reston in ‘88 from Silver Spring, born near Gonzaga in ‘47 at the original Sibley hospital) I am tired of seeing larger crowds for neighborhood soccer games than at South Lakes on Friday nights. We need a game that generates interest, that the Post and others will write about. And television will have on their evening shows. And put people in the stands. Even fill them as a game like this may do.
Freedom vs DeMatha. In season-when it matters. Someone please show this thread to Freedom’s coach.
Thanks to everyone for reading this far.
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