The Panthers had 425 yards rushing against Chancellor, 538 rushing against Dinwiddie, and 357 rushing against Louisa. That brings their total to 1320 yards rushing in 3 GAMES! 6' 4" 190 lbs QB Luke Morley has 483 of those yards! That's insane, very special team!
Massaponax
- Thread starter LionNation540
- Start date
Don't go too far out there just yet. Yes, that is a lot of yards. And we all know the triple option is hard to defend. All three of those teams are D4, with a combined record of 5-4, and Louisa being #20 on Max Preps and the other two 56 and 104. Ponax is something like 42 on Max Preps and they had a battle with a good D4 opponent-and lost. They should beat those teams if they are a good D6 team. Note: Max Preps is the only ranking currently available on a state wide level, and their algorithms leave a lot to be desired. They often have lower division teams well above some of the above average D6 schools, and that is just not correct.
Wait until they play someone in their own class, someone with a really good defense. If they don't, or won't, or cannot, pass and their opponent's defense can at least contain the triple option, they are not going to be successful. You can run the ball all day up and down the field, but if you don't change it up against strong competition or if you make a mistake, you will not score much. Their schedule is back loaded with Mtn View, Colonial Forge and N. Stafford.
Wait until they play someone in their own class, someone with a really good defense. If they don't, or won't, or cannot, pass and their opponent's defense can at least contain the triple option, they are not going to be successful. You can run the ball all day up and down the field, but if you don't change it up against strong competition or if you make a mistake, you will not score much. Their schedule is back loaded with Mtn View, Colonial Forge and N. Stafford.
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Sorry, I just wanted to post some interesting facts on a dead board. Didn't expect them to be instantly diminished.
I did not mean to come across so strong. I merely intended to say keep it in perspective, and I personally equate "special" as a descriptor to mean a team that has a real, legit shot and doing something on a state level. Too early to tell for Ponax, as with most teams. My point, which I see now was written too negatively, was that those early numbers could be deceiving. I have been on here for years and see people making wild assumptions and building up teams when they don't have a wide enough perspective. Personal case in point about understanding relevant team strengths: As you can see, I follow Westfield. I knew we had a good team last year but we had some weaknesses, and I knew the state semi against Freedom was going to be an uphill battle-it was, and WF lost. Freedom was the better team, no doubt, no matter what we WF fans think. I had also seen Manchester play the week prior and I was strongly on the side that no one - no one - in D6 was going to touch them. That happened, with an overwhelming performance by Manchester in the final.
So I apologize to you, sir, for being heavy handed.
PS: You are correct, this D6 board is dead. There are a handful of people who read the few posts, but almost no one contributes.
Ponax IS a special team this year, and they do have a legit shot at making a deep run. They were special last year as well before they got decimated by injuries. They can pass as well, they just won't have to that much, because the O line and runners are that good. As stated, we'll see what happens down the line, but if they only get beaten by other special teams like Freedom, Forge, etc (who I haven't seen this year), it won't diminish the talent/ability they have this season. Their main weakness is the kicking game after graduating a D1 kicker. They just can't get complacent on defense as they rack up points, letting teams stick around. As @Bcope83 said on the 4A board, Ponax is putting these numbers up without two of their best players. They are full of studs. I know Jacob Romero, a junior, returns this week, and he'll be the fastest kid on the field in most games, yes even against the top 6A teams.
Also, that Freedom team last year lost to 4A Lake Taylor 42-28, their only regular season loss. The 4A champ Woodgrove (who beat LT) got smacked by Ponax, and they only played a half due to weather. Sometimes, if you're good, you're simply good! There's parity among the better 4A, 5A, and 6A teams in the state, regardless of what a computer says, which is why I only pay attention to rankings done by humans who consistently see these teams play. Computers also can't take into account the emotions of teenagers, various match-ups due to style of play and individual personnel/talent. And then sometimes a superteam comes along, like Manchester.
Also, that Freedom team last year lost to 4A Lake Taylor 42-28, their only regular season loss. The 4A champ Woodgrove (who beat LT) got smacked by Ponax, and they only played a half due to weather. Sometimes, if you're good, you're simply good! There's parity among the better 4A, 5A, and 6A teams in the state, regardless of what a computer says, which is why I only pay attention to rankings done by humans who consistently see these teams play. Computers also can't take into account the emotions of teenagers, various match-ups due to style of play and individual personnel/talent. And then sometimes a superteam comes along, like Manchester.
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Their schedule is that every year and they always run triple and rarely have trouble. Great offense that’s getting back 2 of its 3 best players. They’ll be a force like usual.
The defense is key with a power running game. Colonial Forge & Freedom can put up a lot of points quickly and being top tier Class 6 teams mean you know their Defense is tough.
One things for certain the addition of Massaponax to region B makes Class 6 South very tough. I think the balance of team strength has shifted towards the South regional compared to the Northern. Which ever team wins out of the below teams will be
Region A
Thomas Dale
Oscar Smith
Ocean Lakes
Region B
Massaponax
Colonial Forge
Freeddom
Class 6 reg B with Freedom becoming a powerful team and now Colonial Forge with Massaponax added into the mix is one of the most interesting stories for this year. While things have gotten a little less interesting for us in Reg A. We've had some good teams move to Class 5. One thing is for sure is that the Southern Regional just got much tougher! Whichever team comes out on top, they'll be battle tested for that Championship game!
One things for certain the addition of Massaponax to region B makes Class 6 South very tough. I think the balance of team strength has shifted towards the South regional compared to the Northern. Which ever team wins out of the below teams will be
Region A
Thomas Dale
Oscar Smith
Ocean Lakes
Region B
Massaponax
Colonial Forge
Freeddom
Class 6 reg B with Freedom becoming a powerful team and now Colonial Forge with Massaponax added into the mix is one of the most interesting stories for this year. While things have gotten a little less interesting for us in Reg A. We've had some good teams move to Class 5. One thing is for sure is that the Southern Regional just got much tougher! Whichever team comes out on top, they'll be battle tested for that Championship game!
Ponax plays Penn Wood, who's the equivalent of a 4A, borderline 5A VA team. They're very good! Another big test for Ponax. Courtland gave up on playing Ponax, hence the scrambling to add Penn Wood. Ponax did play Dinwiddie, and I would love to see them play a regular season game against a team like Westfield. Ponax also has scrimmaged Martinsburg, WV the last few years.
How'd they do against Martinsburg? They've won several consecutive championships in WV's largest class (AAA I believe).
They went toe to toe with Martinsburg, ran around them. Martinsburg plays 4A Salem later this season.
Personally I like the idea of the intersectional or interstate games. I believe many coaches don't really like them since there is usually little to gain for their team overall, in terms of a state championship, but they are great for the fans. I hope Ponax does well.
Full video of the game is here: https://t.co/6ufcI3nXM4
Penn Wood's QB is 6' 2" 240 lbs and mobile with a great arm. Great job after making the 4 hour trip, Panthers.
Penn Wood's QB is 6' 2" 240 lbs and mobile with a great arm. Great job after making the 4 hour trip, Panthers.
Against Stafford, who's actually solid this year, Ponax QB Luke Morley finished the first half with 7 rushes for 192 yards and 3 TDs, and the team racked up nearly 500 yards rushing and 8 TDs for the game. Just crazy video game numbers they're putting up this season. One hell of an offensive line.
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Penn Wood is ranked the 95th best team in Pennsylvania! Lmao! Stop trying to boost up a below average team! They are ranked in the 3000s nationally! Lmao!! Ponax is not even top 25 in Va and isn’t top 10 in D6 on this sight!
This was a positive thread and you can't help but try to ruin it. You're gonna look real foolish about Ponax at the end of the season, but keep spouting off. Go worry about "powerhouse" Henrico.
@HooSprings by the way genius, Virginia has about 300 public high schools. Pennsylvania has over 950 and is overall much tougher. Sorry for explaining whatever rankings you're looking at.
Stafford is my alma mater - they are anything but “solid”. They have managed to beat a young, mediocre Courtland. They have lost to an less than average C3 James Monroe, a decent (6 or 7 win C4 King George) and this loss to Massaponax. If they were a solid C5, they would have beaten JM and KG. They seem to have trouble maintaining their fundamentals as well as talent deficit.
Courtland is solid, mediocre is someone like Riverbend, so beating a solid team makes you solid. Regardless, I don't think Ponax has EVER put up these kinds of numbers before, and this is the worst margin they've beaten Stafford by in school history, and they've played each other since 2003. My point is Ponax is putting up amazing numbers and will do it every game this season.
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Stonewall Jackson is a top 3 team in B. I think they can matchup with Freedom and CF if they play disciplined football, which hasn’t been their calling card lately.
I think they are going to smoke Patriot when they play.
I think they are going to smoke Patriot when they play.
Penn Wood is ranked in the 3000s Nationally!! Doesn’t take a genius to figure out they suck!! The man from Stafford just told you his team is NOT “SOLID”. If it makes you feel better...At least Ponax has a winning record.
FYI...USA TODAY has Virginia’s #1 team ahead of Pennsylvania’s! ;-)
They have seen that team lose 32-0 to a team ranked in the 1000s like Louisa!
All the national rankings beyond the top 10 or so teams are ridiculous to some extent but USA Today is always the least credible in terms of ranking teams from non-power states that don't have any notable wins on a national scale.
Courtland is not solid - they are 1-3 with an overtime win over a bad Orange team from a terrible district. “Mediocre” Riverbend would beat Courtland this year. I appreciate your passion though! Louisa is a very very good squad that I hope wins the C4 state title! I am jealous, wish my school could be something similar.
Sorry, SJ is nowhere near the level of Freedom or CF. They will have a very good record at the end of the season (8-2 or 9-1) because they don't play anybody of real consequence outside of Westfield. Patriot and Champe are the only teams left on the schedule with a chance to beat SJ, unless SJ self destructs. But that schedule will come back to haunt them come playoffs.
Those teams are ranked based on talent,margin of victory,and strength of schedule. Most of those teams,Like Highland Springs,have an abundance of power 5 talent and they know how to use it. HSHS has played 2 teams, out of state ,that face other teams considered in those ranking(Avalon has faced 4 top 25 USA TODAY teams). It is relative but subjective too. That’s why the varying differences in the rankings. Most of these teams are not seen,so they are rated on a computerized system. To say that a team like Bishop Gorman(NV) is overrated(#16 behind HSHS) is preposterous! Yet,a team like HSHS,this year,has MORE future college talent than they do. I know a team that has won 34 games in a row in a “non-power” State can be considered overrated,but until someone actually beats them,we’ll continue to appreciate the recognition we’ve so RIGHTFULLY EARNED!
Respect all...FEAR NONE! #ChasingHistory
HSHS is nowhere near the level of Bishop Gorman, which is a private school that recruits top talent. And from what I saw of this year's Avalon, many Virginia Class 3 teams can beat them, like Hopewell, Phoebus, Botetourt, Heritage-Lynchburg, Magna Vista.
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Avalon was beaten by the same score by Highland Springs and Dematha,and Highland Springs pulled the starters in the SECOND QUARTER! Bishop Gorman has 5 power 5 players this year! Highland Springs has 7. Keep over rating those lower JV level teams! Keeps me laughing!
Gorman would shut HSHS out. I watched the Avalon game brother, HS played the starters the whole first half and some of the 3rd quarter. Actually go watch some teams before calling them JV. You're a terrible bandwagon HSHS fan, sucks that the staff and the good fans like @springer76 have you repping HS on here being ignorant and calling teams JV.
You obviously didn’t know wtf you were watching when HSHS played Avalon! The starting QB played the first 2 series of the game(TDs on both),the first of the 3rd quarter(another TD),and that’s IT! The second string QB,#12 played a majority of the first half INCLUDING the ENTIRE 2nd qtr! 76 will tell you it’s true! They’ve done it every game except OSmith! Jones played the entire game vs OS,gaining POTW honors for that performance. I guess you think one of those lower level teams could do better vs OS! Yeahhhhhhhh...LMAO!
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He is right, LionNation.
Other than Smith, Coach Johnson has pulled his starters pretty much after the 1st qtr., inserting them in sparingly in the 3rd, then play just about everybody on the bench, in the 4th qtr. He is not into running up the score! He is into giving as many as he can, as much playing time as possible! HS has a ton of young talented kids just waiting for their chance! He gives his chances when he knows the game is in our hands. This is how we build on depth! We have it too! He did it again Friday in Greensboro (Page HS). Early in the 2nd qtr when the score hit 20-0, the starters came out and 2nd teamers went in. We had some jv kids playing in the 4th qtr in a 39-7 win over a pretty good Page team!
@springer76 thank you. I tried to go back and verify, but either I can't find the Avalon game on YouTube or it was taken down, so I'll take your word for it. I apologize! But it's crazy to me that he thinks his team is so untouchable and unbeatable that it gives him the right to degrade other very good teams and call them JV. Especially without even making any effort to watch them. No sensible fan or person does that.
I wasn’t trying to be a jerk but I had no reason to lie. A lot of Springs fans were actually puzzled when the 2nd string QB came into the game vs Avalon,up 14 on the 3rd drive of the game,still in the start of the second quarter. They could have scored at will,but giving REAL experience,and not mop up time experience was more important. The backup QB is seeing first string defenses,do he’ll be ready if needed. Same with the other backups. They are getting valuable minutes,and building for 2020. HSHS’s JV scored 582 points in 9 games last year and gave up 12,and now they are providing valuable depth to this Varsity team now so they don’t miss a beat.
The only game played different was OSMITH.
You can’t find ANY film of Avalon ANYWHERE of ANY game. I looked for days the week before they played HSHS,and honestly,the only film I found was a :30 video of them playing Benedictine last year. No other video to be found. It’s really weird!!
@HooSprings the game was definitely up for at least a few days, I watched it the same weekend it was played. Avalon did well attacking the edges but was way too pass happy.
