My 3A Top 5 starting the season
- Thread starter OCBoy
- Start date
Lord Botetourt lost one of their RB's (Lythgoe) presumably for the season with a torn ACL. I think that would drop their stock a bit. Harless relies heavily on the running game, not sure if they'll be able to adjust the game plan effectively to account for the loss of a top back.
Some East considerations.
You are making a mistake if you overlook Poquoson and Tabb. Especially Tabb. 8-4 last season with something like 20 seniors returning. Poquoson is a tough gritty area with proud kids, with Chesapeake waterman genes.
Hopewell also, come playoff time. They play a brutal schedule that may make them a 10-12 or so seed, but they will be seasoned by then. They have a good team returning. Better stability in the ranks. If they eliminate the wild week to week swings in focus and concentration, they will be around in the third round of the playoffs.
You are making a mistake if you overlook Poquoson and Tabb. Especially Tabb. 8-4 last season with something like 20 seniors returning. Poquoson is a tough gritty area with proud kids, with Chesapeake waterman genes.
Hopewell also, come playoff time. They play a brutal schedule that may make them a 10-12 or so seed, but they will be seasoned by then. They have a good team returning. Better stability in the ranks. If they eliminate the wild week to week swings in focus and concentration, they will be around in the third round of the playoffs.
Magna Vista is like Lake Taylor and LC Bird. They are the hands down the number one pick, until somebody proves different.
I agree with the east comment. Its some good competition joining 3a this year. Also james Monroe lost alot, but you cant count them out either. This is a good top 5, i might change western Albemarle for another team. They seem to have problems when they meet teams with good athletes and speed.
3a is going to be exciting to watch this year. I think there are sleepers that will suprise us in both the east and the west. Tell us more about the west teams if you can please, ridge98.
We meet JM as our opening game. So I will get a good look at them early. And you are absolutely right. Coach Serbay finds a way every year. I'm glad we catch them at our house this year. We need every advantage we can get.
Lafayette moving up leaves a little more room for new teams to have there chance to shine.
Hallelujah, it all gets started this week. I'm excited. I wait, impatiently, for football season. Some fish, some hunt, some do the party thing, and so forth and so on. I, work, raise my garden, and live for high school football.
We meet JM as our opening game. So I will get a good look at them early. And you are absolutely right. Coach Serbay finds a way every year. I'm glad we catch them at our house this year. We need every advantage we can get.
Lafayette moving up leaves a little more room for new teams to have there chance to shine.
Hallelujah, it all gets started this week. I'm excited. I wait, impatiently, for football season. Some fish, some hunt, some do the party thing, and so forth and so on. I, work, raise my garden, and live for high school football.
Phoebus is a tad bit too high. People are giving them a lot of respect off the name Phoebus, but they are in a serious decline currently. Best play Robbie Robinson just transferred to Dematha.
I think MV and Northside are 1 & 2. MV should be pretty deep on defense this year. Offense still has the star QB and RB. Lost all their receivers, but they have competed in several 7 on 7s this summer so I think they should be fine. Northside dealt with a lot of injuries last year. They have Basham back, and several other key players should make a good run in the playoffs. If what Mike said about LB Lythgoe is true then that will hurt them a bit I believe. Heritage lost a few key players, but they have a good coach so you never know about them either. Monticello lost stub RB and their coach, it will be interesting to see how they rebound. I think Western Albermarle brings the most back, but like I said before speedy teams have gave them a hard time in the past few years. Other teams that will be in the mix, Brookville, liberty and Christansburg. Don't know much about them, but I know you can never overlook them.
Devils, I was wondering about Phoebus, especially after losing Robinson. Looking at their record over the past few years, it does look like a decline. It will be interesting though to see how competitive they are in 3A. I don't think any of the top east teams will be intimidated, that should make for some good match ups.
Monticello has another stud RB in the wings who will make guys look silly, and their QB will be very good, but losing Woody is a big deal when that offense was really clicking.
Yes I understand what you are saying but the type of schedule they are used to playing with the drop down you cant help but put them in the top 5. Until they are dethroned in 3A that's how I see it.
I see it both ways. The thing that really gives me pause about Phoebus is the turmoil surrounding the change of head coach a couple of years back, the ridiculous reduction of the already pitiful stipend the coaches get, and the lack of total success in recent years that may be leading kids to transfer to some of the other surrounding schools. The emphasis on my last point is on the word "may".
Additionally, I don't think the once vaunted alumni system of recognizing promising youngsters and steering them towards Phoebus is nearly as effective as it used to be.
Having said this, you still have a storied program that deserves respect. I don't think they will be in Lynchburg this year, but they certainly will in the playoffs late.
Additionally, I don't think the once vaunted alumni system of recognizing promising youngsters and steering them towards Phoebus is nearly as effective as it used to be.
Having said this, you still have a storied program that deserves respect. I don't think they will be in Lynchburg this year, but they certainly will in the playoffs late.
I'll be in Lynchburg for the state championship regardless of who gets there. I was just thinking about the marquee matchup Magna Vista and Phoebus would be.
I say again, 3a will be super exciting to follow this year.
I say again, 3a will be super exciting to follow this year.
There are conflicting reports about how long he will be out. One of our sources says mid- to late-October
The only thing that gives me a little pause about Magna Vista is that they gave up a lot of points for a state championship team. I think it'll be hard to repeat if they give up nearly 20 points per game again this year.
