I am posting this on the 3A board since four of our seven teams play at that level, with only one team being 2A, and the remaining two are 1A. So majority rule I guess.
There are two GIGANTIC questions going into this season and they both involve Riverheads, the six-time defending state champions in 1A. Question 1 is: Will the program suffer any ill effects from Coach Casto's retirement or will it be business as usual? and Question 2: Will the Gladiators be able to win those first three games of the season and set the new state record for consecutive wins by any team in any classification? I will offer my opinion on both those questions but my main goal tonight is to try and rank the seven teams in the order I think they will finish this year, so as to start some dialogue and get us all pumped up for the season. So here are my picks from top to bottom based of course on who I remember from years past, who is expected back, etc.
NUMBER ONE: Riverheads. Obviously this pick gives you a clue as to my viewpoint on that first question. Since the Gladiators hired "in house", I certainly don't expect any changes in philosophy, game plan, etc. Yes they lost some people, but the attitude at RHS for as long as any of us can remember is that we "re-load" each year and we "do what we do but just do it well." So I fully expect another great season, and hopefully another state title. As for specific personnel, the quarterback returns for his senior season, there are two incredible running backs who can break the big one from anywhere on the field, and behind them is a deep stable of other backs who have played more sparingly and are just itching to prove themselves. So since it would be asking a lot to expect the top two backs to carry the load, one or more of those others will have to step up and have a great year. Notice I did not address defense, and the Gladiators did lose some key people, but once again it is all about re-loading and I am sure Coach Norcross will get the job done. As for that state record (and by the way the Big Red already holds the NATIONAL record for current winning streak by a high school team), I am sure not going to speculate on that this early in the game, other than to say that the worst mistake the Gladiators could make would be to look ahead to the Lord Botetourt game (third of the season) as if it is THE game of the season. I say that because Waynesboro and Parry McCluer should each have their stud back returning, and as you will read here shortly, I for one expect great things out of Waynesboro this season.
NUMBER TWO: Buffalo Gap. Risky business to predict that the two 1A teams will occupy the top two spots at the end of the season, but this hunch is based on the Bison having some solid returning talent and a very good JV team the last few years. Will they be good enough to overtake the Big Red? I doubt it, especially since the regular season game will be in Greenville this year. But the two should be favored to collide a second time for the Region 1B crown, and sooner or later, the Bison will be strong enough to make that one a competitive game. I just hope it won't be this year.
NUMBER THREE: Waynesboro. This is an out-on-a-limb pick I realize and I could be way off, but that running back (Barbour I believe) was amazing last year and I am pretty sure he returns. But the main reason I am so high on the Giants is because of how they turned their season around toward the end of the year and finished on such a high note. So if their first (now second) year coach is half as good as he appeared to be, he has instilled an off-season work ethic in that team and they will come out raring to go and knock off some people this year that have had their number in the past.
NUMBER FOUR: Stuarts Draft. I am sure many of you will think I have the Cougars too low and some of you may have already circled the regular season finale at Riverheads as the "championship game." But even though SD's quarterback had a phenomenal freshman year, the Cougars simply will not be able to replace what Aaron Nice meant to their game and expect to be at the same level. Will they be a good team again this year? Of course and maybe even a great one, but my hunch is that Waynesboro will win that cup that they play for this year (the name escapes me) and that will be enough to knock SD down into the middle of the pack.
NUMBER FIVE: Staunton. With a new coach at the helm, it is hard to know what to expect out of The Storm this year. But believe it or not, this prediction is based on the memory I have of one player. I forget his name but he was either an 8th grader or freshman on the JV team last year and one of the head honchos there in Staunton told me he is a better soccer player than football. Anyway, in the JV game against Riverheads, which was one of the best games I saw all year by the way, the kid did it all and came close to winning the game all by himself. He was the most fundamentally sound player I have seen in a long time and if he is varsity this year, he will be one of those guys night in and night out who will be in on every play and will really make a difference for The Storm. I am not confident enough to place Staunton higher but don't be surprised if we are about to see a resurgence there in the Queen City.
NUMBER SIX: Wilson. If my memory serves, The Hornets had an odd year last year..........starting off with a bang but then collapsing down the stretch. Therefore their success this season will depend on how quickly they can put those negative memories behind them. I don't recall any specific players for them but the hype last year was about two new coaches...........the guy in Waynesboro and the one at Wilson........and even though The Hornets won the rivalry game between the two, in the final analysis, I think Waynesboro ended on the more positive note and for the time being at least, seems to have the brighter future.
NUMBER SEVEN: Fort Defiance. A couple of years ago, in a JV game I attended, the Indians had a receiver that showed incredible promise and more importantly, a QB that could get the ball to him. So last year I expected great things out of them but as I recall it was a one-win season. Logically those two players would still only be sophomores or juniors by now, so the potential still has to be there. But some way or another the Fort has to develop some confidence if they hope to turn things around. They may have to do it in baby steps, so even a 3-4 win season would be a step in the right direction for them.
That is my take on things. Let's hear yours!
There are two GIGANTIC questions going into this season and they both involve Riverheads, the six-time defending state champions in 1A. Question 1 is: Will the program suffer any ill effects from Coach Casto's retirement or will it be business as usual? and Question 2: Will the Gladiators be able to win those first three games of the season and set the new state record for consecutive wins by any team in any classification? I will offer my opinion on both those questions but my main goal tonight is to try and rank the seven teams in the order I think they will finish this year, so as to start some dialogue and get us all pumped up for the season. So here are my picks from top to bottom based of course on who I remember from years past, who is expected back, etc.
NUMBER ONE: Riverheads. Obviously this pick gives you a clue as to my viewpoint on that first question. Since the Gladiators hired "in house", I certainly don't expect any changes in philosophy, game plan, etc. Yes they lost some people, but the attitude at RHS for as long as any of us can remember is that we "re-load" each year and we "do what we do but just do it well." So I fully expect another great season, and hopefully another state title. As for specific personnel, the quarterback returns for his senior season, there are two incredible running backs who can break the big one from anywhere on the field, and behind them is a deep stable of other backs who have played more sparingly and are just itching to prove themselves. So since it would be asking a lot to expect the top two backs to carry the load, one or more of those others will have to step up and have a great year. Notice I did not address defense, and the Gladiators did lose some key people, but once again it is all about re-loading and I am sure Coach Norcross will get the job done. As for that state record (and by the way the Big Red already holds the NATIONAL record for current winning streak by a high school team), I am sure not going to speculate on that this early in the game, other than to say that the worst mistake the Gladiators could make would be to look ahead to the Lord Botetourt game (third of the season) as if it is THE game of the season. I say that because Waynesboro and Parry McCluer should each have their stud back returning, and as you will read here shortly, I for one expect great things out of Waynesboro this season.
NUMBER TWO: Buffalo Gap. Risky business to predict that the two 1A teams will occupy the top two spots at the end of the season, but this hunch is based on the Bison having some solid returning talent and a very good JV team the last few years. Will they be good enough to overtake the Big Red? I doubt it, especially since the regular season game will be in Greenville this year. But the two should be favored to collide a second time for the Region 1B crown, and sooner or later, the Bison will be strong enough to make that one a competitive game. I just hope it won't be this year.
NUMBER THREE: Waynesboro. This is an out-on-a-limb pick I realize and I could be way off, but that running back (Barbour I believe) was amazing last year and I am pretty sure he returns. But the main reason I am so high on the Giants is because of how they turned their season around toward the end of the year and finished on such a high note. So if their first (now second) year coach is half as good as he appeared to be, he has instilled an off-season work ethic in that team and they will come out raring to go and knock off some people this year that have had their number in the past.
NUMBER FOUR: Stuarts Draft. I am sure many of you will think I have the Cougars too low and some of you may have already circled the regular season finale at Riverheads as the "championship game." But even though SD's quarterback had a phenomenal freshman year, the Cougars simply will not be able to replace what Aaron Nice meant to their game and expect to be at the same level. Will they be a good team again this year? Of course and maybe even a great one, but my hunch is that Waynesboro will win that cup that they play for this year (the name escapes me) and that will be enough to knock SD down into the middle of the pack.
NUMBER FIVE: Staunton. With a new coach at the helm, it is hard to know what to expect out of The Storm this year. But believe it or not, this prediction is based on the memory I have of one player. I forget his name but he was either an 8th grader or freshman on the JV team last year and one of the head honchos there in Staunton told me he is a better soccer player than football. Anyway, in the JV game against Riverheads, which was one of the best games I saw all year by the way, the kid did it all and came close to winning the game all by himself. He was the most fundamentally sound player I have seen in a long time and if he is varsity this year, he will be one of those guys night in and night out who will be in on every play and will really make a difference for The Storm. I am not confident enough to place Staunton higher but don't be surprised if we are about to see a resurgence there in the Queen City.
NUMBER SIX: Wilson. If my memory serves, The Hornets had an odd year last year..........starting off with a bang but then collapsing down the stretch. Therefore their success this season will depend on how quickly they can put those negative memories behind them. I don't recall any specific players for them but the hype last year was about two new coaches...........the guy in Waynesboro and the one at Wilson........and even though The Hornets won the rivalry game between the two, in the final analysis, I think Waynesboro ended on the more positive note and for the time being at least, seems to have the brighter future.
NUMBER SEVEN: Fort Defiance. A couple of years ago, in a JV game I attended, the Indians had a receiver that showed incredible promise and more importantly, a QB that could get the ball to him. So last year I expected great things out of them but as I recall it was a one-win season. Logically those two players would still only be sophomores or juniors by now, so the potential still has to be there. But some way or another the Fort has to develop some confidence if they hope to turn things around. They may have to do it in baby steps, so even a 3-4 win season would be a step in the right direction for them.
That is my take on things. Let's hear yours!