Fairlawncat said:

I like your boys chances in the cold Gridiron60. Virginia has surely improved and their a dangerous bunch, but I think Grahams physicality in the cold will be the difference as long as Graham doesn't turn it over deep and forces VH to drive the length of the field to score, Graham should win. It's really going to be tough for any team to do long drives against Graham with that defense you guys have up there.

No judgement taken against you or your fanbase based on one poster. In his defense, seems like the guy loves his team and there's a huge difference in talking up your team (not my approach or most people's approach) compared to putting down other teams and that guy hasn't done that from what I've seen at least.

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DinwiddieProud said:

Mr Salem, I sent you a message via the “conversation” feature on VaPreps

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BoKnowsSports said:

I really don’t know who pulls this thing out on Friday. The state’s best offense vs the state’s best front 7. I think Huguenot’s defense is very underrated and Varina’s offense is vastly improved. So many storylines to this game.

1. Linwood Johnson vs his former team. Linwood (statistically) has the best stats of any player in the Richmond Metro and IMO has earned the Region B Offensive Player of the Year award. 24 passing TDs, 1 interception and 11 rushing TDs. Over 2500 yards of offense for the year while splitting time with the highly touted freshman QB, CJ Scott. Linwood took a lot of criticism last year but came back and proved a lot of people wrong.

2. Athletes will be aplenty. Varina has DaMari “D1” Carter, Bull Richardson, Braylon Hood, Kaleb Wyche, TeeJay Cheatham, Myles Anderson, Jayden Walker, Devin Henderson.. Huguenot with Iveon Lewis, Mike Dabney, Markell Dabney, John John Washington, Ty Moore, Daron Thompson, Ziggy Miller, Sam Cohen… that’s over 175 D1 and D2 college offers on 1 field.

3. Huguenot’s offensive line and defensive. I seen some people say Huguenot’s offensive line isn’t physical. Terrible observation .. The stats and analytics say otherwise.. Huguenot’s scoring defense was the best of any team in 4B, only giving up 12ppg for the season. Their offense is by far top 3 in the state, putting up 49.6 ppg. You don’t be soft putting up numbers like that.

4. Varina was a poor 3rd down play call from being the 1 seed. Their offense is vastly improved and I emphasize vastly. Their running game, passing game, play calling, line play, and scheme has impressed me since that loss to Indian River. Kaleb Wyche is to Varina what Harry Dalton is to Dinwiddie. I believe Varina is the most rounded team in this region (special teams, defense, athletes on offense, and they’ve been there before). Varina’s offensive line will have to hold up. Can’t shoot themselves in the foot with penalties on Friday.

Lastly.. Special teams may be the difference. Don’t see Huguenot being able to consistently go for 2 and get the conversion if it’s a shootout.

Gimme Varina 35 Huguenot 34.

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CavsGrad said:

Always look forward to your breakdowns and passion, even if they are a bit 804 biased and wishful thinking 😆

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DinwiddieProud said:

An analogy.
Once there was a scorpion that could not swim that wanted to get across a river. The scorpion asked the turtle to give him a ride across the river. The turtle said no, you will sting me and we will both die. The scorpion pled and pled and convinced the turtle that his motives were pure and that he could be trusted.

So, the turtle finally agreed, and with the scorpion on his back, began to swim across the river. Half way across the river the scorpion stung the turtle, which began to die. As they both began to sink, and drown, the turtle asked the scorpion why he did this? The scorpion’s answer was simple, because I’m a scorpion.

Fairfax County Public Schools have allowed this entire affair to occur. Now with the latest court ruling, they have effectively gutted the rule book on Virginia High School Athletics. There will soon be no VHSL. There will be no need for the VHSL. If they are powerless to enforce rules, there is no need for their existence. And their collapse will effectively result in anarchy.

Coalitions will likely form that will have virtually no rules or authority. Play wherever you want will be the rule. There will be no way for smaller localities with single high schools to compete. What kid will want to go anywhere other that a few magnet schools building super teams? Everyone already sees what happens when a blind eye is turned to kids transferring to a school assembling a power house team.

And remember, this isn’t the case for just football. Think about what John Marshall has been permitted to do in basketball. Now realize that this is an example of what will happen, not may happen, but WILL happen in all sports. Baseball, soccer, golf, you name it. You can tell your little Johnny or little Mary that you are truly sorry that honest and fair athletic opportunities were taken away from them.

And don’t you dare blame the kids at Hayfield. There is not a single kid that plays for Hayfield that is not on that team without the the explicit knowledge of multiple adults. Parents, guardians, coaches, the school AD and Principal, the school Superintendant, even the school board, all have their fingerprints on the knife that is the proverbial dagger to the heart of high school athletics in Virginia.

Way to go scorpions. Great job.

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freeatlast2013 said:

I tried to let you guys have it, Mike took a win away from me last week and he told me it would look bad for Salem guy to win. So I just picked what he told me to be eliminated

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DinwiddieProud said:

Mr Salem, I sent you a message via the “conversation” feature on VaPreps.

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BoKnowsSports said:

I really don’t know who pulls this thing out on Friday. The state’s best offense vs the state’s best front 7. I think Huguenot’s defense is very underrated and Varina’s offense is vastly improved. So many storylines to this game.

1. Linwood Johnson vs his former team. Linwood (statistically) has the best stats of any player in the Richmond Metro and IMO has earned the Region B Offensive Player of the Year award. 24 passing TDs, 1 interception and 11 rushing TDs. Over 2500 yards of offense for the year while splitting time with the highly touted freshman QB, CJ Scott. Linwood took a lot of criticism last year but came back and proved a lot of people wrong.

2. Athletes will be aplenty. Varina has DaMari “D1” Carter, Bull Richardson, Braylon Hood, Kaleb Wyche, TeeJay Cheatham, Myles Anderson, Jayden Walker, Devin Henderson.. Huguenot with Iveon Lewis, Mike Dabney, Markell Dabney, John John Washington, Ty Moore, Daron Thompson, Ziggy Miller, Sam Cohen… that’s over 175 D1 and D2 college offers on 1 field.

3. Huguenot’s offensive line and defensive. I seen some people say Huguenot’s offensive line isn’t physical. Terrible observation .. The stats and analytics say otherwise.. Huguenot’s scoring defense was the best of any team in 4B, only giving up 12ppg for the season. Their offense is by far top 3 in the state, putting up 49.6 ppg. You don’t be soft putting up numbers like that.

4. Varina was a poor 3rd down play call from being the 1 seed. Their offense is vastly improved and I emphasize vastly. Their running game, passing game, play calling, line play, and scheme has impressed me since that loss to Indian River. Kaleb Wyche is to Varina what Harry Dalton is to Dinwiddie. I believe Varina is the most rounded team in this region (special teams, defense, athletes on offense, and they’ve been there before). Varina’s offensive line will have to hold up. Can’t shoot themselves in the foot with penalties on Friday.

Lastly.. Special teams may be the difference. Don’t see Huguenot being able to consistently go for 2 and get the conversion if it’s a shootout.

Gimme Varina 35 Huguenot 34.

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BleedingNavy said:

@CrushBlock, you made some great points; however, its both a curse or a luxury to have a consistent winner.

Dinwiddie hasn't won the multiple State Championships that Salem has, but just like the Spartan faithful the expectation of a 10-0 or 9-1 season is the norm for our/your spoiled fan base.

Our tough ood schedule and several difficult district opponents often leads to a few losses and Navy Nation tends to come unglued. I would much rather prefer to have folks gripe about an 7-3 or 8-2 season than suffer through a losing one. Just a dang good problem to have.

I guess next year one of our fans bases will be looking for answers early. 😂

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ThevinStealberg said:

Excellent analysis! I know nothing about either team; my knowledge is what I see posted on here. I'm guessing Varina is bit more battle tested based on schedule as well as many of the current players having this "big game" experience before (success from the past 2-3 seasons).

How are the special teams for both squads? That's a huge x-factor that could come into play.

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BoKnowsSports said:

I really don’t know who pulls this thing out on Friday. The state’s best offense vs the state’s best front 7. I think Huguenot’s defense is very underrated and Varina’s offense is vastly improved. So many storylines to this game.

1. Linwood Johnson vs his former team. Linwood (statistically) has the best stats of any player in the Richmond Metro and IMO has earned the Region B Offensive Player of the Year award. 24 passing TDs, 1 interception and 11 rushing TDs. Over 2500 yards of offense for the year while splitting time with the highly touted freshman QB, CJ Scott. Linwood took a lot of criticism last year but came back and proved a lot of people wrong.

2. Athletes will be aplenty. Varina has DaMari “D1” Carter, Bull Richardson, Braylon Hood, Kaleb Wyche, TeeJay Cheatham, Myles Anderson, Jayden Walker, Devin Henderson.. Huguenot with Iveon Lewis, Mike Dabney, Markell Dabney, John John Washington, Ty Moore, Daron Thompson, Ziggy Miller, Sam Cohen… that’s over 175 D1 and D2 college offers on 1 field.

3. Huguenot’s offensive line and defensive. I seen some people say Huguenot’s offensive line isn’t physical. Terrible observation .. The stats and analytics say otherwise.. Huguenot’s scoring defense was the best of any team in 4B, only giving up 12ppg for the season. Their offense is by far top 3 in the state, putting up 49.6 ppg. You don’t be soft putting up numbers like that.

4. Varina was a poor 3rd down play call from being the 1 seed. Their offense is vastly improved and I emphasize vastly. Their running game, passing game, play calling, line play, and scheme has impressed me since that loss to Indian River. Kaleb Wyche is to Varina what Harry Dalton is to Dinwiddie. I believe Varina is the most rounded team in this region (special teams, defense, athletes on offense, and they’ve been there before). Varina’s offensive line will have to hold up. Big boys, but commit a lot of penalties. Can’t leave any points on the board this Friday.

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CrushBlock said:

I

I played on one not good, two bad, and one great team by this standard. But I know all four of those teams beat up and pounded opposing teams and were formidable to play. Yeah you’re developing rhetorically sound and defensible categories to analyze Salem football specifically but still, doesn’t feel great to see that is how fans see it. Not just you, seems to be a common occurrence on this board to understand the question: “What does it mean to be a good Salem football team?” Is it over 10 wins? Is it a region championship?

It takes so much to win even 1 football game and Salem puts it together season after season. Hope we as previous players and long time fans don’t forget that.

I didn’t play on this team but 2002 was a good team that fell on some bad luck. And I know they still were the team to beat and smacked people in the mouth.

Sometimes I feel like we lose sight of what it takes to have any winning season, even if that is just 6-4.

No matter what happens this Friday, hope the kids are proud to have Salem on their chest and proud of their season and don’t see too much of this discourse.

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BleedingNavy said:

@MrSalem1000, you have been given excellent advice by @GoBlue2109. The parking is very organized; however, if you wait until 30 minutes before game time you will get stuck in traffic. I expect a very large crowd, so arriving an hour before game time is recommended. Stop by press box and introduce yourself. Just ask for me or @DinwiddieProud.

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Fairlawncat said:

Region C
4-Narrows vs 1-Bath- I think we see a repeat of the regular season matchup from a few weeks ago. Bath won it by about 5 touchdowns at Narrows and this time, they play at home. I don't think it's close.
3-Grayson vs 2-G.W.-Wytheville- Grayson won by a TD at GW in the regular season and after losing it's first 2 games very close, Grayson won 6 of the last 7 with the only loss to Bluefield High, WV. I think it's another close game, but GW winning a close one. The winner of this game will travel to Bath County for the 1C Title Game barring a major upset of Narrows over Bath.

Region D
1-Rye Cove vs 5-Grundy- The Cove is undefeated. No losses and as expected preseason, they are very good with the ability to both throw it and pass it. Grundy, 4 losses total, and starting the season at 0-3, has lost only 1 football game to a Class 1 school this year in an early season loss to Patrick Henry in a very close game, and has won 7 of it's last 8. I think Rye Cove, undefeated at 11-0, has its season end on its home field to Grundy who is a heavy run team, and the cold weather favors Grundy. Rye Cove can run and throw and can throw it if their run game is slowed, but in the cold, I think they find it tougher to throw the ball and Grundy wins a close one.
7-Patrick Henry vs 3-Eastside- Patrick Henry is much like King William in Class 2, Region A. A seven seed, but has no business being a 7 seed. King William played the toughest Class 2 schedule in Virginia and lost very close games. Patrick Henry was riddled with injuries early on, but is now healthy. Their win over 2 Seed Holston by 4 touchdowns was not an upset. This is a team that lost to Virginia High in overtime in the first game of the season when PH was healthy, then the injuries took hold. PH was supposed to be very good, but their record was greatly affected by injuries. I think PH wins a close game at Eastside and in the Region D finals, I think it's the 7 Seed Patrick Henry playing at the 5 Seed Grundy for the Region Title Game.

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