I read that quote from Coach Mags stating this year's team was his best team. Was he the coach of the 2005 team? I feel like that team with Gaines and Chaney was better, especially defensively, against a tougher regular-season schedule.
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I would also rank them the same way.Originally posted by SalemPride:
I agree with you One man. Those 3 teams would probably be ranked 1,2,3 on my list as well. However, I think what really sets the 98 team apart from the other 2 was their defense (Best I've seen at AA level). This years Salem team was more explosive offensively but unlike this years team the 98 team did not have a single weakness on either side of the ball and were very very deep. They 98 team had 1 player go both ways (Jamie Garst). Just to show how deep they were.. I think they graduated 16-17 starters from that team and the next year Salem won State again. This years Salem team paired 98 defense would have been a sight to see.
I graduated in 2006, so the '05 team was my last year.Originally posted by wikki:
Didn't realize you were that young. So did you play on the 06' Louisa team that played against Amherst?
East. I started a thread about it right below.Originally posted by southbottomU:
Lions should make playoffs next year. Will you guys be in east or west?
I remember that game well. After the game your big DT that had a VT scholarship (Robertson?) was talking to us after the game. He actually said that one of your coaches could somehow hear the plays we were calling on his headset. The entire first half your defensive players were calling our exact offensive plays, even with the terminology that we specifically used. It was really strange. The next week at Amherst the exact same thing happened in the first half as well but in both those games it didn't happen at all in the second half.Originally posted by one man:
That was my last HS game. One of my worst to boot, I dropped a slant and should have caught a TD but feet got caught up with Pickle in the secondary and we both fell down. Same night as the Pistons-Pacers brawl, then I came down with the flu the very next day. That Salem team was really good though, they shut our run game down outside of OB Blake being well, OB Blake. We didn't pass enough that game to keep them honest and we couldn't get off the field on 3rd down to save our lives. Shawver was like 11-15 with 7 of the 11 completions coming on 3rd down and going for first downs or TDs. He had the best arm of a QB I played against. We beat that Amherst team that year too, 16-14 in the regular season. They were super athletic but still young that year, the following two years they showed out. The quality of talented teams in our area in D4/4A from 2002-2005 was much better than the current level. You had Salem, Pulaski, Blacksburg, Fleming, Liberty, Amherst, Heritage, Magna Vista that all had D1 caliber players on the roster year in and year out. 2003 I believe Salem missed playoffs at 8-2, as did Amherst at 8-2. 04, Pulaski or Blacksburg and Heritage missed at 7-3, 8-2 respectively. Those were the days, lol. Good memories.
Didn't the starting defense only give up like one touchdown before the championship game?Originally posted by southbottomU:
Salem 98 defense 10 defensive shutouts gave up 64 points in 14 games. Big tackles (260 both of them)speed everywhere else (defensive end 300 m hurdles state champ) state defensive player of the year at middle linebacker. Fast quick corners both first team all district and region. Great ki king game.
It was #51, awesome player. Definitely one of the best DT combinations I can remember.Originally posted by one man:
Daryl Robertson is my cousin, currently coaches at EC Glass. Didn't have a #55 on that team, it was either #51, DT Derek Jones(5'11 260) or #52 DE Demetrus Johnson. Derek was sizzlin sophomore of the year for Roanoke times in 2002, all state 2004, would have went to Norfolk St but grades didn't work out. Demetrus played DE and OT at 210 lbs, was all district, honroable mention all region, went to Averett.