2023 Playoff Picture

[CRF4Dan]

With the changes to classifications and alignments prior to next season, the playoff picture will see some definite changes.

Region 3A will return 6 of the 8 playoff participants with Colonial Heights, Hopewell, IC Norcom, Lafayette, Lake Taylor and York.

• Absent will be Phoebus who moves to 4A and Southampton who drops to 2A.
• Looking to fill the holes of Phoebus & Southampton will be Grafton & Heritage (Newport News) who drop from Region 4A. Neither team made it past the first round in 2022.

Region 3B will return 7 of 8 playoff participants with Armstrong, Brentsville, Culpeper, Goochland, James Monroe, Skyline and Warren.

• Absent will be Caroline who moves up to 4B.
• Thomas Jefferson returns to Region 3B after a stint in 2A. TJ reached the region semifinals this past season.
• Kettle Run who reached the Class 4 Final falling to Dinwiddie joins this region and will look to challenge as they did in Class 4.

Region 3C will return all 8 playoff participants with Brookville, Heritage (Lynchburg), Liberty Christian, Rustburg, Spotswood, Staunton, Turner Ashby and Wilson Memorial.

• Joining the playoff field is Alleghany and East Rockingham who move up from Region 2A but made it no further than the first round in 2022.
• Dropping from 4D is Waynesboro but like Alleghany & East Rockingham, they made it no further than the first round.

Region 3D will return all 8 of their playoff teams with no incoming teams so the question is... can Carroll, Northside, Pulaski, Tunstall or William Byrd bust up the playoff party in 2023?

With Phoebus going to Class 4... does Heritage reign supreme or will Kettle Run become a perennial contender or does someone else step up to rule the land?

 

[10iceiceice]

Should be interesting but in region 3A at hopewell, lake Taylor and Lafayette will be the teams to fight it out to make to the state in this region in the west unsure.

 

[540football_Grandpa]

Kettle Run should be really tough for the next few years. They were pretty young this season and had a fantastic JV and freshman team. Cupboard is pretty well stocked.

 

[BleedingNavy]

Kettle Run was a good team this year. They are well coached and hit hard. If the Cougars can get a bit more speed out of their skilled positions players I think they could win it all. It's all about match ups.

 

[10iceiceice]

Yes agree, every year is different like you said match up transfers, injuries all play apart.

 

[schoolboard]

With the changes to classifications and alignments prior to next season, the playoff picture will see some definite changes.

Region 3A will return 6 of the 8 playoff participants with Colonial Heights, Hopewell, IC Norcom, Lafayette, Lake Taylor and York.

• Absent will be Phoebus who moves to 4A and Southampton who drops to 2A.
• Looking to fill the holes of Phoebus & Southampton will be Grafton & Heritage (Newport News) who drop from Region 4A. Neither team made it past the first round in 2022.

Region 3B will return 7 of 8 playoff participants with Armstrong, Brentsville, Culpeper, Goochland, James Monroe, Skyline and Warren.

• Absent will be Caroline who moves up to 4B.
• Thomas Jefferson returns to Region 3B after a stint in 2A. TJ reached the region semifinals this past season.
• Kettle Run who reached the Class 4 Final falling to Dinwiddie joins this region and will look to challenge as they did in Class 4.

Region 3C will return all 8 playoff participants with Brookville, Heritage (Lynchburg), Liberty Christian, Rustburg, Spotswood, Staunton, Turner Ashby and Wilson Memorial.

• Joining the playoff field is Alleghany and East Rockingham who move up from Region 2A but made it no further than the first round in 2022.
• Dropping from 4D is Waynesboro but like Alleghany & East Rockingham, they made it no further than the first round.

Region 3D will return all 8 of their playoff teams with no incoming teams so the question is... can Carroll, Northside, Pulaski, Tunstall or William Byrd bust up the playoff party in 2023?

With Phoebus going to Class 4... does Heritage reign supreme or will Kettle Run become a perennial contender or does someone else step up to rule the land?

What about William Monroe?

 

[oxley70]

Until Northside makes a coaching change, they are not likely to be competitive. Christiansburg will be back with even more experience. William Byrd and Staunton River will be better, but will they be improved enough to make a difference? LB will have some very important and talented pieces back. Will losing 6 seniors (especially 4 on D) make a difference for LB? Time will tell. The number of key athletes at Bassett and Abingdon can make them legit. My bet is in Christiansburg or LB for 3D in 2023.

 

[17Bluebird]

How about Pulaski?

 

[Cougardave]

Pulaski County will be better next year, but the big year will be the following season. A good showing by the JV team helped develop several players. The 8th grade team has some good talent that will move up. The rec league teams have some great kids that will move up a level in the system as well. A renewed emphasis on the weight room, accountability, and fundamentals that have been taught from top to bottom should also help the younger players at all levels transition on their moves up.

With three of our five offensive linemen this year being sophomores, the line should be better. The biggest issue will be finding replacements for Diego Turner and Evan Alger. Finding someone to replace Trevor Burton at running back will be a task for sure, but several other players could take turns at that position. Receiver corps should be improved with another year of experience. Quarterback returns, as well as the backup. We lost our kicker and punter, but a rising sophomore will do just fine filling those shoes.

Defensively, the biggest thing that needs to happen for the Cougars is to improve the secondary. We did a pretty good job against the run in most games, but people quickly realized our secondary had a ton of room for improvement. All of the returning linebackers either started or saw a ton of action this past season. Replacing Evan Alger and Diego Turner will again be a tough task, along with what Trevor Burton brought defensively. The returning defensive line minus a few got plenty of playing time this season and should be solid again.

The Cougars had a rough season, but showed glimpses of things to come. We lost to 11-0 Graham (state champs), Christiansburg (deep playoff run), Patrick Henry (deep playoff run), Salem (deep playoff run), Tennessee High (playoffs), and Cave Spring (playoffs). We had our chances to win against Tennessee. We lost 12-2 to Cave Spring in a game that never saw us really put anything together. Salem, Graham, and PH were blowouts. The loss to Christiansburg would have been a win if we had another 60 seconds (lost 34-31 and were moving the ball in the final seconds before time ran out). It's hard to judge much from our wins. We beat a very down Northside 43-0, beat a down Bluefield team 35-33 in Bluefield, beat a Hidden Valley squad that was really down 41-7, and beat a winless Blacksburg team 48-7. We beat the teams we were supposed to beat and came close on a few others, but that's it. With that said, Pulaski County was 21 points away from being 7-3 with a very young squad last year.

I'll go out on a limb now and say the Cougars will earn a winning record and make the playoffs this coming season, but it's too early to tell how good until we see how much they commit to the weight room.

 

[pcken]

Pulaski County will be better next year, but the big year will be the following season. A good showing by the JV team helped develop several players. The 8th grade team has some good talent that will move up. The rec league teams have some great kids that will move up a level in the system as well. A renewed emphasis on the weight room, accountability, and fundamentals that have been taught from top to bottom should also help the younger players at all levels transition on their moves up.

With three of our five offensive linemen this year being sophomores, the line should be better. The biggest issue will be finding replacements for Diego Turner and Evan Alger. Finding someone to replace Trevor Burton at running back will be a task for sure, but several other players could take turns at that position. Receiver corps should be improved with another year of experience. Quarterback returns, as well as the backup. We lost our kicker and punter, but a rising sophomore will do just fine filling those shoes.

Defensively, the biggest thing that needs to happen for the Cougars is to improve the secondary. We did a pretty good job against the run in most games, but people quickly realized our secondary had a ton of room for improvement. All of the returning linebackers either started or saw a ton of action this past season. Replacing Evan Alger and Diego Turner will again be a tough task, along with what Trevor Burton brought defensively. The returning defensive line minus a few got plenty of playing time this season and should be solid again.

The Cougars had a rough season, but showed glimpses of things to come. We lost to 11-0 Graham (state champs), Christiansburg (deep playoff run), Patrick Henry (deep playoff run), Salem (deep playoff run), Tennessee High (playoffs), and Cave Spring (playoffs). We had our chances to win against Tennessee. We lost 12-2 to Cave Spring in a game that never saw us really put anything together. Salem, Graham, and PH were blowouts. The loss to Christiansburg would have been a win if we had another 60 seconds (lost 34-31 and were moving the ball in the final seconds before time ran out). It's hard to judge much from our wins. We beat a very down Northside 43-0, beat a down Bluefield team 35-33 in Bluefield, beat a Hidden Valley squad that was really down 41-7, and beat a winless Blacksburg team 48-7. We beat the teams we were supposed to beat and came close on a few others, but that's it. With that said, Pulaski County was 21 points away from being 7-3 with a very young squad last year.

I'll go out on a limb now and say the Cougars will earn a winning record and make the playoffs this coming season, but it's too early to tell how good until we see how much they commit to the weight room.

Going to be interesting Dave to see what kind of turnout shows up in the weight room. We need to get some of the talent walking the halls playing football.