4A West 7. GW Danville vs. 10. Heritage
- Thread starter DEVILSLB99
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GW's offense isn't cutting it for me. They have a very solid running game with Branch, Forest and Poole but in the playoffs you have to pass the ball. GW's best defensive player, Henry Barley, hurt his shoulder bad last night so I'm not sure if he'll play this week. Don't know squash about Heritage. GW should win but who knows. Everybody is 0-0.
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I'ma take GW... They churn out athletes every year somehow. From DanvilleSportsHead's weekly updates sounds like I can count on at least a buck 50 or 200 yrds rushing out of their TB. Should be enough to push forward.
The biggest thing GW has going for it is the long bus ride Heritage has to make and the second thing is the TB Forest. If you are Heritage you do whatever you have to do to limit Forest and make anybody else beat you. You attack GW by putting the ball in play and forcing them to tackle you and not helping them out by getting cute and turning the ball over. At 7-3 GW's has two wins over playoff bound Tunstall and Martinville and you might be able to get a middle of the road high school team if you took an all star squad of the other 5 opponents combined. GW might be able to steal a playoff win at home but, they are not a threat to beat any legitimate playoff contender, in my opinion.
Though I think they have a favorable match up with Byrd in the second round. Salem would blow them out as well as Woodgrove and probably Dominion . I'm not sold on Byrd. I watched them against Fleming and they looked beatable. Am I saying GW will beat them? No, but I think this is a team that they will be able to play with. The teams that have beat GW have been teams that pass and/or balanced. They do pretty good against the run. GW better days are ahead of them. Gotta win Friday before they even think about Byrd.
I agree with you DanvilleSportsHead GW has a lot of young players but if they get pass Heritage they will shock a team like Bryd! But not much further than that. This is not the year for GW to win it all but it will be fun to watch. Teams that have never had to come to Danville and play don't seem to do too well but I've never seen Heritage play so we will see. But I think GW shock 1 team in this year's playoff! Like you said our weakness is our ability to defend the pass. I love my Eagles but you never know what to expect with this year's version of the Eagles!!! Go EAGLES!!! #IMISSCHUCKVIPERMANCALLING THEGAMES
Magna Vista really hurt GW with those intermediate passes all game and especially in the second half, when it really mattered. This is the GW defense that both Tunstall and Franklin County had 200+ yards passing on. As long as we feed the ball to Forest and Branch runs the read option correctly then GW should be able to compete through rounds 1 and 2. I don't see GW making it pass round 3 if they were to make it. I think a lot of people give Byrd credit because they competed well with Salem this year. They also get credit for beating, rather outscoring, both LB and Staunton River who both have zero run defense. I think GW's defense is improving but they're just too young especially with Barley out. It'll be interesting to see. I love my Danville boys but I have to admit that our time is coming next year and the year after. Real exciting future ahead! We get JF (who is going to be real good for the next 2 years), Amherst (speaks itself), and LCA during the regular season. GW has a chance next year to finally get the #1 seed with SOS.
You guys are much more optimistic on GW than I am. In my opinion, GW is a horrible tackling team. Been that way for quite a while now. Those intermediate passes are not backbreaker IF the first tackler makes the play. No doubt of the top 4 seeds Byrd is the match up that gives GW the best chance to win. They are DOA on a long bus ride to NOVA and the combination of athletes and coaches at Salem would make them a 3 TD favorite over the Eagles. Byrd has good coaches and athletes as well but, GW is going to have to prove to me they can tackle Basham. He could explode on the Eagles just like he did on Botetourt. Without their best defensive effort of Anderson's tenure I look for Byrd to beat them by around 2TD's.
Fair assessments Cutnjump. The tackling does need some work. The interior d line and linebackers are surprisingly good from GW however I'm not sold on the corners and secondary. I'd probably say if they were to play Salem that GW would probably lose by 4 TDs plus, especially if Barley doesn't suit up.
Now you are talking, someone nearly as old as I am!
My dad graduated from GW in 81. Does Doug Anderson ring a bell? He's an Almagro boy.
Danville, Byrd should also get credit for beating Magna Vista 21-7 early in the year
In my opinion, you got to witness the last of the GW teams that stack up with the Pugh years. 94-96 was a very good run even with a couple of headscratchers.
Sorry do not know him. Closer to my brother's age so I will ask him. That neighborhood produced a lot of great athletes. In your dad's day Pugh's gray station wagon would be packed with kids he picked up to make sure they got to school and class on time and rumor has it that vehicle could be found doing bed checks as well. ;-)
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