Best Programs Schools Worthy Of Mention

[tommythecpa]

Did not see the following

Battlefield
Garfield
Woodbridge

Deep Creek
Lake Taylor

Potomac
EC Glass
Pulaski

Gretna

For GW they were 57-11-2 from 1970-76.

 

[Hampton Roads 6]

Gretna was good from 2001 until this season. Then train jumped the tracks.

E.C. Glass was good until they got rid of Bo Henson, if my memory is correct. Potomac was really good until they built some new schools up there, I believe.

 

[GilliamRatings]

The question I saw referred to over a 30 year period. All of these schools had some good runs, but Battlefield has only been around for about 8 years, 8 real good years, I grant you.

Gar-Field hasn't made a final 4 in 24 years, and actually only advanced past the round of 8 twice (1977 and 1990). A decent program, but not the kind of run that makes you dynasty.

Woodbridge Similarly has only made two final fours (1974 and 2007). They are kind of a perennial early exit team.

Deep Creek has only advanced beyond the first round of the playoffs a handful of times (1994, 1995, 2000, 2001)

From 1970-2007 Lake Taylor only had one season where they won a playoff game. So while they are having a great run, they are still short of being a high school dynasty by a decade or so.

Potomac had a good period from 86-90, but then they missed the playoffs six years in a row. Hard to see enough playoff runs close together to consider them one.

Glass had a nice little run from 71-76 and then again from 86-95, so they had two mini-dynasties.

Pulaski's run from 1982-2001 definitely is one of the more impressive in VHSL history. They've fallen off since then, but still it is a nice run.

Gretna's 11 year run was impressive (2001-2011) especially considering where they'd been, but over the 45 years of VHSL football playoffs, 11 years is one of the longer runs of greatness.

I haven't read the whole thread, but Graham is one I didn't mention, but should have. Real nice run from 1989-2009.

 

[pcken]

Pulaski Co's run actually started in 1979. Joel Hicks first year. Went 9-3 that year.

 

[cutnjump]

Another challenge in that analysis is trying to account for teams undergoing changes in classification, in my opinion. As an example, you said GW would be considered the sixth most successful program in 4A and that is certainly reasonable when evaluating the absolute number of playoff wins. However, if you consider that the majority of those wins were in old AAA, 6A or 5A it does beg the question how those whose entire history is in the lower class would compare had they played in a higher classification. A side note, that 1974 Woodbridge team with Russell Davis, Ken Sheets and a host of other D-1's was a damn good team. They probably had more D-1's on that one team than lots of areas, including the Roanoke Valley, have produced in the last 5 years. Always enjoy your statistics and historical perspective and you are right on motivation. You use whatever you got, this is a results oriented venture.
This post was edited on 12/9 8:20 AM by cutnjump

 

[cutnjump]

As a note on that GW record(through the late 60's as well) there were some 9-1 years in that stretch with the only loss being to Glass/Lewis and the same was true for Glass/Lewis. That was back when you had to have more than just a pulse to make the playoffs.

 

[tommythecpa]

I agree

GW, Glass, and Pulaski were very good in AAA as well. Lake taylor was AAA state runner ups in 82. Fleming was good in AA and AAA.

I will never forget that cold night in Woodbrodge in 1974. Can't believe they did not win the state. The Woodbridge coach later became head at Franklin Co.

 

[tommythecpa]

Cougars beat GW in first round in Danville 7-0. GW gad ball late inside 10 did not score. PC was mostly I then.

Hicks lead the come back of wing t in VA. Beat dale for title in 92. Vic Williams and Varina started to run it. GW ran it in 92.

 

[tommythecpa]

1976 and 1993

In 1976 GW was 8-0-1 in the VHSL. The one loss was to Chapel Hill. Back then out of state did not count. The tie was to Glass who out pointed GW for the WD title and GW stayed home.

In 1993 GW stayed home at 9-1 based on the VHSL's disallowance of a Hylton game in WV that was cut short by weather.. Eddie Martin considered that team on par with 1994 which lost the championship game in ot.