Class 5 State Semi-Final: Varina Blue Devils at Maury Commodores
- Thread starter EPJr
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Interesting match up to teams with athletes all over the field and I like what I've seen from varina over the past few weeks even. Maury played a good game against Salem last night made the necessary stops on defense and playmakers made plays when needed. And kinda funny we see these schools again this time in Football basketball teams played a great state game back in the winter. But imma have to say Maury had one goal to get back to this spot advance and bring it to the 757 which they will.
It just seems very sad to me about HSHS faltering the way they did. Understand that out of the Class 6 Final 4 (Oscar Smith, Colonial Forge, Westfield, South County ) and Class 5 Final 4 (Varina, Maury, North Stafford, Stone Bridge). HS beat Smith, Forge, Varina and North Stafford in the regular season!!! Don't hang your heads Springers, we will be back next year with a chip on our shoulders!!
Well at least next year when you guys start ranting about how good HSHS is, there’s a reason to have the chip on your shoulder!
LOL, yep! I guess we have been spoiled by the quality of the program! When things don't go as expected, disappointment sets in. What we all need to be aware of is, don't let our expectations get in the way of our success! It is easy to set them so high and lofty only to be disappointed! My lesson to myself is, don't set my expectations too high. That way the "fall" from disappointment isn't so painful. Keep expectations modest and let the work put in achieve the goal.
Too, just my opinion. The beefing up of our schedule. Was it a great idea? I'm not 100% sure. I think the main goal of it was (and it was so stated by more than a few) to be "battle tested" come playoff time. Well.... it appears to me that it back fired! Or at least something back fired!
I don't really like the idea of trying to bring in National powers into our schedule. What are we trying to prove? National prominence or win a State and Regional Title? I'd like to see us stick to our local schedule, but with 3 or 4 if the tops in the area or State ! O Smith, C Forge, N Stafford, yes!
N Carolina, Maryland, DC, Florida, California.... I'm not sold on that part of it!
It didn’t backfire, it was just Varina’s turn. It’s never anything wrong with going outside the box and scheduling the best of the best. Varina has been knocking on the door for a while, it’s the way the ball bounces. They DOMINATED Manchester yesterday. The score wasn’t as close as indicated. HS would’ve done the same.
Springers just didn't look as tough offensively as in previous years. I wonder if losing our home field and practice areas had much to do with preparedness. They seemed out of synch towards the end of the season.
But..... it is what it is...... Good Luck to the Blue Devils! Bring it home to the East End & 804!
They played tougher teams this year. I don't know if this year's team is not as strong offensively as other years, but when you play good teams with similarly equipped rosters and coaching staffs, you get tested and may not be able to steamroll them. I admit I was guilty of having too high expectations for them before the season, based on the past four years and listening to the HS faithful. They still had a great season and a run any program would love to have. This year we were fortunate to see some matchups we wouldn't normally see because of their willingness to play top teams from around the state. To me it looks like the top programs are fairly close this year, if not most years.
It is going to take a whale of a team to beat Varina. Varina has beaten other teams that have their own great players. Also, it seems like each week a new Blue Devil steps up out the blue to dominate the game. Varina has about 3-4 players that would be the best offensive option on most teams. To add to it, Bobby Dunn has developed a major synergy with his receiving core. Those same players are also excellent DB’s. I know Maury has Lambert and a few other playmakers. Varina will be far and away the best team Maury has played this year. Is Maury the best team Varina has played this year? That I don’t know the answer to. I would lean toward no but that would be unfair to Maury for me to assume that considering I have not seen them live. 34-27 Varina wins
Maury has a well balanced offense; they can run the ball, they have a really good running back who was committed to V Tech and they have three division 1 receivers out wide! Their defense is also GREAT! My question is will their LB (defensive player of the year) be good to go this week? He went down in the game against Salem, not sure how severe it was....Either way their defense is great all around: Size, speed and discipline. Varina has been battle tested in their region, they have been looking good the past two weeks. I think this game will come down to QB play....both QBs are juniors who put up big numbers this year. I give Maury the edge simply because of their depth and weapons on offense; offensively they can kill you in the air and on the ground. When Lambert and Beasley are running read option it brings a whole different feel to their offense! Will be a close one though.
Maury- 38
Varina- 28
Maury- 38
Varina- 28
springer76, perhaps it was lack of game time reps that lead to them being "out of synch"? Going by what you and others have posted about the starters getting pulled early many times this season, IMO that may be the issue. You cannot replicate game play in practice quite the same, even if the starters are facing a very good scout team, and the lack of game time reps may have inhibited the necessary development and synchronization of the starters. There is a lot to be said for building depth, and pulling starters in a rout is something the coaching staff must consider to avoid running up the score, but it has its negative side also.
The best thing to ever happen to Varina were the losses to HS and Manchester during the regular season. The have a certain edge to themselves that I’ve only seen Highland Springs have. Bobby Dunn is one of the most competitive QBs I’ve ever seen and the Varina WR’s/DB’s love the challenges of playing elite talent. Barry Hill is a DOG! I’ll put Isiah Paige up against ANY 5 star player. Varina mixes it up on offense and their defense has two major power 5 D-Lineman on their side in Lorenz Terry and Alonzo Ford. I’ve been telling you all, the Blue Devils are FORREAL!!
Why is it that I never heard any of these things about varina before they went on this playoff run. But as I been saying for the past month they are about to run in to a team that is back after embarrassing loss last year and they hungry and 10x better than the yall keep thinking they are. Because it seems like yall are just not giving maury its props base off a game last year and the "" competition of their region but us 757 guys give your school the props and respect. But yall can only find reason why 757 team is not that good. But hey I've seen them play in person so I see the speed coaching hunger to finish the job this year.
Varina was a better football team than HSHS this season. It is just that simple. Varina was hungrier also. If you go back and watch the tapes Varina just had a different gear. Outside of the HSHS QB I really didn't see much offensive efficiency. Seemed to me without him there was no real offense. I don't know how that could be with all of those athletes they have but it seemed like he was their only real chance of offense. If you take away all of the interceptions and kick returns and short fields, the offense didn't look good at points. Always looked good against inferior teams but against Varina and Manchester it was a different story. Against Manchester the QB put the team on his back and it worked out. The last time against Varina it didn't work out. My point is the offense was too reliant on one player... for a team that has so many good players. Please don't take this as throwing stones. I am just saying I do not believe the schedule, or pulling the starters early etc had anything to do with it. Varina wanted it more and their skill players outplayed HSHS's in the last game and really the game before as well. Also, HSHS made a lot of mistakes and bloopers this year which is uncharacteristic in recent years. They will be back and hungry for real this time. First time in a while going to bed on an empty stomach for a program like that.
Maury is A1 no doubt about it. Anyone that doesn't think so is sorely mistaken. Varina is really good too. Does it really surprise you that the Richmond posters have an 804 bias? Last year meant nothing... that is history. What you do right now is the only thing that matters. This is going to be a big game and rightfully so. If 757 wins then so be it. As I said before, we will crown you and root for you the next week if you win and we hope that you would do the same should Varina emerge victorious.
I honestly think both are evenly matched; speed, size, junior QBs with big numbers....Both even, QB play and coaching will be the deciding factor, who makes the least amount of mistakes.... Its really going to be a good one!
If Lambert is playing QB,running that read option with the best RB Varina has seen all year...gotta give Maury the edge!
remember....Varina had to play Manchester and HSHS TWICE to beat them...it’s a one & done chance this time.
Yeah when Maury goes to that wildcat formation it is very dangerous and has gotten the best on most teams.
Anyone know if this game will be streamed or on the radio? Can we get RVA sports down there this time or will they block it again?
Yeah cause I thought I saw somewhere that place only holds a little over 2,800 people. I will settle for the radio or the stream!!
it would be someone from HS that wants maury to win smh
You must've missed a LOT of the early season talk. I even predicted Varina to beat HS twice, turned out half wrong.
Varina has def just been overshadowed by the Springers’ historic recent success.
Didn’t say I wanted Maury to win,but I know Varina hasn’t faced an all-American or a power 5 D1 RB all year. Stating facts! I could care less who wins!!
If I’m wrong....so be it,but I know Varina hasn’t faced anyone like Lambert all year,and that includes HS or Manchester!
Not just Lambert you other two receivers one to Towson and other to navy and another undecided plus rb was committed to VTech till he had a change so this team stacked with offensive talent
Mannnn you the same guy that said HS was 3-4 scores better than Varina LOL!!!
If you don’t win IT ALL,you’re just another Varina failure! Y’all should be used to that though!
it took the worst game in 5 years to beat HSHS. The team and the school will never be the level of HSHS. The Springers always get the last laugh when it comes to Varina!
Hasn’t faced a D1 running back all year? What about Malik Newton from Lake Taylor? Offers from Clemson, Louisville, Nebraska, Penn State. I could go on with the D1 Power 5 offers, he's got 13, but no need. He didn't finish the game against us.
You are some kind of bitter, trash talking dude. Everyone else from HS has been supportive of these KIDS who won, but you're the only one who can't seem to let it go with the excuses and reasons why the almighty HS isn't where we are. I mean, really the FIELD? I'm sorry a true champion can WIN anywhere.
I think HooSprings has lost his mind. I feel sorry..... really bad attitude!
When Varina is out of it, we cheer for the Springers and vice versa. When Varina made it to the state championship and won in basketball, the Springer Nation cheered for us. We all know that one bad apple doesn’t spoil the bunch. I just hope Varina plays the way they’ve played the past 3 weeks!
Worst game? Lol that’s sad just give Varina the credit, their first game they held them to 155 offense to Varina 333 on offense just had turnovers credit to HS! Two weeks later they held HS Offense to 120 total! Between them weeks they played Henrico and went over 380 on offense with the same offense and style. Give Varina their credit for once they was prepared for them
I can't go this weekend. If they beat Maury, I will be there cheering on Varina!
Gotta just leave this here! I’m DSH BTW.. I should still be DSH on here but that’s another story smh...My boys have been the underdog all year, it’s nothing new! Let’s GOOOOO BLUE DEVILS!
[Q
You should be quiet instead of continuing to embarrass yourself. Your post comes off as the whine of an insecure loser that cannot accept a defeat instead of the quiet confidence of a fan comfortable in his program's previous historic run. Your posting behavior demeans you and the fan base of the program you support which deserves far better.
By calling Varina students failures, you’re calling HS students failures. Both of us are the same body of students, just different buildings, teachers, coaches. The only thing that separates us is zoning lines (64 and Williamsburg Rd).. Note I said us, meaning East End. We take pride in being East End. Though it’s a rivalry when we meet, Varina and Highland Springs go through some of the same struggles and that makes us family. Only real East Enders know that and though I’m not a native, I’ve conformed to these values.
