Good luck in the next round. No drop offs from their other teams. Gritty and tough as always. Salem fans were great and classy as always.
Congrats to Salem
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Gw gave Salem fits with the read option. Running back very good.
GW couldn't consistently stop Salem run game. Leftwich Salems sophomore fullback had a big game. Both tailback Woods and Persinger ran tough.
Still trying to understand why Salem threw ball with 5 minutes left. Almost was intercepted and would have made it one Td game. Crazy bad play call.
Salem has improved.
GW couldn't consistently stop Salem run game. Leftwich Salems sophomore fullback had a big game. Both tailback Woods and Persinger ran tough.
Still trying to understand why Salem threw ball with 5 minutes left. Almost was intercepted and would have made it one Td game. Crazy bad play call.
Salem has improved.
Playcalling was suspect this game. Package with Logan was a nice twist but should have been a one-time thing, GW ate it for breakfast the second time they saw it. Baffling play call to end the half (that's a difficult throw period) and that freaking pass late in the 4th could have changed everything. Salem went from moderate rushing gains in the 1st Q to absolutely gouging GW by the 4th and your call is that play when all you need is one 1st down to effectively run the clock out? 2nd and 1 was the worst position the Salem offense was in all game because there was a 90% chance a dumb play was about to be called. This has been all season, unfortunately, OC gets too cute in all the wrong times and places.
You can definitely see how GW made it this far, lot of talent on that team and capable of scoring on any play. Fortunately, Salem's D really stepped up and effectively neutralized their O for 3 out of 4 quarters and the offense always gave them a comfortable cushion to play with the whole game. GW finally figured out how to suck in the secondary (DBs did a tremendous job in the first half and let the DL harass Watlington with impunity) and open up their passing game but it came too little, too late.
You can definitely see how GW made it this far, lot of talent on that team and capable of scoring on any play. Fortunately, Salem's D really stepped up and effectively neutralized their O for 3 out of 4 quarters and the offense always gave them a comfortable cushion to play with the whole game. GW finally figured out how to suck in the secondary (DBs did a tremendous job in the first half and let the DL harass Watlington with impunity) and open up their passing game but it came too little, too late.
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Should’ve, could’ve, would’ve, but GW played too conservative at times. Bit themselves in the hind pots a lot, especially with the poor tackling. Leftwitch & Wood are absolute beasts. Hats off to both teams.
good game gw salem couldve passed a little more but all in all well played game by both TEAMS
The final score isn't indicative of how competitive the game was. GW did some really nice things on both sides of the ball and has a solid team. Poole #42 is really good and played a heck of a game. The Watlington brothers were also both big-time players on both sides of the ball.
Hats of to Salem games like this are the reason they have been the standard of excellence for years. Great season G.W. nothing to hang your head about. I will say the quality of completion between districts is a problem. Maybe time to realign the Piedmont.
347 yards rushing. Why pass? Threw at least 2 passes too many
I just had a few post game questions;
1. As an outsider do you honestly feel that this year's Salem team is just as good as other Salem teams you have seen?
2. Do you feel your district schedule hurts you come playoff time?
3. Since you have seen Glass and Salem, your impressions concerning that upcoming game would be interesting.
4. What does GW have coming back next year? Salem has its entire Secondary back, almost it's entire receiving Corp (same kids).
The quarterback, Leftwich and Wood at running back. I don't know about offensive and defensive linemen. Salem does lose middle linebacker Pinnello and outside linebacker Sut.
Completely agree about play calling. Three terrible calls. The pass at the end of the half, the QB run by 11, and the pass with 5m left that almost got picked off. If they had been successful they still would have been bad calls
I'm surprised Willis White didn't walk up to the oc and snatch his head set after that pass with 5m left
1. Salem’s players may change but the program remains the absolute same. Put the opponent on their a$$ the whole game is the mindset. No overwhelming players like Alex/Dlo Ramsey or Coleman Fox but they make due and playing the same Salem brand of football whether it’s Buddy Ryan, Bill, Nick Saban, me, my pet Yorkie or 3PuttCharlie coaching.
2. I won’t say anything disrespectful about the Piedmont because I advocate for those kids. I think they’d all agree that GW Danville should not be playing a full district schedule. Don’t have a problem with them playing Bassett, Magna Vista and Halifax but with their proximity to North Carolina, they can have an elite schedule. Highland Springs did not play a full Capital District and put together an awesome. People will use the excuse that it is hard to schedule but it is what it is... A PLAYED OUT EXCUSE.
3. I think Salem will give Glass some fits. Salem is weak at some spots (secondary primary) but I can’t imagine Pulaski’s front 7 is any better than Salem’s. Salem has three really really good backs. They’ll do the same thing they did last night, run it down their throats and control the clock. If Salem doesn’t turn it over like they did last night, watch out. Glass is an elite team, we’ll see how much Salem has improved since the last elite team they played (Martinsburg).
4. Very good question SBU. Though GW has some stud underclassmen, that transfer rumor mill has started chucking. The QB #1 ShaKobe Hairston will return, #4 RB Willie Edmunds will return (kid has 3 D1 offers and only had 2 carries last night), #16 OLB Shyheim Watlington will return, #42 MLB Ahmad Poole will return, #19 OLB Donavan Howard (played safety last night) will return, both of our corners #6 Bethel and #7 King will return and our stud OT George Jackson will return. It’s a wait and see game but I think all of those guys stay put. Some have their hearts set on Reidsville, who will be one of the best teams in N.C. regardless of school size in 2020.
YOU KNOW ALOT OF PEOPLE HAS DOWN PLAYED THIS 2019 SALEM TEAM AT THE BEGINNING OF THE SEASON PEOPLE SAID ARE OL WAS HORRIBLE ARE PASSING DEFENSE WASNT GREAT ONE THING I CAN SAY WE CONTINUE TO RISE TO THE CHALLENGE THERE WERE DEFINITELY MORE DOMINANT SALEM TEAMS IN THE PAST BUT THAT WONT TAKE AWAY FROM WHAT THIS 2019 TEAM HAS DONE AND CONTINUE TO DO....SOME SAID WE WOULDNT HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR....PLAYERS MAKE MISTAKES COACHES MAKE MISTAKES REFEREE MAKE MISTAKES BUT IN THE END MAY THE VEST TEAM WIN
Because i BELIEVE the passed would've worked just as well especially in the first half i dont think they could've held any of are receivers especially the collins.2 match up
Do you think Byrnes should get moved to be starting QB and move Sha’kobe to WR next year?
Definitely brother! Shakobe played really well last night but we could’ve used him at WR. Shakobe is a great athlete, he went to UNC today for a visit as he will be a safety or WR at the next level, not a QB. Salem knew to double/triple on Watlington. Jeb will be an elite QB. A summer of camps/7on7 and Jeb will be ready. If we can keep all of our pieces I think GW and Salem will be the top 2 teams in 4A Region D next year.
I’ve only been working with the team for 3 years. But I played for GW as well. What I’ve noticed is we always have a fair amount of really talented players. But what kills us, our “role” players are not near as good as the elite teams like Salem and EC glass. Every year we have a few players quit because they realize they can’t play RB. But would help us tremendously in the secondary, but they want no part of that. Just need more players willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. Everyone can’t be in the lime light.
Yes sir you are right. We had a really talented player not play with us this year to focus on basketball. I think he would’ve been a difference maker on both sides of the ball. Your statement is why I say it’s not our coaches fault. A lot of it is beyond our coaches and current players’ hands.
Salem’s success has always depended on “we rather than me”. They block and tackle, which even in the spread, multiple set era they play in still works.
1. Mules: The pride the community takes and bestows on the offensive line is amazing. Their o-line blocks as a unit, got some nasty in them and they know what to do and when to do it. They go to work everyday and build a bond that only linemen get to know.
2. Run Game: They play smash mouth football, you know they are coming but can you stop them? They run counters, traps and play action passing. They are disciplined, dedicated and determined, they don’t take plays off or give up.
3.Passing Game: They pass when they want to. Throwing the ball is exciting but dangerous, they pass as the need requires and protect with passion and pride.
4. Culture: Salem is a little bit of America that has proudly survived the social chaos of the past few decades. It’s not that they resisted change they assimilated it within their culture to the good of the community but they don’t just change they grow.
The best feeling I’ve ever had on a football field wasn’t two state championships. My team went to Salem in a first round playoff game spotted them a 21 point halftime lead and came back and beat on their field at their house. It was the springboard we needed to begin a very successful and transforming run that still continues to this day.
As a coach, I can tell you that a lot of that is driven by the unrealistic expectations of parents. Luckily, we haven't had that problem on a large scale...our problem has been an overabundance of role players with few play makers!
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