Division 4 usually competitive

[freeatlast2013]

I think when divisions were realigned a few years back and Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor dropped down to division 4 they were dominant but that has changed. they are still very good obviously, just not blowing everybody out. I do not know as much about the other regions but the last three years Glass lost to Blacksburg 21-6 who then lost to Salem 33-32 after they had blown Salem off the field earlier in the season. Salem then won the State, beating Louisa 43-22. Last year Glass lost to Blacksburg 35-14. Blacksburg then lost to Woodgrove 26-23 in overtime who then won a close state victory over Lake Taylor. This year Glass lost to Salem 35-24 . Are Tuscarora and Broad Run going to dominate like Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor did when they first dropped down?

 

[SpartanOfYore]

I think when divisions were realigned a few years back and Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor dropped down to division 4 they were dominant but that has changed. they are still very good obviously, just not blowing everybody out. I do not know as much about the other regions but the last three years Glass lost to Blacksburg 21-6 who then lost to Salem 33-32 after they had blown Salem off the field earlier in the season. Salem then won the State, beating Louisa 43-22. Last year Glass lost to Blacksburg 35-14. Blacksburg then lost to Woodgrove 26-23 in overtime who then won a close state victory over Lake Taylor. This year Glass lost to Salem 35-24 . Are Tuscarora and Broad Run going to dominate like Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor did when they first dropped down?

I think Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor both happened to have dominant teams, those particular first two years they were in 4A (now Class 4). Lake Taylor was in the midst of a great run that saw the Titans win state in Division 5 in 2012, win 4A in 2014, and come darn close to repeating in 2015. As long as LT and Dinwiddie have their current staffs, both will be consistent contenders in Class 4. They are both quality programs. Both will be capable of winning state in most given years.

The same could be said of Broad Run and Tuscarora. Both programs have been cranking out consistent winners for several years. Unless there’s a big regime change at either place, I’d say both of these schools are always going to be in the hunt in Class 4. With their locations in ever-growing Loudoun County, Tuscarora and Broad Run are probably more susceptible to being harmed by the openings of new schools or shifting demographics than are schools like Dinwiddie or Salem.

In short, I don’t think any one team is going to dominate Class 4 over a period of years. Even during Salem’s three-year run, LT could have easily prevailed in ‘15, and Blacksburg might very well have won the whole thing in ‘17 if a kick or two had gone their way in the regional final. Tuscarora and Broad Run will just join a list of yearly “usual suspects.” Right now, IMHO that list consists of Lake Taylor, Dinwiddie, Tuscarora, Broad Run, and Salem, with Louisa and Eastern View fighting to prove that they deserve to be included.