Don't know why everyone picking Salem when the Vhsl game prognosis program has Dominion rated as better team. I think Dominion will be a huge challenge
Dominion favorite according to vhsl prognostication program
- Thread starter southbottomU
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I'm done picking upsets in the West. When I look at these too teams on the line my eyes automatically go to looking at Dominion lol. But the last 2 upsets I picked in the West the teams got blown out and the one lock I had which was Woodgrove lost. Shows how much I know about the West side. Not much. Who knows though maybe I'll just pick Dominion for the hell of it and tell the dealer to "hit me" at 19.
If Quinn hadn't come up with two or three clutch receptions on Salem's final TD drive, Byrd might very well be playing this Saturday. I still think Salem is fourteen to twenty-one points better than Byrd, but just two plays kept the margin closer than that on Friday: the block in the back that negated Burnette's long TD run, and the strip-and-score at the start of the third quarter (Burnette had some tough luck Friday, no doubt). Take out that call and that turnover, and Salem coasts by at least eighteen, as opposed to sweating it out to the end.
All the plays count, and I'm not bitching about them. My point is, it only takes literally a couple of plays to turn what should be a comfortable victory into a nail-biter. I expect a pretty close game this Saturday.
Simulators also allow me to be an ace fighter pilot who knows no equal in the air. Don't put much into them. Game will be decided on the field by the players...not by a computer program.
Honestly, before this week, I would take Salem by a lot, but come on! Dominion handled Amherst AND beat Woodgrove AT WOODGROVE. Salem has much changed since the loss to Amherst, but Dominion is on a role right now. I just think it's absurd to say a blowout in Salem's favor.
I've watched them play in person along with Woodgrove that's why I'm saying what I'm saying if I'm wrong then I'll take that
Vhsl-reference combines SOS in their prognostication. That's why Dominion is favored.
"I just think it's absurd to say a blowout in Salem's favor."
Has anyone said that? I haven't seen it from any Salem people, but I could have missed it.
These games can turn on a dime....you never know. Usually you just look in the trenches. Does Dominion have a stout D-line and O-line? If so, they should be able to hang.
Close game unless Salem can Handle Mccants scrambling throwing ability. Mccants has not been stopped all year and Salem is known to have problems with mobile throwing quarterbacks. This game will come down to how Salem can slow down Mccants and not allowing him to further develop the play by throwing or running the ball. Salem should have no issue on Offense.
I watched them play Friday night and to me no but like I said it could have been a bad night. You shut down mccants and you win easily
Handle McCants will be hard, just don't turn the ball over like Amherst did and Salem should win this one. I also don't see Salem turning the ball over either. McCants is really good
Not really.Amherst had almost 500 yards rushing against them..5 turnovers and many of them was inside 10 yard line.I also would say Amherst had atleast 4 other fumbles in which Dominion didn't recover.I wasn't impress with McCants arm but he was the fastest player I've seen all year(maybe last 5 years).
Mobile, throwing quarterbacks tend to give every team problems. That's why each season, every coach out there hopes to find a mobile, throwing quarterback.
Very hard to play somebody like McCants.You can't duplicate him in practice because its backyard football.You have to cover WR 1 on 1 and everybody else just play defense like you do on special teams,Stay in your lane and box him in.He will scramble to both sidelines and then 10 yards back before he runs or passes.
Sorry, I was wrong with my statement. It looks like OCBoy is the only one who had made an actual prediction. My point is, it just seems like a lot of people are picking Salem just because they are Salem. Historically, Salem is really good, so I don't have a problem with that. I just wanted to make a case for Dominion, noting the last two opponents they beat have been top 10 in 4A.
Just my opinion I have watched the Machine known as Salem for 40 years And if you don't have a defensive line to stop the trap, McCants wont have the ball very much. They will ground and pound you and eat the clock. And I wouldn't forget their qb either he can run and sling the rock too
I agree.I've watched both teams this year and Salem should win by 3 tds.I think Dominion will jump on them quick but Salem will figure him out.Hell Salem has the best coach in the state so he might've already fiqure McCants out. If Dominion only run 20 plays the entire game I would still give McCants 3 tds.
I know I still think about this game and it makes me sick because Amherst was better than Dominion opinion. Amherst should have won by 3 TDs in my opinion but it is what it is. Just don't understand why so many turnovers in one game
@wikki lack of focus, which boils down to coaching.
Trying to determine which coach is the best coach in the state is a difficult thing to assess. A more accurate statement is that Coach Mags is one of the top five or ten coaches in the state. There is no way to determine who the actual best coach is, it is completely subjective. But I will say I wouldn't trade Coach Mags for anyone else, and mostly for non X's and O's reasons
I like the nickname "the machine". I think it works in describing Salem year in year out. But to be accurate the machine started in 1986 with a state runner-up in AAA, so it's thirty years
Argument for Mags in 4A isn't particularly hard at all.
147-21 record in 13 years at Salem
Average season is 11-1
7 undefeated regular seasons
Made playoffs every year
3 state titles in 4 trips
7 trips to state semis
Cursory glances tell me there are only 2 teams in 4A who've finished above .500 every year since Mags started (2004) and that's Salem and Sherando. Sherando's finished with 6 wins twice and missed the POs this year. Mags' worst year at Salem was 7-4.
Do I think he's the best? Well, yea. Facts are as stated to me. But he's far from peerless and there's certainly arguments to be made for other guys like Hank Sawyer, Billy Mills, etc. I thought Mags and Scott Abell were going to become the new White/Hicks at one point.
147-21 record in 13 years at Salem
Average season is 11-1
7 undefeated regular seasons
Made playoffs every year
3 state titles in 4 trips
7 trips to state semis
Cursory glances tell me there are only 2 teams in 4A who've finished above .500 every year since Mags started (2004) and that's Salem and Sherando. Sherando's finished with 6 wins twice and missed the POs this year. Mags' worst year at Salem was 7-4.
Do I think he's the best? Well, yea. Facts are as stated to me. But he's far from peerless and there's certainly arguments to be made for other guys like Hank Sawyer, Billy Mills, etc. I thought Mags and Scott Abell were going to become the new White/Hicks at one point.
Yea, but those first few years were rough. From 77 to 84 Salem struggled. Things didn't start to click until Coach White came in 85. By the way great run by Blacksburg, good luck this weekend
The first edition of the Spartans in '77 was 6-3-1, and a botched 2-point conversion away from winning the RVD and a Northwest Region playoff berth. Coach White arrived in '83; after going 4-5-1 in his first season, Salem finished 9-1 in '84 (and missed the playoffs). The crappy seasons were the five consecutive ones from '78 to '82.
Doing the years by memory so not surprising I would miss it just a little. But my point was that 'the machine" didn't start until Coach White got to Salem
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