Essex Swagger

[uvacavs1]

The Swagger of Old Essex has returned, my friends.

However, this time I see that old Essex swagger with discipline, positive energy and intensely focused on a quest of glory.

Congrats to Essex on their fantastic season so far this Fall. I really do not see any major weaknesses to exploit.

The boys are strong and fast, hit like tanks, play smart, and do not let up. All phases of the game looked well coached and completely prepared.

The Trojans look to me to be an interesting combination of the elite Essex teams of 2014 and 2009.

Good luck to Essex the rest of the way!

 

[uvacavs1]

And to Riverheads, if Essex finally takes you down this year, please don't blame your new Coach (which many of your fans probably will anyway).

I don't think that even the great Big Red Coach Casto could stop the Essex Juggernaut that's coming...

(Could be an interesting last year indeed for Riverheads in Class One- I kind of wish that Coach Casto was still there for this upcoming brutal Chess match.

Finally the outcome of who will be state champion is not already known years in advance....)

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Interesting comments my friend, but risky.

 

[G MASTER BLASTER W]

I watch the game last night against Northumberland and good lord he isn't wrong. That is a different type of beast in Essex this year. The whole D attacks the ball and god forbid you give them space when their on offense. This team is scary good and the rest of 1A better be on notice come ready or go home embarrassed.

 

[RappriverEHS]

Essex has been playing great so far this year and I don't see them having much problem with the rest of their schedule...but just remember Riverheads has put a hurting on the Trojans the past several years and the score hasn't been close. Hopefully this well be the year that changes but need to be realistic here.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Essex has been playing great so far this year and I don't see them having much problem with the rest of their schedule...but just remember Riverheads has put a hurting on the Trojans the past several years and the score hasn't been close. Hopefully this well be the year that changes but need to be realistic here.

I remember a few years back that the Essex faithful were pretty critical of the shape that their stadium was in. Has that improved over the years?

 

[RappriverEHS]

The stadium is still a work in progress, they have renovated a building for bathrooms and concessions which is very nice on the home side. Have installed brand new lights around the field and are currently re doing the track around the field....as far as seating goes, no.

 

[Essex Trojan1]

I’m sure the team and coaches Appreciate all of the wonderful comments about their program this year. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves. It has always been one game at a time. Some comments sound like bulletin board material for matchups that may not even happen. Just know that those comments ARE NOT the thinking of the Essex Trojans football program. It’s all about Friday’s opponent Colonial Beach for now.
As for the upgrades…Bathrooms done, the track was started on right after our game with Franklin. Seating is next up I believe. Was told that they may move the home bleachers to the visitor side and put new ones on the home side or just do new bleachers on both sides. Things are getting done.

 

[trutiger16]

Essex still has reputation of big game let down in State Playoffs with coach Jones, can they get it done ? If not it would be tremendous waste of talent .

 

[DinwiddieProud]

I understand. It took us forever to “modernize” at Dinwiddie. I know the school board has to move slow. Every time they spend a dime for anything, 50% of the citizens vilify them. There is always something more important to spend the money on. But, at some point, they just have to do what everybody knows is right, and damn the political fallout.

I’m glad you have gotten the improvements that you have. A suggestion, hound them to make a master plan with dates for certain improvements. At least after they find an excuse for a year or two after the set date, you have a solid argument. You say “if it was important enough that you put it in a master plan and set a date, and it’s two years later and the need didn’t magically go away.” “ If not this year, then when?”

Good luck from Dinwiddie to the Essex community.

 

[Essex Trojan1]

I understand. It took us forever to “modernize” at Dinwiddie. I know the school board has to move slow. Every time they spend a dime for anything, 50% of the citizens vilify them. There is always something more important to spend the money on. But, at some point, they just have to do what everybody knows is right, and damn the political fallout.

I’m glad you have gotten the improvements that you have. A suggestion, hound them to make a master plan with dates for certain improvements. At least after they find an excuse for a year or two after the set date, you have a solid argument. You say “if it was important enough that you put it in a master plan and set a date, and it’s two years later and the need didn’t magically go away.” “ If not this year, then when?”

Good luck from Dinwiddie to the Essex community.

They have a 3 phase plan in place for the things they are going to improvement. To the best of my knowledge, they are holding true to the plans.

 

[NND Sports Fan]

Hopefully in conjunction with the track update the security fencing is installed. Without that you can forget hosting a state semifinal even if you have the shiniest, cleanest restrooms and can seat 2000-plus.

 

[RedPrideNation_RollPride]

Essex has looked great the couple of times I have watched them. Focused, disciplined and intentional with their play which usually leads to good things. Good luck down the stretch to the Trojans and hopefully the Gladiators can get through Region B to meet up in the semis down the road.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Hopefully in conjunction with the track update the security fencing is installed. Without that you can forget hosting a state semifinal even if you have the shiniest, cleanest restrooms and can seat 2000-plus.

You got me curious NND, what is the minimum seating requirement for a Class 1 semi-final game. It’s 1500, plus two toilets per gender. LOL, two per gender??? I don’t know who decided that but they obviously must not actually attend football games.

 

[uvacavs1]

Interesting comments my friend, but risky.

Hey DP!

Just to be fair to Essex and to other VA Preps readers, I mainly support Northumberland and Rappahannock sports.

However, I can assure you that I will be pulling for whoever comes out of the Region A playoffs (which will be Essex).

My comments are just from a fan, and I stand by them. This could finally be the year Riverheads goes down. I hope so.

I respect their success highly, but it has been boring as s--t knowing who will win states before the season even begins for the last 5 years or so.

Sure, Riverheads may win it all again, but if they fall to Essex this season, don't just blame the new coach.

 

[Essex Trojan1]

Essex has looked great the couple of times I have watched them. Focused, disciplined and intentional with their play which usually leads to good things. Good luck down the stretch to the Trojans and hopefully the Gladiators can get through Region B to meet up in the semis down the road.

Hoping Essex can make it out of Region A as well. We all know, anything can happen on any given Friday to throw a wrench in anyones game. We’ve all seen it happen many times before.

 

[Essex Trojan1]

You got me curious NND, what is the minimum seating requirement for a Class 1 semi-final game. It’s 1500, plus two toilets per gender. LOL, two per gender??? I don’t know who decided that but they obviously must not actually attend football games.

All I know is, Essex hosted quite a few state semi games in the past with the way the facilities we. They even added potable bathrooms and extra seating from the little league facilities and borrowed from surrounding schools to accommodate the crowd. Funny thing is, not all of the seating was even used. A lot of people prefer to stand around the fence and/or walk around. After a Essex state semi game against the school from far western Virginia in 2013, who thought they got cheated by the refs, the rules for Essex hosting changed. All because a few people I’m out that way contacted the Virginia high school league and complained about the facilities due to the loss. Since then Essex had to host three games at other facilities… King Georg, King William and Middlesex.

 

[Optimal62]

Hopefully in conjunction with the track update the security fencing is installed. Without that you can forget hosting a state semifinal even if you have the shiniest, cleanest restrooms and can seat 2000-plus.

Actually that may not the case with security fencing. As Holston has hosted the state semi final the past two years in the west and had absolutely no barrier what so ever to the field.

 

[NND Sports Fan]

IIRC, the lack of security fencing was the #1 reason supplied as to why Essex cannot host any state games

 

[DinwiddieProud]

IIRC, the lack of security fencing was the #1 reason supplied as to why Essex cannot host any state games

How recently was that the case?

 

[kwhs95fan]

Fort Chiswell complained that year because they thought they got cheated in a game that wasn't even close after the 1st quarter and the final was something like 37-13. Their fans were so bad that day that about 50 of them surrounded the locker room area where the refs changed at and the refs actually had to be escorted by police off the premises because of the way the FC fans acted. Since then Essex hasn't been able to host a state semifinal game and as ET1 stated have had to play their ",home" game at another stadium. The year they played Galax at King George it was something like less than 500 in attendance for a state semifinal game as KG isn't exactly next door to Essex. The next time Essex is supposed to host a state semifinal game, I hope they get to play it on their own field. These kids fight for that opportunity and when it presents itself again, I hope they are given that chance

 

[kwhs95fan]

How recently was that the case?

2013, I believe

 

[DinwiddieProud]

The VHSL leadership has changed dramatically since 2013. I have no doubt that if the Essex facilities meet the minimum criteria to host a semi-final game, it will be permitted. Dr. Billy Haun and his staff would never permit or condone a home field game being improperly taken away from a school.

 

[NND Sports Fan]

IIRC, the FC fans felt Essex was getting home cookin from the refs but that was far from the case as those officials were from the Harrisonburg region I do believe (UVACavs probably has a bettr idea). Of course, the cheap shot on the Essex player during a kickoff was never flagged. There had to be a reason they got whipped that day and it had to be the refs (since they apparently don't blame their coaches for losses like most do on the Middle Peninsula-Northern Neck!)

 

[Essex Trojan1]

The VHSL leadership has changed dramatically since 2013. I have no doubt that if the Essex facilities meet the minimum criteria to host a semi-final game, it will be permitted. Dr. Billy Haun and his staff would never permit or condone a home field game being improperly taken away from a school.

I don’t know how recent the leadership change was, but last time Essex earned the right to host a state state semi game was in 2017. We had to host it at Middlesex High where we fell to Riverheads 17-14.