GC goes 0-10 this year. They need to fire Akers, should of done it after last years 1-9 record.
Gate City
- Thread starter bigbluedevils
- Start date
What has happened with GC football? In all of Va, I've never seen or heard of a program like Gate City doing the following......
Completely solid and at times, dominant for decades with many state titles and always seemingly in the mix or contention to win it even when they didn't. There just never really seemed to be down years when looking back at their records since.....the early 60s, and then boom.......about 4 years ago to present, it's in contention for one of the worst Class 2A programs in VA? Many teams have been good or dominant and then drop off like Gretna did in the last decade or so, but Gretna wasn't great before they got good in the 2000s. Southampton in the 70s a great run, and not what they were, but still competitive with good teams since. Tabb was great in the 80s, but the school split to form Grafton so that one's explained. Gate City went from being one of the top 5 programs in VA (at its level) for seemingly 50 years, and then about 4 years ago to present, not a drop off to mediocrity, but a top 20 worst program in the State of Va for its level. What's the deal? What has happened there to explain this? When I see there scores, it's not only that they are losing games. They are getting annihilated. Ive never seen a program in Va do this......to this extreme in being that good for like a half of a century, and now can't seem to win a game? Strange stuff there.
Completely solid and at times, dominant for decades with many state titles and always seemingly in the mix or contention to win it even when they didn't. There just never really seemed to be down years when looking back at their records since.....the early 60s, and then boom.......about 4 years ago to present, it's in contention for one of the worst Class 2A programs in VA? Many teams have been good or dominant and then drop off like Gretna did in the last decade or so, but Gretna wasn't great before they got good in the 2000s. Southampton in the 70s a great run, and not what they were, but still competitive with good teams since. Tabb was great in the 80s, but the school split to form Grafton so that one's explained. Gate City went from being one of the top 5 programs in VA (at its level) for seemingly 50 years, and then about 4 years ago to present, not a drop off to mediocrity, but a top 20 worst program in the State of Va for its level. What's the deal? What has happened there to explain this? When I see there scores, it's not only that they are losing games. They are getting annihilated. Ive never seen a program in Va do this......to this extreme in being that good for like a half of a century, and now can't seem to win a game? Strange stuff there.
The Talent is still there, from what ive heard at the games, administration and the former coach had words, so administration cleaned house, got rid of all of the Great Coaches and went out and hired a coach, who was 8-8 i think at Rural Retreat high school. He came in and just destroyed the culture, no cowbells ringing at the games, its totally quite now. Coach Akers is 6-17 so far after last night. I cant wait to see how long it takes the administration to undo its mess. GC still has the talent, but not the Coaches to run the program. This year, they did bring back Reed, a former GC coach, to coach defense, im hopeing they fire akers, put Reed as HC, bring back Jeremy Housewright as Defense Coach and Gary Collier as offense coach, then you would see the Old GC. The kids LOVE Reed, Housewright and Collier
Akers never stopped them from ringing the cowbells! That is just a stupid statement.
The talent is there from what you have heard? Then I have some ocean front property in Arizona for you, since you believe everything you hear. Have you heard of entitlement? You all think you are entitled to win year in and year out. Truth of the matter is, nobody is truly entitled to anything in life but hard work. Nobody is just going to hand you a trophy because "we are GC."
The talent is there from what you have heard? Then I have some ocean front property in Arizona for you, since you believe everything you hear. Have you heard of entitlement? You all think you are entitled to win year in and year out. Truth of the matter is, nobody is truly entitled to anything in life but hard work. Nobody is just going to hand you a trophy because "we are GC."
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From A to Z, Gate City has probably had the best sports program of any 2A school in the state, for past 8-10 years, maybe longer.
It is puzzling as to why their football team has went downhill.
It is puzzling as to why their football team has went downhill.
I don't think he was implying that Akers stopped the cowbells himself, but that nobody cares to ring them because of school spirit being down due to the situation.
I was at the Richlands/GC game to get an early look at Richlands, and just looking around it did seem that everyone was at a social event rather than a football game. A lot of people weren't even watching the game, but talking to each other instead.
May not be the players of years past, but I did see some talent on the field, but the use of that talent along with play calling was head scratching.
That would suck! I know that GC fans are having a hard time dealing with the situation. After witnessing what I did Friday night, I completely understand.
I've been reading this board for a bit. I've never seen a post by a GC fan that hints of entitlement? Is that a SW Va thing or local perception. It reminds me much of Lafayette or Hampton in this area. The claim by many fans not of these schools is...."they are entitled or get transfers," etc. What this is code for.....Lafayette, Hampton, and Gate City back in western Va have likely kicked a lot of arse for a long time, and fans now are getting their licks in due to the anger of not being able to compete with em for years and years. The same thing happened to and with non Tabb fans in the 90s after the school split and they went down hill. That's only my take on it. Maybe some or many or most of the GC fans do feel entitled, but I've not read it on this board.
Your right, I don't, and I never claimed to know. What I do know is, you used the words "you all" to classify an entire fan base. Do you know every Gate City fan? The answer just like me not living in SWVA and not knowing, is equally applicable to you...and that answer is.... No. You don't know either. I admitted I didn't claim to know. But, when you use the words "you all," it can reasonably be assumed that you are claiming to know that all GC fans are entitled.
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Agree, and add Graham to that list. From the late 80s up until the mid 2000s, it seemed like they were playing for either a state semifinal or more every other year. I don't know the amount, but I'm willing to bet from sometime in the late 80s to mid 2000s. They reached at least the state semis about 7 times. Grundy also had some good football teams out there in the 1990s.
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Entitled? Are you a idiot or what? You bought Ocean front property in Arizina? Did you go to the GC/Richlands game? If you did. You would know exactly what im talking about.
There was a team in Big Stone that was pretty good during that period, from 1989-2000, that team won six titles over 11 years lol
Remember when appy won state, powell valley won state, and GC won state the same years
Which team from Big Stone Gap started with a G and played at the 3A level like Gate City, Graham, Gretna, and Giles?
You know, Hampton, Phoebus, Robinson and Salem were all very good during that period also, but these also don't start with G's or played in Div 3 (what would now be Class 3A.)
LOL.
For the GC fan who stated they never played AA. Ok.......stop. Don't muddy the waters simply in an attempt to disagree. At least, a little better attempt is needed. From my post, is there any doubt that GC played at the third level? Since 86ish, Va has had six levels of play. Call it what you wish, China, Vietnam 4, Roanoke 3, there have been 6 levels of play that have been called anything from Single A divisions 1 and 2, and Double A divisions 3 and 4, or Divisions 1-6 or Single A "small and big, Double A "small and big" Triple A "small and big." Now, Class 1 through 6A which is really stupid. If all of them are "A", then why say the "A"? What about Class 1B through 6B? Bottom line is, you get my point and Gate City, Graham, Gretna, and Giles played at the "3rd" level of play out of 6 classifications. Call it Div 3, call it double a div 3, call it 3A, whatever. In today's time, as I said earlier, it would be equal to today's class 3A.
The "G" era that HR6 mentioned was actually 2A. Only 2 of Gretna's state championships were 3A.
From 2003 - 2014 a team that started with "G" won nearly every 2A state championship.
2003 - Gate City
2005 - Giles
2006 - Goochland
2007- Gretna
2008 - Gretna
2010 - Gate City
2011 - Gretna
2012 - Goochland
2013 - Giles
2014 - Glenvar
BigWinners was just mentioning that another team, Powell Valley, was also very successful during an 11 year span. I don't think he was implying they were 3A nor started with "G."
HR6 never dated his era. I took it back a touch further IF he is referring only to the last 15 years. And the G era he mentioned was not even all the way class 2A. See Gretna in the early 2000s, from the 80s through the early to mid 2000s, Graham was level 3, or Div 3, call it what you want and so was Giles and Gate City for a portion of that time. Graham and Gate City won 3 state titles at the level "3" class or division or group or whatever one wishes to call it from 1989 to 1997. That would be EXACTLY equal to today's Class 3A level, and so would one or two of Gretna early ones in the early 2000s.
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I believe that I mentioned that 2 of Gretna's were 3A.
However, HR6 has mentioned multiple times, over the past couple of years, about the "G" teams. And the period of time was what I mentioned, and those were 2A.
I don't recall him ever referring to Graham in those posts, but Graham was the real deal back in the day.
EDIT: Just for reference https://virginiapreps.forums.rivals.com/threads/top-offenses-defenses-in-2a.28940/#post-113564
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I had forgot about Graham. I seem to recall one year that Graham was best team I saw all season, even though they did not win state title.
Your correct, my mistake. I thought it was all catorgized single A, division 1 and 2, AA division 1 and 2. Sorry for the mistake
Gate City had one of the best teams in the state during the 1996 season. They had 2 future NFL players(Houseright & Beasley) and I think the quarterback(Shoemaker) may have played basketball professionally over seas. This team was hard nosed across the board. In my opinion no other GC team can compare to the 96 Blue Devils.
It's all good, there is no question that all of them mentioned in this thread were wicked tough and that includes Powell Valley and Appy.
As for HR6's comments on the Graham team that was the best he saw all season but didn't win it. I think that was 2000 or 2001 or 2002. I can't recall the year and didn't see Graham play any during the season, but I watched them in the state title game. I rode up to Liberty with some Lafayette guys to watch the Rams and Pulaski in the first game and Graham vs Harrisonburg in the next game. I was told three times how great and dominant Pulaski was and that they had Division 6 talent and may be able to beat anyone in the state. Their fans were nice, but a few seemed incredibly confident. I will never forget telling them...."you know, Lafayette isn't coming up here to compete or make it close, but they are coming to win the state title, and they think they will win, and down east, there is also talent." I think some Pulaski fans realized by the mid second quarter that they were in trouble. Anyway, Lafayette won the state title led by not just out of this world Connor Hughes, but by an offensive line that tossed Pulaski around like chump change.
As for the Graham game, I could see Graham was loaded in talent, and they had a sophomore that got the ball once in the first quarter and absolutely exploded through the line of scrimmage for a nice run in which he should have had no gain. I don't know if he got the ball again after that. If he did, it wasn't much as I can't recall him touching it much, but maybe he did. With one play, you could see that this kid had another motor, an advanced skill set. A couple of years later, I would find out that kid was Ahmad Bradshaw. Harrisonburg went on to win the game. Looking back on it, I don't know if the Graham staff realized his talent at that point, or maybe he wasn't as good, I don't know, but I suspect that dude should have been touching it every other play. That's what Lafayette did with Connor Hughes. When Connor wasn't throwing it at QB, he was often running it, and not to mention his punting prowess which flipped the field 2 times in that Pulaski game.
As for HR6's comments on the Graham team that was the best he saw all season but didn't win it. I think that was 2000 or 2001 or 2002. I can't recall the year and didn't see Graham play any during the season, but I watched them in the state title game. I rode up to Liberty with some Lafayette guys to watch the Rams and Pulaski in the first game and Graham vs Harrisonburg in the next game. I was told three times how great and dominant Pulaski was and that they had Division 6 talent and may be able to beat anyone in the state. Their fans were nice, but a few seemed incredibly confident. I will never forget telling them...."you know, Lafayette isn't coming up here to compete or make it close, but they are coming to win the state title, and they think they will win, and down east, there is also talent." I think some Pulaski fans realized by the mid second quarter that they were in trouble. Anyway, Lafayette won the state title led by not just out of this world Connor Hughes, but by an offensive line that tossed Pulaski around like chump change.
As for the Graham game, I could see Graham was loaded in talent, and they had a sophomore that got the ball once in the first quarter and absolutely exploded through the line of scrimmage for a nice run in which he should have had no gain. I don't know if he got the ball again after that. If he did, it wasn't much as I can't recall him touching it much, but maybe he did. With one play, you could see that this kid had another motor, an advanced skill set. A couple of years later, I would find out that kid was Ahmad Bradshaw. Harrisonburg went on to win the game. Looking back on it, I don't know if the Graham staff realized his talent at that point, or maybe he wasn't as good, I don't know, but I suspect that dude should have been touching it every other play. That's what Lafayette did with Connor Hughes. When Connor wasn't throwing it at QB, he was often running it, and not to mention his punting prowess which flipped the field 2 times in that Pulaski game.
I didn't see GC in 1996. I saw them one time years ago. But, I recommend taking a look at GC of 1970 and 1974. There is a write up on them in one of the old 1990s VHSL playoff programs. The 1970 team scrimmages a team the week before the season started from Tennessee. It may have been Tennessee High or Dobyns Bennett. That school went on to win the national title finishing as the first ranked team in the USA. GC supposedly handled them in that scrimmage and GC had one of the old Rogers brothers who played at Tech, and about 6 other major Div 1 players that included players going to TN, VT, and Notre Dame. They dominated and destroyed opponents and reading from the old VHSL program from the 90s that I still have, it stated that is considered the best team in SWVA history and up until the 90s, it was considered one of the most dominant teams in Virginia history for its level of play. At that time, there were 3 levels of play. A, AA, and AAA in Virginia. Gate City was AA then.
All I know is that in 97, when GC was AA div. 1 and won a state title, they lost to both the A div.1 and A div.2 champions.
