Yes I agree LT is in a class by itself, and is well on its way to another title. However, do you think the West has overall more quality teams this year than the East?
If you take out LT , the West stacks up pretty good this year
- Thread starter hamspear
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I know the East stole Courtland and Chancellor from us, they should have a probationary year with the East haha
Mm, I think if Lake Taylor is removed the state title game would definitely be more balanced than it has the first two years. Without the change I think Sherando and Salem would both have state championships.
I'd say on a whole the 4A West matches up fairly evenly with the 4A East, even with the teams that swapped sides in the transition. I don't think anyone's going to take the title from the Titans, but hey, bigger upsets have happened. Though I think if they were to lose in the playoffs it'd be a King's Fork v. Phoebus situation rather than an upset in the state final.
Who knows, maybe a West winner comes sooner than originally thought. When the change was announced a couple years I was in the camp of "well, there goes any shot of my school winning a title," what with juggernauts like LT and (at the time) Phoebus being moved to the same division.
Definitely more evenly matched on a whole this year than the last two though!
I'd say on a whole the 4A West matches up fairly evenly with the 4A East, even with the teams that swapped sides in the transition. I don't think anyone's going to take the title from the Titans, but hey, bigger upsets have happened. Though I think if they were to lose in the playoffs it'd be a King's Fork v. Phoebus situation rather than an upset in the state final.
Who knows, maybe a West winner comes sooner than originally thought. When the change was announced a couple years I was in the camp of "well, there goes any shot of my school winning a title," what with juggernauts like LT and (at the time) Phoebus being moved to the same division.
Definitely more evenly matched on a whole this year than the last two though!
Without the change Briar Woods is still playing in Div IV. And I do remember a certain Briar Woods team playing for a state title in 5A in 2013 so Sherando might not have been that much of a shoe in.
Briar woods actually had 5A numbers the year before . As did Broad Run before that. That's a hypothetical situation from the past, Dinwiddie was by far the best team that year, as your team is this year. I am just speaking about the depth has evened somewhat this year, in my opinion. Sherando was never a " shoe in" they earned the right to play in that game by beating some good teams to get there.
Briar Woods D4 champ had higher enrollment in 2012 than D5 champ Lake Taylor and D6 champ LC Bird. Think that had a lot to do with the changes made to the current set up. What if's is a fun game to play!!
Briar Woods would have been heavily favored over Sherando in 2013 and Tuscarora would have been heavily favored against Salem last season.
The alignment didn't make things more difficult on the West, it just changed the names of the teams they'd played.
They'll get one in the coming 2-3 seasons though, in my opinion.
Oh right, for whatever reason I remembered it as being the year before that they moved. My mistake. I retract the previous statement then.
Yeah, right! I've got a bridge for sale for anyone that buys this. But noble, Mike.
No offense Lafayette, but you ain't #1 or # 2 in my book. Sorry.
I think even LT would have some trouble with Jefferson Forest's offense, but JF would have to play defense to win.
Line down run the ball right up our alley. The offense while unconventional is no different then playing a team like Stone Bridge that played a single wing in the state finals. And I doubt nothing JF trots out there can compete with that team.
They scored 69 in the regional finals that year against a very good Yorktown team. We held them to 14 in the finals
It's like playing our offense not everyone can prepare for it in a week.
Hard to say considering this team has only played 3 games. In 2012 we played OOD Indian River (46-0) GW Danville (21-0) and Bethel (51-0), but that team also had close call against Granby 27-25 and had to fight back to win on a last second field goal at North Stafford.
That's ok- that is why the games are played! In my high school days in New Jersey there were no playoffs and sectional champions were awarded based on a poll system, no games, now that was bad!!
Well I don't think that Stone Bridge team had any skill players as fast and athletic as Navy Jones (from watching the SB/LT game a couple of times), but I forgot Jones is hurt now.
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Navy Jones looks fast and he looks even faster playing against kids that are no way as good athletically as him. Too much season left to play and Stone Bridge had a kid in Yarborough who was VERY fast and he killed teams all year long up there, but that speed was negated in the finals.
Wikki initially told me Jones got carted off with a leg injury, but then posted later that she had been given bad information, different player got carted off, not Navy. I haven't heard any news about him being injured and if he were all 3 tv stations would have mentioned it as well as the 2 papers that cover Roanoke/Lynchburg.
I will agree with Devils, when you have a whole team full of superior speed, it makes the one or two guys on the other side of the ball look slower. now, I am sure if this young man was on LT , Devils would be glad to have him.
JF might score once or twice. LT isn't going to let one guy takeover and in my opinion jones would run out of gas trying to get out of the backfield all night with as much pressure and pnetration that LT gets.
My top 10 in the West so far for this early season, it might change after tomorrow:
1. Jefferson Forest (best offense)
2. George Washington (best offense/defense combo, but weak schedule)
3. Salem (because Salem)
4. Sherando (could be top 3, but very sloppy play at times)
5. Champe (sleeper)
6. Woodgrove
7. Heritage-Leesburg
8. Pulaski
9. Dominion
10. Charlottesville
I do agree that without LT, the West stacks up pretty well.
1. Jefferson Forest (best offense)
2. George Washington (best offense/defense combo, but weak schedule)
3. Salem (because Salem)
4. Sherando (could be top 3, but very sloppy play at times)
5. Champe (sleeper)
6. Woodgrove
7. Heritage-Leesburg
8. Pulaski
9. Dominion
10. Charlottesville
I do agree that without LT, the West stacks up pretty well.
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Hoos are you implying that the top ten in the West could beat all but LT in the East or saying the top 10 in the West is better than the top ten in the East?
@BleedingNavy I'm saying that from top to bottom, the West matches up pretty well. 2 vs. 2, 3 vs. 3, 4 vs. 4, etc., would all be good games, IMO.
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Gotcha. May be correct. We will never know for sure, so it isn't worth arguing over. 4a is solid throughout the state. I hope someday we will flip flop the semis.
JF has MANY more weapons than just Jones. He typically doesn't even start making the big plays until the second half. The offensive line is monstrous and experienced, also Cole Scott, cam Miller-Trent, and Sean birch are the ones who grind out the 5 and 6 yard plays consistently. If JF plays defense through the playoffs like they did the past two weeks, particularly against magna vista, I don't see anybody beating them. But I know that seems biased coming from me.
I see everybody beating us the rest of the season, we didn't deserve the win against EV, and Louisa is just better. Fort hill will truck us, and Jefferson WV will throw the ball up and down the field. We suck. If we are lucky to make the playoffs, we will get smacked by any team that shows up. From here on out consider any Sherando win just pure luck, a gift from the football gods.
I think someone broke Hamspear.
That said, I could see Sherando losing a couple games between now and the end of the season. Jefferson (WV) isn't to be underestimated this year, they've got a lot of confidence coming into this game and haven't lost yet this year. Fort Hill is Fort Hill, and Sherando has lost a handful of district games against weaker teams in recent years.
If anything, sloppy play could do them in. The amount of penalties the Warriors rack up is quite remarkable.
That said, I could see Sherando losing a couple games between now and the end of the season. Jefferson (WV) isn't to be underestimated this year, they've got a lot of confidence coming into this game and haven't lost yet this year. Fort Hill is Fort Hill, and Sherando has lost a handful of district games against weaker teams in recent years.
If anything, sloppy play could do them in. The amount of penalties the Warriors rack up is quite remarkable.
I couldn't agree more Hoos. I would add sleeper to Pulaski also. Those guys are real solid!
I think what Hamspears is trying to say is his team is unbeaten and many of you keep throwing Sherando under the bus. Hamspears is not the homer some on this board are. He is often very realistic. The past is the past, but my Generals knew they had to step up quickly in the 2013 championship after Sherandos's first drive. They have good talent, play sound defense and are very physical. Guys and gals, until Sherando loses Hamspear should be able to sit back and crow. Who knows if the West is catching up or ever behind. We have to play out the schedule and wait for the final in Lynchburg. If you really want to know have your AD's schedule the better teams in the East/West. Until then enjoy Friday nights! I know I do......
Sherando last lost a district game to Skyline in 2012, they were not weaker, they were better and deserved the win. Also. in 2011 loss to Skyline, they played with more heart and wanted it more in the pouring cold rain, remember that night well. Both those losses the last two to Skyline were well deserved wins by Skyline.
Looked it up and you're right. Sorry, my memory's pretty bad and I've been out of the country a handful of times over the past few seasons. No disrespect meant to Sherando or Skyline.
Actually I think I'll just bow out of this conversation. I've said a lot of really stupid stuff over the past few days.
No need to bow out, just I remember those two games very well, the first one in 11' was nothing but a heartless effort by Sherando that night, Skyline just wanted it bad, and the Warriors didn't want to be there. In 12' Skyline had some considerable talent with Blair and a few others and they just outplayed Sherando for a much deserved win. Don't leave, was just refreshing your memory , haha
I know what happened to Hammy! That Warden in Cool Hand Luke broke him.
Shake the bushes Hammy, shake the bushes!
