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Is Riverheads The Greatest 1a Dynasty Of All Time?

trutiger16

VaPreps Honorable Mention
Jun 10, 2014
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If Riverheads captures the title this year is a 4 peat possible and will they be considered the best 1a program ever ? thoughts
 
No don’t think they are dynasty but they are one of the best coached programs in state
 
I do believe Riverheads is an established power and has proven that but let's not forget Ralph Cummins' Clintwood teams either. The LPD if any district was dominate in the day. JMO
 
Not sure why it would be a 4 peat if they won this year and next year as that is only 3. If they did win 4 in a row. They would have to be considered the best 1A of all time as no team has ever won 4 in a row.
The shortest span of 4 titles in 1A was Appalachia from 92-97 winning 4 in 6 seasons.
in 1A/D1/A football only 5 teams have actually repeated (back to back) as champion.
Altavista 13-14
Surry 98-99
Appalachia 96-97
Parry McCluer 86-87
Clintwood 74-75

*VHSL reference is a great thing*

If Riverheads repeats it has to place them up in the conversation, if they 3peated or 4peated, I don't see how they couldn't be considered the best.
 
Not sure why it would be a 4 peat if they won this year and next year as that is only 3. If they did win 4 in a row. They would have to be considered the best 1A of all time as no team has ever won 4 in a row.
The shortest span of 4 titles in 1A was Appalachia from 92-97 winning 4 in 6 seasons.
in 1A/D1/A football only 5 teams have actually repeated (back to back) as champion.
Altavista 13-14
Surry 98-99
Appalachia 96-97
Parry McCluer 86-87
Clintwood 74-75

*VHSL reference is a great thing*

If Riverheads repeats it has to place them up in the conversation, if they 3peated or 4peated, I don't see how they couldn't be considered the best.

My memory is not the best, but I think in 86, we(Lunenburg) were A Div1 Champs and in 87, we were A Div2. I don't know why we flipped with Parry McCluer, but I think we did(enrollment #'s?)
 
If they 3 peat(even though they have to win Saturday), the conversation may have to take place. A 3 peat in high school is amazing.
 
Let them get a repeat before we talk about a 3 peat. They do only lose 8 players this year. Strong group of juniors on team who were on last years championship team as sophomores. Chilhowie has a lot of juniors also so they have a good chance of coming back next year.
 
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My memory is not the best, but I think in 86, we(Lunenburg) were A Div1 Champs and in 87, we were A Div2. I don't know why we flipped with Parry McCluer, but I think we did(enrollment #'s?)

3 teams went back to back those years. 1A Parry McCluer 2A Lunenburg 3A James Monroe.
 
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Single a division 2 is exactly what class 2A is now. They were never A Division 1
Single A D2 is not exactly what 2A is now. The way the divisions are broke down is entirely different. Before the split to 6A for example, nobody had rankings for each division. It was just Single A, Double A and AAA.
 
Single A D2 is not exactly what 2A is now. The way the divisions are broke down is entirely different. Before the split to 6A for example, nobody had rankings for each division. It was just Single A, Double A and AAA.
When was single a,double a and triple a it was only three state champs then it went to triple a, double a and single a division 1 and 2 I believe and only in football
 
Single A Division 2

When was single a,double a and triple a it was only three state champs then it went to triple a, double a and single a division 1 and 2 I believe and only in football

It changed in 1986. AAA was divisions 5 and 6. AA was 3 and 4. And A was 1 and 2. From that point Powell Valley was A division 2 and Appalachia was A division 1. Probably 90% of teams that used to be A division 2 now fall under class 2A in the current format, same with A division 1 and class 1A.
 
Riverheads will win Saturday, and will be heavily favored to win next year also, making the 4 peat possible, I'm not a fan of Riverheads but it's very possible this could happen.
 
It changed in 1986. AAA was divisions 5 and 6. AA was 3 and 4. And A was 1 and 2. From that point Powell Valley was A division 2 and Appalachia was A division 1. Probably 90% of teams that used to be A division 2 now fall under class 2A in the current format, same with A division 1 and class 1A.
Didn’t realize it changed that early the rest of the high school sports didn’t change until 09 -10 school year I believe
 
It changed in 1986. AAA was divisions 5 and 6. AA was 3 and 4. And A was 1 and 2. From that point Powell Valley was A division 2 and Appalachia was A division 1. Probably 90% of teams that used to be A division 2 now fall under class 2A in the current format, same with A division 1 and class 1A.
There are quite a few teams that were D2 in regions outside of Region B that are now 1A. There are teams in 2B that were Division 1 under the old system, and there are teams that used to be in the old D2 in Region B that are now 3A. My point is nobody called Single A, Division 2 AA under the old system. D1 and D2 were Single A. Essex, King William, Radford, etc were never called Double A.
 
There are quite a few teams that were D2 in regions outside of Region B that are now 1A. There are teams in 2B that were Division 1 under the old system, and there are teams that used to be in the old D2 in Region B that are now 3A. My point is nobody called Single A, Division 2 AA under the old system. D1 and D2 were Single A. Essex, King William, Radford, etc were never called Double A.

A lot of these changes are probably due to the increase or decline in population in certain parts of VA. I just personally would be more inclined to compare Powell Valley’s dominance to someone like Appomattox as opposed to Riverheads because Powell Valley would be 2A if this current system were in place back in the day with their enrollment. Appalachia would be a better comparison to Riverheads in my opinion.
 
Riverheads will have plenty of trouble within its own district next year, which could later affect playoff seeding. The Shenandoah had six strong teams this year, and then a drop-off to its bottom three. From what I know of the various schools, all six of that top group will have key players coming back. It should be another dogfight. Therefore we are a longgggggg way from talking about any kind of repeat.
 
When considering a dynasty though to me it’s more than just 3/4 years. If you go back to their first title in 2000 i don’t think you can name another 1A team who’s been better over the past 17 years.

If they win the title this year hey would be average a title every 3? Years i believe. That’s including several years in 2A in which they only lost a handful of games.
 
Riverheads will win Saturday, and will be heavily favored to win next year also, making the 4 peat possible, I'm not a fan of Riverheads but it's very possible this could happen.

They have only won 1 in a row to this point. If they win Saturday, that is 2, so they would need to win Saturday, next year, and the year after for a 4 peat.

In 2015, they lost in the championship game to Galax
 
Greatest of all time includes not only winning championships but a winning Tradition through the years. Central of Lunenburg and Powell Valley were those teams for year in and year out for many years. Lunenburg is my high school's (Nottoway) biggest Rival and a program model many others used to build their programs.
 
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Well Sussex Central has to be in that discussion also, if I'm correct Sussex is in the top 5 in the entire state in Playoff Wins.
 
Greatest of all time includes not only winning championships but a winning Tradition through the years. Central of Lunenburg and Powell Valley were those teams for year in and year out for many years. Lunenburg is my high school's (Nottoway) biggest Rival and a program model many others used to build their programs.[/QUOTE. You described Riverheads far having a winning tradition like to know how many games they have won since 2000 and how that ranks in all of Virginia
 
Riverheads is a constant in an ever changing Shen District . All this talk of repeat , 3 peat is just for conversation . This is really a rebuild year with a lot of underclassmen . Next year looks good and after that who knows ? Other teams in the district go thru cycles and rebuild every 4 to 5 years . Take a look at BG , Wilson , Draft , Luray , all have had good teams but roll off to the middle of the road or worse. Riverheads imo has raised the bar in the district. Look at the number of wing teams that try to mirror the Gladiators .
I am sure they will focused on Sat. and " do what they do " . Best of luck to both teams as I will watch this one on the radio ! PS Been kind of busy lookin for an anniversary gift for my friend up the road . Hate to see the Cougars without something to celebrate . lol
 
I know Riverheads was ranked one of the top 10 programs of the 2000s and that was for the entire state.

I hate to be one taking up for them, but I think they are certainly in discussion for greatest 1A dynasty and if they aren’t 1 they aren’t worse than 3
 
Riverheads 199-38 since 1999 I guess you can call it whatever you want to call it, I call it pretty dang good.
 
I mean how many other programs can say they have only missed the playoffs ONCE since what 99?
 
No beef but Sussex should be ranked up there as far as tradition. Sussex has only missed the playoffs twice in SCHOOL HISTORY.
So you know , Coach J will have a hard time getting the Tigers back in playoff form next season . You guys were good this year and Essex stole one . You all loose a lot this time . Good luck .
 
So you know , Coach J will have a hard time getting the Tigers back in playoff form next season . You guys were good this year and Essex stole one . You all loose a lot this time . Good luck .
It will be hard for sure but I will always bet with a program that has missed the playoffs TWICE in SCHOOL HISTORY! We shall see and thanks...my Tigers will need it lol
 
Sussex will have no trouble making the playoffs. Franklin almost made it over Northampton because the SOS of playing in the Tri Rivers. 3-7 would make it close. 4-6 and they're probably ahead of whichever teams are in the Middlesex/Northampton category from this season.
 
At worst Sussex may go 7-3, By playoff time the young Tigers will be a force, Many freshman and sophomores contributed this year, they no longer have milk on their breath so to speak.
 
When was single a,double a and triple a it was only three state champs then it went to triple a, double a and single a division 1 and 2 I believe and only in football

Call it whatever being " single A, double A, triple A." The point is, since 1986, there has been 6 levels of play, and again, call it Classifications, Divisions, 1 through 6, etc. Powell Valley has played (since 1986) at the 2nd level out of 6 levels, and even Union (since it's been open) is also at level 2. PC never played at the smallest level of play after 1986.
 
this is in now way a knock against Riverheads but making the playoffs has been not much of a big deal the last 7 years. There was one coach out this way who left and he could put on his resume that he took his team to the playoffs both years he coached them. Don't have to mention their records were 4-6 and 3-7.
 
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