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They are just gearing up for the Seminole grind which shouldn't be much of a test for them this year with the possible exception of Brookville at the end. They're primed for the #1 seed in the West more than likely and will do well as long as they don't run into a defense that can put the brakes on Jones, Miller, etc... They will have to work on getting better defensively. I don't think they have a state winning defense. If they make it to Lynchburg in December and LT is on the other side with their DL & Secondary it will be a mighty challenge.I'm not hearing all that much chatter about these guys. I think they're very strong contenders.
Thoughts?
John Champe or Heritage vs JF in west finalsJF is a very strong contender in 4A West. You also have Salem and Sherando. But don't count out the Loudoun Schools. Woodgrove is very good. But I'll say now, this is my pick for the 4A West rep at Liberty. John Champe.
JF will score points on anybody, and a lot, including LT. However, if LT can have the last possession, they will probably win.
I've not seen them play in person, but their victories so far this year have been very telling. I'm still not sure who gets the number 1 seed in the 4A West if multiple teams end up finishing the season undefeated.
I agree with Shauntclair on the Loudoun schools, but I think Champe is the better of the two if I had to pick.
JF is without a doubt a top 3 team in the West though, right up there with Salem and Sherando.
I keep telling em Devils that LT's DL last year was the only team I've seen push Salem around like that in a long time, getting penetration and very disruptive. (Sherando '13 also w/ LB play) That's not even mentioning those college guys playing in the secondary back there. It would be an interesting matchup, but that's a level I don't think JF is ready for. I hope Salem will make it back and they might, but some injuries are mounting and I'm not sure how it will all work out. Playoff seeding will play a part.And you base this off of what? Seeing Lake Taylor? Just asking.
JF will score points on anybody, and a lot, including LT. However, if LT can have the last possession, they will probably win. JF defense has significantly improved in regards to forcing turnovers and capitalizing on mistakes. They just aren't consistent enough which hurts against a team like LT, they may not get those opportunities to capitalize on mistakes. I would love to see this matchup in week 16
Haven't seen them play in person but I have seen film, which can sometimes be deceiving. I'm not saying they would beat LT at this point in the season. But if they keep improving like they have been week to week, they'll have a chance. They've just got a LOT of playmakers. It's not just the Navy Jones show.
How did this thread go so deep before Sherando was mentioned?
They're often overlooked or belittled around here unfortunately. Ah well, winning can change all that.
As far as Lake Taylor being on a "different level" than the top tier teams in the West, I'm going to have to disagree. This year's LT squad isn't as dominant as 2013's Dinwiddie or 2014's Lake Taylor.
2013 Dinwiddie's closest game was won by a margin of 24 points. That's domination.
2014's Lake Taylor got by Monacan by 5 points in the semi-finals, but prior to that their closest game was a win at L.C. Bird, the team that won the 5A state title. No one else got within 25 points of them.
Those two teams were on another level by far. Lake Taylor has been clutch this year and they're the best team in 4A, but I wouldn't say they are as separated from the rest of the competition at the same level as the past two champions have been. They've played two close games against inferior competition, and if they have another one of those games against a Salem, Sherando, or Jefferson Forest, they absolutely could lose.
Score comparison game doesn't work. Inferior competition right? Norview top 10 team in the State in 5A probably and lost in the 5A state quarterfinals last year and probably has a better team this year. Northeastern only won 14 games a season ago and according to their coach is a better team this year. Both of these teams were harder games than play Amherst and Phoebus a season ago. Gotta challenge yourself, but you say inferior opposition and I say what would your team do against the same teams. Bottom line anyone can lose at any point and if we play poorly we can lose, but because we didn't win by whatever margin you believe is enough we must not be as good. That however is the typical fan thinking.
Granted, I didn't see posts from Miss Zirkle on the forum, but it has to be the same Miss Zirkle that I know... This should answer for me: Was the basketball forum the place that she posted the majority of her stuff?Honestly I think the novelty of this forum wore off a long time ago. And with the rise of Twitter users and other message boards, it's taken away the "sizzle" if you will of this site. I really miss the old "wild west" days when people would post under three or four different handles. You just knew that "such and such" and "such and such" were the same people by the material they posted.
I miss a number of the old posters on here as well. Guys like the Rock- a big Louisa fan in the old days, the Eyeball- not a Coach Mike Smith fan IIRC, Sir Machinery- Huge Altavista guy, and the many SWVA posters no longer on here.
Miss Zirkle and Rob not being big parts of this forum as well.
Calm down man, have a Snickers or something. I'm just saying the gap isn't as large as it was in prior years. Lake Taylor is the obvious favorite, but I'm of the opinion that they're not world beaters like they were last year.
No need to get your feathers all ruffled.
wow - someone mentions Sherando and it wasnt me, still the same result. and even now Rod even has a problem with it.
JF will not score a lot of points on LT, I'm not a gambling man but I would put money on not over 21. I seriously doubt they would get to 21. JF is good, LT is a different level.
Granted, I didn't see posts from Miss Zirkle on the forum, but it has to be the same Miss Zirkle that I know... This should answer for me: Was the basketball forum the place that she posted the majority of her stuff?
Champe has a good win against Woodgrove this year, but otherwise haven't been nor do they look like they will be challenged till playoff time. The bigger Loudoun schools are all playing each other, but the 3/4A LC schools didn't play Briar Woods, Broad Run, Tuscarora as Woodgrove did in years past. I'm not saying Champe won't be good, I don't think we'll know much till Week 2 playoffs. I expect they'll get a bye 1st Rd assuming they beat Heritage LC, I think that's their only challenge left regular season. Of the top 6 undefeated left, Heritage/Champe & Pulaski/Salem play each other so unless some big upsets happen JF, Champe/Heritage winner, Sherando, and Pulaski/Salem winner should be the Top 4. I'm not criticizing Champe's schedule, it's just not the traditional LC bruiser that it used to be. They are such a new program it's hard to say what will happen.JF is a very strong contender in 4A West. You also have Salem and Sherando. But don't count out the Loudoun Schools. Woodgrove is very good. But I'll say now, this is my pick for the 4A West rep at Liberty. John Champe.
Haha relax. Not trying to get you angry, all I am saying is that The gap between the two teams is not as big as you think. Of course both teams will improve nobody said they wouldn't.
haha! I see how you were saying "miss zirkle" now. lolLOL!! No friend! Zirkle Blakey! Robert's brother!
They're often overlooked or belittled around here unfortunately. Ah well, winning can change all that.
As far as Lake Taylor being on a "different level" than the top tier teams in the West, I'm going to have to disagree. This year's LT squad isn't as dominant as 2013's Dinwiddie or 2014's Lake Taylor.
2013 Dinwiddie's closest game was won by a margin of 24 points. That's domination.
2014's Lake Taylor got by Monacan by 5 points in the semi-finals, but prior to that their closest game was a win at L.C. Bird, the team that won the 5A state title. No one else got within 25 points of them.
Those two teams were on another level by far. Lake Taylor has been clutch this year and they're the best team in 4A, but I wouldn't say they are as separated from the rest of the competition at the same level as the past two champions have been. They've played two close games against inferior competition, and if they have another one of those games against a Salem, Sherando, or Jefferson Forest, they absolutely could lose.
I don't think every time we mention a team being good we have to automatically go to Lake Taylor comparisons. Of course, Lake Taylor is great, and of course the Titans can lose. Everyone can lose. I just felt like all the other teams that seem like top tier teams seem to be getting mentions, but I hadn't seen much about JF.
It's still 10 weeks to the state championship and Lake Taylor and Jefferson Forest have a lot to do before a matchup like that is even possible.
I do take it from the response to this thread that everyone seems to consider them one of the contenders in the West. That was what I was wondering, if the eyeball test was showing people what my computer test was saying.
JF will not score a lot of points on LT, I'm not a gambling man but I would put money on not over 21. I seriously doubt they would get to 21. JF is good, LT is a different level.
I don't think every time we mention a team being good we have to automatically go to Lake Taylor comparisons. Of course, Lake Taylor is great, and of course the Titans can lose. Everyone can lose. I just felt like all the other teams that seem like top tier teams seem to be getting mentions, but I hadn't seen much about JF.
It's still 10 weeks to the state championship and Lake Taylor and Jefferson Forest have a lot to do before a matchup like that is even possible.
I do take it from the response to this thread that everyone seems to consider them one of the contenders in the West. That was what I was wondering, if the eyeball test was showing people what my computer test was saying.
For the record, I only brought them up because it was said that LT was on another level.
LT can't be on another level they have won 2 games by a combined 13 points. LT 2014 never did that. The rest of the state has caught up, and the West will close the gap and possibly win it all this year. ----Is that right? Again why are people around the state looking at LT? What happens if we get upset in round 1 does your season go down the drain too?
Interesting. LT is strong and may well represent the East but to be honest, if JF reps the West, it may be the biggest slaughter to date in the final. LT will be in the JF backfield before they even have a chance to hand the ball off and the JF defense is a colander. Sherando, Salem, John Champe would be much better served in such a match-up. Their problem is, can they out score JF in the playoffs so they can get to the final? There it is.A quick note from the sidelines. I do think the 4a east is less formidable with respect to depth. LT is still motoring along just fine. Don't be fooled by a lack of dominance if the final score is your barometer.
Hanover has stumbled. Monacan will stumbled some, tough schedule ahead. Dinwiddie is certainly not scary this year. Two loses and a mountain to climb Sat against 5a Thomas Dale.
Chancellor, Courtland, and Kings Fork are good, but not in the WOW category. A few others are strong, but not final four east strong.
So it comes down to Lake Taylor, and everybody else. Really hard to put forth an argument against that.
A side note, if JF and Sherando meet to be the "best of the west", and JF wins against Sherando's style defense, you have to at least raise an eyebrow. If Jefferson can rack up 40-50 points on a stout defense like Sherando's, and with a Coach that you know can craft a strong game plan, you have to say, maybe, if they play a perfect game and LT makes a bunch of mistakes.
And maybe true if the Warriors are the team to go to Lynchburg. But I'm of the belief that Sherado is successful because of their defense, and I don't know if their offense would be good enough to put up enough points against the super stout LT defense. If JF is quick enough to get the ball out of their backfield against the "here they come again" defense, that's what I would say would give them a fighting chance. I don't think anybody's power running offense is good enough to have enough success to put up a winning points total against LT.
So there you have it from the cheap seats.
John Champe will beat Heritage by 4 scores. Woodgrove will be bounced in the second round as usual. This Champe team is tough but in no way will it be ready for a JF team and I don't think anyone will. The speed that the Cavs play with goes way beyond the skill guys. Big gaps and they force you to be assignment oriented. I don't care what you say they (JF) are mediocre on D. The clear emphasis is on the offense and in special teams which seems to be the great equalizer for the Cavs. I think the ground and pound teams (Sherando, Woodgrove, Salem etc...) are better equipped to control the clock and limit The touches Navy Jones has. If he is not the most electrifying player in 4A he is very close.