1st and 10 Camp Tour: Pulaski County
The Cougars enter the 2021 campaign with more confidence and familiarity as they open up year two of the Mark Dixon era.
Pulaski Co preview
- Thread starter mike salem
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I noticed that Pulaski will be playing Tennessee High of Bristol Tennessee as well as the Bluefield Beavers from Bluefield West Virginia and the Graham G-men from Bluefield Virginia.1st and 10 Camp Tour: Pulaski County
The Cougars enter the 2021 campaign with more confidence and familiarity as they open up year two of the Mark Dixon era.www.wsls.com
Not really sure that'll do it. Two schools that'd be (or are) 2A in Virginia and another that'd be 4A but is average at best as a program. Bluefield is a good program but not sure how much that'll prepare PC for a Tuscarora or something. Same reason I wouldn't want Salem to schedule Appomattox. Given Pulaski's physical location in the state they need to look east for games, not west.
The Beavers of Bluefield High are the real deal. They will beat likely beat Pulaski. Bluefield High is one of the winningest programs on the East Coast and a Double A powerhouse in West Virginia that has won something like 12 or 13 state titles. Bluefield is also supposed to be dynamite this year. They are good every year, but for this year and next year, they are loaded with talent. Similar for Graham, a 2A program that played up in Div 3 for years when it should have been 1A or 2A, and having won several state titles and having had several deep playoff runs over the last 50 or so years. Graham is a powerhouse and like Bluefield, Graham will be in contention for a possible 2A state title this year in Virginia. Graham has 2 four star players on it's roster and returns nearly its entire football team from last spring. Pulaski, has actually strengthened its schedule, even with Graham being 2A and Bluefield being a 2A or 3A equivalent in Virginia, trust me, their schedule actually got tougher. Of interest, Bluefield and Graham open up with each other as both schools, one in Bluefield, WV, and the other in Bluefield, VA have one of the longest and largest rivalries in the United States in which the crowd regularly brings 10-12 thousand people and has been featured by national sports media outlets over the past 30 plus years.
So, regarding your statement about PC looking East for games, I would agree with you about 98% of the time in that they should go East for games. The two exceptions or 2% I would disagree would be going to West to play Graham High of Bluefield and Bluefield High of Bluefield, WV. Those 2 aren't your run of the mil 2A schools. As a matter of fact and no disrespect to Pulaski, and we can revisit this thread to see if I'm correct, I bet you Pulaski loses BOTH games. There is a very, very real chance that Pulaski may be playing the West Virginia AA State Champion and the Virginia 2A State Champion this year. Graham and Appomattox are likely to be playing one another in the semi's in what will be a can't miss matchup with the winner of that game being a favorite to win the state title. Do not let the school class size fool you with PC's schedule. Statistically, playing down should be less difficult and easier 98% or more of the time. Bluefield and Graham are not in that 98%. They are a bit different and Pulaski like I said, probably not favored in either game.
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I mean, I'm definitely not here to tell you Pulaski is winning all three games. The Bluefield game may potentially be worth it, I don't really see the same for Graham and Tennessee High. Graham isn't a historically unique program, they're pretty run of the mill (.603 all-time). They go up, they come down, and it repeats like most every other program. Bluefield at least has a much more consistent winning profile, especially as of late, definitely more of a reloader than a rebuilder as far as year-to-year goes. Tennessee High just seems like a random 4D-level program.
I guess I misspoke in the sense that while Pulaski has strengthened their schedule (because they haven't particularly tested themselves OOD most of the time beyond keeping Northside), I don't think it's a schedule you make if your aim is at the ultimate goal. Like, if that was Salem's schedule I'd be disappointed, that's what I'm saying. I don't really see Pulaski or the new coach as "settling" for just being above-average most of the time so I'm just not sure what they're accomplishing by not really testing themselves as much as they should be. Like I said, Bluefield is OK, most college teams keep an FCS on the schedule but at least this is an FCS with some fight in it but then it's basically like they headed out to the Sun Belt and SOCON for the rest of the schedule instead of maybe shooting for other P5 schools.
I guess I misspoke in the sense that while Pulaski has strengthened their schedule (because they haven't particularly tested themselves OOD most of the time beyond keeping Northside), I don't think it's a schedule you make if your aim is at the ultimate goal. Like, if that was Salem's schedule I'd be disappointed, that's what I'm saying. I don't really see Pulaski or the new coach as "settling" for just being above-average most of the time so I'm just not sure what they're accomplishing by not really testing themselves as much as they should be. Like I said, Bluefield is OK, most college teams keep an FCS on the schedule but at least this is an FCS with some fight in it but then it's basically like they headed out to the Sun Belt and SOCON for the rest of the schedule instead of maybe shooting for other P5 schools.
Well, I disagree a bit. Bluefield is the real deal. Graham High has won 4 state titles, and has 11 state semi appearances and Graham has played up for 50 years before just recently dropping down to 2A about 10 years ago. 603 is pretty good when you are playing Div 3 for 40 years when you should have been Div 1, not even Div 2. Tennessee High is exactly as you describe them. We agree on that. Like I wrote, betcha Pulaski goes 1 and 2 in these games. Loss to Bluefield, loss to Graham and EASY win over Tennessee High.
Anyone that thinks bluefield isn't quality competition for pulaski and even Salem for that matter don't know anything about bluefield
Eh, I just don't see it with Graham. Their titles are 1962 (playoff, vote, ?), then 1989, 1995, and 2018. I can name a lot of programs who've won one state title and been a bit above .500 in the past 25 years which is kind of exactly what run of the mill is to me. As for playing up, a lot of teams played up and only recently has everyone been slotted where they belong. I don't really think Graham's enrollment numbers have stayed steady either. Salem has *never* scheduled D1/D2 (old A) level teams and they played Graham a bunch in the late 80s/early 90s, I would guarantee you Graham had AA enrollment at that time. As industries have died out or moved out in SWVA the areas have lost population and enrollments have naturally declined, I would wager a guess that Graham is no different. I'm sure they've spent time playing up, I'm not particularly sure they've essentially never been in the correct division until very recently as you're saying. I'm not saying they're a poor program, I just don't think they're year-to-year great and top end. Their record ebbs and flows too much year-to-year, that's all.
Eh cmon with this stuff. Salem would roll Bluefield most years and still win the others. Some of you live in this fantasy where there's no delineation between areas of play and act like Southlake Carroll would be lucky to beat Riverheads or something. The classifications exist for a reason, just like weight classes in boxing or wrestling.
I said Bluefield is a good schedule for Pulaski, I just don't think the other two are going to end up doing them any favors if they're trying to shape up for a run at state.
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Bluefield is quality opponent for Salem...yes Salem would win most but they are better than some on Salem's schedule.
Graham will get pulaski a bunch of points if pulaski can beat them...that's enough for me
I don't doubt that, Salem's got some real stinkers in their RRD schedule but that can't be helped.
Bluefield is as good or better than Northside too...who isn't in the RRD
Pursuit of a state title isn’t exclusively about scheduling the best teams every week. It’s a bit of an art form scheduling a mix of tough teams and others who you can hopefully beat and get max points from.
I see nothing wrong with Pulaski’s schedule. Not like they’re playing Bland, Marion and Battle. Bluefield is an outstanding program and Graham has two of the best players in the state of VA in Meadows (OT who signed with UVA) and Bradshaw (son of Ahmad Bradshaw; will likely sign with Notre Dame).. You can’t tell me that those aren’t quality opponents.
Also,
Appomattox would be an excellent opponent for Salem btw. Real Salem fans would agree and they respect the Raiders’ program. Appomattox has won the past 5 out of 6 state championships in 2A. Those guys just reload and they have a hell of a team this year.. Salem and Appomattox are the state’s two most consistent programs.
Also,
Appomattox would be an excellent opponent for Salem btw. Real Salem fans would agree and they respect the Raiders’ program. Appomattox has won the past 5 out of 6 state championships in 2A. Those guys just reload and they have a hell of a team this year.. Salem and Appomattox are the state’s two most consistent programs.
The RRD isn't the SEC, I don't really buy the points argument. The district is literally just one really good team, two average-to-good teams, and four bad teams (occasionally said teams put together a good couple of years here and there but that's entirely player dependent, when those kids graduate those programs bottom out again). The staffs at PH and PC should, given the resources and average annual talent at each program, be looking at their schedule and saying Salem is the only likely loss and beyond that 9-1 or 8-2 is very feasible. Those aren't programs thinking "6-4 would work if we can get the rider points".
I'm also not saying Pulaski's schedule should be Tuscarora, Dinwiddie, Louisa, and Stone Bridge every year. I just think maybe you look towards say, the Seminole (in fairness they have before with Amherst iirc), maybe put an eye on a team you might see in the POs. Go poke GW, they're fearless about scheduling and there's a very real chance of seeing them in the POs.
I'm just guessing since Dixon came from Galax this is just what he's more comfortable with for scheduling, he's certainly had good success against Graham (and under their current HC) before so maybe he's doing it with that in mind.
I was gonna say… could just be coach has experience with some of those bluefield-area teams. Maybe he’s got a philosophy about travel distance. Who knows. I just find it odd to nitpick at PCHS scheduling when the non-district games are definitely quality teams (I know NOTHING about TN HS).
I respect everyone's opinion on the subject. Mine is this. We will see what happens with the outcome. When looking at Pulaski's schedule this year, the second and third best teams on their schedule outside of Salem are Bluefield and Graham. If they played every year, Bluefield would best Northside more years than not. One final thing about this year, Graham is supposed to be dynamite. Do not be surprised if Graham beats Bluefield in game one to start the season. I think Pulaski goes 7 and 3 with losses to Salem and Bluefield and Graham. Only my opinion, and no way they go 2 for 2 against Graham and Bluefield. Again, agree Pulaski needs to go East to look for opponents with literally two exceptions and both only about 50 minutes from Pulaski and that would be both of the schools in Bluefield. Graham will go 9-1is this year with Bluefield and Pulaski the two potential losses and Bluefield 9-1ish with Pulaski and Graham the two potential losses. That's a TON of power points for Pulaski right there and again, they are playing two very good programs that will prepare in my opinion, more than ANY team on their schedule outside of Salem. There is a REASON Dixon chose to play Graham and Bluefield. He's not a dummy. He knows what he's doing.
Bluefield is better than Northside most yrs
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I was just clarifying what you said. You stated as good or better. I'm just saying that they are just better.
