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Richlands vs. Appomattox

The VHSL does not enforce their requirements for hosting. If a school played in a cow pasture, they would still host. I recall 2007 when Gretna went to King William. That field probably did not meet requirements for a regular season game, but a state semi final was played there.
The only requirement for a field is that it 100yds long and 50 yds wide with two field goal posts. The requirements are for facilities such as seating, restrooms, locker room, not the field.
 
I wouldn't say Richlands dominanated us either, big 3rd qrt is about right. Our offensive scheme in the 2nd half helped with out come of that game and with 9 mins left we were at the 15 and still alive but they decided to make Ragland a receiver instead of sticking with what got us there. Good game but not dominant.
 
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I wouldn't say Richlands dominanated us either, big 3rd qrt is about right. Our offensive scheme in the 2nd half helped with out come of that game and with 9 mins left we were at the 15 and still alive but they decided to make Ragland a receiver instead of sticking with what got us there. Good game but not dominant.
I thought dominated was a strong word as well.
 
Just remember, it was not a Richlands fan that said we dominated Buckingham....... because anyone that actually watched that game knows better. We had a great 2nd half, and won. Our coaching staff made better adjustments and I think our depth wore on Buckingham, but I know most of us were very nervous right up until the clock ran out.
 
Just remember, it was not a Richlands fan that said we dominated Buckingham....... because anyone that actually watched that game knows better. We had a great 2nd half, and won. Our coaching staff made better adjustments and I think our depth wore on Buckingham, but I know most of us were very nervous right up until the clock ran out.
I like you man, you always show respect and give credit where its due.
 
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Most every team reaching this level in playoffs have athletes that can produce! The scale tips on play execution, mental focus and some "breaks". Play hard. Stay safe gentlemen!
 
I wouldn't say Richlands dominanated us either, big 3rd qrt is about right. Our offensive scheme in the 2nd half helped with out come of that game and with 9 mins left we were at the 15 and still alive but they decided to make Ragland a receiver instead of sticking with what got us there. Good game but not dominant.
I suppose one could look at the fact Richlands outscored BC 21-0 in the second half and make a case that they were the dominant team in the second half....
 
Buckingham had a very tough time stopping the passing game in the 2nd half. Richlands kept the ball on the ground in the 4th quarter to keep the clock running........no need to take chances with a 15 point lead.
 
Buckingham, needs to develop a better passing game in the future. I know they tried it in preseason with #12, but I dont think he did well or something, because I didnt see him that much during the season. Ragland is not going to be replaceable next season. I dont feel bucktown will be the the force that we have seen in last few years. I could be wrong....but i know High school talent cycles yearly.
 
Their JV QB has a heck of an arm on him and some speed running. I think he will be a pretty decent varsity QB for them
 
Buckingham, needs to develop a better passing game in the future. I know they tried it in preseason with #12, but I dont think he did well or something, because I didnt see him that much during the season. Ragland is not going to be replaceable next season. I dont feel bucktown will be the the force that we have seen in last few years. I could be wrong....but i know High school talent cycles yearly.
Ragland may be the best player I've seen all year.
 
I like you man, you always show respect and give credit where its due.

I appreciate that, but I just try to call it the way I see it.
I played ball for the Blues wayyyyy back in the old days.........the 70's and nobody is a bigger Tornado fan than I am and would fight tooth and nail for them. I love the kids and my school and town, but I just point out my observation of how I see the games.
I have to say that Richlands did have a great 2nd half coaching wise and with their execution, and I felt like the coaches for Buckingham panicked a bit and went away from what they do best and did what we do best. I think they felt after we scored quickly to start the 2nd half that they needed to do something to try to keep up with our scoring and at that point I told my wife and the guys i was sitting with that we would win.
But 1 score from Buckingham in the 2nd half could have gave the game a different feel.
 
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Im with you Stormwathcher. Ragland and Gavin for Union are the best i have seen. Cousins for Graham is going to be something special next year.
I don't know how familiar you and @stormwatcher are with 3A but Monticello High in Charlottesville graduated a RB last year named Kyree Koonce. He was first team all state as a junior and senior at Monticello. Here's the kicker, he began his high high school ball at Buckingham. He and Ragland were in the backfield together as freshmen and sophomore...talk about a loaded backfield! Had he not transferred to Monticello, he and Ragland would have been together on last years state semi team
 
Im with you Stormwathcher. Ragland and Gavin for Union are the best i have seen. Cousins for Graham is going to be something special next year.

Hey kevtodd5, I got one more name to add to your list........Jake Sturgill, the QB from Abingdon. One of the best I have seen this year. John Luke, Sturgill, and Spears are the 3 best QB's I have seen this year.
Ragland is one of the best all around players I saw as far as on offense and defense.....kid is a player.
 
Awesome ! Would love to see him in person.....thanks
He's playing at Hampden-Syden now. He had several D1 offers but didn't have the grades right after Junior year. Then he suffered a bronze ankle (I think it was) and by time he got back to game speed (and finally got his grades in order) the D1 offers disappeared. HSC definitely got a steal of a deal for the next 4 years...if he doesn't transfer to a bigger school
 
I know Richlands was 3A for years, let me ask yall this? Why the student drop off? I see on VHSL Reference page, it has yall at 673 vs. our 725. How did the student count drop off that much in such a small window of time?
 
I know Richlands was 3A for years, let me ask yall this? Why the student drop off? I see on VHSL Reference page, it has yall at 673 vs. our 725. How did the student count drop off that much in such a small window of time?
Employment. The economy was dependent on coal production.
Richlands won the Division 4 (AA) state championship back in 1992......and was a Division 4 school thru the 2004 season. Since 1992, the number of students has dropped by almost 50%.
 
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I know Richlands was 3A for years, let me ask yall this? Why the student drop off? I see on VHSL Reference page, it has yall at 673 vs. our 725. How did the student count drop off that much in such a small window of time?

We played "up". We had the numbers to drop in around 2004, but we never did drop until the new classification system 3 years ago. We beat Cave Spring, Brookville, Hidden Valley, Liberty Bedford, Bassett, Rockbridge, all these teams while being hundreds and hundreds of students smaller. It's actually quite impressive. Had we dropped in 2004-2005 when we could have, our history could have been very different.
 
We played "up". We had the numbers to drop in around 2004, but we never did drop until the new classification system 3 years ago. We beat Cave Spring, Brookville, Hidden Valley, Liberty Bedford, Bassett, Rockbridge, all these teams while being hundreds and hundreds of students smaller. It's actually quite impressive. Had we dropped in 2004-2005 when we could have, our history could have been very different.
When you say "up" are you talking up to 4A or up to 3A? Because Richlands still had 3A numbers until the 2012 season, which was the 2nd year of the last cycle that you guys were in 3A.
 
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We played "up". We had the numbers to drop in around 2004, but we never did drop until the new classification system 3 years ago. We beat Cave Spring, Brookville, Hidden Valley, Liberty Bedford, Bassett, Rockbridge, all these teams while being hundreds and hundreds of students smaller. It's actually quite impressive. Had we dropped in 2004-2005 when we could have, our history could have been very different.
I knew it had to be something. Didn't know yall were 4A?
 
We played "up". We had the numbers to drop in around 2004, but we never did drop until the new classification system 3 years ago. We beat Cave Spring, Brookville, Hidden Valley, Liberty Bedford, Bassett, Rockbridge, all these teams while being hundreds and hundreds of students smaller. It's actually quite impressive. Had we dropped in 2004-2005 when we could have, our history could have been very different.
I don't think that we can actually say that Richlands played "up" .....as in out of the classification we should have been in, Ryan. Our numbers had dropped below 4A numbers by 2004.....in 2005 we were reclassified as 3A, and we were one of the smaller schools in that classification thru 2012. It would have been nice to have been 2A in 2010-2012. The 2010 Richlands team that lost in the 3A finals, beat the 2A champs, Gate City, by 31.
 
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Back then "4a" would have been AA Region 1-4 division 4 Richlands whole district was AA region 4 division 3-4. They didn't have to travel very fat to play the same level at the time.
 
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History lesson..... back in the early 2000's when there were Regions. IN AA D-3 and D-4..... All of the AA schools would be split down the middle the upper half played D-4 and the lower half played D-3....in each Region. Region IV didn't have any large AA schools, Hence schools in Region IV had schools with 800 students, like Richlands playing D-4 against schools from other regions with 1300 or 1400 students... and schools with 450 students playing D-3, like Graham against schools from other regions with 1000 or 1100 students. Now, with the system the way it is, schools are playing in their proper classifications.. Graham's enrollment has went up slightly, Richlands has went down, as well as Tazewells. There hasn't been a huge drop in enrollment. It's just that the other regions had larger schools that fell in the AA range.
 
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Don't have the 2003-4 numbers handy, but here's the 2005-6 alignment numbers

Div. 4
Bassett, Magna Vista, Tunstall, Martinsville
1169 Carroll Co.
1001 Abingdon
829 Lee

Div. 3
801 Richlands
768 Marion
665 Va. High
556 Tazewell
516 Grundy
502 Graham
Patrick Co., Dan River
 
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Some Chinese company bought the abandoned Thomasville furniture plant (same plant that excess parking will be Saturday) and supposed to start hiring soon. Im afraid that we will be bumped up to 3a if that happens due to influx of population. Town of Appomattox hasnt heard nothing from Chinese company since buying plant a year ago. They owe town a lot of money too.
 
Some Chinese company bought the abandoned Thomasville furniture plant (same plant that excess parking will be Saturday) and supposed to start hiring soon. Im afraid that we will be bumped up to 3a if that happens due to influx of population. Town of Appomattox hasnt heard nothing from Chinese company since buying plant a year ago. They owe town a lot of money too.
Advocate I don't think you should be worried if Appomattox has to bump up to 3A. As long as Coach Smith is there, you guys should always be competitive even if it is in the Seminole.
 
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Buckingham, needs to develop a better passing game in the future. I know they tried it in preseason with #12, but I dont think he did well or something, because I didnt see him that much during the season. Ragland is not going to be replaceable next season. I dont feel bucktown will be the the force that we have seen in last few years. I could be wrong....but i know High school talent cycles yearly.
Don't hold your breathe on that buddy, we bring back some key pieces, get a couple of ineligible players back(2year starters) and my nephew is coming up from jv should be the starter at QB but we saw how this year started. @Tyrese Ayres hudl. He is a dual threat and can throw it a mile, he will be the best true passing attack we've had since his brother Tarian Ayres. We got some very good players coming up from jv that can flat out fly and if you haven't noticed how small the varsity roster was so a lot of jv played both ways and practiced both ways so it all should help.
 
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Don't hold your breathe on that buddy, we bring back some key pieces, get a couple of ineligible players back(2year starters) and my nephew is coming up from jv should be the starter at QB but we saw how this year started. @Tyrese Ayres hudl. He is a dual threat and can throw it a mile, he will be the best true passing attack we've had since his brother Tarian Ayres. We got some very good players coming up from jv that can flat out fly and if you haven't noticed how small the varsity roster was so a lot of jv played both ways and practiced both ways so it all should help.
Yeah i remember him now. Forgot about him. I remember us having convo about him having an attitude that 1st game. He looked to be a solid athlete. Was his bro qb 3 years ago? Ayers boy that is at VSU now?
 
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