salem - last 3 years - big underdogs

[redzone4us]

The last three years, the consensus (by most people on this board) was that Salem was going up against a team in the state championship game that was considered bigger, stronger, faster, and my personal favorite, more athletic than they were. salem has won the last two. so my question is, what's the deal?

 

[1MoreHokie]

Year 1 - correct call, Salem should have been the underdog
Year 2 - influenced by year 1
Year 3 - correct call, Salem should have been the underdog

It just seems off because underdog is not the role Salem plays in their games for the most part.

Last year was people being blind and thinking the same 2 teams from 2014 were playing. I said all along that 2015's team had virtually no players on it who got the beat down from LT so they would be unaffected by what happened (I've often said 2014 Salem would lose against 2015 LT for that reason) but that was also a point in time when people thought the East was unbeatable.

Nothing will change from this. It would probably take a ridiculous number of wins for East fans (the vocal ones in this discussion, not all East fans) to think a team from the West could be favored because they just point at the schedule and that's that to them. Salem will be the underdog most of the time in the POs against East teams, just the way people think.

 

[wahoogen20]

I'm going to tell you this! Salem is physical,athletic and smart! They don't make any mistakes! No dumb decisions no dumb penalties! First time I have ever seen them play and I was Very very impressed! They tackle well and do all the little things! They took it to the Country Boys today! Props to them!!

 

[one man]

I predicted Salem losses the past two years against LT. Until I watched Salem-Dominion, I was sold on Dinwiddie being the best team.

After the semi's I genuinely thought it would be a toss up. I saw Salem vs Amherst and wasn't impressed with their defense. It was much improved by the Dominion game. I'm a firm believer in defense winning championships.

I still gave the edge to Dinwiddie because they had what I thought were the two best players in 4A, Pope and Freeland. While both played well, especially Pope, Noah Beckley stole the show and Viante Tucker outshined Freeman IMO tonight, sealing the win with the PBU. Not to take anything away from the Dinwiddie players, because they played a great game.

Salem earned this one, most well coached, discipline football team I've ever seen. Doesn't matter whose in the uniform, they're robots. 3rd down numbers for Salem were unreal, for Dinwiddie to survive those numbers and have a chance to win at the end says a lot about their team as well. Congratulations to the Spartans and Salem community on another notch in the belt.

 

[Shabutie]

The last three years, the consensus (by most people on this board) was that Salem was going up against a team in the state championship game that was considered bigger, stronger, faster, and my personal favorite, more athletic than they were. salem has won the last two. so my question is, what's the deal?

Salem is always physical but I think the speed of the team is often understated. The announcer on the stream tonight was amazed at the team speed by Salem. He also said that he didn't think Dinwiddie had seen a team with as much overall team speed as Salem. They don't have a lot of track burners like Blacksburg but everyone, including the DL run very well and get to the football.

The 2014 was not very fast but they improved in that department these last two years.

 

[SpartanOfYore]

I predicted Salem losses the past two years against LT. Until I watched Salem-Dominion, I was sold on Dinwiddie being the best team.

After the semi's I genuinely thought it would be a toss up. I saw Salem vs Amherst and wasn't impressed with their defense. It was much improved by the Dominion game. I'm a firm believer in defense winning championships.

I still gave the edge to Dinwiddie because they had what I thought were the two best players in 4A, Pope and Freeland. While both played well, especially Pope, Noah Beckley stole the show and Viante Tucker outshined Freeman IMO tonight, sealing the win with the PBU. Not to take anything away from the Dinwiddie players, because they played a great game.

Salem earned this one, most well coached, discipline football team I've ever seen. Doesn't matter whose in the uniform, their robots. 3rd down numbers for Salem were unreal, for Dinwiddie to survive those numbers and have a chance to win at the end says a lot about their team as well. Congratulations to the Spartans and Salem community on another notch in the belt.

If "PBU" means "pass broken up", I'm pretty sure number two Kionte Burnette made the play at the goal line on the very end. As usual though, I could be mistaken.

 

[one man]

If "PBU" means "pass broken up", I'm pretty sure number two Kionte Burnette made the play at the goal line on the very end. As usual though, I could be mistaken.

The online stream was very poor quality, the announcers said it was Tucker, so I may very well be wrong on that one.

 

[Shabutie]

If "PBU" means "pass broken up", I'm pretty sure number two Kionte Burnette made the play at the goal line on the very end. As usual though, I could be mistaken.

It was Tucker. It was actually pretty risky because if he misses the ball, that is a walk-in touchdown.

 

[Hoofprint]

I don't think he played any D until that play. Or did he?

 

[salemfan32]

I don't think he played any D until that play. Or did he?

He started. Salem played nickel as their base defense.

 

[southbottomU]

I don't think he played any D until that play. Or did he?

Yes he was at corner often during the game

 

[Hoofprint]

I guess I was so nervous and hyped up that I missed it. I do remember two years ago thinking he was an awesome db on jv.