Shenandoah District Mid-Season Review

[longtimerhsfan]

As always the season is just flying by. Some teams have five games under their belts already, some others only four, but we have seen enough to re-evaluate the pre-season projections and make some revisions. So here are my thoughts as to how the rest of the season might shake out.......

RIVERHEADS: There are some folks that are worried about the Big Red but I think for district purposes at least, they remain the popular choice to run the table. We can then evaluate their playoff chances when the time comes. Obviously they are missing Triple C on both sides of the ball, so his return and effectiveness will be the keys to their overall success.

STAUNTON: That's right...I said it. This is my new choice for district runner-up. Coach Bell has no doubt established a high level of excitement in the program and it is showing up in the form of some impressive wins. Quarterback Darby has the experience to lead the team and just as I knew he would Mark Geffrard (sp.?) has turned into a major weapon for The Storm.

STUARTS DRAFT: Don't get the idea that I am suddenly down on the Cougars but they have just not scored or performed at a high enough level to make me consider them a threat to a Riverheads repeat. Having seen Greenbrier East in person, the Cougars should have rolled all over them but it didn't happen, and I just read that James River held them scoreless for three quarters before the Draft came alive to win that one. Now in the future, with that whiz kid (the younger Graber) the Cougars will be scary good, but this year they are just "regular" good in my opinion.

BUFFALO GAP: The Bison have been hard to figure so far. They got walloped at Luray, which has not been a powerhouse for a long time, but yet they won at East Rock, which has just turned around and won big at Turner Ashby, which in turn won at Western Albemarle. Anyway, the Gap is "probably" an upper echelon team in the 'Doah but we will find out just how good they are when they head to Greenville on the 7th.

WILSON: So far the Hornets are mirroring last season... a great start, but will they repeat last year's finish? Spotswood handled them pretty easily Friday night, although some sources say the score does not tell the story of that game. So was that the beginning of the end or just a temporary stumbling block?

FORT DEFIANCE: The Indians raised plenty of eyebrows with their three game win streak but they were upended at Rockbridge Friday on a last-second score by a not-very-good Wildcats team. The main reason I don't see them challenging for a higher spot in the standings is because they "only" beat Waynesboro by nine points, whereas everyone else is pounding the Little Giants pretty easily.

WAYNESBORO: Through no fault of their own the Giants have faced five straight district games and after this week's trip to Buffalo Gap, they will be finished with district play, whereas that same game will be The Gap's FIRST district game. That scheduling quirk took away any chance the Giants might have had to mature before entering district play, but it is what it is. Last year, they caught fire after district play and eventually squeaked into the playoffs, so I suspect that has already been talked about as their revised goal for this season.

So that is the way I see it. I am pretty confident about positions 1, 6 and 7, but I will admit that the four in the middle are a little too close to call and could easily finish in any order. How do you guys see it?

 

[Coach Chop]

Pretty spot on. Still think Draft may be the 2nd best team. Although Draft has dropped off from past years and others may have gotten better, just not sure the gap has completely closed.

 

[BGfootball95]

Riverheads: To be the man you got to beat the man.

Stuarts Draft: It has been a while since anyone in the district other Riverheads has beaten them.

Buffalo Gap: Still some unknowns but we will see. The Luray game was a nightmare but, Luray is undefeated and we will see how they do against Draft shortly.

Wilson: Have not beaten anybody yet but the tools are there.

Staunton: Have not beaten anybody yet. Do appear vastly improved from last year. I still question there toughness up front which will be tested for most district games.

Fort: That youth from last year has seemed to improve but, they have some tough ball clubs to play yet.

Waynesboro: Inexperience up front has killed them it seems. They can still put it on some valley district teams, we will see.

 

[Ampipe_High]

Riverheads is still Riverheads and still has horses in the stable.

Stuarts Draft is still doing what they normally do. I do think they will Luray and then go on a tear until they meet up with Riverheads in the end.

The next few teams are really a toss up in my opinion. Gap, Wilson, and Staunton all have not really beaten anyone so I will go with....

Wilson-I have seen them play once and feel like they do have some size and toughness, plus a disciplined system that will get them a 3rd place finish. I'm guessing a 4-2 or 3-3 finish to the year.

Staunton-I like what they have done to start the year. I disagree about a previous post in regards to their toughness up front. They have faced some big lines to date, but it will be interested to see how they hold up against the likes of Draft and Riverheads. I see a 2-4 or 3-3 finish to the year.

Gap- I do not know or have heard much about Gap this year. Looking at their schedule it seems like they have the tougher teams in the district ahead and after Waynesboro this week could go 0-4 or 1-3 in their next 4 games.

Fort-Has really impressed after last year. They have so much youth and I love the grittiness that they have shown. The loss to Rockbridge doesn't surprise me too much because of the size of Rockbridge. Unfortunately their last 5 games could go 0-5 or 1-4.

Waynesboro-Is this a sequel to last year where they started off slow against a tough start to the season and then rebound? I'm seeing best case scenario to finish the season is a 2-3 finish, but it could get as ugly as 0-5. I'm hearing that a lot of the players are not doing what they are supposed to do in school and this is hurting the overall team.