For the first time in as long as I can remember, all 6 state championship games were basically blow outs. Graham-Central may have been best game at 34-7. I watched 1-4 often switching hoping to see a game. I know a lot complained about travel but the east-west format with cross bracketing state semis provided better championship games. Like this year I think Appo and Graham would have been played in Salem as would have the Riverheads-Essex game. In regions alot of the time one region or C&D or A&B can have two or more of the best teams and once getting out of region or semis games are more of blow outs like yesterday. Just think state championship games should be the best games of playoffs and this year they were far from that. Justy opinion but I know a lot didn't like the travel.
State Championships
- Thread starter hawknation92
- Start date
I sort of agree with you. I would only add that the top teams (those that had the highest probability of winning a state title) didn’t generally travel much until later in the playoffs so I am just not buying that argument.
It wasn't top teams that complained. Most of the time they didn't travel much and the way they playing fan bases would travel anywhere. The lower seeds usually did all the complaining. For instance in 2011 John Battle had to travel from Bristol to Gretna in first round and got beat early and by over thirty. They complained about traveling five hours for that.
It sucks to travel that far and lose but what were their odds to win and advance that season? And in one sense I understand but what is the goal of the playoffs? I would assume to get the best teams playing the last two weekends of the tournament. With expenses for traveling getting higher all the time, maybe that model but less teams makes more sense. I am just not a fan of the current system
I don't mind either way with how many teams but if you go less then I think you have to go east west. In 2011 Gretna won state title. Do you know if it was like 2010 with just four from each region they would have been fifth in that old region B and not even have made playoffs in 2011. You had Goochland, Gretna, and Amelia three of the four state semis in 2011 and all three were from old region B the year before. That's why I don't like regionals because couldn't but one of them made state semis even though as it turned out they were three of the top four teams. So if you go less teams would have to be old east west format so could get best teams to state.
It was bad at 33-19 but wasn't the nail biter last week at 19-14 highland springs winning nail biter over Stone bridge. That should have been championship game and basically was.
Here is what east-west would have been like this year. First thing is Chatham would have made playoffs over Central Wise at 16.
16 Chatham@ 1 Graham
15 Gretna @ 2 Radford
14 Dan River @ 3 Martinsville
13 Tazewell @ 4 Ridgeview
12 Floyd @ 5 Glenvar
11 Lee @ 6 Appomattox
10 Alleghany @ 7 Virginia
9 Union @ 8 Gate City
16 Bruton @ 1 Strasbourg
15 Amelia @ 2 Luray
14 Nandua @ 3 King William
13 Brunswick @ 4 Central
12 East Rock. @ 5 TJ
11 Madison @ 6 Poquoson
10 Buckingham @ 7 Clarke
9 Stuarts Draft @ 8 Greensville
If you play the rounds out with teams that won( I know things might have been different)
West
8 Gate City @ 1 Graham
7 Virginia @ 2 Radford
6 Appomattox @ 3 Martinsville
5 Glenvar @ 4 Ridgeview
4 Ridgeview @ 1 Graham
6 Appomattox @ 2 Radford
East
9 Stuarts Draft @ 1 Strasbourg
7 Clarke @ 2 Luray
6 Poquoson @ 3 King William
5 TJ @ 4 Central
6 Poquoson @ Luray
4 Central @ 1 Strasbourg
Cross bracketing
6 Appomattox @ 4 Central
6 Poquoson @ 1 Graham
I believe Appo and Graham end up in title game in Salem which ended up being the closest game. Complaints would be Lee traveling to Appo, Chatham to Bluefield in first round and it would be a little over 5 hours for Poquoson to go to Graham which they had 3 1/2 to Central. Appomattox to Central was actually over an hour closer than to Bluefield.
16 Chatham@ 1 Graham
15 Gretna @ 2 Radford
14 Dan River @ 3 Martinsville
13 Tazewell @ 4 Ridgeview
12 Floyd @ 5 Glenvar
11 Lee @ 6 Appomattox
10 Alleghany @ 7 Virginia
9 Union @ 8 Gate City
16 Bruton @ 1 Strasbourg
15 Amelia @ 2 Luray
14 Nandua @ 3 King William
13 Brunswick @ 4 Central
12 East Rock. @ 5 TJ
11 Madison @ 6 Poquoson
10 Buckingham @ 7 Clarke
9 Stuarts Draft @ 8 Greensville
If you play the rounds out with teams that won( I know things might have been different)
West
8 Gate City @ 1 Graham
7 Virginia @ 2 Radford
6 Appomattox @ 3 Martinsville
5 Glenvar @ 4 Ridgeview
4 Ridgeview @ 1 Graham
6 Appomattox @ 2 Radford
East
9 Stuarts Draft @ 1 Strasbourg
7 Clarke @ 2 Luray
6 Poquoson @ 3 King William
5 TJ @ 4 Central
6 Poquoson @ Luray
4 Central @ 1 Strasbourg
Cross bracketing
6 Appomattox @ 4 Central
6 Poquoson @ 1 Graham
I believe Appo and Graham end up in title game in Salem which ended up being the closest game. Complaints would be Lee traveling to Appo, Chatham to Bluefield in first round and it would be a little over 5 hours for Poquoson to go to Graham which they had 3 1/2 to Central. Appomattox to Central was actually over an hour closer than to Bluefield.
More like 6 hours, or a good 5 hours and 45 minutes if speeding from Hampton, York County, Poquoson area to Bluefield. If you don't ever stop, take no breaks, and have perfect traffic conditions, you make it in 5 and 1/2, but leaving Hampton Roads on a Friday night traveling 64 to make a Saturday 1pm game? A good 6 hours easily
Lee is 1-2 in their last three battles in Appomattox (2015, 2014, 1865).
