Thoughts on Sherando

[Shruikan]

Can't we all just get a long. Hoos what adjustments do you think the Lions will make vs. Courtland after last weeks performance? Hammy, do you think now that Sherando won this past week they can now run the table?

Wasn't directed at me, but thought I'd chime in here since I'm a Sherando alum and fan. I wasn't going to make a new topic for this, but there was a lot of back and forth off topic stuff in the other thread and I wanted some clean space to think.

Will Sherando go undefeated? Nah, I don't think so. They certainly could, but from what I saw Friday night they're going to need to improve a lot really quickly.

The other Winchester schools haven't been competitive over the past few years and that doesn't look to be changing this year, though I will say I've been impressed with what I've seen from James Wood so far. They've got a stellar RB who could give the local schools problems. Still I expect Sherando will have little issues in dispatching the other local schools over the course of the season.

As far as their out of state schedule looks, I think they could easily lose to Eastern View and certainly to Fort Hill, who hasn't lost since 2012. It wouldn't surprise me at all to see them roll into Stephens City with a 30+ game win streak. I don't think they'll lose to either of their remaining West Virginia opponents, but I wouldn't look past Washington. They played the Warriors right down to the wire in 2013, the year Sherando went to the state final game.

But if they're going to reach the level needed to advance deep into the playoffs, they have to play better than they did against Martinsburg in the first half. The team I saw then would get run off the field by an Eastern View, let alone a Salem or other top tier West team. They need to eliminate the costly false start penalties for one, since that nearly lost them the game on Friday, and they need to come out of the gate stronger.

This year's team could easily be better than the 2013 Sherando team if they improve enough to reach their maximum potential. They're a very good team right now, but that won't be enough to go undefeated with their schedule this year. I'm sure the coaching staff knows that as well as anyone.

Personally I think they drop one or two games in the regular season, and make a deep playoff run. They've got a long way to go, but they've got the tools to do it.

 

[VerizonSportsFan]

I will go on the record that Fort Hill is a single A school with just 714 students.


http://www.mpssaa.org/assets/publications/School Enrollment numbers.pdf

 

[Shruikan]

Mm, well okay, but it just feels like whenever something remotely positive is said about Sherando, several posters are quick to jump in and point out enrollment numbers and whatnot as if to discredit what they've accomplished. I'm not entirely sure why this is the case (I don't post here too often), but it's definitely a thing that happens in pretty much every thread. I'd prefer for this thread to not get derailed like the other ones since I like actual discussion.

But if you're going to insist on bringing up school enrollment numbers in relation to how good a program is, according to this site: https://k12.niche.com/rankings/public-high-schools/largest-enrollment/s/virginia/ Millbrook High School has 1,254 students and is ranked #136 in terms of enrollment numbers. Phoebus High School is ranked just behind them at #138 with 1,246 students.

Would you say that Phoebus vs. Millbrook would be a relatively even contest were they to play a set of ten games?

I don't think it'd be very close if we're being honest, and that's no disrespect to Millbrook. I just brought that up because I think the all the petty arguments over school enrollment are incredibly silly.

 

[GilliamRatings]

School enrollment matters to me when I feel like a team is misplaced in their division or conference due to it (which is not the case anymore), but otherwise I agree that it is a red herring. Lots of teams over the years have gotten it done with smaller enrollments. I remember when Sherando was terrible (a decade or so ago), so I enjoy that they've got their program turned around and have been performing at a high level consistently since then. No matter what your numbers, it's a tough thing to turn a loser into a consistent winner. I coach cross country in the second biggest school in my district and I've been beating my head against the wall trying to turn us into a contender for seven years now. Not even close yet. We've gotten better, but as we get better, everybody else also gets better. It seems to me like turning a football team around would be even harder.

Nothing but respect for the Warriors from this guy.

 

[hamspear]

I would rank Sherando's remaining opponents in terms of strength in this order.
1.Eastern View
2. Fort Hill MD
3. Jefferson WV.
4. Millbrook
5. Skyline
6. Handley
7. James wood
8. Washington, sorry Shruikan this game ,this year will be over in a quarter . We should not be playing this team.
Pretty much , have to show up each game take one at a time. But beating Martinsburg was a huge step towards a strong regular season record.

 

[hamspear]

I want to know if Verizon fan has any idea how hard it is to make a schedule when three teams drop you at the last hour when you have to try and find three teams to play you within a reasonable travel distance for both teams in order to get a 10 game schedule. In Sherando's case they lost Liberty, kettle run, and Mussleman. We're fortunate to be able to get Louisa ( which is really as far as you want to take a bus on Friday night). eastern view a quality opponent, and then the warriors struggled to find the tenth game. the Loudoun teams will not play Sherando they have so many available teams within there own county , what is the use for them to travel over the mountain to play us. that limits the quality programs available within a 2 hour drive available that will play Sherando. I encourage you to go and look up the history of this Fort Hill Program (Forthillfootball.com) 700 students or not, they consistently put a exceptional football product on the field, and at this point they are on a 29 game win streak. They were the best opponent available and both teams needed a game badly. Now, I know people like Devils like to throw up that Sherando avoided Lake Taylor, but that's not the issue when it comes to the directive that Frederick County public schools wants it's football teams traveling on a regular Friday night game. travel expenses and distance are a big concern for not just Sherando, but all Frederick county publics schools. We are fortunate to have a few teams in our area that are quality opponents that the Warriors can play. Verizon Fan , I would like to put this question to you, since Fort Hill enrollment is a problem for you, who would you like to see Sherando play within a 2 hour drive that will be more than willing to play us?

 

[hamspear]

also fort hill is 1A in maryland, they would not be 1A in virginia, probably on the bridge between 2A and 3A