Hearing numbers are down for a lot of 2A teams in the west. Heard yesterday that Virginia High, Marion & Graham won't have enough to field a JV team.
Way too early football talk. Who should be the top teams in each region?
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Yeah, hearing that Graham's #'s may be down a little also. I guess we will see soon enough. Graham doesn't start until Monday, August 5th. Also hearing that Tazewell should have around 50 and field a jv team for the 2nd year in a row. Haven't heard much about Richlands or Lebanon. Richlands always seems to have good #'s, even though they have been down the past few seasons.
Depth will be the issue with low numbers. Several not playing and practically an entire class of Freshmen held back. The players they have will be good. They’ve been working hard in the off season. I agree, I see them throwing it more too.
Unless something changes, I don’t see Graham fielding a JV team. Almost entire what should have been incoming freshmen class held back. I’m guessing 12-14ish, a big 8th grade class at Graham Middle School next year.
Parents choose to keep them in middle school another year. Most of the time it’s for athletic purposes. I’ve never been a big fan of that unless it’s for academic reasons.
This class is anomaly. I think it is very uncommon to have so many holdbacks in one class. I think a few here & there is normal for SWVA just not a dozen at a time in the same class.
Pretty normal for Gate City. I was told, by a GC coach, that's why Va High dropped them after they had played in the regular season for all but 4 years from 1971 - 2016.
Appalachia used to do it very often back in the day too.
I know Gate City started this decades ago (don't know about now). Don't let Graham's low numbers fool you. Their 33 or 35 players are talented enough for them to be a front runner for another state title. I would even favor Graham if I had to pick a preseason number one ranked Class 2 team. I have friends in Bluefield and word from one of their coaches is that this season is the best line Coach Palmer has ever had at Graham.
Hearing that this will be one of the biggest and strongest lines that Palmer has had. They will have a good linebacking crew, an experienced QB and plenty of speed and talent at the skill positions. Should be very good. The line will have a little bit of depth too, which is rare at the D-2 level. Next years incoming freshman will have a lot of future talent at the skill positions. There are a couple of promising looking future linemen coming in with this year's freshmen. They have the pieces there to be one of the early favorites, for sure. Big question will be leadership and I think they have some good senior leadership this year. Can't wait for this season to start
The Bobcats will be better than many think. We had some really good young talent last year and Radford is kind of in the crest of a talent ebb and flow that most programs go through that for whatever reason, you have 5 years of great talent and 4 or 5 years of a down swing. The loss of LC at QB is huge. Our lineplay should actually be very good.
Graham lost a 4 star kid to transfer- Princeton, WV who I understand is likely WVU bound and the RB went to VA Tech. Those are 2 huge losses, but again Graham lost Meadows and Bradshaw both to VT only to win the state title the following year over Central Woodstock.
Gretna will be the team at least from a talent perspective that will approximate or at least be in the same realm with Graham in the west as far as overall team talent goes. In the west, the two teams that can always win when they step on the field are Union and Glenvar and these 2 are always good enough year in and year out from an overall program perspective that if Glenvar and Union were playing in the state semis in the west, it wouldn't surprise me. I still think Graham and Gretna are the two favs, but Glenvar and Union are within inches of both Graham and Glenvar.
Appo I hope wins the whole thing if Radford doesn't. With Coach Smith retiring and the effect he's had on a generation of kids and that town, the very second Radford is out of the mix (and hopefully we remain in the mix) I will root for Appo to bring home another state title. Appo still sets on bucket loads of talent and its always creeping in the cupboard similar to a King William, and that makes them dangerous, even with Coach Smith taking a role that is now more distant.
Graham lost a 4 star kid to transfer- Princeton, WV who I understand is likely WVU bound and the RB went to VA Tech. Those are 2 huge losses, but again Graham lost Meadows and Bradshaw both to VT only to win the state title the following year over Central Woodstock.
Gretna will be the team at least from a talent perspective that will approximate or at least be in the same realm with Graham in the west as far as overall team talent goes. In the west, the two teams that can always win when they step on the field are Union and Glenvar and these 2 are always good enough year in and year out from an overall program perspective that if Glenvar and Union were playing in the state semis in the west, it wouldn't surprise me. I still think Graham and Gretna are the two favs, but Glenvar and Union are within inches of both Graham and Glenvar.
Appo I hope wins the whole thing if Radford doesn't. With Coach Smith retiring and the effect he's had on a generation of kids and that town, the very second Radford is out of the mix (and hopefully we remain in the mix) I will root for Appo to bring home another state title. Appo still sets on bucket loads of talent and its always creeping in the cupboard similar to a King William, and that makes them dangerous, even with Coach Smith taking a role that is now more distant.
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Strasburg was a tough out last year. I overestimated them in the pick 'ems but they were talented. I only recall a couple of key players being seniors. I may be remembering that wrong. They should be in the mix again.
Ain't playin round dis year. GMen loaded up with new truffle dogs and hunter gathererin Word is the Gmen are going for rings this year and decizion already made in team meetin that itz bout rings this year. Beware cuz. They decided no losses aczeptable went ahead and made cunsensis to get rings. Beware u been warned
Isn’t about rings every year for high school teams? I mean don’t they all want to be champions not just GMen.
Championships don’t come without blood, sweat, & tears and a lot of off season preparation! I honestly think the off season helps set good teams apart from great teams. Good teams want to win, great teams expect to win!
Edit: Does anyone know what insufficient privilege to reply means? I’m presuming I posted something that was deemed inappropriate but not sure what that would be or how to be able to correct the issue? It allowed me to add edit this comment but won’t let me reply to others or post new comments.
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Make sure you didn't accidentally log out. If you are logged in, try logging out and back in. Something similar happened to me once.
Lost 4 key players last year. Only 7 seniors this year for the Rams. This crop of sophomores and freshman have not lost a game in over 2 years. This year should be decent but next year and year after should be great.
Region 2 D should be interesting. Graham should be good, but losing Clements and Jennings will be tough to overcome. They have plenty of talent, but the running game will take a hit. A lot will depend on the QBs development and the lineplay, which should be solid. I still pick them to win region D, but wouldn't be surprised to see Union come out on top. If Tazewell develops a modest run game, they would be right in the mix, but I see them trying to rely on their QB to carry the offense. They need to be more balanced on offense, especially with what I think will be the best offensive line in region D returning.
As for Graham, they are talented, but lack that "star" player like Cam Allen in 2018 and Clements in 2022. Collectively, they have very good size, speed and experience. I believe they will rely quite a bit more on the pass this year and the qb's ability to make plays. Can't wait to see how it unfolds.
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HAHAHAHA! RICH! Attended a playoff game at Bullitt Park with my brother in law who coached in SWVA - the freshmen year of the Pinkston twins (who were already crowned as the Jones Brothers Part Deux). Before the game the PA announcer proudly informed the crowd to wish the twin Freshmen a Happy 16th Birthday! YES! Freshmen at 16! Keep on talking that smack about other programs and ignoring your own - you fit in perfectly there in The BSG! 🤪
You're bringing up players from almost 20 years ago that went to a school that no longer exists? And comparing it to what has been going on at GC for decades?
Also, if I remember correctly, they weren't held back for sports. That's why the one twin transferred to JI Burton. No longer academically eligible in Wise Co.
But hey, you do you.
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