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All of that included!What's included in the best football in va, the best attendance, the best teams, the most championship from one area and the best player's so if this is so 757 tidewater 804 central va and 571,703 nova.
The problem for Roanoke area is there's Salem then what?My top 5:
1. 804
2. Roanoke/NRV
3. Lynchburg
4. 757
5. NoVA
Salem is a top tier program in the state no matter what the classification is. Also have to look at the history of Pulaski County, Giles, Fleming, Northside had a great run, and then teams like Botty, PH, Radford and Glenvar who are top 10 teams yearly in their respective classes, yearly. That first group I mentioned aren’t what they were but at one time they were dominant.The problem for Roanoke area is there's Salem then what?
Agree 757, 804 , and nova all have population over a million plus people . But va overall has great football.It's hard to compare areas equally because, for instance, NOVA, Tidewater, and Richmond Metros are all about 2-3x+more populated than the Roanoke/Lynchburg/NRV/Southside combined markets.
Also, an area that might be awesome in football right now, may not have been as good historically. There probably needs to be a time frame consideration when comparing areas.
MSA | Titles | Population | Per 100,000 |
Big Stone Gap | 20 | 61,313 | 32.6 |
Bluefield | 5 | 45,078 | 11.1 |
Lynchburg | 21 | 252,634 | 8.3 |
New River | 10 | 162,958 | 6.1 |
Martinsville | 4 | 67,972 | 5.9 |
Danville | 6 | 106,561 | 5.6 |
Bristol | 5 | 95,888 | 5.2 |
Staunton | 5 | 118,502 | 4.2 |
RURAL | 32 | 785,242 | 4.1 |
Roanoke | 12 | 308,707 | 3.9 |
Virginia | 233 | 8,001,024 | 2.9 |
Hampton Roads | 40 | 1,648,136 | 2.4 |
Culpeper | 1 | 46,689 | 2.1 |
Winchester | 2 | 104,508 | 1.9 |
NOVA | 46 | 2,623,079 | 1.8 |
Richmond | 20 | 1,258,251 | 1.6 |
Harrisonburg | 2 | 125,228 | 1.6 |
Charlottesville | 2 | 190,278 | 1.1 |
I did some number crunching a few years ago on this question if you're defining "best" by number of state championships. The results are below as of the 2016 season. It shows the state championships by every officially defined metropolitan and micropolitan area in Virginia. Those titles won by schools in none are designated rural. My final metric was the number of state titles per 100,000 population in the MSA, which generated the most intuitive result IMO. The metric, however, is biased against larger metropolitan areas which have larger schools so fewer per 100,000. I thought about trying to correct this bias, but I never did. The best conclusion to this question IMO is that Lynchburg punches above its weight, especially since the titles are spread across many schools.
MSA Titles Population Per 100,000 Big Stone Gap 20 61,313 32.6Bluefield 5 45,078 11.1Lynchburg 21 252,634 8.3New River 10 162,958 6.1Martinsville 4 67,972 5.9Danville 6 106,561 5.6Bristol 5 95,888 5.2Staunton 5 118,502 4.2RURAL 32 785,242 4.1Roanoke 12 308,707 3.9Virginia 233 8,001,024 2.9Hampton Roads 40 1,648,136 2.4Culpeper 1 46,689 2.1Winchester 2 104,508 1.9NOVA 46 2,623,079 1.8Richmond 20 1,258,251 1.6Harrisonburg 2 125,228 1.6Charlottesville 2 190,278 1.1
Salem is part of the Roanoke Metropolitan Statistical Area as defined by the US Census Bureau, which is what this analysis considers. The data is through the 2016 season, so Salem would account for 8 out of the 12. Roanoke city's lone title was by Patrick Henry in 1973. In Roanoke County, Glenvar won in 2014 and Northside in 2009 and 2013. No titles have been won by schools in Botetourt, Franklin, or Craig Counties.Counting Salem in Roanoke's area feels disingenuous though, Salem isn't Roanoke and doesn't want to be Roanoke. It also creates an unreasonable image of the football being played in Roanoke which is, frankly, not good.
Pretty sure they are part of the Richmond MSA.@numb3rs, this is very interesting information. Thanks for the awesome post(s). Do you know where Petersburg, Hopewell, and Dinwiddie fall in your data?
Locality | Titles | Schools | MSA |
Hampton | 22 | 3 | Hampton Roads |
Fairfax County | 18 | 9 | NoVA |
Wise County | 15 | 3 | Big Stone Gap |
Campbell County | 11 | 4 | Lynchburg |
Salem | 8 | 1 | Roanoke |
Loudoun County | 7 | 4 | NoVA |
Spotsylvania County | 7 | 2 | NoVA |
Chesterfield County | 5 | 3 | Richmond |
Prince William County | 5 | 3 | NoVA |
Tazewell County | 5 | 3 | Bluefield |
Augusta County | 5 | 2 | Staunton |
Buena Vista | 5 | 1 | RURAL |
Pittsylvania County | 5 | 1 | Danville |
Scott County | 5 | 1 | Bristol |
Dickenson County | 4 | 1 | Big Stone Gap |
Fredericksburg | 4 | 1 | NoVA |
Giles County | 4 | 1 | New River |
Lunenberg County | 4 | 1 | RURAL |
Southampton County | 4 | 1 | RURAL |
Can’t ever really trust Wikipedia but if you go to the specific town/county/city on their wiki page it usually says which MSA they are in.Thanks @blackknight_pride. I know the State government does not consider the Tri-City area as part of Metro Richmond. I tried to check the census data, but I could not find the answer. I hope all is well with you.
Update: I just found the Richmond MSA map and you are correct. The tri-cities are included.
Where’s Henrico County? Highland Springs has won 5 alone since 2016 and Varina has 1.Here are the localities whose schools, as of 2016, had won four or more state championships along with the number of schools in the locality which had won at least one title.
Locality Titles Schools MSA Hampton 22 3Hampton Roads Fairfax County 18 9NoVA Wise County 15 3Big Stone Gap Campbell County 11 4Lynchburg Salem 8 1Roanoke Loudoun County 7 4NoVA Spotsylvania County 7 2NoVA Chesterfield County 5 3Richmond Prince William County 5 3NoVA Tazewell County 5 3Bluefield Augusta County 5 2Staunton Buena Vista 5 1RURAL Pittsylvania County 5 1Danville Scott County 5 1Bristol Dickenson County 4 1Big Stone Gap Fredericksburg 4 1NoVA Giles County 4 1New River Lunenberg County 4 1RURAL Southampton County 4 1RURAL
Yes, I compiled the data after 2016. I just pulled up my old spreadsheet when I saw this thread. I'm not sure if or when I can update the data; maybe after this season.Where’s Henrico County? Highland Springs has won 5 alone since 2016 and Varina has 1.
Edit: maybe 2016 was the cutoff? HS was Henrico’s first state football championship in 2015 if I’m not mistaken? Right @CRF4Dan
Appreciate you for getting this data out to us.Yes, I compiled the data after 2016. I just pulled up my old spreadsheet when I saw this thread. I'm not sure if or when I can update the data; maybe after this season.