What are the teams to look out for next season?

[shauntclair]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

Actually, I agree with Rod. No disrespect, but almost (ALMOST) every year, the team from the South will look as dominant as we've seen the last two years.

Again, I understand your opinion and the way you support it but you must realize much of your support is objective only by the numbers, which in almost cases cannot be cross referenced against South teams. This makes it quite difficult to form any accurate rating. I believe that if you took Coach's polls and opinions, eye test opinions from knowledgeable folks, you'd probably get a number of affirmations that there were indeed at least 4 other teams, if not more, in the South that would have given Salem all they wanted on any given night. Most would have been favored.

The fact is, the only win Salem had all year that actually impressed anyone was against Liberty. Other than that, these were simply games the Spartans were supposed to win. The schedule is what it is. 14 - 0 is a significant accomplishment. I don't care who you play. With the schedule remaining essentially the same next year, I expect them to have another very successful season. With the new East/West changes, they can even get to the final again. But if you expect a different result, you're really disillusioning your self. IMO and with all due respect.

GL in 2015.

 

[VaPrepsRod]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

Originally posted by SpartanOfYore:

Dinwiddie and Lake Taylor might end up being similar to the typical 4A state champ of the next year or two. But neither is in any way representative of the typical 4A South team.

This post was edited on 3/12 7:59 PM by SpartanOfYore

No one said that Dinwiddie 2013 and Lake Taylor 2014 were the same as a typical 4A South team. What we are saying is that they are indicative of what the 4A champion will look like almost every year.

There was nothing about either of those teams that made them stand out from past teams who would have been in the 4A title game in years past had the current alignment been in place for the past decade. Examples include Heritage (2000), Phoebus (2001, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011) and Lake Taylor 2012. Everyone of those teams would have been a handful for every team in the state, including the champs at the highest level.

Neither 2013 Dinwiddie nor 2014 Lake Taylor stands out from that list, they blend right in.

Re-alignment just meant trading in monsters from Loudoun County for monsters in Richmond and Tidewater.



This post was edited on 3/15 1:19 AM by VaPrepsRod

 

[freeatlast2013]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

I would have to agree and I am a Salem fan . Athletically, Salem had a great team last year with several individuals going on to play football at the next level . Coleman Fox to Virginia Tech and Zachariah Hoyt to Va Tech and 4 other players to VMI . Injuries hurt them no doubt but the fact remains that the Hampton Roads area is the best in Virginia. A the old saying goes, you have to play the best to be the best. Salem, at its best, could have beaten this team but they do not play this type of team on a regular basis. Pulaski County almost beat Heritage in 2000 , another great team but they did it with fewer mistakes and by sheer will and ball control. They controlled large segments of clock with bruising running game. I think most posters are not downgrading the Salem program. They respect it but the team that survives the 4A south is usually extremely good every year.

 

[GilliamRatings]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

I think the East will be a war with about 10 teams having resumes (or recent history) that make me think they can do it.

Lake Taylor
Lafayette
Dinwiddie
Courtland
Heritage
Eastern View
Hanover
Powhatan
Kings Fork
Monacan

The West also looks a little deeper to me with some up and come teams looking good. I like seven right at first glance:
Salem
GW
Liberty
Sherando
Kettle Run
Loudoun Valley
Jefferson Forest

I also will throw some love to Woodgrove who might be ready for a breakout season.

I think I put the 2015 state champion in this post somewhere.

 

[shauntclair]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

I have doubts about Jeff Forest and GW in that West group. Jefferson Forest loses a quality dual threat QB and RB Navy Jones, the biggest part of their offense. Plus, they had no defense. They just out scored people. Christmas will make them solid running the Wing but no where near what they were last year.

Same goes for GW. Between QB/MLB Byrnes and WR/ATH/DB Clements, the duo accounted for 62 TD's. That's a lot of firepower to replace and big plays on defense lost. I think GW drops this year despite the same relatively easy schedule.

IMO

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

Unless Lafayette has most of their key starters back, I suspect their chances to be a force this year is questionable. I assume they will have almost the same schedule as last year, so moving up to 4a will not be a factor during the regular season. Depending on their seeding come playoff time, that could be a different story. I'm not savy enough to crunch the numbers, but another undefeated season, with their opponents winning a similar number of games should not get them a top one or two seed. (I guess I should defer to Matt's good work on this). No Huguenot in the opening round this year, sorry. After the first round, it's a guarantee they will see some really stiff competition.

Having said this, they went through a tough Hopewell team, and an even tougher Petersburg team, like a buzz saw. I know Magna Vista was in a league by themselves last year, but Lafayette was not very impressive. Their vaunted speed, was not. If they play at the level I saw in Lynchburg, they will be two and out this year.

They were a very good team, I'll give them that. But, like a lot of teams, they benefited from a schedule that was not the toughest around. When they hit one of the top 10 or so 4a teams in the playoffs, I think the buck stops there.

DP

 

[cutnjump]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

Byrnes wasn't a player on defense and the reality is a lot of his production had much more to do with the receivers. Clements will be tougher to replace on D than O even though he was a good player on both sides of the ball. There is plenty of returning and upcoming young talent in the wings and the biggest question will be how long Ferrell Edmunds decides to stay at Dan River. It is highly unlikely that if GW continues to have success and Ferrell leaves that DR will continue to syphon off GW kids. If they keep more of those kids at GW as opposed to losing them to surrounding schools they will have the talent pool to significantly upgrade from anything they have put on the field in several years. As far as the relatively easy schedule they can't do anything about the district schedule and the NC schools are an unknown quantity. The schedule might actually set up pretty good for them if the NC schools are solid. You get a few early tests to gauge where you are and have the district to tune up for the playoffs.

 

[shauntclair]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

That's about right for Lafayette. They still basically play the old SouthSide, but they are still a very good program and team. Always in the hunt. Can't expect more from a good team. Consistency. Seen them play many times.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

I agree with you fully Shaunty. The program at Lafayette is first rate. Good kids, good community. It continues to amaze me that their program is one of the best around, and Jamestown can't seem to win a game. I've been to a Jamestown game at their Sports Complex. No question their facilities are second to none. The spirit of the crowd and the student section are to be envied. They appear to have good community support. They have about all of the parts except the ability to play competitive football. Maybe the new coach can change this?

 

[shauntclair]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

Appreciate your perspective. The numbers say he rushed for 20 TD's and threw for 30. MaxPreps also has him listed at LB so my mistake. Clements had 12 TD's on the season.

 

[GilliamRatings]

Re: Six different sources rated Salem the number two team in 4A for 2014

Lafayette was in Bay Rivers District team, never a Southside District team. Bay Rivers was considerably tougher district. I say this as a graduate of a south side district school.

 

[DinwiddieProud]

With respect to East teams...,

It would be a little surprising to see a team with a new coach be highly successful in his first year at the helm. But, the circumstances at Smithfied may be just right for this to happen. Certainly they have been on the upswing in the last couple of years, and the insiders seem to think the new coach, along with a significant administrative obstical removed, may spring board Smithfield into the ranks of the serious contenders for a run at the East conference title. This is a tough year to try to crack the top tier, but that's the case almost every year in the east.

From what I heard earlier this year, The kids have bought into a program designed to get them to the next level. And the talent pool is there. If the stars line up, we could be talking more about this team in mid and late November.

 

[LT93Bunny]

Lake Taylor is Loaded again. 2015 will be another State type of year.

 

[DEVILSLB99]

Originally posted by LT93Bunny:
Lake Taylor is Loaded again. 2015 will be another State type of year.

It's March!!! Everyone is a state contender right now or has aspirations of being a state contender. One injury can turn your season upside down.