What is up with Draft?

[TimWakefield]

I have already read the comment about 50/50 plays but Draft has come out in their last two games very flat and don't appear ready to play. Sure, if they "put 4 quarters together they will be tough" but thinking through the season I am seeing a trending problem.

• W - Wbro: tied at half, 2nd half better and pulled away
• W - Fort: it's Fort
• L - RHS: Gladiator D kept them in check. This is likely the closest to a complete game but it is not like they ever looked very good. (Might credit the opposition there)
• W - Page: Hungover feeling in 1st half, woke up in 2nd. You can afford that vs Page
• L - East Rock: Lethargic in the 1st half. Fought back, but allowed ER too much momentum
• L - Gap: Again lethargic in the 1st half, again fought back, but couldn't make winning plays.

Was it undefeated or nothing for these kids? Was the RHS game the Superbowl again? Why does it take a halftime to make adjustments that could have gone in all week? Or is it half time motivation? Why are the kids not prepared?

I also see their QB visibly hurt still in the game on both sides of the ball. He is hurt enough it is affecting play calling and they even subbed in at QB for a must throw situation (which resulted in an 80 yard pick 6). First off, maybe the QB, who appears to be tough kid who is a leader, needs to be taken out for his own good. Is he hurting himself by staying in? Second, maybe he is hurting the team by being limited.

I am just wondering what is up here. Seems like some bad vibes mixed with some questionable decisions. I know scores in losses have been close, but waiting till the 2nd half to play will get you bumped early by a Clarke or Central Woodstock. No doubt this team had higher aspirations than than the 2nd round.

Draft has opponents the last two weeks of the season to have a chance to right a wrong, but for a State Semi team, returning what they did, to be sitting at 3-3 with two top 4 teams in the region left on the schedule, we could easily see them finish 5-5. That hyped RHS game seems like forever ago.

 

[Gunz41]

I have already read the comment about 50/50 plays but Draft has come out in their last two games very flat and don't appear ready to play. Sure, if they "put 4 quarters together they will be tough" but thinking through the season I am seeing a trending problem.

• W - Wbro: tied at half, 2nd half better and pulled away
• W - Fort: it's Fort
• L - RHS: Gladiator D kept them in check. This is likely the closest to a complete game but it is not like they ever looked very good. (Might credit the opposition there)
• W - Page: Hungover feeling in 1st half, woke up in 2nd. You can afford that vs Page
• L - East Rock: Lethargic in the 1st half. Fought back, but allowed ER too much momentum
• L - Gap: Again lethargic in the 1st half, again fought back, but couldn't make winning plays.

Was it undefeated or nothing for these kids? Was the RHS game the Superbowl again? Why does it take a halftime to make adjustments that could have gone in all week? Or is it half time motivation? Why are the kids not prepared?

I also see their QB visibly hurt still in the game on both sides of the ball. He is hurt enough it is affecting play calling and they even subbed in at QB for a must throw situation (which resulted in an 80 yard pick 6). First off, maybe the QB, who appears to be tough kid who is a leader, needs to be taken out for his own good. Is he hurting himself by staying in? Second, maybe he is hurting the team by being limited.

I am just wondering what is up here. Seems like some bad vibes mixed with some questionable decisions. I know scores in losses have been close, but waiting till the 2nd half to play will get you bumped early by a Clarke or Central Woodstock. No doubt this team had higher aspirations than than the 2nd round.

Draft has opponents the last two weeks of the season to have a chance to right a wrong, but for a State Semi team, returning what they did, to be sitting at 3-3 with two top 4 teams in the region left on the schedule, we could easily see them finish 5-5. That hyped RHS game seems like forever ago.

They did lose a lot to graduation, and I wasn't going to post about the QB. He didn't play on defense, and ran it twice, lower than average. He is a very good kid and good leader.

As for 1st halves, can't answer why. If not for the INT, it's either 14-14 or 14-10 at half, and game goes different. But it didn't. And like I have said, there have been those close call plays, but they just didn't go Drafts way. Nobody is going to feel sorry for them.

IF they play up to potential for 4 quarters, they have at most 1 loss at the moment. The Riverheads game was the most complete game, but both teams made their share of mistakes.

Also with the Buffalo Gap game, a healthy QB and they win the game. After Gap scored to make it 36-33 with around 35 seconds left, draft drove down field. They had a wide open receiver that would have easily been TD. I believe qb really overthrew him to make up for the injury. Every other game and he makes the throw. Again, not an excuse, not feeling sorry, just what happens.

I also think that all 3 they have lost to are pretty good football teams. Seems as though East Rock is getting better each week, Buffalo Gaps games have been close, and Riverheads is Riverheads.

I can't give you anymore answers than that

 

[longtimerhsfan]

When the playoffs roll around, if we do in fact get five Shenandoah teams in the field, or even just four, it will be a question of who gets fired up the most and who is ready to turn in the uniforms and call it a season. You would not think anyone would want to quit playing and that they would all get fired up, but some do more than others.

Every year, there is some kind of story in one sport or another about a team that just happens to "jell" at the right time and put it all together. For example, wasn't it just last year that Blacksburg was only 5-5 in the regular season, barely squeaked into the playoffs, and then went all the way to win the state? Same general story for Galax in 2015 I think.

And this past spring in 1-A, the Stonewall Jackson baseball team had only been something like the 6th place team in the district, yet they pulled off one playoff win after another and made it all the way to the state finals.

So somebody in the Shenandoah will make some noise in 2-A just like I hope Riverheads will in 1-A. We all want to see two local teams in action one of these days down in Salem on Championship Saturday, but we sure don't want to see them playing each other! The Cougars almost made it happen last year, so maybe this can be the year.

 

[TimWakefield]

Well, in the Gap game they went Score, TO-Fumble, TO-INT, TO-Fumble in the 1st half, so it appears that it was more than just 1 INT going the wrong way. But as you caught on, I am talking more overall than just 1 half vs Gap.

Really though, at this point I am worried about Draft making the playoffs. 5-5 in that region is no sure thing. Strasburg will be nipping at the heels of whoever is around that 8 spot. Luray just looks tough. They might just be the 10-0 Shenandoah District winner this year. Lee will eat up that Draft defensive backfield. Lee might let Draft score a good bit, but that Draft D that just gave up 36 to Gap will drowned with that Lee passing attack. A lot will have to look different for Draft to win either of those games.

Let's say the Cougars do secure a playoff spot. Without multiple upsets they looked destined for an 7 or 8 seed. That will be a tough road traveling for any game they make it to vs 1 or 2 seeded teams. Hard to look past Clarke, who has plenty of postseason experience. Hard to ignore the surging Central Woodstock team that just handled Clarke. Everything is pointing to a short run for the Cougars who may have missed their chance last year. Legs might be fresh for all that running they do on the hardwood.

 

[Gunz41]

Well, in the Gap game they went Score, TO-Fumble, TO-INT, TO-Fumble in the 1st half, so it appears that it was more than just 1 INT going the wrong way. But as you caught on, I am talking more overall than just 1 half vs Gap.

Really though, at this point I am worried about Draft making the playoffs. 5-5 in that region is no sure thing. Strasburg will be nipping at the heels of whoever is around that 8 spot. Luray just looks tough. They might just be the 10-0 Shenandoah District winner this year. Lee will eat up that Draft defensive backfield. Lee might let Draft score a good bit, but that Draft D that just gave up 36 to Gap will drowned with that Lee passing attack. A lot will have to look different for Draft to win either of those games.

Let's say the Cougars do secure a playoff spot. Without multiple upsets they looked destined for an 7 or 8 seed. That will be a tough road traveling for any game they make it to vs 1 or 2 seeded teams. Hard to look past Clarke, who has plenty of postseason experience. Hard to ignore the surging Central Woodstock team that just handled Clarke. Everything is pointing to a short run for the Cougars who may have missed their chance last year. Legs might be fresh for all that running they do on the hardwood.

Yes 3 TO in 1st half, and if starting qb wasn't hurt, or probably even being hurt throws it a bit different and it's either 14-14 or 14-10 at half, totally different game.

Yes I would like to see my school do well, and I am pretty sure the other schools dont care, which nothing wrong with. But you brought up how they have came out bad in every game except Riverheads this year. So I think what I said is correct, IF they put 4 quarters together they are dangerous.

I'll put it this way, once the playoffs start, if they get in, they can go on a run. Let's assume that they are 8 seed, and Lee or Luray is 1 seed for arguments sake. Even if they lose to both in extremely tight games like all of the top Shenandoah games. They COULD have a road like this: 1/8 game vs Luray, if the 1st game is close they could win that one, 4-5/8 game could be say an East Rock again, same thing they COULD avenge the loss, and third game could be say a Lee. If they are in all these tight games, they could certainly improve enough to win them. Not saying they will, but very conceivable.

Look, it's as simple as this. Anyone of the 3 losses could have been different on a play or 2. That's how close all 3 were. Those plays didn't go their way. No excuses. But anyone looking at those few plays can say without bias that they could have. Maybe if they played those games another night, they would have won or they might have gotten beat by 50.

The point being is IF less than 1 hand of plays went their way then the conversation about them would be incredibly different. They would then be looked at as a great team. This is a game of inches, hopefully they get a ruler and gain some inches, if not I will still be there, even if they don't win another game