What would Region D look like when SWD schools drop down?

[hoard]

Last week the Bristol Herald Courier ran a story about the potential of Grundy and the rest of the SWD dropping to Group A. Later in a thread about this on swvafootball.com, some of us were discussing what Region D might look like if Tazewell, Richlands, Graham, and Grundy dropped to Group A.

As most of you here know, Tazewell, Graham and Grundy are small enough to drop now but are basically hanging around in AA because of Richlands, who may be eligible to drop in two years. Marion has roughly the same enrollment as Richlands, but my thought is they would go to the Hogoheegee if they dropped.

One idea I floated is to redistrict Region D into four leagues--two for the larger half of schools, two for the smaller half. This would work out well for divisional play as only schools in the same division would compete against each other for district titles.

SOUTHWEST:
Grundy
Tazewell
Graham
Richlands
Honaker
Lebanon

LONESOME PINE (do away with Clinch Mountain):
Gate City
Powell Valley
Virginia High
Coeburn
JJ Kelly
Lee
John Battle

BLACK DIAMOND:
Council
Twin Valley
Hurley
Haysi
Clintwood
Pound
Ervinton

CUMBERLAND:
JI Burton
Appalachia
St. Paul
Twin Springs
Rye Cove
Castlewood
Thomas Walker

Of course, some schools would oppose this (no setup would please everyone) but it would alleviate the problem of smaller schools having to compete with larger ones. All the Division 2 schools would be together in two districts and likewise for Division 1 schools.

[imported_Sportsman]

There will probably be at least 4 classifications at the next cycle of R&R.

[imported_MoonlightGraham]

Horrible idea for baseball...atleast 15 state championships in the "new" lpd. How are you going to tell a team like Kelly, Va High, or Battle they aren't going to make the playoffs when u will have alot of really weak teams making it over them every year.

Besides castelwood, traditionally, every team in the cumberland would have a very hard time competing w/lpd teams. Nobody in the blackdiamond could compete. And the SVa would be fairly decent, w/richlands and honaker.

[imported_Counts]

No plan will be perfect IMHO there will be a big shakeup in 2 years (all the signs are there) I think we will be looking at a 4A or 5A system with mixed districts (grouped by location) or possibly no districts (I have a tough time seeing that one happen)

[imported_MoonlightGraham]

I think who makes it to the region tournament should be based on a power point system. with the top 6-8 teams going and playing a tournament.

[royalflush]

I would shift Battle and Virginia High to Region C and the Hogoheegee District to balance them out since Region D would have new schools in Tazewell, Graham, Grundy and Richlands

[hoard]

Probably the biggest key to this setup would be whether divisional play extends beyond football and basketball by then, which is a possibility in Group A. My guess is many smaller Group A schools statewide will push for it in all sports.

With a divisional setup, there would be no worry about the LPD or SWD getting screwed out of a playoff spot by a Cumberland or BDD school. It would knock out one of the "big three" LPD baseball schools though, unless there were more than two schools from each district allowed in the regional tournament.

Don't get me wrong, I think the four-class system is a better alternative than a three-class, divisional setup. The problem is there is not as much support for it elsewhere in the state as here. Most of the VHSL is relatively happy with the status quo and my feeling is that divisional play in all sports will probably be the compromise.

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Besides castelwood, traditionally, every team in the cumberland would have a very hard time competing w/lpd teams.</div></div>

I think Coeburn, traditionally, would be better competition than Castlewood.

[CoeburnCane]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: lpd_blue</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> <div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Besides castelwood, traditionally, every team in the cumberland would have a very hard time competing w/lpd teams.</div></div>

I think Coeburn, traditionally, would be better competition than Castlewood.</div></div>

Yes, but in that new format, Coeburn would move back to the LPD so they wouldn't be a Cumberland team anymore.

[imported_PioneerBlue]

That Southwest District would be one hell of a district in football, as would the LPD be in baseball.