Gate City beating Gretna was the first time in 12 years...

**Jason** · December 13th, 2010, 11:44 PM

that a Region D Division 2 team beat a Region B team! The last team before that was Powell Valley beating Madison County in 1998.

In the 90s Region D was the Region to beat in both D1 and 2! Does anyone think Region D as a whole can rise back up to that dominance again? I know there will no longer be Regions but the teams that make up Region D now are the ones I am asking about.

**heneedsa** · December 14th, 2010, 05:05 PM

I know Gate City lost 16 seniors, but I think just eight starters. Their schedule though is going to beyond brutal, they may have a better team but a worse record. The eighth grade team IMO can win a state title if they all play and stay healthy and the bonus of winning a championship is that there might be a transfer or two that can impact you next year. I don't see a D1 team except for maybe Clintwood being state competitive. It maybe a few more years before SW Va. can claim another title. I don't see PV, Appy, or Burton. maybe Graham now that there A can rebound but that is about it.

**hoard** · December 14th, 2010, 08:07 PM

SWVA's chances in Division 1 should improve.

Many of the Region B schools that have been playing Division 1 (in particular Riverheads and Buffalo Gap) will now be forced to play Division 2 where they should have been all along.

I still contend there are three main reasons for Region D's dropoff:

1) Enrollment differences

2) The growth of the spread offense (takes advantage of the eastern and Southside teams' speed advantage)

3) State finals being played on artificial turf (see #2)

**hoard** · December 14th, 2010, 08:19 PM

I looked at the sections for next year's new playoff setup. The state finals would have turned out much differently had this been in place in 2010.

In Division 2, Gate City, Gretna and Riverheads all would have been in the South/Southwest section, so only one of them could have made the finals, most likely against Buckingham (who lost to Gretna in OT in the Region B final) or King William.

In Division 1, Eastern Montgomery would have been in the N/NE section along with Franklin and Altavista. All three lost to Riverheads along the way. Clintwood would likely have come out of the S/SW with their stiffest competition probably being Chilhowie or George Wythe.

http://www.vhsl.org/files/fb-divisio...ower-point.pdf

**Jason** · December 14th, 2010, 08:45 PM

Originally Posted by hoard

I looked at the sections for next year's new playoff setup. The state finals would have turned out much differently had this been in place in 2010.

In Division 2, Gate City, Gretna and Riverheads all would have been in the South/Southwest section, so only one of them could have made the finals, most likely against Buckingham (who lost to Gretna in OT in the Region B final) or King William.

In Division 1, Eastern Montgomery would have been in the N/NE section along with Franklin and Altavista. All three lost to Riverheads along the way. Clintwood would likely have come out of the S/SW with their stiffest competition probably being Chilhowie or George Wythe.

http://www.vhsl.org/files/fb-divisio...ower-point.pdf

Radford will be D1 also next year.

**Ironlung** · December 14th, 2010, 08:57 PM

Originally Posted by heneedsa

I don't see a D1 team except for maybe Clintwood being state competitive. It maybe a few more years before SW Va. can claim another title. I don't see PV, Appy, or Burton. maybe Graham now that there A can rebound but that is about it.

Burton will probably be the leader in the clubhouse to win Region next year and maybe for a couple after that. The Crowder kid is young and just going to get better. Clintwood will have a lot of holes to fill on the OL.

**hoard** · December 14th, 2010, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jason

Radford will be D1 also next year.

Correct. I more or less didn't include them because I kept thinking about how EastMont killed them in the regular season and not how they played GC close.

**Jason** · December 14th, 2010, 09:06 PM

I heard Radford had some injurys in that game. Also the score was closer than the game was when they played GC. Score was the same as the Gretna score but Gretna was 5 times the team Radford was.

Reason I said Radford was because you said George Wythe. Radford beat GW 26 to 0 in the playoffs.

**royalflush** · December 15th, 2010, 12:40 AM

George Wythe has everybody back next year I believe. GW vs. J.I. Burton would be a good playoff matchup in the Southwest region playoffs next year.

**pvfan** · December 15th, 2010, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by Ironlung

Burton will probably be the leader in the clubhouse to win Region next year and maybe for a couple after that. The Crowder kid is young and just going to get better. Clintwood will have a lot of holes to fill on the OL.

JIB will need some young kids to step up at WR.