State Title Games Observations

**pvfan** · December 9th, 2007, 01:34 AM

Clintwood couldn't stop Pickle obviously but I think the game turned when Gap scored right before half, you could feel the momentum sucked out of the CW side. Just a few thoughts, I would've liked to have seen CW kick the field goal when they were stopped late in the third at like the 4. Really didn't understand why they went for it, coming away with nothing there killed the momentum again as well. CW just turned it over to many times to win, if they play like they did against JIB there state champs right now. I knew when Gap when to the gun late in the second and drove they would wear the gun out in the second half. And they did, CW just didn't have an answer for the spread. It was a great game just wish it had went the other way. I would be really suprised if CW didn't return next year to face another Region B Team.

The GC game was over from the word go and to the GC people that think the refs cheated them I honestly unbiasedly do not see it. Gretna probably had 200 yards in penalties or more. Gretna was quicker, stronger, and just an all around better team. GC played terrible and Gretna played terrible, I know many will point to GC's 9 turnovers but Gretna had 3 and like I mentioned above several hundred penalty yards. It was an extremely sloppy game. Gretna knew they had it won when they stepped on the field and I think that was fairly obvious in their actions. Both fan bases had some low points in my opinion. I went with one of my friends from Gretna and was introduced to many people from Gretna and they had read the comments by the GC people online, needless to say they weren't impressed. It was almost as if Gretna felt disrespected before the game started. Anyway the spread offense Gretna ran today was a prime of example of what we have debated on here for months and why I feel overall the spread is the way to go. If you can run the spread like Gretna/Appy St run it you will win, their lineman can run block. It has nothing to do with not getting low because of the stance, it's weight room work and technique. Gretna had the lineman I think they probably averaged 260 or more across the line. Huge difference between that and lines around here. Both games were about what I expected other than I thought GC would've had controlled the clock a little more and slowed Gretna down a little bit more. I honestly feel Giles would've been the only team with a chance in single against Gretna, their wild scheme might have thrown them off enough to win a shootout. The freshman qb was the real deal, I'm sure the folks in Gretna will have fun watching that boy grow over the next three years. Fun season of high school football overall.

Early Predictions for next year
Region D
D1: Norton vs. CW (CW wins)
D2: Lee High vs. PV (Lee High wins)

**NotSoSilentBob** · December 9th, 2007, 10:17 AM

I saw you from afar at the half of the Cwood game. You were gone when I got out of the pisser.

**Ironlung** · December 9th, 2007, 10:24 AM

They didn't kick the field goal because Robbins couldn't kick. He was reinjured after the second score. I thought the game kind of changed then. He was about half speed the rest of the game.

**imported_mega** · December 9th, 2007, 10:45 AM

So I figure I'll go ahead and ask, would Burton have been able to beat BG? Some teams just match up better with other teams. I know Burton would have matched up really well with William Campbell but it sorta sounds like BG was alot like Riverheads. I could be wrong, I wasnt there to really see how they played. Would the outcome have been any different or even worse?

**imported_mega** · December 9th, 2007, 10:47 AM

oh and one more thing, I was reading some peoples thoughts that Gretna may have been the best team in the state. While I watch Florida High School football enough to realize that a small school like Pahokee could compete in 5A or 6A, I dont think they are good enough, but is Gretna actually good enough to be AAA state champs in VA?

**Ironlung** · December 9th, 2007, 10:53 AM

Clintwood and BG were almost identical to each other as far as what they ran and what they did. BG was a little bigger along the line and had a quicker qb, Clintwood had more speed in the skill people, BG was stronger. I'd say that all 3 (BG,CW,JIB) could play 4 games and split the 4. There's a td difference in them imo, it just depends on the day and the health of the teams.

**pvfan** · December 9th, 2007, 12:38 PM

I think Norton and BG would've been a shootout til the very end. I dont think either team could've stopped the other. I dont think Gretna could win anything beyond D3, when you get to D4-D6 and you start playing the Amherst/Phebous/Westfields of the world it's a different ball game. Gretna was by far the best team in Single A this year, if they play to their abilities they would beat anybody by 3-4 td's.

**imported_Counts** · December 9th, 2007, 03:57 PM

I can agree with that Nuckels is a heck of a running back and there QB was good enough to keep you from stacking the box to stop the run.

there weak point was there D and clintwood moved the ball well on them but not punching it in from the 5 and the fumbal on the 35 when theye were driveing the ball well was the differance

I do not know if Clintwood did not kick the FG from the 5 becouse of the kicker being hurt (our #2 guy can hit that kick 9 times out of 10) I think it was due to the fact that were were picking up between 5 to 7 yards everytime we ran the ball when both Robnins and Robbinson were in the backfield and BG made a great stop on the play you have to give them credit for making the stop there.

I hear ALOT of talk about Clintwood making it back to that game next season BUT the same was said about Norton this year there are no garentees and i hope Clintwood hits the weight room gets bigger stronger and faster and WORKS to get back to that game rather than being happy with being and EARLY pre-season pick

**NotSoSilentBob** · December 9th, 2007, 04:03 PM

But why not run it on 3rd and 2.5 instead of passing it? Robbins was ramming it down their throat for 2/3 every time he touched it (save that one bad handoff). He could have gotten the 3 yards in two carries, then go for the TD.

**imported_Counts** · December 9th, 2007, 05:18 PM

I do not disagree with that IMHO I think if they had went into there power I formation the 2 yards that they needed would NOT have been a problem. That being said the 3rd down pas hit the recever in the hands IMHO you have to make that catch.

I DO NOT think Clintwood played there best game Sat and that disapoints me more than a little but you take the bad with the good and I hope Clintwood can build upon this years success