Playoff Picture Within Region D As Smoke Clears in SW Virginia
By Steve Minton
TriCitiesSports.com
October 23, 2008
With most teams within Region D having only two weeks of regular season play left on the docket, the playoff picture in both Division 1 & 2 is starting to become a little more evident - although some questions are still to be answered on the field of play over the next couple of weeks.
Given the Virginia High School Leagues current power point rating system, some playoff seedings could change somewhat over the remainder of the regular season but it looks as if the following will be the determining factors:
Division 2
Probable locks:
Gate City (7-1) remaining regular season opponents - @ Lee High, @ J.I. Burton. The Blue Devils can win the Clinch Mountain District outright with a victory this Friday night when the travel to Ben Hur to take on the Generals of Lee High. Also, with this win more than likely would seal up the #1 seed. If the Devils were to drop their last two games, there is a chance that either J.J. Kelly or Lebanon could take the top spot in the post-season.
J.J. Kelly (6-2) remaining regular season opponents Appalachia, Haysi. The Tribe are eyeing their first home playoff game in quite some time, and with a win against the Bulldogs of Appalachia Thursday night could be very close to gaining the #2 seed. A win over Appalachia as well as a victory over visiting Haysi would more than likely give them a Game 11 in the friendly confines of the Reservation.
Lebanon (5-3) remaining regular season opponents John Battle, Tazewell. After losses to Clintwood, Gate City and Giles, the Pioneers are quietly building a successful season. Even if they lose to a much-improved Tazewell Bulldog team to close out the regular season, Lebanon seem to have a lock on the #3 seed and if the planets were to align just right in Russell County, they could even garner the #2 seed. If both J.J. Kelly and Gate City were to lose their remaining regular season games, they could earn the top seed but is very doubtful. The best bet however has them traveling to the Reservation to face the J.J. Kelly Indians for the first round.
On the bubble:
Powell Valley (3-5) remaining regular season opponents Pound, @ Appalachia. The Vikings, based on their remaining opponents as well as the other teams vying for that last playoff spot stand the best chance to come into the postseason as the #4 seed which more than likely will travel to Legion Field to face the Blue Devils.
Long Shots:
Virginia High (3-5) remaining regular season opponents - @ Marion, Lee High. The Bearcats have an uphill battle after their heart-breaking last minutes loss to Abingdon last week. To have any chance whatsoever at the postseason, Virginia High would have to defeat the Marion Scarlet Hurricane who gave Tazewell all they could handle in a 24-21 loss to the Bulldogs last Friday night. The Bearcats would also have to have their prior opponents on their schedule step up and have Powell Valleys falter over the next 2-3 weeks to have any chance slim but a chance nonetheless.
Honaker (3-5) remaining regular season opponents - @ Hurley, Tazewell. The Tigers have faced a very tough schedule over the course of the season up to this point and still have Tazewell to look forward to in their regular season closer. Honaker would basically need what Virginia High needs out of Powell Valley as well as Virginia High to have a glimmer of hope.
Lee High (2-5) remaining regular season opponents Gate City, @ Virginia High, Haysi. The Generals have the toughest road to gain a playoff spot with Gate City coming to town this Friday night with the Devils hoping to seal up the district championship. If they were to upset the Devils, Virginia High would host Lee in a must win for both teams. If Lee High was able to win this game as well, it would leave a tough opponent in Haysi to complete the three game gauntlet and then they would also need help from the three right above to heavily falter to have any chance whatsoever at the postseason
Division 1
Probable Locks:
J.I. Burton (8-0) remaining regular season opponents @ Clintwood, Gate City. The Raiders of Norton will travel to Clintwood to face the Green Wave this Friday night in what has turned into the Lonesome Pine District championship game. Win or lose however, J.I. Burton will be in the postseason. Chances are very strong for a #1 or #2 seed, but there is an outside shot that if they lose the last two remaining games & if Haysi runs the table could possibly be looking at a #3 seed.
Clintwood (7-1) remaining regular season opponents J.I. Burton, @ Pound. Clintwood, who currently leads Region D in the power points rating have their sights set on the LPD championship just as the J.I. Burton Raiders are currently with the big match-up this Friday. The Wave will be heavy favorites against Pound the following week, and with their high rating total should have either the #1 or #2 seed at the conclusion of the regular season.
Haysi (7-1) remaining regular season opponents @ J.J. Kelly, @ Lee High. After being dismantled by Clintwood very early in the season and winning the Black Diamond District title outright, the Red Tigers have put together a successful 2008 campaign. Depending on how the Clintwood J.I. Burton match-up and J.I. Burton Gate City clash unfolds, they could see either a #2 or #3 seed, but odds are a #3 seed and traveling to either Clintwood or Norton in the first round.
On the bubble:
Twin Springs (5-3) remaining regular season opponents Thomas Walker, @ Rye Cove. The Titans of Nickelsville can put all of the postseason speculation of the #4 seed to bed with a win over the visiting Pioneers of Thomas Walker this Friday night. A win against the Pioneers, who is the only Cumberland foe with one district loss, would give the outright district championship title to the Titans who have yet to lose a Cumberland district game. With a loss to Thomas Walker and a win over Rye Cove, the picture becomes murkier on who would outpoint who (in regards to the Pioneers from Ewing) in who would make the postseason. Bottom line Titans beat Thomas Walker, win the district title and be the #4 seed in the playoffs.
Thomas Walker (4-4) remaining regular season opponents @ Twin Springs, @ St. Paul. Wins over Twin Springs and district opponent St. Paul would put them neck in neck with the Titans for the last playoff spot, unless Twin Springs loses to county rival Rye Cove in their season closer. A must win this Friday night for the Pioneers if they want to see Game 11.
Long Shot:
Castlewood (6-2) remaining regular season opponents Holston, Coeburn. A very long shot to say the least. The Blue Devils of Russell County would need a Thomas Walker win over Twin Springs and a Pioneer loss to the Deacons of St. Paul to have any glimmer of hope. Although theyve only lost two games so far this season, both were in-district losses which look to have sealed their playoff fate.
More or less, it does appear that the remaining regular season within Region D will offer some very intense and competitive play as the 2008 campaign comes to an end.
