By BRIAN WOODSON
BLUEFIELD — Believe it or not, the high school football season has passed the midway point. After tonight, there are just four weeks left until the postseason begins on both sides of the state line.
What do we know so far? Well, experience is a great thing. Don’t believe it? Just look at Bluefield and Richlands, not to mention West Virginia and Virginia Tech on the college level.
It simply takes time to replace athletes that have moved on.
Defending state champion Bluefield started 0-3, while state runner-up Richlands began the campaign at 1-2. Their problem wasn’t a lack of coaching or lack of talent. It’s simply getting their younger players some experience at the varsity level.
Richlands has now won four straight, and are in the driver’s seat to win its fifth straight Southwest District title. Bluefield has won two in a row, and have scored 91 points in doing so, but a real test occurs tonight when the Blue Tornado travels to Mitchell Stadium.
A win by the Beavers would certainly help Bluefield’s playoff hopes. A loss could be devastating, especially with consecutive road games at Mount View, Scott and James Monroe on tap, followed by a home tilt with Class AAA South Charleston.
Remember experience? Tazewell was 1-9 last season. However, those athletes got to play last year, and it’s paid off in’08. The addition of a dozen contributors from Pocohontas hasn’t hurt either.
Tazewell (4-1, 2-1) needs a win tonight to stay close on Richlands’ heels in the SWD after the Blues stopped the Bulldogs 14-0 two weeks ago. It won’t be easy tonight. Graham (3-4, 2-1) has reached must-win territory if the G-Men hope to claim a playoff berth.
In Region IV, Division 3, Richlands, Tazewell and Patrick County would have to completely collapse not to get three of the four playoff spots up for grabs. That leaves one spot for five different teams, and that includes the G-Men, who will have games remaining with Abingdon and Carroll County.
There are plenty of good games in the area tonight, but Graham at Tazewell and Richlands at Bluefield stand out from the rest.
There are other local teams looking good in the playoff hunt, and others that need help.
Both Bland County and Narrows, currently second and third in Region C, Division 1, would have to skip a game (or two) not to get in. After all, of the eight teams below them, only one has a winning record, and six of those clubs have a combined mark of 3-31. Three are 0-17.
Those clubs meet next week in Bastian with the winner having the inside track at the Mountain Empire District title.
With Haysi’s win over Honaker, even if they were to lose to Hurley, that won’t keep the Tigers from claiming one of four Region D, Division 1 slots. However, getting past a first round game will be tough against undefeated Clintwood and John I. Burton, who are a combined 12-0.
Both Hurley (Division 1) and Honaker (Division 2) must win out and get help.
Meanwhile, Giles is currently third in the Region C, Division 2 playoffs, and host Radford tonight, the last team other than the Spartans to claim the Three Rivers District crown.
The Spartans have won three straight after losing two to start the season. Once again, experience, or lack thereof, hurt Giles early. Three wins later, the Spartans are thinking playoffs once again.
In West Virginia, Bluefield isn’t the only team in need of wins and outside help. Princeton is 3-2 and tied for the final Class AAA playoff spot. With five games left with MSAC competition and three of those on the road, the Tigers may eventually look back at its loss two weeks ago at Ripley with regret. ]
In AA, James Monroe is 3-2, but just 15th in the WVSSACC ratings, while Bluefield is 20th. Both need wins to assure their accustomed spots in the postseason. The Mavs face 5-1 Narrows tonight, but their final four games are against teams with a combined four wins, including the Beavers on Oct. 31. Points might be hard to come by.
Both Big Creek (11th) and Iaeger (13) would get Class A playoff berths if the season starts today, but both have work left to do. The Owls are 4-1, and their next four foes have a combined three wins, and two of those are St. Paul, which travels to War tonight.
Iaeger, which shut down the high-powered Owls last week, could help itself with an upset tonight of Class AA Wyoming East, currently ranked 8th in the all-important computer ratings.
With a month left to go, there’s plenty left to be decided on the gridiron.
Is there another state champion on the horizon from this area? Don’t count out Richlands, Tazewell, and, yes, Bluefield.
—Contact Brian Woodson
at bwoodson@bdtonline.com
