The last week of High School Football in Division 3 & Division 4 saw some shake-ups in Region III & Region IV. Let's take a look at it Division by Division. Total points are normally divided by 10 games (most teams play 10), but some teams play 9 games. These are the point totals.
REGION III, DIVISION 3
Seeds
1. Brookville-286
2. Rockbridge Co.-258
3. Robert E. Lee-246
4. Northside-239
5. Fort Defiance-234
6. Liberty-229
Liberty took a hit, falling from the 4th seed to the 6th seed. The Minutemen will travel to Staunton to take on David Tibbs and the Leemen of Robert E. Lee. The last time the two teams met was in the 2009 playoffs. Liberty eliminated Robert E. Lee that season, 35-28. Northside will meet Fort Defiance in Roanoke next week. With a win over Fort Defiance, Northside would meet Brookville for the 5th straight season. If the Bees, Kendall BeCraft and Rockbridge County's Porter Abell could propel their teams to the Regional Final, it would be a battle of two players who were among the 10 nominations for ABC 13's Football Friday Player of the Year Award.
REGION III, DIVISION 4
Seeds
1. Amherst-289
2. Heritage-288
3. Lord Botetourt-
4. Jefferson Forest-
5. E.C. Glass
6. William Byrd-
Coming into Friday evening, Heritage was up 8 points on Amherst. Everything that could go wrong for who Heritage needed to win pretty much did. The Lancers racked up rider points, and Heritage could have had the number 1 seed if Magna Vista could have held serve against Bassett, but that was not to be. Amherst had everything go their way, as G.W. Danville beat Halifax Co., (Pioneers could have also had the 1 seed, if Halifax could have pulled a shocker), and with Northside and Rockbridge County winning, the Lancers wrapped up the 1 seed. Amherst will host a Seminole District team in the next round as, E.C. Glass will travel to Jefferson Forest next week.
The Cavaliers traveled to City Stadium on a Saturday night in October and trounced the Hilltoppers, 42-6. Jefferson Forest is making it's 2nd trip to the playoffs in as many years, but the Cavaliers come in stumbling, losing 5 of their last 6 and in those losses they have been outscored, 278-103, and have allowed at least 60 points in 3 of those 5, and in another one they gave up 56. E.C. Glass has not won a playoff game since 2005, when they were a member of the Northwest Region.
The other matchup will see William Byrd travel to Lord Botetourt. Coach Jamie Harless will try to win a playoff game in his 1st year as the head man of the Cavaliers. These two teams did meet in the regular season in a Blue Ridge District affair, with the Terriers defeating Lord Botetourt, 29-22 in Vinton. William Byrd will look for lightning to strike twice, as the Terriers will have to travel to Daleville. Both teams have tested themselves with tough schedules this season, as the Terriers have met 8 teams who are still playing football, while Lord Botetourt has tangled with 7 teams that are in the postseason (Both teams played Staunton River & Alleghany who are not in the playoffs, and Lord Botetourt played Blacksburg, and the Bruins did not qualify for the postseason). Both coaches do have postseason experience, as the Terriers Jeff Highfill has seen many a game in late November, while Jamie Harless, was on Tim Fulton's staff at Cave Spring last season which made it all the way to the state semifinals.
REGION IV DIVISION 3
Seeds
1. Richlands
2. Tunstall 193 (21.4 rating, only played 9 games)
3. Marion 207
4. Cave Spring-206
5. Abingdon
6. Tazewell
Biggest loser in this had to be Cave Spring. The Knights were sitting it at the 2 seed entering Friday night, but a loss to Hidden Valley, a win by Tunstall and some rider points by Marion, dropped the Knights to a 4 seed. Tim Fulton's group will host Abingdon next week. With a win over the Falcons, Cave Spring will get to play Richlands for the 4th straight season, and I can guarantee you Greg Mance's Blue Tornado did not forget last year's meeting in the Regional Final. Cave Spring went to far Southwest Virginia and knocked off the Blue Tornado at Ernie Hicks Stadium, 35-21 behind Sam Wright's 5 touchdowns and career high 303 yards. The good news for Richlands is Sam Wright graduated last season. But, Cave Spring must get by Abingdon first. The Falcons come in a little cold, dropping their last 3 games to Richlands, Tazewell and Marion.
Speaking of Tazewell and Marion, it will be a rematch of a game played on October 12th, where Marion knocked off Tazewell 38-18. This has been a very cyclical matchup between the two teams, dating back to 1999, Marion has won 8 meetings, while dropping 6. Marion has won the last two. Tazewell finishes up their season on Saturday at Richlands. The Bulldogs dropped their first 7 before winning the last 2 playoff games to qualify for the playoffs. Tazewell advanced in the playoffs over Martinsville. Both teams nicknamed the Bulldogs, also finished with the same amount of points. Carroll County ended up being the tie-breaker. Tazewell defeated Carroll County, where Martinsville did not giving the Bulldogs (Tazewell variety) the 6th seed and if the knock off Marion, a date with the Tunstall Trojans in two weeks.
Tunstall, had the rare double bye earlier in the season, with two straight weeks off. Those two weeks benefited Buddy Brown's squad. The Trojans were 1-2 entering the double bye, and reeled off 5 of their last 6. In the lone defeat to Magna Vista, the Trojans lost by 6 points, and took a share of the Piedmont District title with Bassett and the Magna Vista Warriors.
REGION IV DIVISION 4
Seeds
1. Salem
2. Hidden Valley
3. Christiansburg
4. Pulaski or Magna Vista
5. Magna Vista or Pulaski
6. Bassett
First off, let's address the unfinished business. If Richlands wins on Saturday (which most expect they will) over Tazewell, then Magna Vista will have to travel to the Cougar's Den next week. If Tazewell pulls off the stunner, then Pulaski will make their 2nd trip down to Ridgeway this season. These two teams did meet earlier in the season with Joe Favero's Warriors winning over the Cougars 34-21. Pulaski, which made the playoffs last year at 1-9, got in this year with a 5-5 record. The Cougars have dropped 3 of their last 4 entering the 2nd season, while Magna Vista, whom could have clinched the Piedmont District title outright with a win over Bassett, fell to the Bengals 20-19 in Bassett on Friday night. If Pulaski defeats Magna Vista, they will get to travel to Salem and meet the Spartans at Spartan Stadium. Pulaski has dropped 3 straight contests to the Spartans including one on Friday night, 28-14. Meanwhile, if Magna Vista can advance to the Regional Semifinal, it would be a rematch of last year's Regional Semi, where the Warriors ousted the Spartans from postseason play 36-35.
Speaking of Jay Gilbert's Bengals, their win and Blacksburg's loss gave them the 6th and final playoff spot. Bassett will travel to Christiansburg to take on the Blue Demons. Bassett has dropped their last 5 to Christiansburg and has been shut out or scored in single digits in 4 of those 5 defeats. However, earlier this season, the Bengals gave Tim Cromer's squad quite the scare falling 28-27. The winner of Bassett and Christiansburg will travel to Hidden Valley in two weeks. The Titans knocked off Cave Spring on Friday, winning 5 of their last 6. The Titans also beat both Christiansburg (28-0) & Bassett (35-12) at home earlier this season.
Hope that information has got you all set for the playoffs in Region's III & IV.
