Week 11 Preview: Juggernauts Collide

The following predictions do not reflect bias or favoritism of HogoOnline. All scores are generated using formulas, rankings, and algorithms (which I named Dorothy) that are still in their infant stages. Please be kind to all predictions and remember, if you don't like it, the computer did it. After all, they're just silly predictions, right?

Last week: Dorothy 3-0
2008 Season: Dorothy 36-6

Dorothy had a good one last week: Prediction 27-13, actual score: Holston 28, Castlewood 12.

Way to go Dorothy!...

Dorothy
"Smile Dorothy, you're
doing great."

NORTHWOOD (0-9, 0-5)
at JOHN S. BATTLE (0-9, 0-4)

Despite power outages and swampy field conditions in Saltville on Friday, the Panthers were unable to muster anything positive against the ‘Roons. The Trojans endured problems of their own last week against Lebanon in a 48-13 mopping. The lone bright spot for each of these teams all season has been seeing each other on the end of the schedule. 1-9 is admittedly better than 0-10 and it is always good to end a season on a positive note. In the past, these two teams have done everything from landing in the record books in highly offensive scoring affairs to being escorted out of each other’s stadium by the police. Hopefully this game avoids the latter. This game will cap the season for these two struggling programs currently in the middle of rebuilding (Northwood) and building (John Battle). Northwood fans travel well to support their Panthers no matter their record. Look for Northwood to avoid the goose-egg in the win column and avenge a loss from last year. Bodie Keesee and company have their work cut out for them; Michael Johnson is a tough one to catch. Northwood leads this old Hogoheegee rivalry 6-4 in the last ten skirmishes.
· 1998: John Battle 30-6
· 1999: Northwood 21-6
· 2000: Northwood 28-0
· 2001: Northwood 32-6
· 2002: John Battle 19-7
· 2003: Northwood 42-7
· 2004: John Battle 33-26
· 2005: Northwood 66-58
· 2006: Northwood 46-31
· 2007: John Battle 43-19
· 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says Northwood 28-26

RURAL RETREAT (2-7, 1-3)
at PATRICK HENRY (3-6, 1-3)

PH is coming off of an open week in their schedule and without any hopes of a Region C, Division 2 playoff berth, they took the opportunity to rest up, become healthy, in preparation to duke it out with the Indians for the number four spot in the district’s final standings. RR, despite an enormous early effort by running-back Adam Evans, was eventually unable to capitalize Friday against Chilhowie. Jake Whalen and Tyler Hash gave a great effort down the stretch and strongly illuminated the amazing strides the team has taken since the first few weeks of play. Coach Quinton Hensley must be awfully proud of his bunch of Indians who looked as though winning a game at all this season could be a challenge. Since the win over Northwood, the Indians have shown that they are a force to be reckoned with against GW and Chilhowie, despite the losing outcomes. Ronnie Groves, Robert Gonzales, and Johnny Thompson are among the senior leaders on the Rebels team looking to end the season and their high school football careers on a positive note. The Indians lead the last ten meetings in this Hogoheegee matchup, 8-2.
· 1998: Rural Retreat 34-22
· 1999: Patrick Henry 27-19
· 2000: Rural Retreat 34-14
· 2001: Rural Retreat 67-22
· 2002: Patrick Henry 28-0
· 2003: Rural Retreat 27-9
· 2004: Rural Retreat 27-21
· 2005: Rural Retreat 41-13
· 2006: Rural Retreat 35-28
· 2007: Rural Retreat 39-13
· 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says Patrick Henry 21-20

GEORGE WYTHE (5-4, 4-0)
at CHILHOWIE (9-0, 4-0)

It was 2001. The Trade Towers of New York had been struck just a month before. The Arizona Diamondbacks were in route to a World Series appearance and eventual win. Not to mention, Paul Walker's Joy Ride had already been in theaters for two weeks. October 19, 2001, the Chilhowie Warriors found out exactly how good they were when they toted a 6-1 record into Wytheville on GW’s homecoming. The Warriors jumped out to a 27-7 lead before the fourth quarter when the Maroons made a surge but fell short 27-20. That was the last time Chilhowie beat the Maroons. Since then, it has been a sad sight for Chilhowie against their district nemesis. Since October 19, 2001, Chilhowie has only scored three touchdowns against GW, only lead once (for the 1st quarter in their meeting in 2002 against GW’s eventual Group A State Championship team), and has only scored 8 points at home against GW in the last ten years. Last season was perhaps the most interesting as the last second heroics of GW’s Seth White put the Maroons on-top with only a few seconds left on the game clock that kept the Warriors in their living rooms for the post-season. This year the records are a little different but the game is the same. Nostradamus must have foreseen this one coming when schedules pitted these two teams against each other at the end of the year. No complaints here, it certainly lends a good amount of suspense before the heavy-weight bout.

Last week Chilhowie put together several offensive strikes after a slow start against RR to score 35 unanswered points before the Indians were able to respond. GW went to Saltville and waxed the Panthers in the dark after a power-outage delayed the game for an agonizing amount of time in the poor weather. The Maroons were the eventual victors in more than convincing fashion, 49-6 with a 42-0 halftime lead.

What’s new? Chilhowie and George Wythe, #1 and #2, entering the ring for another bout certainly isn’t if you consider all of the recent meetings in boys and girls basketball, baseball, and of course football. These squads bring a lot of fans, a lot of heart, and a lot of excitement and the coals have been fueled for this newly endowed rivalry among the district’s best. This certainly will not be the last of highly anticipated matchups between these two schools. The rivalry goes even deeper if you consider that both head coaches were star athletes at Chilhowie and both head coaches eventually went on to be the head coach of George Wythe and each have won district championships at George Wythe. Wow.

GEORGE WYTHE:
PF-PA=222-184
Opponent record=51-33 (not counting Floyd vs Giles)
CHILHOWIE:
PF-PA=268-75
Opponent record=39-51

George Wythe dominates this series for the last ten meetings, 9-1.
· 1998: George Wythe 28-2
· 1999: George Wythe 35-26
· 2000: George Wythe 13-0
· 2001: Chilhowie 27-20
· 2002: George Wythe 45-6
· 2003: George Wythe 42-6
· 2004: George Wythe 39-0

2005: George Wythe 27-0
· 2006: George Wythe 7-0
· 2007: George Wythe 14-7
· 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says Chilhowie 27-14

Reclassification. The end of the Hogo?

In 1970, reclassification for the Virginia High School League meant one thing: order and unity. In 1970, all high school districts could operate under one massive umbrella of rules, regulation, scheduling, and championships. That has been the way for every bit of 38 years with changes here and changes there, but never veering far from the path laid out in 1970. In 1986, the VHSL proposed the idea of adding divisions to the football playoffs so to give smaller schools a chance to compete. That has been our standard for 22 years and has been working fairly well with few complaints. The same thing was added to basketball this past year where there were two A champions for the first time.

Now under this order, the laws laid out 40 years ago are becoming more rigid. Teams are finishing 9-1 and 8-2 and not getting to advance to playoffs. Division 2 schools that win state championships from southwest Virginia are now smaller than Division 1 schools from elsewhere that win. Reclassification is in order.

5A's of them.

Under the new umbrella, the breakdown would look similar to this for our region.

2A = 451-800 students
1A = 450 students and under

The current Pioneer district would lose James River:
James River, 2A
Parry McCluer, 1A
Bath County, 1A
Covington, 1A
Craig County, 1A
Highland, 1A

The current TRD would be mutilated:
Floyd, 2A
Giles, 2A
Glenvar, 2A
Radford, 2A
Auburn, 1A
East Mont, A1

The current MED would be spliced:
Grayson, 2A
Fort Chiswell, 2A
Bland, 1A
Galax, 1A
Narrows, 1A

The Hogoheegee would also be damaged:
Patrick Henry, 2A
George Wythe, 2A
Chilhowie, 1A
Holston, 1A
Northwood, 1A
Rural Retreat, 1A


This reclassification proposal suggests that the districts would be erased. Whereas I may be biased because I spend a lot of my time dedicated to the preservation of this district, its history, and its future... I don't like the idea. However, this reclassification would call for a new redistricting...in which case, this website would be likely to follow the original Hogoheegee cast (the remaining 1A schools).

New possible redistricting:
2A (District 1)
James River
Glenvar
Giles
Floyd
Radford

2A (District 2)
Grayson
Fort Chiswell
George Wythe
Patrick Henry
Lebanon

2A (District 3)
Gate City
Virginia
John Battle
Powell Valley
JJ Kelly

1A (District 4)
Parry McCluer
Bath County
Highland
Craig County
Covington

1A (District 5)
Narrows
East Mont
Auburn
Bland
Galax

1A (District 6 or Hogoheegee)
Chilhowie
Northwood
Holston
Rural Retreat
Honaker
Castlewood

1A (District 7)
Haysi
Hurley
Ervinton
Twin Valley
Rye Cove
Saint Paul
Twin Springs

1A (District 8)
Coeburn
Appalachia
Clintwood
JI Burton
Thomas Walker
Pound


WHO KNOWS!?

Week 10 Preview

The following predictions do not reflect bias or favoritism of HogoOnline. All scores are generated using formulas, rankings, and algorithms (which I named Dorothy) that are still in their infant stages. Please be kind to all predictions and remember, if you don't like it, the computer did it. After all, they're just silly predictions, right?

Last week: Dorothy 3-0
2008 Season: Dorothy 33-6

HOLSTON (7-2, 3-2)
at CASTLEWOOD (6-2)

Both of these teams are coming off of gut-wrenching, yet still heart-breaking district defeats. Holston let go of a late lead to Chilhowie in Damascus which banished all hope of a district championship for the Cavs. The Blue Devils took it to the wire against Twin Springs for the Cumberland lead, but a late fumble sealed the deal and Castlewood lost 28-27. Eric Mefford and Jefferey Bramlett have looked sharp in their recent defeats to powerful division 2 teams (Chilhowie and George Wythe). This week the competition is a bit lighter with Castlewood, although the Devils should be taken seriously...a 6-2 record may be easy to come by in the Cumberland but it can be awfully deceiving late in the year. If the Cavs continue to play hard, this game will be a simple tune-up for the Region C playoffs. Castlewood actually leads this old Hogoheegee rivalry, 6-4, in the last ten seasons with Holston winning three of the last four.

• 1998: Holston 8-7
• 1999: Castlewood 18-8
• 2000: Castlewood 39-13
• 2001: Castlewood 41-28
• 2002: Castlewood 29-19
• 2003: Castlewood 16-14
• 2004: Holston 35-12
• 2005: Holston 15-14
• 2006: Castlewood 40-0
• 2007: Holston 34-7
• 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says Holston 27-13

CHILHOWIE (8-0, 3-0)
at RURAL RETREAT (2-6, 1-2)

The quality of play for the Warriors has been in question in recent weeks but one thing is for certain...they're still winning. So maybe it's not pretty all the time but that is ok for them, this is not a beauty pageant. The Warriors managed a late comeback to eek by the Cavs 22-12 in Damascus last Friday, while Rural Retreat outplayed and almost managed an upset against Wythe County foe, George Wythe. The Indians were a 4th down conversion away from perhaps taking the lead late in the fourth quarter but a penalty and an incomplete pass ended the drive. The Indians have certainly improved since the beginning of the year and Coach Quinton Hensley has shaped his young group into an experienced team in just 8 games. The Indians are headed in the right direction and will certainly contend again in the near future. If Chilhowie is not ready, Hensley's Indians, led by QB Jake Whalen, could knock the Warriors clean out of a playoff spot for the second straight season. It won't take much to stall the Warriors' season as tight as Region C D2 is. This orange and black, Native American, Hogoheegee rivalry is older than dirt, but Rural Retreat leads the last ten bouts, 7-3.

• 1998: Rural Retreat 24-21
• 1999: Rural Retreat 35-13
• 2000: Rural Retreat 28-0
• 2001: Chilhowie 22-20
• 2002: Rural Retreat 12-0
• 2003: Rural Retreat 41-14
• 2004: Chilhowie 20-16
• 2005: Rural Retreat 34-6
• 2006: Rural Retreat 24-6
• 2007: Chilhowie 34-29
• 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says Chilhowie 32-7

GEORGE WYTHE (4-4, 3-0)
at NORTHWOOD (0-8, 0-4)

The Maroons almost slipped. Sure, the ground was wet from a rainy Friday afternoon, but nothing prepared the 'Roons for the amount of determination they were going to be struck by at Community Stadium in Rural Retreat. The Maroons season of early struggle with hope was met by an Indians season of struggle and nothing to lose. The Indians outplayed the Maroons on offense and even defense for most of the game but the big plays of Brandon Atwell, Jonathan Turpin, and Will Sawyers demonstrated why the Maroons are still playoff contenders. Northwood was unable to stop Ronnie Groves last week as he lead PH with three TDs over the Panthers. NW did find the endzone three times and have improved on offense over the course of the year. If the Panther D can emulate Rural Retreat's game plan, there is an ounce of hope. The Maroons offense acts like a tug-boat fueled off of big plays. Sometimes it sputters, sometimes it goes 70 yards down the sideline. The Maroons own the last ten years of this one, 10-0.

• 1998: George Wythe 51-19
• 1999: George Wythe 41-0
• 2000: George Wythe 26-6
• 2001: George Wythe 17-6
• 2002: George Wythe 30-0
• 2003: George Wythe 24-8
• 2004: George Wythe 52-14
• 2005: George Wythe 15-6
• 2006: George Wythe 35-14
• 2007: George Wythe 46-0
• 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says George Wythe 28-7

Blogs, Videos, & Blogs About Videos

I thank each of you who have given me positive feedback about the videos and blogs. Unlike the website stats, in which I can peek and see how many people actually view the site, I can't do the same for the videos or blogs. Henceforth, I'm just glad a few of you like them.

If you are interested in how many hits the site receives, there have been 9,600 so far just this month. Close to 66,000 this year.

The Blogs are a bit of a side idea. I originally started them last spring to give weekly updates about softball and baseball season; and again, I have no idea how many people actually read them but I had fun writing them. Then for football season, to make the site stick out (because lets face it, there are probably too many high school football websites out there) I put some weekly Hogoheegee previews in here with some lame-o predictions I came up with in my nerd-time. A few of you have offered some good words about them so I'll keep them coming.

The videos are a monster of my time, money, and sleep. It involves me packing up the Kodak and a friend and driving no less than 50 minutes to the "closest" and "most hyped" game I can. This takes up a majority of my Friday, my gas money, and sometimes when I go alone to a high school football game with a camera, my dignity. But hey, I love doing it. So with that being said, there will not be a video for a couple of weeks. A guy has priorities and school happens to be on top of mine. Don't worry though, the website... and my family... are a tight second.

Some of you want to know who I am and what I look like...

I really wish I could put a hit counter on these blogs so I could really know how many people are actually appreciating my spare-time. But then again, it would probably only turn out to be 3 per day and one of them would be me. So if that's the case, to the other two of you, get a life. Nah, I'm just kidding, please don't...seriously.

Does anybody have any ideas on how to spice up basketball season? Last year I did rankings for boys basketball and that was a HUGE hit. I was appalled. I didn't do girls because it is hard enough for me to get girls scores from the district, much less the region. Maybe one day, but as of now, reporting for female sports is really sad. I hope that inspires some of you, but anyway.. I'll be doing that again for boys ball and I'm also trying to get some coaches in some interviews like I did for football. Coaches are hermits though and don't like to venture far from their caves to lend time to sweet gentlemen like myself, so we'll see how it goes.

+=
Well, it doesn't equal IronMan persay..but just complete awesomeness...

But with that being said, please pass the word around to any Coach, Fan, Parent, Player, or Team Manager.. it is YOUR responsibility to give me the scores if you want them on here. So if your son or daughter is hitting the court this winter and you plan to make it to a lot of games, then you're going to need to add this email address (hogosportz@hogoheegee.com OR hogo_sportz@yahoo.com) to your phone or Outlook and report those scores. Don't worry if you think it has already been reported, I would rather have too many reports than none which is sadly the case much of the time and it's frustrating for myself and fans who enjoy the site. I know people go to all the games and I know 97% of people have the internet or some means of communicating with me...no excuses.

Uncle Hogo Needs YOU!

Until next time..

Week 9 Preview

The following predictions do not reflect bias or favoritism of HogoOnline. All scores are generated using formulas, rankings, and algorithms (which I named Dorothy) that are still in their infant stages. Please be kind to all predictions and remember, if you don't like it, the computer did it. After all, they're just silly predictions, right?

Last week: Dorothy 2-1
2008 Season: Dorothy 30-6

I just want to point out that Dorothy predicted RR to win 26-20. Final was 27-20. I’m just saying.

George Wythe (3-4, 2-0)
at Rural Retreat (2-5, 1-1)

So the hype has now come to pass. George Wythe delivered Holston their first loss of the year and reminded the rest of the district that their record means nothing in this last leg of district play. The Maroons got 100+ yards rushing out of Jonathan Turpin and Will Sawyers as well as the usual superb passing performance from Jacob Sharitz. Rural Retreat had a 27 point fourth quarter lead dwindle down to 7 as NW mounted a furious comeback. The Indians managed to win the game but were reminded that football games are still four quarters long… not three. If RR plays defense all four quarters against the Maroons, they give themselves a chance to upset their Wythe County foes. No road win in Community Stadium is ever easy regardless of RR’s record. On a side-note, the Maroons have scored 192 points this season as opposed to RR’s 73. GW leads this Wythe County rivalry 8-2 in the last 10 meetings.

• 1998: George Wythe 28-20
• 1999: Rural Retreat 28-21
• 2000: George Wythe 22-19
• 2001: George Wythe 14-12
• 2002: George Wythe 44-12
• 2003: George Wythe 24-7
• 2004: George Wythe 20-6
• 2005: George Wythe 22-14
• 2006: Rural Retreat 41-14
• 2007: George Wythe 28-13
• 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says George Wythe 27-19
  

Northwood (0-7, 0-3)
at Patrick Henry (2-6, 0-2)

Both the Panthers and Rebels are coming off of district losses with very different finishes. NW almost completed one of the most exciting comebacks in Hogo history with a twenty point fourth quarter that put them within one score late in the game. PH held it close with Chilhowie, 12-6 just before halftime before eventually falling 46-6 to the Warriors. Bodie Keesee has found the end-zone several times in several different ways for the Panthers and has proven to be a reliable playmaker for a team lacking luster. Coach Compton consistently gets a strong first half effort out of his Rebels but the second half has become a trend of poor play. If the Rebels come out flat in the second half against the Panthers, a Northwood rally might get them their first win. This district rivalry leans in favor of NW, 6-4, in the last ten.

• 1998: Patrick Henry 49-0
• 1999: Patrick Henry 20-13
• 2000: Northwood 14-0
• 2001: Northwood 18-2
• 2002: Northwood 28-0
• 2003: Northwood 27-7
• 2004: Patrick Henry 31-13
• 2005: Northwood 45-25
• 2006: Northwood 41-14
• 2007: Patrick Henry 28-13
• 2008 Prediction: Patrick Henry 34-27

Chilhowie (7-0, 2-0)
at Holston (7-1, 3-1)

The Cavs attempted to redeem several years of abuse by the Maroons as they have done so far this year against the likes of Patrick Henry and Rural Retreat but came up short after a respectable effort against one of the area’s perennial powerhouses. Coach Matlock was certainly proud of his Cavs who, despite the loss, are still eyeing a division one Region C championship which is theirs to lose in the eyes of many. The Warriors of Chilhowie came out flat and then rallied off 46 unanswered points against Patrick Henry. Josh Jackson threw for over 200 yards and four touchdowns, three of which were to Curtis Williams, as if to make a statement that the Warriors are indeed a multi-dimensional squad contrary to the beliefs of several. If the Holston defense, who allowed two GW players to grind out 100 yards apiece, can put the clamps on the Warriors running game and contain the passing attack, they will have a great shot at an upset. Otherwise, the Warriors are likely to nickel and dime it down the field. It is also worth noting that the Chilhowie starting defense has only allowed four touchdowns this year and only two since week one. Holston hasn't beaten Chilhowie since 1995.

• 1998: Chilhowie 28-18
• 1999: Chilhowie 35-20
• 2000: Chilhowie 40-14
• 2001: Chilhowie 7-0
• 2002: Chilhowie 29-6
• 2003: Chilhowie 7-6
• 2004: Chilhowie 49-16
• 2005: Chilhowie 50-13
• 2006: Chilhowie 36-7
• 2007: Chilhowie 39-18
• 2008 Prediction: Dorothy says Chilhowie 20-13