Playoff Teams: Salem, Patrick Henry, Christiansburg, Cave Spring
SALEM SPARTANS
2023 RECORD: 10-3 OVERALL; 5-1 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2023 PLAYOFFS: LOST IN THE REGION 4D CHAMPIONSHIP TO E.C. GLASS
HEAD COACH: DON HOLTER
OVERALL RECORD/YEARS:43-7/5th Season
RECORD AT SALEM/YEARS:43-7/5th Season
2022 POINTS SCORED/AVERAGE: 496 (38.2)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED/AVERAGE: 211 (16.2)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
vs. Liberty Christian
September 1st
vs. Franklin County
September 8th
at William Fleming
September 15th
at Northside
September 22nd
vs. Patrick Henry
September 29th
vs. Hidden Valley
October 6th
at Pulaski County
October 13th
Open date
October 20th
at Cave Spring
October 27th
vs. Christiansburg
November 3rd
at Blacksburg
Notes: Salem continues its tradition of being the ultimate plug and play program where one class cycles out and more come in behind. This team figures to compete for a state championship behind two of the top recruits in Virginia in Chris Cole and Payton Lewis, who has already committed to play college football at Tennessee. Martinsburg, West Virginia is dropped from the schedule and replaced by Liberty Christian in the best game of the opening night. Of his 7 losses as the coach at Salem, 3 are to Martinsburg, WV, 1 to Tuscarora, 1 to Patrick Henry, 1 to E.C. Glass and 1 to Broad Run.
PATRICK HENRY PATRIOTS
2022 RECORD: 9-3 OVERALL; 5-1 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2022 PLAYOFFS: LSOT IN THE REGION 5D SEMI-FINALS TO STAFFORD
HEAD COACH: ALAN FIDLER
CAREER RECORD/YEARS: 155-46/23rd Season
RECORD AT PATRICK HENRY/YEARS: 83-52/13th Season
2022 POINTS SCORED/AVERAGE: 420 (35.0)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED/AVERAGE: 221 (18.4)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
at Brookville
September 1st
at E.C. Glass
September 8th
vs. Albemarle
September 15th
vs. William Fleming
September 22nd
at Salem
September 29th
vs. Pulaski County
October 6th
Open date
October 13th
vs. Cave Spring
October 20th
at Christiansburg
October 27th
vs. Blacksburg
November 3rd
at Hidden Valley
Notes: Fidler has established this program as the second best in the River Ridge District, but has yet to get Patrick Henry out of the regional playoffs. Once against PH has a Division 1 recruit. As usual the schedule is not easy with two trips to Lynchburg in the first two weeks followed by home games against Albemarle and William Fleming. Fidler won 7 West Virginia Class-A championships at Moorefield in the Eastern Panhandle before leaving to Coach at Division II Glenville State.
CHRISTIANSBURG BLUE DEMONS
2022 RECORD: 10-4 OVERALL; 4-2 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2022 PLAYOFFS: LOST TO HERITAGE IN THE CLASS 3 SEMI-FINALS
HEAD COACH: ALEX WILKINS
CAREER RECORD OVERALL/YEARS: 28-15/7th Season
RECORD AT CHRISTIANSBURG/YEARS: 28-15/7th Season
2022 POINTS SCORED/AVERAGE: 343 (24.5)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED/AVERAGE: 196 (14.0)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
vs. Floyd County
September 1st
at Abingdon
September 8th
vs. William Byrd
September 15th
vs. Cave Spring
September 22nd
at Pulaski County
September 29th
at Riverheads
October 6th
vs. Blacksburg
October 13th
at Hidden Valley
October 20th
vs. Patrick Henry
October 27th
at Salem
November 3rd
Open date
Notes: Won the Region 3D Championship in Wilkins 5th season which shows the power of staying the course and slowly building a program. Now the challenge is staying there. Return all-state offensive lineman Easton Ware and enormous lineman Carter Ballard who is enormous at 6'8". Schedule has an interesting little quirk in that Radford is dropped in favor of a trip to Riverheads. Rest of the schedule remains the same including their 3rd meeting with Abingdon in the space of 15 games in Week 2.
PULASKI COUNTY COUGARS
2022 RECORD: 4-6 OVERALL; 2-4 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2022 PLAYOFFS: NONE
HEAD COACH: CAM AKERS
CAREER RECORD/YEARS: 24-36/7th Season
RECORD AT PULASKI COUNTY/YEARS: 4-6/2nd Season)
2022 POINTS SCORED/AVERAGE: 283 (28.3)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED/AVERAGE: 274 (27.4)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
at Northside
September 1st
Open date
September 8th
at Lord Botetourt
September 15th
at Princeton, WV
September 22nd
vs. Christiansburg
September 29th
at Patrick Henry
October 6th
vs. Salem
October 13th
at Blacksburg
October 20th
vs. Graham
October 27th
at Hidden Valley
November 3rd
vs. Cave Spring
Notes: Cam Akers took over late and still managed to win 4 games. This is the first time since 1979 that Hall of Fame coach Joel Hicks won't be around the program after passing away earlier this year. The question is will the program he essentially built from the ground up ever achieve the success of his coaching tenure? The schedule is brutal again. Tennessee High and Bluefield, WV cycle off the schedule and are replaced by Lord Botetourt and Princeton, WV. Graham returns to the schedule for a second year. Schedule includes Lord Botetourt who reached the Region 3D finals, Christiansburg, last year's Region 3D champion, Princeton, WV, a playoff team in WV last year, long-time rival Salem, Patrick Henry and last year's Class-2 champion Graham. It might be asking a lot to get to 4 wins, but if the Cougars can get 5 against this schedule, they should be in the post-season.
CAVE SPRING KNIGHTS
2022 RECORD: 6-5 OVERALL; 4-2 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2022 PLAYOFFS: LOST TO BASSETT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF THE REGION 3D PLAYOFFS
HEAD COACH: Hunter Shepherd
CAREER RECORD/YEARS: 0-0/1st Season
RECORD AT CAVE SPRING/YEARS: 0-0/1st Season
2022 POINTS SCORED/AVERAGE: 240 (21.8)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED/AVERAGE: 192 (17.5)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
vs. Western Albemarle
September 1st
at Northside
September 8th
at Glenvar
September 15th
at Christiansburg
September 22nd
at Blacksburg
September 29th
at William Byrd
October 6th
vs. Hidden Valley
October 13th
at Patrick Henry
October 20th
vs. Salem
October 27th
Open date
November 3rd
at Pulaski County
Notes: Nick Leftwich improved Cave Spring from 3-7 to 6-5 and the post-season only to take the job at William Fleming, which we must assume he feels has more upside. In steps former Staunton River assistant Hunter Shepherd who like Leftwich uses Cave Spring as his first head coaching position. Schedule changes include Western Albemarle replacing Alleghany and Hidden Valley moves out of the first game of the season to October 6th. 2022 was first winning season since 2019
HIDDEN VALLEY TITANS
2022 RECORD: 3-8 OVERALL; 1-5 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2022 PLAYOFFS: LOST TO LORD BOTETOURT IN THE FIRST ROUND OF REGION 3D PLAYOFFS
HEAD COACH: SCOTT WEAVER
CAREER RECORD/YEARS: 66-84/15th Season
RECORD AT HIDDEN VALLEY/YEARS:66-84/15th Season
2022 POINTS SCORED: 166 (15.3)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED: 448 (40.7)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
at William Fleming
September 1st
at William Byrd
September 8th
vs. Northside
September 15th
vs. Glenvar
September 22nd
Open date
September 29th
at Salem
October 6th
at Cave Spring
October 13th
vs. Christiansburg
October 20th
at Blacksburg
October 27th
vs. Pulaski County
November 3rd
vs. Patrick Henry
Notes: If Hidden Valley wants to improve, they'd better find a defense. 8 times opponents scored over 30 points, 5 times opponents scored over 40 points and 3 times opponents scored over 50 points. One schedule change as William Fleming replaces Franklin County. Cave Spring game moves from first game of the season to October 6th.
BLACKSBURG BRUINS
2022 RECORD: 0-10 OVERALL; 0-6 RIVER RIDGE DISTRICT
2022 PLAYOFFS: NONE
HEAD COACH: Zach Leonard
CAREER RECORD: 0-10 (1 YEAR)
RECORD AT BLACKSBURG: 0-10 (1 YEAR)
2022 POINTS SCORED/AVERAGE: 62 (6.2)
2022 POINTS ALLOWED/AVERAGE: 473 (47.3)
2023 Schedule
Date
Opponent
August 25th
at Giles
September 1st
vs. Lord Botetourt
September 8th
at Floyd County
September 15th
vs. Rockbridge County
September 22nd
at Cave Spring
September 29th
Open date
October 6th
at Christiansburg
October 13th
vs. Pulaski County
October 20th
vs. Hidden Valley
October 27th
at Patrick Henry
November 3rd
vs. Salem
Notes: Blacksburg hasn't won a game since the Spring 2021 season, going 0-9 in 2021 and 0-10 last year. 2022 season was the first for coach Zach Leonard and it was a mess. Blacksburg didn't score in 3 games, 7 points in 3 games, and double figures only 3 times. Meanwhile Blacksburg couldn't stop anyone. Blacksburg gave up 70 points to Lord Botetourt; 76 to Salem; 63 to Amherst County; 56 to Graham and 48 to Pulaski County. Amherst County and Graham cycle of the schedule replaced by Floyd County and Rockbridge County. Once again open the season with traditional game against Giles.
