2023 co-champions: George Wythe, Galax, and Grayson County
GALAX MAROON TIDE
Region 1C
2023 Record: 11-4 overall; 4-1 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: Won Division 1 State championship over Essex 7-6
Head Coach: Shane Allen - 10th season overall; 5th season at Galax
Career Record: 52-49; Record at Galax: 37-12
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Glenvar
September 5 - at Graham (Thursday)
September 13 - at Carroll County
September 20 - vs. Radford
September 27 - vs. Auburn*
October 4 - at George Wythe*
October 11 - Open date
October 18 - vs. Giles*
October 25 - at Richlands
November 1 - at Fort Chiswell*
November 8 - vs. Grayson County*
*Mountain Empire District game
NOTES: Finished the regular season 6-4 only to run off 5 straight wins and win the Division 1 championship. Fun fact: Galax is now 2-0 in Division 1 State Championship games by an identical score of 7-6. Last year's championship was won with two safeties and a field goal.
GEORGE WYTHE MAROONS
Region 1C
2023 Record: 9-4 overall; 4-1 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: Lost in the Region 1C championship game to Galax
Head Coach: Brandon Harner - 11th season overall; 11th season at George Wythe
Career Record: 83-36; Record at George Wythe: 83-36
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Radford
September 6 - Open date
September 13 - at Graham
September 20 - at Carroll County
September 27 - at Rural Retreat
October 4 - vs. Galax*
October 11 - at Giles*
October 18 - vs. J.I. Burton
October 25 - vs. Fort Chiswell*
November 1 - vs. Grayson County*
November 8 - at Auburn*
*Mountain Empire District game
NOTES: Continue to be one of the steadiest and solid programs in Southwest Virginia. Schedule begins with first two games against last year's Class 2 champion Radford and Class 2 semi-finalist Graham.
GRAYSON COUNTY BLUE DEVILS
Region 1C
2023 Record: 10-2 overall; 4-1 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: Lost in the semi-finals of the Region 1C Playoffs to Galax
Head Coach: Stephen James - 19th season overall; 4th season at Grayson County
Career Record: 133-71; Record at Grayson County: 24-11
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Alleghany, N.C.
September 6 - vs Carroll County
September 13 - vs Rural Retreat
September 20 - at Floyd County
September 27 - vs Giles*
October 4 - Open date
October 11 - at Fort Chiswell*
October 18 - at Bluefield, WV
October 25 - vs Auburn*
November 1 - at George Wythe*
November 8 - at Galax*
*Mountain Empire District game
NOTES: Grayson started the year 9-0 and was the top seed in the Region 1C playoffs before losing 2 of their last 3 games. Grayson started the 2022 season 8-0 before losing 3 of their last 5 games. They beat Giles in the first round before losing to Galax in the semifinals. Grayson coach Stephen James won 40 games as the coach at Pulaski County in Class 3, but he's proving again when it comes to small school football he's one of the best.
GILES SPARTANS
Region 1C
2023 Record: 3-8 overall; 2-3 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: Lost in the First Round of the Region 1C playoffs to Grayson County
Head Coach: Jeff Williams - 17th season overall; 17th season at Giles
Career Record: 114-65; Record at Giles: 114-65
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - at Blacksburg
September 6 - vs. Radford
September 13 - Open date
September 20 - at Narrows
September 27 - at Grayson County*
October 4 - vs. Auburn*
October 11 - vs. George Wythe*
October 18 - at Galax*
October 25 - vs. Tazewell
November 1 - vs. Bluefield, WV
November 8 - at Fort Chiswell*
*Mountain Empire District game
NOTES: Back-to-back 3 win seasons is very un-Giles like, but the Spartans have proven in the past that they can rebound from droughts. Since 2018 Giles is 23-36 with 5 losing seasons in that span. There's too much tradition here to expect Giles to be struggling for very long.
AUBURN EAGLES
Region 1C
2023 Record: 2-8 overall; 0-5 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: None
Head Coach: Scott Mikowicz - 2nd season overall; 2nd season at Auburn
Career Record: 2-8; Record at Auburn: 2-8
2024 Schedule
August 30 - at Narrows
September 6 - vs. Craig County
September 13 - Open date
September 20 - at Eastern Montgomery
September 27 - at Galax*
October 4 - at Giles*
October 11 - vs. Bath County
October 18 - vs. Fort Chiswell*
October 25 - at Grayson County*
November 1 - vs. Eastside
November 8 - vs. George Wythe*
*Mountain Empire District game
NOTES: A year after cancelling the season after just 5 games, the Eagles played a full 10-game schedule. The school has been successful in other sports like basketball and girls' sports, but for some reason football has always been a struggle.
BLAND COUNTY BEARS
Region 1C
2023 Record: 1-6 overall; 0-0 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: Not Eligible - did not play 8 games
Head Coach: John Hays - 3rd season overall; 3rd season at Bland County
Career Record: 3-8; Record at Bland County: 3-8
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - at Craig County
September 6 - Open date
September 13 - vs. Phelps, KY
September 20 - at Mount View, WV
September 27 - Open date
October 4 - vs. Twin Valley
October 11 - at Roanoke Catholic
October 18 - at Jenkins, KY
October 25 - Open date
November 1 - Open date
November 8 - at Montcalm, WV
NOTES: Will again play an independent 7 game schedule and won't be eligible for the post-season. The playoffs should be Bland's last concern as just getting back to being competitive is the primary goal. Bland will play two small schools from Kentucky, two small schools from West Virginia, one private school in Roanoke Catholic, and just two from Virginia, Craig County and Twin Valley who, like Bland, struggle to field a team sometimes.
FORT CHISWELL PIONEERS
Region 1C
2023 Record: 5-7 overall; 1-4 Mountain Empire District
Playoffs: Lost in the second round of the Region 1C playoffs
Head Coach: Zane Quesenberry - 2nd season overall; 2nd season at Fort Chiswell
Career Record: 5-7; Record at Fort Chiswell 5-7
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Rural Retreat
September 6 - vs. Floyd County
September 13 - Open date
September 20 - at Tazewell
September 27 - at Eastern Montgomery
October 4 - at Parry McCluer
October 11 - vs. Grayson County*
October 18 - at Auburn*
October 25 - at George Wythe*
November 1 - vs. Galax*
November 8 - vs. Giles*
*Mountain Empire District game
NOTES: Quesenberry's first season as a head coach was a success. The Pioneers won just 5 games but one of those was a win over second seeded Narrows in the first round of the 1C playoffs.
