2023 Champion - Salem
SALEM SPARTANS
Region 4D
2023 Record: 13-2; 6-0 River Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost in Class 4 State Championship Game to Phoebus
Head Coach: Don Holter - 6th season overall; 6th season at Salem
Career Record: 56-9; Record at Salem: Same
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - at Liberty Christian
September 6 - at Franklin County
September 13 - vs. William Fleming
September 20 - vs. Northside
September 27 - at Patrick Henry*
October 4 - at Hidden Valley*
October 11 - vs. Pulaski County*
October 18 - Open date
October 25 - vs. Cave Spring*
November 1 - at Christiansburg*
November 8 - vs. Blacksburg*
*River Ridge District game
NOTES: They were literally seconds from going to overtime with Phoebus in the Class 4 championship game when Phoebus got a receiver behind the defense and scored a walk-off touchdown. Class 4 offensive player of the year Peyton Lewis is now at Tennessee. All-state linebacker and the number one recruit in Virginia Chris Cole is at Georgia but along with sure things in life like death and taxes is the fact that Salem will be good and in the hunt for a State Title. It's the ultimate plug and play program where the Spartans always have talent and until someone says otherwise, they are still the standard in the River Ridge and Region 4D. Don Holter has lost just 1 River Ridge District game in his coaching career at Salem.
PATRICK HENRY PATRIOTS
Region 5D
2023 Record: 9-2 overall; 5-1 River Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost to William Fleming in first round of Region 5D playoffs.
Head Coach: Alan Fidler - 24th season overall; 14th season at Patrick Henry.
Career Record: 164-66; Record at Patrick Henry: 92-54
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Brookville
September 6 - vs. E.C. Glass
September 13 - at Albemarle
September 20 - at William Fleming
September 27 - vs. Salem*
October 4 - at Pulaski County*
October 11 - Open date
October 18 - at Cave Spring*
October 25 - vs. Christiansburg*
November 1 - at Blacksburg*
November 8 - vs. Hidden Valley*
*River Ridge District game
NOTES: Had their best chance to win a regional championship last year after going 9-1 in the regular season and being the top seed in Region 5D only to lose to city rival William Fleming in the first round of the playoffs. Fidler didn't win 164 career games and 7 state championships in West Virginia by not being able to coach, but regular season success needs to parlay into post-season success especially after city rival William Fleming won a Region 5D championship in 2020 and played for one last year.
CHRISTIANSBURG BLUE DEMONS
Region 3D
2023 Record: 8-4 overall; 4-2 River Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost to Magna Vista in Region 3D semi-finals
Head Coach: Matt Herron - 1st year overall; 1st year at Christiansburg
Career Record: 0-0; Record at School: same
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - at Floyd County
September 6 - vs. Abingdon
September 13 - at William Byrd
September 20 - at Cave Spring*
September 27 - vs. Pulaski County*
October 4 - vs. Riverheads
October 11 - at Blacksburg*
October 18 - vs. Hidden Valley*
October 25 - at Patrick Henry*
November 1 - vs. Salem*
November 8 - Open date
*River Ridge District game
NOTES: Matt Herron moves up from offensive coordinator to take over for Alex Wilkins who rebuilt the Christiansburg program from the ground up. Herron is right out of the Jim Hickam coaching tree having played Quarterback for Hickam at Northside. Herron is the son of former Northside Quarterback Eddie Herron (Class of 1985) and the nephew of former Roanoke College Basketball coach Page Moir.
PULASKI COUNTY COUGARS
Region 3D
2023 Record: 4-7 overall; 3-3 River Ridge District
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of the Region 3D playoffs to William Byrd
Head Coach: Cam Akers - 8th season overall; 3rd season at Pulaski County
Career Record: 31-43 overall; 8-13 at Pulaski County
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Northside
September 6 - Open date
September 13 - vs. Lord Botetourt
September 20 - vs. Princeton, WV
September 27 - at Christiansburg*
October 4 - vs. Patrick Henry*
October 11 - at Salem*
October 18 - vs. Blacksburg*
October 24 - at Graham (Thursday)
November 1 - vs. Hidden Valley*
November 8 - at Cave Spring*
*River Ridge District game
NOTES: The Cougars sport a triple option offense that cranks out yardage but didn't lead to many wins. Return second team all-state running back Trey Gallimore who rushed for 1,600 yards and 29 Touchdowns. Schedule is brutal again. In addition to the district schedule which includes Salem, Patrick Henry and Christiansburg, the Cougars meet WV Class AAA runner-up Princeton, WV and Graham who is once again state championship good. Hard to see 5 wins here.
CAVE SPRING KNIGHTS
Region 3D
2023 Record: 3-7 overall; 2-4 River Ridge District
Playoffs: None
Head Coach: Hunter Shepherd - 2nd season overall; 2nd season at Cave Spring
Career Record: 3-7; Record at Cave Spring: same
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - at Western Albemarle
September 6 - at Northside
September 13 - vs. Glenvar
September 20 - vs. Christiansburg*
September 27 - at Blacksburg*
October 3 - vs. William Byrd (Thursday)
October 11 - at Hidden Valley*
October 18 - vs. Patrick Henry*
October 25 - at Salem*
November 1 - Open date
November 8 - vs. Pulaski County*
*River Ridge District
NOTES: South Roanoke County football was a dumpster fire last year with Cave Spring winning 3 games and Hidden Valley winning 1 game. Seems like Cave Spring is always the little engine that thinks it can get over the hill only to roll back down. It's not hard to make the playoffs in the VHSL now, but it's going to take more than 3 wins.
HIDDEN VALLEY TITANS
Region 3D
2023 Record: 1-9 overall; 1-5 River Ridge District
Playoffs: None
Head Coach: Scott Weaver - 16th season overall; 16th season at Hidden Valley
Career Record: 67-93; Record at Hidden Valley: same
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. William Fleming
September 6 - vs. William Byrd
September 13 - at Northside
September 20 - at Glenvar
September 27 - Open date
October 4 - vs. Salem*
October 11 - vs. Cave Spring*
October 18 - at Christiansburg*
October 25 - vs. Blacksburg*
November 1 - at Pulaski County*
November 8 - at Patrick Henry*
NOTES: Not much room for anything but improvement as Titans' only win in 2023 was over Blacksburg. Weaver is the longest tenured coach at his school in the River Ridge District going into his 16th season.
BLACKSBURG BRUINS
Region 4D
2023 Record: 2-8 overall; 0-6 River Ridge District
Playoffs: None
Head Coach: Zach Leonard - 3rd season overall; 3rd season at Blacksburg
Career Record: 2-18; Record at Blacksburg: 2-18
2024 Schedule:
August 30 - vs. Giles
September 6 - at Lord Botetourt
September 13 - vs. Floyd County
September 20 - at Rockbridge County
September 27 - vs. Cave Spring*
October 4 - Open date
October 11 - vs. Christiansburg*
October 18 - at Pulaski County*
October 25 - at Hidden Valley*
November 1 - vs. Patrick Henry*
November 8 - at Salem*
*River Ridge District game
NOTES: Went from winless in 2022 to 2 wins in 2023 breaking at 20 game losing streak in the process. Blacksburg High School has always had talent and it's hard to imagine that they'll be wandering in the wilderness for very long. Leonard was on Alex Wilkins staff at Christiansburg and had a first hand look at how to rebuild. This year will go a long way to determining if Blacksburg is on the same path.
