Media Day Notebook: Loudoun County
Loudoun County's Todd Hill Addresses The Media Last Week At Joe's Pizzaria. Hill said he was pleased with the progress that the Raiders are making in year two.....
Photo By: Marc Gold / Gameday Magazine
STERLING, VA - For the second consecutive year, TCC Sports hosted the 2008 Gameday Football Media Day at Joe's Pizzaria in Sterling. The event featured coaches from Loudoun, Fairfax, Winchester, and Fauquier County high schools.
Despite the fact that Media Day stretched 6 hours, the local media, including those of us from Gameday, left the event feeling energized about the upcoming season. Our video coverage will begin online on August 4th and continue over the coming weeks at GamedayMagazine.com, but I figured it would be appropriate to give our readers a sneak peek at some of the things that stood out to me during the day.
The Stone Bridge Bulldogs Could Be Even Better In 2008.......
Head Coach Mickey Thompson was careful not to say that his Bulldogs could repeat as state champions again this season, but he did make some comments that imply that he believes it is a possibility. The most glaring comment was that he believes this year's Stone Bridge offense may feature the best passing attack he has ever coached. Last year, quarterback Patrick Thompson threw 31 touchdowns, with 19 of those going to star wide receiver Ryan Moody. To think the 2008 passing game could be even better is a scary thought for anyone on Stone Bridge's schedule. According to Thompson, two future ACC bound defensive players on the Bulldog roster, (Zach Thompson and Brian Slay), will see significant time catching the ball at tight end this fall. I'm still trying to figure out which defensive back in the area will be able to tackle either one of them one on one.....
Potomac Falls Head Coach Scott Woodlief Expects The Panthers To Contend......
With his son Greg Woodlief returning at quarterback, and many of the area's experts overlooking them, Coach Woodlief made a bold prediction that his team will be in the title hunt late in the season in 2008. While last year's 2-8 record would make some doubt this statement, two years ago the Panthers were 7-3 with many of the same players starting as just sophomores. Receiver Chad McMichael returns healthy this fall, which should be mean more big plays in the passing game for Potomac Falls. While the majority of the media will watch Broad Run, Heritage, and Briar Woods closely, the Panthers may be the sleeper....
The Jury Is Out On How Park View Will Fare, But I'm A Believer....
Most of the coaches spent at least 5 minutes talking about what they had in store for their opponents in 2008, but not Park View's Andy Hill. Hill spoke for 45 seconds, and then turned things over to the media to ask questions. Hill is one of the nicest guys in the business, but I know down deep, he is a little perturbed that the Patriots are being picked to finish in the bottom half of the Dulles District standings entering this season, and I don't blame him. The Patriots return several big time athletes, and if one of their quarterbacks can step in and be productive, Park View could be right there playing for a district title in the final week of the season. Hill has led his teams to the playoffs for 3 straight years, and I'm not one to doubt he will have them back this season.....
The Spartans Will Run Out Front To Begin With, And That Is Fine With Their Coach......Broad Run's Michael Burnett made his first appearance at Gameday's Media Day, and he appeared relaxed and confident as usual. Burnett returns the most talent in the district, and certainly the most athleticism at the skill positions. As he stated at the podium, he doesn't mind being considered the front runner, and that leads me to believe his team could be even better than the undefeated district championship team from 2007. The key for Broad Run is staying healthy. Burnett said star linebacker and fullback Kenny McAdow is working out and feeling close to 100% after recovering from a leg injury in the spring while playing lacrosse. If the Spartans play up to their potential, they will be hard to beat in 2008.......
The Raiders May Turn The Corner This Season Under Second Year Coach Todd Hill.....
Loudoun County's senior class has seen some tough times, registering just a few wins over the past two seasons. However, that could change as the Raiders will field a team that has experience, and more talent than in previous years. Leading the way is linebacker Chase Williams, and if quarterback to be Joe Bushrod can become a playmaker, the Raiders could win at least 5 games this fall. Hill is confident that the hard work his kids have been putting in over the past 12 months is about to pay off. Raider fans are ready to start giving some bruises instead of receiving them, and that could happen this fall.....
Don't Forget About The Pride, Because They Will Be There.....
After finishing 7-3 in 2007 and narrowly missing the post-season, the Heritage Pride enters this fall as a team to watch out for. Heritage will need to groom a new quarterback in training camp, but head coach Wes Driskill is confident that the position will be a strength this season with the players who are competing for the job. Tailback Ross Madison will be a dynamic threat in the backfield, and if the line can block for him, he could put up some nasty numbers. The key to the Pride's success rides with their defense. They played great defense in 2007, but they lost several key starters, and that could be their biggest question mark entering camp. Based on Driskill's comments, I believe the Pride will make some noise again.....
Falcons Will Be Bigger, Stronger, And Maybe More Lethal In 2008......
It's hard to believe that this year's Briar Woods team could have an even more prolific offense than they had last year with quarterback Alex Munro, but according to head coach Charlie Pierce, that could be the case. Pierce believes his Falcons are not in a rebuilding year, but a reloading year after losing some talent to graduation on offense and defense. Pierce will field his first 4-year senior class in his program's history, and that should mean some depth for the Falcons this fall. Billy McDonald and Andrew Davidson will be a tough tandem to tackle, and Briar Woods will be one of the most physical teams in the trenches. Don't be surprised to see the Falcons air it out, but if they struggle early, look for Pierce to pound the ball with his bruising backs to wear people down. My prediction.....The Falcons should win more games in 2008 than they did last season....
Titan Fans, Get Ready For Some Good Football In The Coming Years!
When Karl Buckwalter was hired this past spring, many of the Titan faithful were curious if he would have more luck than previous coach Mike Dougherty. My answer to that question is a resounding yes. Buckwalter has done this before when he took over at McLean High School, and turned them into a winner quickly. He's a well spoken, good football coach who understands how to put his kids in the best position to win. The change in offensive scheme from the double wing to the I-formation will make DeAndre Reeves even scarier in the backfield. According to Buckwalter, the Titans will get a boost at the quarterback position with senior Chris Taylor returning to the roster after a year of focusing on baseball. Look for the Titans to upset one of the district favorites in 2008, and then turn the corner in year two under Buckwalter....
Valley's Choice Will Pay Off Long Term, But Patience Will Be Required.....
The Loudoun Valley Vikings put their football program in the hands of former Park View assistant Danny McGrath this past month, and I believe the choice will be a good one in the long run. However, due to the fact that McGrath has had very little time to fill his staff and unite his players in the off-season, expectations should be reserved for the 2008 season. Valley has some solid talent returning, but once McGrath gets his feet on the ground, he could turn the Vikings into one of the better stories entering next season. I've known Danny for a long time, in fact he appeared on one of our radio shows after he had just arrived at Virginia Tech as a freshman. He's a talented guy, a smart guy, and he learned the game from one of the best in Tech's Frank Beamer. My prediction is Valley will block more kicks than anyone in the region this fall which will force us to start a new website called McGrathBall.com.......
Andy Hayes is the owner and publisher of Gameday Magazine. For more coverage of the 2008 Gameday Football Media Day, please visit www.GamedayMagazine.com......
