Final 2023 overall State Rankings
- Thread starter buzzcoach
- Start date
The following two paragraphs from HighSchoolOT writer Joel Bryant says it all, I believe.
"Yes, the typically effective Tarboro running game did not look pretty in the championship game. But I need to stress this: this Mount Airy team has one of the best defenses we've ever seen at the 1A level. I'll have to do some more digging to be sure, but it might be the best defense we've seen in the 21st Century. This Granite Bears team had nine shutouts in 16 games. They held opponents to under 150 total yards of offense, a ridiculous number."
"This Mount Airy group really is one of the best, most dominant teams I have seen since I first got paid to cover high school football in 2016."
I really do not think anyone can accuse Joel of not being a disinterested third party observer. And I can not disagree with his conclusion, especially when the yardage gains and scoring that took place (mostly) prior to the playoffs came against not Mt Airy's first team defense, mostly not even 2nd team defense but when they were playing JV players in the 4th quarter.
For a 7 game stretch Mt Airy was without the services of LBer Caleb Reid and for at least 3 games, maybe 4, they were without Ian Gallimore, Defensive Player of Game in championship Game. Easily the 9 shutouts could have been 11 or 12 with these two players and the Mt Airy Coaches not taking their foot off the gas in 11 or 12 of the 16 games.
Will we see that type of performance the next two years? Who knows. But I, for one, would not bet against it happening with the players Mt Airy has coming back, what is coming up, and with the return of the coaching staff in tack.
"Yes, the typically effective Tarboro running game did not look pretty in the championship game. But I need to stress this: this Mount Airy team has one of the best defenses we've ever seen at the 1A level. I'll have to do some more digging to be sure, but it might be the best defense we've seen in the 21st Century. This Granite Bears team had nine shutouts in 16 games. They held opponents to under 150 total yards of offense, a ridiculous number."
"This Mount Airy group really is one of the best, most dominant teams I have seen since I first got paid to cover high school football in 2016."
I really do not think anyone can accuse Joel of not being a disinterested third party observer. And I can not disagree with his conclusion, especially when the yardage gains and scoring that took place (mostly) prior to the playoffs came against not Mt Airy's first team defense, mostly not even 2nd team defense but when they were playing JV players in the 4th quarter.
For a 7 game stretch Mt Airy was without the services of LBer Caleb Reid and for at least 3 games, maybe 4, they were without Ian Gallimore, Defensive Player of Game in championship Game. Easily the 9 shutouts could have been 11 or 12 with these two players and the Mt Airy Coaches not taking their foot off the gas in 11 or 12 of the 16 games.
Will we see that type of performance the next two years? Who knows. But I, for one, would not bet against it happening with the players Mt Airy has coming back, what is coming up, and with the return of the coaching staff in tack.
