Welcome back to our preseason poll segment!

On Monday we took a look into the Mountain 7, and today we continue our trek through the Appalachians with the Black Diamond District.

Will Grundy repeat? Can Hurley continue their momentum with a new head coach? Will Honaker regain their former glory? Can the Panthers down at Twin Valley get to the playoffs?

We will try to answer those questions, but first, here is how our eight experts predicted the season to go in the BDD.

1. Grundy (7)

2. Honaker (1)

3. Hurley

4. Twin Valley

Not much surprise here as Grundy is almost the unanimous choice to repeat as district champs.

Grundy is the favorite and looks to get better. After two consecutive 7-4 seasons under Craig Plymal, the Wave looks to improve and win a playoff game. Gabe Fiser is their key player. He was a 1,000+ yard rusher last year and will carry the load with the departure of Jacob McNutt. He is dangerous as a return man also. QB Derrick Endicott is a third year starter at the signal calling position.

Honaker wants to get better. The past few seasons have been unTigeresque for Doug Hubbard and the gang. Hubbard says he has a good group of kids with returning 1,000 yard rusher Trevor Dye. Hubbard’s son, Chandler, looks to be a big help to the Tigers at WR and DB. Levi Miller will be the QB for the Tigers. The Honaker faithful look to return to their winning ways this season after walking in unfamiliar territory in Heath Miller Circle.

Hurley is in the first year of the post-Greg Tester era at The Cliff. Anthony Church will take the reins as head coach. Hurley will be in a bit of a rebuilding mode after losing sensational QB Tayten Sykes and a many other seniors. With a new coach and many new faces in new places, Hurley will look to sophomore QB Chad Justice to lead the way.

Twin Valley is in the first year of the Jeremy Ward era. Ward coached at Grundy from 2011-2015 and was an all Southern Conference selection at VMI as an OL. QB Tylor Keen is back and is the key for the Panthers success. Opposing coaches in the BDD have said that Keen is the best QB in the district. Although the panthers only have 21 out for practice, they do not believe a playoff berth is out of reach.

So what do you guys think? Leave us a comment on how you see the BDD playing out this season. We love hearing feedback and conversation.

Join us Friday as we preview Pulaski’s River Ridge District.