Preseason Poll: River Ridge District

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Welcome back to our little soirée that is ranking the districts for the 2018 season.

We’ve already hit the Mountain 7 as well as the Black Diamond District this week, so be sure to go back and check those out if you haven’t already.

Today, we go over the River Ridge District!

If you’re wondering why we’d rank a district that is up in the Valley? Well Pulaski plays there.

So here is how our experts decided the RR will look this season.

1. Salem (6)

2. Blacksburg (2)

3. Pulaski

4. Patrick Henry (Roanoke)

5. Cave Spring

6. Hidden Valley

7. Christiansburg

There’s no surprise here. Salem is the unquestioned king of 4A football, and football in general in the New River Valley. A brand name that will always be near the top.

Look for the Spartans to be back at William and Mary this year as they go for a three-peat on December 8th.

Blacksburg is in a year of change. The Bruins won a 3A state title in 2016, thrashed Salem in a regular season matchup last year, before losing to the Spartans in heartbreaking fashion in the regional final. They lost Virginia Tech RB Cole Beck and numerous other seniors to graduation. In addition to their senior class, Blacksburg parted ways with Richlands graduate and head coach Thad Wells. Wells has taken over as head coach of Mooresville High School in North Carolina.

The Bruins return plenty. They have an electric playmaker in UVa commit Tiquest Terry with a gunslinger in Grant Johnston that will get the ball to him early and often.

The question will be how new head coach, Eddie Sloss, will fair in his first year at his alma mater.  Sloss played for the Bruins and was a member Coach Dave Crist’s staff for nearly a decade. Sloss was most recently he head coach at Carroll County.

Pulaski missed the playoffs last year after going 6-4 in the regular season.

This is a team that returns a very talented senior quarterback in Kade Akers. They also have a D-1 commit at WR, E.J. Horton, who will head to Kent St. next year.

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