Four SW Virginia 2023 State Champions – a tough act to follow
Southwest Virginia dominated high school football last year withe three state titles and one runner up as LCA (3A), Radford (2A), Galax (1A), and VISAA (2) North Cross all were crowned. Salem (4A) lost a heartbreaker on the last play of the game.
By Carl York, aka Captain Crunch
The marquee player in Crunchland coming back in 2024 is LCA RB/FS 8 Gideon Davidson. The Senior has already had a storied career for Bulldog Coach Frank Rocco and Liberty Christian. Expect nothing less in his ‘swan song’ high school season. The Clemson Tigers are anxiously awaiting Gideon’s arrival evident by Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney sightings at LCA games, as well as other Tiger coaches/alumni.
Davidson accounted for 2,752 yards, 43 touchdowns last year and nearly 196 yards in 14 games in 2023. LCA played only 14 games compared to the 15 most teams who made the state title game competed in. As good as he is on offense, he is just as physical and instinctive on the defensive side of the ball.
Keep an eye on Brookville and new coach Mark Lineburg, back in the Hill City after a stint as Superintendent in Halifax County. Lineburg, who coached the Bees to a 49-19 record from 1992-1997. That included a trip to the state championship in Division 3- AA in which the Bees lost to James Monroe 7-0. Lineburg takes over from Jonathan Meeks at a 10 year stint. He is from a great line of coaches starting with his dad – Norman Lineburg, who made Radford a tough opponent back in the day. His father coached the Bobcats for 37 years, notching a 350-160-9 record.
In the Roanoke Valley, Salem still holds the unofficial title as King of the Hill. The Spartans graduated two of the best players in the state last year, RB 2 Peyton Lewis (Tennessee) and LB 9 Chris Cole (Georgia), will reload with Seniors RB 22 Josiah Persinger, QB 8 Eli Taylor, and C/DT 55 Jackson Bryie. On the defensive side, FS 4 Coen Logan is back and the Spartan ‘D’ welcomes Senior Glenvar transfer MLB/P 11 Jack Camper. Patrick Henry will be in the mix again. Junior WR/SS 1 Kwalei Carter will be featured by Head Coach Alan Fiddler. And you better locate TE/LB 25 Carson Derey on offense and defense, as the Senior shows up every time out.
William Fleming and Coach Nick Leftwich may have this year’s best high school RB in Virginia in RB 3 Malachi Coleman. The Senior has been a force since his Sophomore year in the River Ridge District. Also in the Blue Ridge District, you never want to look past Coach Jamie Harless and his fighting Cavaliers of Lord Botetourt. QB 2 Angel Rigney, a Northside transfer, will have a shot to be the starting QB, and RB 10 Tristan Overbay returns to carry the mail. Senior LB 11 Seth Reiter and C 55 Jackson Harless (the coaches son) will anchor the middle. William Byrd, coming off a state semi final run last year, will have to rebuild after graduating a big, and talented Senior class.
Glenvar (Three Rivers District) could have a special season this year, but they’ll have to get past last year’s Division 2-AA state champion, Radford, and Division 1A state champion, Galax. Fortunately for the Highlanders they have QB 15 Brody Dawyot, and RB 2 Cooper Mullins back to lead the way.
North Cross has a new coach, former William Fleming Colonel Dwayne Priest, but some stalwart talent. Junior WR/DB/KR 1 Jaziel Hart is getting looks and offers from everywhere. He’s exciting to watch. LB 6 Tristan Lange paroles the middle for the Raiders, and QB 11 Brock Miles returns to run the offense. Standout Junior G/DT 52 Nate Hayes is one to watch in the trenches.
In the Crunch New River Valley, Christiansburg looks poised to challenge Salem and PH for the River Ridge District. Let my VT commit OL/DL 75 Carter Stallard (6’8, 320) may be the biggest player in the state. If he’s not, I wouldn’t want to have to pay for the meal ticket of the other guy. Junior RB 10 Isaiah Cotto was thrust into the limelight last year due to injuries, but that should pay off this year. In the Three Rivers, Radford will lean on QB/SS 1 Sincere Taylor to try and fill the big shoes of Division 2-AA player of the year QB 7 Landon Clark. Radford not only has to replace Clark, but also MLB/G 52 Charlie Davis, and WR/LB 18 Max Kanipe. All three of those young men are playing on Saturdays in college this year. George Wythe returns twins –
This year we have four new high schools joining Crunch and a number of new coaches in Crunchland. Crunch additions are Appomattox County and first year Head Coach Steve Castello, Gretna and Head Coach Shaun Miller, Chatham and Head Coach Bruce Devlin, and Smith Mountain Lake Christian Academy and Head Coach Kenis Maciel. Crunch now follows 42 high schools in 17 counties in central and southwest Virginia. Along with new teams, we also have new head coaches stepping into new roles in current Crunch teams
| 2024 Crunch Coaching Changes | Team | Former Coach |
| Mark Lineburg | Brookville | Jonathan Meeks |
| Dustin Russell | Rustburg | Burt Torrence |
| Tim Cromer | Floyd County | Winfred Beale |
| Matt Herron | Christiansburg | Alex Wilkens |
| Seth Greer | Carroll County | Monte Chipman |
| Dwayne Priest | North Cross | Shannon Taylor |
| Howard Tucker | Roanoke Catholic | Bob Price |
| 2024 Crunch New Coaches | ||
| Steve Castello | Appomattox | Doug Smith |
| Shawn Miller | Gretna | |
| Bruce Devlin | Chatham | |
| Kenis Maciel | SML | |