Football season has returned. With that, VirginiaPreps.com is the place for you to get the comprehensive coverage you crave for the 2024 campaign that you won't find anywhere else.
As part of our in-depth breakdowns, we count down the Top Ten Rankings for each classification. It's found exclusively on this web site, the only one that has been ranking each class in Virginia for over two decades. We'll be updating it weekly during the season, too.
Enjoy!
#10 - Eastside Spartans
What to Know: In the 13-year history of the Eastside Spartans, the 2023 campaign marked just the fourth time they finished above the .500 mark. Their turnaround from 1-9 in 2022 to 6-5 last year with a playoff trip, where they fell to Rye Cove 15-6 in a defensive battle, might've just laid the foundation for some even better seasons to come for the crew from Coeburn. Coach Mike Rhodes returns more players that garnered All-Area accolades from a district regional perspective than at any time in his tenure as he gears up for his seventh year at the helm.
There was only one freshman that received VHSL Class 1 All-State recognition last year and that was Eastside's Keldan Hamilton (6-0, 195), who ran for a single-season record 1446 yards and 13 touchdowns while also making 119 tackles. Football isn't his only sport either as he was also the Cumberland District Pitcher of the Year last spring in baseball. The ideal complement to him is senior WR Luke Trent (6-0, 160), who racked up 1152 yards rushing and receiving to go with 18 TD's on his way to 1st Team All-Cumberland District honors.
Not only do the Spartans bring back that dynamic duo, but senior fullback Dayton Stanley (5-9, 190), a 1st Team All-Cumberland performer at defensive tackle, is there to help block and move the sticks between the tackles on short-yardage situations. Best of all, Eastside brings back four of its starting offensive linemen with only Colton Yates graduating from last year's unit. Senior OT/DE Reagan Wood (6-4, 260), sophomore OG/DT Landry Carico (6-1, 250), sophomore OT Tristan Fields (5-10, 230) and senior center Noah Morgan set the tone in the trenches.
Wood was a 1st Team All-Cumberland District selection at tackle a season ago, while Carico, Fields and Morgan were 2nd Team All-District choices. Two other 2nd Team All-District picks that are back include sophomore TE/MLB Noah Hamilton (6-2, 190) and senior TE/DL Yasir Hilton (6-7, 275). The size and level of experience up front can make up for some other areas where they might not be as seasoned or could have some question marks heading into the opener on August 30th at Central-Wise, which notched its lone win last year over the Spartans, 14-7.
An off-season injury to senior quarterback Payton Adkins (5-11, 160), who sustained a broken leg, will have him sidelined at the beginning of the season and likely force to the Spartans to rely more on the running game than usual. In terms of who takes snaps at QB, freshman Landon Pannell is expected to be the option until Adkins gets back. Senior receiver Gabe Raymond (5-10, 155) also is capable of stepping in there under an emergency situation.
Following the season-opening trip to Wise, the Spartans play four straight home games with Hurley, Fort Chiswell and J.I. Burton. They'd love to be sitting pretty at 4-1 or even 5-0 when visiting the Eagles Nest to take on Rye Cove, viewed by many be to be the Region 1D favorite, on October 11th. Eastside won the first ten in the head-to-head series before Rye Cove won the past three, which includes a 48-36 head-spinner last October.
Don't rule out the Spartans getting their first playoff win since 2012 when they beat Northwood 23-16 in front of the home faithful at Carl McConnell Stadium.
Final Class 1 Rankings from 2023:
#1 - Galax (11-4)
#2 - Essex (14-1)
#3 - Honaker (13-1)
#4 - Rye Cove (11-2)
#5 - Sussex Central (11-2)
#6 - Grayson County (10-2)
#7 - Northumberland (10-3)
#8 - George Wythe (9-4)
#9 - Altavista (9-4)
#10 - Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (8-4)
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and be sure to Subscribe to CoVA Sports TV where you can watch and hear his Podcasts.
