Throughout the month of August, VirginiaPreps.com will begin previewing the upcoming 2017 High School Football season. As part of our comprehensive coverage, we will be counting down the Top Ten rankings for each classification.

What to Know: Coach Darren Reed has built the Falcons into a contender with a record of 28-7 over the past three seasons while his high-flying offense averaged 37.8 points per game during that span. A lot of key ingredients from last year's squad that finished 9-2 are gone, though. In fact, Abingdon graduated 20 seniors, 13 of which started. None was more influential than Jake Sturgill, a 1st Team All-State performer who threw for 2088 yards and 23 touchdowns during the regular season and is now playing quarterback at UVA-Wise.

Taking over Sturgill's spot will be junior Gabe Boothe, who'll be protected by what Reed describes as a talented and athletic bunch on the offensive line that'll very likely be the strength of the squad. Sophomore left tackle Gage Bassham (6-5, 285) heads up the o-line and is joined up front by a trio of seniors in Travis Fudge, Chris Largen and Tanner Humbert as well as sophomore right tackle Major Cook (6-3, 285). There are a host of backs and receivers to help Boothe out also with seniors Caleb Farris, Pierre Jordan and Lance Willis, plus juniors Sean Canada and Holt Dotson.

Only three seniors in Farris, Willis and inside linebacker Ryan Adkins are projected as potential starters on defense. That doesn't worry Reed too much because they have plenty of size in the front eight, particularly at defensive end and outside linebacker, to make it difficult for teams to obtain the edge on them. Outside 'backer Tyler Thayer (6-3, 200) is among the eight juniors expected to see considerable playing time on defense and could be a breakout name for a Falcons squad that will face seven Class 2 foes.

Final 3A Rankings for 2016:

#1 - Blacksburg (10-5)

#2 - Staunton River (13-2)

#3 - Phoebus (11-3)

#4 - Hopewell (10-4)

#5 - Rustburg (10-3)

#6 - Brentsville District (10-3)

#7 - Heritage-Lynchburg (8-5)

#8 - James Monroe (9-3)

#9 - Lakeland (7-6)

#10 - Brookville (9-3)

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