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!

What to Know: Out of the 11 schools in Virginia Beach, the Salem Sun Devils have the longest active streak of consecutive seasons making the playoffs at 14, plus the most all-time postseason victories at 23. Even in going 7-5 overall in Mark Hall's first full season as Head Coach and reaching the regional semifinals for the third straight time, the program could've had it go way better or way worse considering eight of their ballgames were decided by eight points or less. That included the 18-10 loss to top-seeded Green Run, Hall's alma mater, in the region semis. They were 4-4 in those tight contests.

Lots of talent and experience return for Salem in 2024, headed up by nine starters on offense. Highlighting that unit are the likes of quarterback Jason 'Scooter' Williams (6-3, 185), WR/DB Fabian Wells (5-10, 180) and OT Jaylen Gilchrist (6-5- 315). A three-year starter who is committed to Navy, Williams has compiled 5600 yards and 56 TD's in his time - 26 games - as the Salem triggerman. Wells, who earned 1st Team All-Region honors at DB last year, is committed to Howard and gets it done on both sides of the ball in the form of over 1000 all-purpose yards and 11 TD's offensively to go with 91 tackles, four forced fumbles and two interceptions a season ago.

As for Gilchrist, the Rivals four-star prospect recently committed to Maryland over Georgia, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and a slew of others. He's one of four returning starters on the o-line, a unit that also features fellow seniors in Talon 'Bam' Evans (6-0, 320) and Malyck Daniels (6-2, 255), who earned 2nd Team All-Region accolades last season on the d-line. Hall likes the depth he has both receiver and running back, where a couple of senior newcomers in Grassfield transfer Willie Moore III (5-10, 195) and Landstown transfer Isaiah Lovgren (5-10, 200) will be featured.

In addition to Wells, the Sun Devils are confident in the targets for Williams in the passing game with senior Justin Hastings (6-5, 195), juniors Dewon Hayes (5-10, 155) and Antwan Young (5-10, 155), plus sophomore Kasir Patterson (6-4, 180), who's already putting together a pretty impressive list of FBS offers before his tenth grade year. Hayes, who had four interceptions at Kellam year ago, will double as a vital piece to the secondary.

While the offense expects to improve upon the 21.8 points per game they averaged in 2023, the defense figures to put up better statistics as well with seven returning starters. One of them is junior linebacker Markus McCoy (5-11, 210), who enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign with 121 total tackles, 25 for loss and 12 sacks to earn 1st Team All-Region 5A honors. Colleges have taken notice as he picked up an offer form Charlotte in the spring. Lovgren, senior Maurice Latham (6-1, 210) and junior Jaden Hudson (6-1, 210) join him at linebacker.

There are impact players all across the defensive backfield with the Wells, Hayes, Hastings, Young and two sophomores that saw significant action as freshmen in Jack Strother (6-0, 165) and Kaden Drenning (6-1, 165). Building depth at each level of the defense will be key to reduce the 19.5 PPG they allowed last year this season, especially up front behind the d-line trio of Daniels, Evans and sophomore Damari Adams (6-4, 215).

Salem cannot overlook its season opener on August 29th at Kempsville, a team that has made three consecutive regional semifinal trips themselves. That being said, the talent is in place for this group to potentially be 4-0 when it hosts Green Run on October 4th in a game that can determine both the Beach District race and top seeding for Region 5A's playoffs.

Final Class 5 Rankings from 2023:

#1 - Maury (15-0)

#2 - Stone Bridge (9-5)

#3 - Warwick (11-2)

#4 - Matoaca (10-4)

#5 - Indian River (10-4)

#6 - Green Run (12-1)

#7 - King's Fork (11-1)

#8 - Briar Woods (8-4)

#9 - Nansemond River (9-3)

#10 - Patrick Henry-Roanoke (9-2)

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.