The 2021 Virginia High School Football League season gets underway this week back in its spot we've become accustomed to over the years - late August. Yes, we're in the middle of the dog days of summer, and if you've been outside lately, it's brutally hot.
No need to fear - the temperatures will be dropping soon enough, and there will be plenty of entertaining action to check out. This season, there should hopefully be more stadiums with fans near or close to capacities compared to the abbreviated spring seasons that wrapped up on May 1st, often in front of empty or close venues.
There are still protocols and safety measures in place, as there should be, so that the teams can partake in one of our nation's most beloved sporting activities.
After the shortest off-season in our lifetimes, we're ready to unveil - or unmask maybe we shall say? - the initial rankings as who we think make up the best of the best when it comes to Virginia football for this year. There are plenty of familiar team names at or near the top, and to refresh your memory on how they did / finished last season during the shortened campaign, see the links below.
Final VHSL Top Ten Football Rankings for 2020-21
See Final Playoff Brackets Here
As things move along, the Top Ten will be adjusted on a week-to-week basis. Check back here on VirginiaPreps.com for periodic updates, and to see results, make sure you visit our Scoreboard Forum as well as the VHSL's Football page.
So enough babble from and let's get to it -- our Preseason Top Tens for each classification...
Note - This list was published on Thursday, August 26, 2021
Honorable Mention:
Ocean Lakes
Chantilly
John Champe
South Lakes
Yorktown
Lake Braddock
Robinson
Landstown
Unity Reed
West Springfield
Honorable Mention:
Hermitage
Mountain View
Massaponax
Glen Allen
Briar Woods
Prince George
Bayside
Nansemond River
Woodside
Woodgrove
Honorable Mention:
Monacan
Hampton
Eastern View
GW-Danville
King George
James Wood
Warhill
Sherando
Powhatan
Hanover
Honorable Mention:
Magna Vista
Abingdon
Turner Ashby
Broadway
Wilson Memorial
Northside
Honorable Mention:
Tazewell
Page County
Virginia High
Radford
Central-Woodstock
Floyd County
Strasburg
Honorable Mention:
Grundy
Chilhowie
Buffalo Gap
West Point
Sussex Central
Thomas Walker
William Campbell
Eastside
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to Cavs Corner and the ACC Sports Journal. 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 don’t forget to listen to him from 10 AM to Noon on 757 Saturday Sports Talk on ESPN Radio 94.1.