As the calendar turns from January to February, there are a lot of familiar names near the top of the rankings in each classification. Let's start at the highest classification in Class 6, where Western Branch and South County lead things off not that long after facing each other in the 2018 State Finals. Behind them is traditional Class 5 fixture Potomac - which won two state titles since realignment - in its first year at the Class 6 level. Oscar Smith has had a couple of appearances in the State Semis and fell to Westfield in the 2016 title match.
Over in Division 5, Norview is at the top of the food chain and just a couple spots behind them is a program in Henrico that beat them for the 2015 crown. Just a spot behind them is Varina, which won the rivalry matchup with the Warriors one Friday ago and captured the 2018 title. Last year, it was Varina defeating Green Run, checking in at No. 5, in the State Tournament quarterfinals.
Speaking of the State Tournament quarterfinals, Courtland got there in Class 4 in 2019 and is No. 2 - just ahead of Menchville and behind King's Fork, which suffered its second loss of the season earlier this week when Western Branch squeaked by them on a free-throw in the closing seconds.
There are no unbeaten teams left in Class 3, though the only losses for top-ranked Cave Spring came twice to Patrick Henry-Roanoke, which ascended up to the No. 2 spot in Class 5 as it rides an 11-game winning streak.
John Marshall seems to have a stranglehold on things in Division 2 with no losses to in-state foes, though the ones behind them in East Rockingham, Dan River, Radford, Gate City and Martinsville all have either won the state title or fell in the title round at some point since 2014.
If there's a more wide open bracket than Class 1, we haven't found it yet. Three of the most dangerous teams - Riverheads (10-6), Holston (12-7) and Bland (13-6) - are outside the Top Ten. Riverheds opened 5-0 before stumbling a bit, although they've won comfortable twice over Parry McCluer, which checks in at No. 2. Bland not only owns a win over Auburn, but beat George Wythe by 26 points back on January 24th. Then there's Holston, which has won seven in a row following a 5-7 start.
* Indicates record includes the Eastern District Tournament
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to 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 weeknights from 6-7 PM on The 757 at 6 as well as every Saturday at 10 AM to Noon on ESPN Radio 94.1.