Western Branch Lost Over Weekend

I find it hard to believe that the #1 team in VA is not being talked about.

 

Does anyone have details.

Back and forth game.  Woodside simply hit the ball when they had runners on base.   Their pitcher, Drew Moyer, changed speeds very well.  Pitched entire game keeping WB off balance, and inducing a lot of pop flys.  WB pitched rutherford to start, and his curve seemed flat, leading to him relying on FB, in which Woodside hit well.  

Klak came in to relieve rutherford after Woodside scored 2 in bottom of 5th with no outs to make it 6-4.  He stopped the bleeding but damage was done.   WB had opportunities.  Had runner on first when a shot to left happened.  Tried to advance to 3rd on hit and got thrown out.   Rally killer.   Then had 2 on with 2 outs in top of 7 with fisher up.   He struck out swinging on off speed.  Good game.   Rematch will be a good one.

https://virginiapreps.rivals.c...tent.asp?CID=1635674

Not to many talkers

People need to understand that while WB is a great team. Going undefeated is nearly impossible anymore. Anything can happen nowadays. So for WB to lose a game is not the end of the world. It's better that they get it out of the way now than in the playoffs. I still see WB winning that conference. And I see grassfield coming in second, I think grassfield will beat woodside this week

 

Agreed.

Ditto.

 

There is also a school of thought, borne out in my experience, that a team benefits from losing a game and thereby being reminded that it CAN lose and that it has to play well to earn victory.

 

Examples:  2007 James River started 19-0, lost its last regular season game, lost in district playoffs, rallied to win state title.

 

2009 (I think) Manchester went undefeated or close to it but faltered late and got eliminated in regionals. 

 

In any event, anyone can lose in any one game, especially when you get to the playoffs and you're only playing the top teams.  One team with one stud pitcher can take any one team out of it.

If Grassfield is going to finish 2nd they are going to need to sweep Woodside and probably everyone else unless they find a way to beat WB. 

 

Assuming WB runs the table (only for conversation purposes) Woodside has a big leg up with that win against WB in the pocket.  A split with GF and Woodside would have to get beat by OS,  Kech. or Bethel for GF to catch them for 2nd. 

 

Tiebreakers anyone? 

I'm not familiar with the tiebreakers for that conference. Or any of them, for that matter!

 

I don't know if Grassfield finishes 2nd in the conference in the regular season.  I do think they are better than Woodside, and therefore will represent the conference as the 2nd team in their respective regional.  Specifically how that plays itself out, I don't know.

 

One way that doesn't happen is if GF gets paired with WB in the conference tournament, needing a win to advance.  Not that they can't beat WB, but that would be a difficult road for sure.  

 

My feeling is that Woodside may also lose a game they maybe shouldn't.  Perhaps to a Kecoughtan (2-1 last time) or an Oscar Smith (who beat Kecoughtan as well).

Assuming that WB rebounds and is able to win the regular season like they should then it would not matter all that much who finishes 2nd or 3rd. It would likely come down to GF and Woodside playing in the conference tournament for the 2nd birth to regionals in that conference. Assuming that whoever gets the 3 seed beats the 6 and WB takes care of the 4 seed.