Can the Cumberland Compete This Year?

The seven-team Cumberland District is among the biggest football districts in Southwest Virginia. It’s also been one of the most competitive districts in the area the past few years.

Last fall, Thomas Walker and Twin Springs shared the Cumberland District title, while Castlewood won seven games and finished a game back in the district standings.

More of the same drama could play out this season. Thomas Walker is the preseason favorite, but Rye Cove, St. Paul and Twin Springs are in the mix.

“I really expect every Friday night to be a dogfight inside the district,” Coeburn coach Greg Mullins said. “The competitive balance will be good from top to bottom.”

However, that competition hasn’t carried over into the playoffs. Since 2000, the Cumberland District is just 6-19 in postseason play.

The district hasn’t won a playoff game since 2004. Last year’s Cumberland District playoff representative, Thomas Walker, suffered a 60-0 loss to Clintwood in the Region D, Division 1 semifinals.

So, why is there such a discrepancy?

It could be enrollment.

Cumberland members St. Paul (148 students) and Ervinton (172) are the smallest football-playing schools in Southwest Virginia. Meanwhile, two-time defending Region D, Division 1 champ Clintwood has an enrollment of 318.

It could be tradition, because the Lonesome Pine District has long been the gold standard for area Group A schools.

Most likely, it’s a combination of both.

“The Lonesome Pine has great tradition,” St. Paul coach Mark Palmer said. “You can’t take away from what they’ve accomplished in the last 35 years. But if you look at the
Lonesome Pine compared to the Black Diamond or the Cumberland, especially the Cumberland, the teams that have been the most successful are the ones that have numbers … It comes down to numbers.

“I think if you take maybe the best team in the Cumberland and the best team, Division 1, in the Lonesome Pine or Black Diamond; you take the top 5-6 kids, it’s probably going to be pretty equal. It’s going to be kids 10-20 that make the difference … I think it also comes back to mindset. When it gets to playoff time, the Clintwoods, Appalachias and Nortons know how to play.”

Could the trend end this fall for the Cumberland District playoff representative?

It doesn’t appear that way. While several Cumberland District teams return key starters, depth is at a premium.

Meanwhile, Burton and Clintwood appear to be heavy favorites in Region D, Division 1, and defending Region D, Division 2 champ Lebanon is loaded.