Galax, Va. – We don’t get this deep into the postseason without Galax. The Maroon Tide are making their 7th straight state semifinal appearance.
The 10-2 Maroon Tide outlasted a tough Parry McCluer team 14-0 in the 1C region finals to advance. They’ll battle Holston in the semifinal in what amounts to the same matchup as the spring season. That game went to Galax 27-6. The Maroon Tide have three state finals appearances in the past six years, and a title in 2015, This postseason road is nothing new, and coach Shane Allen likes how his team is handling it.
“They are a hard-working group and that’s what we have here every year. I think what we learn every year is when these guys were younger they get to go to all the playoffs, and they understand what it’s like. It’s not new to them like a lot of time in the first year in the playoffs you make a run it can be overwhelming. These guys have of all been there. They’ve all play deep into the playoffs so you know that gives us some experience and really helps us. I think in the long run that our kids are used to playing this late -- I don’t think they get overwhelmed by it. There are no bad teams now and so every week you got to be ready to go for 4 quarters and sometimes you get the regular season, you know -- guys you don’t get 4 quarters and I tell her guys now if you don’t play for quarters we’re going to go home,” coach Allen explained.
The Class 1 State semifinal is set for 1 p.m. in Holston.