Area high school football teams will face new districts but some familiar opponents this fall. The 2017 schedules were released Monday by the Virginia High School League.
Eastern Montgomery is now a member of the Pioneer District, while Auburn moves to a new revamped Mt. Empire. Also, Blacksburg jumps from the 3A classification to 4A meaning they will see a lot of new schools in the playoffs like Salem and Pulaski County. Radford will also move to the 2A classification up from 1A.
Christiansburg and Blacksburg will continue to face each other during the regular season, but will not have to do battle in the playoffs.
Auburn’s new district foes will include the likes of Galax, George Wythe, Rural Retreat and Fort Chiswell. Eastern Montgomery will see teams like Craig County, Covington and Parry McCluer from the Pioneer, and Radford will face the two new Three Rivers schools in Alleghany and Carroll County. But Eastern Montgomery and Auburn will still play during the regular season. James River moves from the Pioneer to the Three Rivers.
But despite the district changes, Radford will continue to play George Wythe and Galax, both schools that have become natural rivals over the past 10 years. Radford does pick up an early game against state-power Gretna.
The Three Rivers District welcomes 4A-classified schools Alleghany and Carroll County.
Christiansburg
8/25, at Floyd
9/1, Giles
9/8, at Liberty (Bedford)
9/15, Abingdon
9/22, Open
9/29, at Salem
10/6, at Pulaski
10/13, Hidden Valley
10/20, Patrick Henry (Roanoke)
10/27, at Cave Spring
11/3, Blacksburg
Blacksburg
8/25, at Giles
9/1, Lord Botetrout
9/8, Amherst
9/15, at Richlands
9/22, Salem
9//29, at Patrick Henry
10/6, Cave Spring
10/13, Pulaski
10/20, at Hidden Valley
10/27, Open
11/3, at Christiansburg
Eastern Montgomery
8/25, at Holston
9/1, at Hurley
9/8, Roanoke Catholic
9/15, at Auburn
9/22, Bland
9/29, Open
10/6, Bath County
10/13, at Narrows
10/20, Covington
10/27, Parry McCluer
11/3, at Craig County
Auburn
8/25, at Narrows
9/1, at Craig County
9/8, Floyd
9/15, Eastern Montgomery
9/22, George Wythe
9/29, at Fort Chiswell
10/6, Grayson County
10/13, at Bland
10/20, at Galax
10/27, Rural Retreat
11/3, Open
Radford
8/25, George Wythe
9/1, at Galax
9/8, at Fort Chiswell
9/15, Gretna
9/22, Alleghany County
9/29, at Giles
10/6, at Floyd
10//13, Open
10/20, at James River
10/27, Carroll County
11/3, Glenvar