Western Albemarle (2-1) at Monticello (2-1), Thursday 7 p.m. Radio: WINA
The basics: If you follow Central Virginia football, you circle this one every single year as one of the area’s most anticipated matchups. This is one of the area’s top rivalries in any sport and now it has a little added juice too with a Thursday night setting. Not to mention that both teams are 2-1 and looking for a big-time win for their resume. So, yeah, this one should be pretty good. Really good. So many similarities going right now too. Both have one loss. Both beat Spotswood by 14 points (42-28 by Western, 28-14 by Monticello). Both have dual threat quarterbacks, with Monticello’s Kevin Jarrell emerging in the last two games as a serious run threat while Sam Hearn has picked up where he left off last year. Both have experienced running backs with Monticello handing it off to Darian Bates who has been the No. 2 option for several years now back there for the Mustangs while Western has the area’s leading rusher in Oliver Herndon. In several instances in the past, this game has come down to someone or some unit nobody expected stepping up. In 2013, Aaron Dudley picked off three passes for the Mustangs to neutralize a potent Western passing attack. In 2014, a week after he suffered through a five-turnover night against Louisa County, Sam Hearn was efficient and dangerous on the ground as the Warriors bounced back with a huge win. That means that someone nobody is thinking about is likely poised to help write the next chapter in this rivalry. Who’s going to take their place in the spotlight Thursday? Who’s going to be a hero?
Key matchup: Monticello’s secondary takes on Western’s receivers. With the success Western has had on the ground already behind the combination of Hearn and Herndon, the Mustangs will likely be intent on trying to take away that strength. That could lead to some one-on-one coverage on the boundary and receivers like Michael Vale, Henry Kreienbaum and Derek Domecq creating separation and getting open for the Warriors. But testing the Monticello secondary may be problematic, as the Mustangs have picked off three passes this year, with Braxton Clay snagging two of them while Seth Weaver had the latest against Spotswood with a 52-yard return to boot. If the Mustangs’ secondary can lock things down while still aiding in run support, Monticello will have a chance to knock the Warriors’ offense out of rhythm like Brookville did three weeks ago.
Who to watch: The Crutchfield brothers. While Western’s offense has traditionally garnered the attention and notoriety, the defense was a big reason for the Warriors’ 2014 state semifinal run. With Osiris Crutchfield, the most impactful defensive presence last year, back in the lineup, it was pretty obvious that the defense had a chance to be a strength again this season. The emergence of his brother Noah Crutchfield, however, has helped make the Warriors’ defensive front a terrifying prospect for opposing backfields. In just three games the two have combined for four sacks and five tackles for a loss. Osiris also leads the Warriors with 13 total tackles. Monticello has to find a way to avoid, neutralize or otherwise handle both Western defenders and they’re going to make it tough for the Mustangs to do so.
The line: Western by 1. The Warriors have won the two of the last three regular season meetings including one at Monticello in 2012. Still, homefield advantage nearly swings this back to the Mustangs. This is one is just about dead even.
Louisa County (1-2) at Albemarle (2-1), Thursday 7 p.m.
The basics: If there was one collective sigh of relief heard last Friday it came from the Louisa County faithful as the Lions held on to beat King George and avoid falling in an 0-3 hole. Of course, a close second to that sigh was the one the Albemarle fans let go as the Patriots just managed to dig out of a substantial hole against Patrick Henry to stay above .500. These are two schools with powerful offensive lines and strong ground games. While Louisa has given up an uncharacteristic 37 points per game against three strong opponents, Albemarle’s defense is allowing 20.6 per contest, also against three quality foes. Both these squads come in battled tested, and as two of the largest Jefferson District schools, both in numbers and in actual physical presence, the table is set for a good old fashioned slobber-knocker here — especially if they’re like the previous two meetings, both of which went Louisa’s way.
Key matchup: The Albemarle defensive front against Louisa running back Job Whalen. It’s pretty clear right now that the Lions’ offense is hitching its wagon to Whalen. While this offense could use some balance, you don’t fix what isn’t broke and Whalen has been great so far. He’s also been more than willing to carry the load. Up front, the Patriots will need Nemo Lesesane and company to not just get penetration but to also play smart assignment defense as they try and filter through the reads of Louisa’s single wing offense. Slowing down Whalen is priority number one, but one that requires a lot of fundamentals. Conversely, the Lions need to be ready to look elsewhere should the Patriots keep the sophomore in check.
Who to watch: Albemarle’s special teams. There’s one thing that’s pretty clear right now for the Patriots — Tyquan Rose’s ability to break off big returns is here to stay. Rose’s shifty ability makes him a great momentum killer in the return game. While he had a TD called back last week, he still managed to hurt Patrick Henry on other occasions. Special teams often get over looked, but right now this unit is as good as we’ve seen in the area and looks a lot like what Woodberry Forest had last year where you can almost count on at least one score, or at the worst, one big return to set up an awfully short field. The Lions need to make sure they don’t kick to Rose in space. That could mean that Albemarle gets a lot of solid field position without the return. It’s up to the Albemarle offense to take advantage of that, and on the Louisa defense to make sure it can withstand the possibility of playing in a lot of midfield situations should the Lions decide to avoid Albemarle’s return game all together.
The line: Albemarle by 3. Two solid teams here, but the Patriots are on a very quiet roll and are playing well at home. They get the edge here for that.
Powhatan (2-1) at Orange County (2-1), Thursday 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Indians rebounded from the routing they got against Hopewell to beat the snot out of George Wythe. Three weeks in, it looks like feast or famine for Powhatan as they’ve won big twice and lost big just once. The Hornets absorbed a tough start against Spotsylvania, overcame an injury and some turnovers to cruise to a win over the Knights. While Orange’s defense was stout last week, some miscues offensively that happened won’t be so forgiving against this Powhatan squad. A win for Orange would be shot across the bow to the rest of the Jefferson District.
Key matchup: Powhatan’s rushing defense against Orange’s offensive line. The Hornets have to have holes for running backs Trevon Smith and DeAngelo Hunt to hit. Once those two hit the second level they are steam rollers. But an injury to center Carter Rickett proved costly last week as it resulted in the Hornets having to run their offense under center instead of out of their shotgun spread. Having Rickett back would be huge, but absent that, the Hornets need to find a way to do what they did in the second half against Spotsy — create holes for their abusive backs. If you’re Orange, this game is all about time of possession, moving the chains and keeping the Powhatan offense on the sidelines. Smith and Hunt can do that, they just need a hole here and there. The problem is that the Indians have their own runners in Robert Myers and Justin Deleon. They’ve also scored 40 or more in two of the last three games.
Who to watch: Orange fullback Donovan Jackson. Whether Caleb Clenney or Matt James is at quarterback, it’s clear that Jackson is a great safety net against the blitz in passing situations — truth be told, also in obvious running situations. A big game from Jackson would be a huge help just like it was last week.
The line: Powhatan by 4. The Indians are always a tough out and their physical presence upfront offensively is really tough to deal with. Orange has the talent to win a close game here, they just need to execute all game to be able to do it. Powhatan’s had their number the last two years, so they get the nod here.
Massanutten Military Academy (0-3) at Covenant (2-2), Thursday 4 p.m.
The basics: Covenant got back on track after a pair of brutal losses at home to Christchurch and Virginia Episcopal last week by blowing out Hargrave Military Academy and now they’ll get a chance to snag another victory as they take on Massanutten. Massanutten is searching for a win still and cancelled a game last week against Roanoke Catholic and according to the Roanoke Times, the Colonels have just 17 varsity players. That bodes well for the Eagles who need to keep building that offensive rhythm to get things clicking as they enter the heart of their schedule.
Key matchup: Massanutten’s front seven takes on Covenant’s Rick Weaver. There aren’t too many better running backs around the goalline than Weaver in the area. He’s a big freshman who keeps his pads pointed north and south and can power his way past most any opponent willing to step in his way. This year, however, he’s also shown some flashes of ability when he gets in space, a natural evolution for a player that’s still very early in his career. If Weaver can continue to emerge as a one-cut and go type back, it’s going to go a long way toward sparking the Eagles.
Who to watch: Covenant’s Stephen Wilder. Wilder is emerging as a big-time ball hawk in the secondary. Last week he picked off a pair of passes for the Eagles last week. If he can keep it up, it’s a big help in getting Covenant’s defense off the field fast.
The line: Covenant by 17. The Eagles shouldn’t have much problem with the Colonels at home.
Fluvanna County (0-3) at Charlottesville (2-1), Thursday 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Charlottesville stumbled out of the gate against Dominion in a defensive struggle, but since then, the Black Knights’ offense has come alive, including a 26-point second half explosion against William Monroe on the road last week. If Charlottesville can run the ball as effectively as they have the last couple of weeks with some solid offensive line work and a group of speedy young skill players, they’re going to give opponents fits. Throw in the fact that the defense was particularly aggressive against Harrisonburg’s spread two weeks ago and Fluvanna County may have its hands full in this one. The Flucos struggled some against Culpeper’s ground game but mostly got burned through the air by the Blue Devils’ experienced passing attack. Charlottesville is an entirely different animal though, and Fluvanna is going to have to score some points when they get chances because CHS is looking to control the ball and in turn the clock. Look for the Flucos to get Jay Amos, who had an 83-yard catch and run for a score last week, involved early.
Key matchup: Fluvanna’s linebackers take on Charlottesville’s misdirection-based run game. The Flucos’ linebackers have to play assignment football if they want to clamp down on the Black Knights’ ground attack, because freelancing against triple option is a recipe for disaster. Staying at home and accounting for each member in the backfield is the only way to ensure that Charlottesville doesn’t break a big one, and even then it isn’t going to be easy.
Who to watch: Charlottesville freshman Sabias Folley. Folley is the Black Knights’ fullback as just a ninth grader, and his teammate Rakeem Davis was pretty clear last week that he thinks that Folley has the potential to be the biggest name among a bunch of young talents playing big roles for Charlottesville this year. Folley’s 91-yard run last week against Monroe supports that claim as he showed some speed on that sprint in addition to the power he’s shown already this season.
The line: Charlottesville by 17. The Black Knights are too dangerous for a Fluvanna squad that struggled to clamp down on Culpeper’s run game last week.
St. Anne’s-Belfield (2-1) at Trinity Episcopal (3-1), Friday 4 p.m.
The basics: This one pits last year’s two VISAA D2 state finalists against each other again, and St. Anne’s-Belfield will be looking for redemption after losing in the final in 2014. STAB got a little bit of a wakeup call last Friday in a clash with St. Christopher’s as a rash of turnovers created a ton of problems for the Saints. Rarely, however, does John Blake let things stand after a loss like that, and with this week’s road trip to Richmond, you can expect some changes for STAB has they try and adjust after a frustrating home loss. For starters, STAB threw the ball way more than they want to against St. Chris, which was in part a reaction to the score and in part a result of turnovers going for touchdowns or creating short fields for St. Chris. But even so, expect a renewed commitment to the run, which may include getting some different players involved in that mix to jumpstart the ground attack again. They’ll need to be on point because Trinity Episcopal is solid, having already beaten Collegiate squad while only narrowly losing to Norfolk Academy last week on the road.
Key matchup: STAB’s secondary takes on Trinity quarterback Blake Bowen. Last year in the state title game, Bowen threw for 211 yards against the Saints. With much of the secondary back, the last line of defense is supposed to be a strength for STAB, though St. Chris’ Jeb Bemiss had some success with a couple of long touchdown passes last week. Can the defensive backs clamp down and shut down on Bowen?
Who to watch: STAB’s Jalen Harrison. He had four carries for 29 yards against St. Chris, and hauled in four catches for 117 yards. Getting Harrison involved forces defenses to pay him too much attention and opens things up for the rest of the offense quickly. Look for STAB to keep finding ways to get the ball in Harrison’s hands from the opening kick on.
The line: STAB by 1. The Saints don’t lose two in a row very often, and there are too many playmakers for STAB to let another game slip away.
Dan River (1-2) at Nelson County (1-3), Friday 7 p.m.
The basics: There might not ever be a good time to play Dan River, as the Wildcats have won nine games in three of the last four years, but this week Dan River is coming off a brutal, heartbreaking loss to rival Martinsville, so odds are good they’ll be out for blood. Nelson stumbled again against Parry McCluer, managing just -4 yards of total offense in the first half against the Blues. Nelson couldn’t build any momentum after the win over Page County, and now they’re searching for another jolt to get on track. A strong performance against Dan River could be that jolt.
Key matchup: Nelson’s linebackers take on Dan River’s dual threat quarterback JoJo Reynolds. The Governors have struggled defensively much of the season including giving up 35 points last week to Parry McCluer and Reynolds presents a unique challenge. He did throw a late interception against Martinsville, but the Governors still have their work cut out for them.
Who to watch: Nelson’s Joshua Haywood. Haywood scored the Governors’ lone touchdown last week on a 27-yard sprint to the endzone. With the offense still searching for consistent playmakers, Haywood may be one answer for Nelson County. Look for the Governors to try and get him involved more.
The line: Dan River by 17. The Wildcats’ loss last week is too fresh in their minds to slip up against Nelson County on the road.
William Monroe (0-3) at George Mason (1-2), Friday 7:30 p.m.
The basics: It’s hard to know what William Monroe is just yet. The Dragons’ have a reliable rushing presence at quarterback in Malique Shackleford, a guy that also brings a lot of energy to the offense. They’ve also been extremely banged up in the first three games, including last week’s loss to Charlottesville, where several key starters were held out of action or in street clothes. So there’s a lot of unrealized promise so far for William Monroe, which is what makes this week so critical. A win against George Mason is crucial if the Dragons want to make a return trip to the playoffs this season, so right now is the time for Monroe to start realizing that promise.
Key matchup: William Monroe’s defense looks to contain George Mason running back Dustin Green. Green had a productive outing against Sidwell Friends two weeks ago in a George Mason loss, and has the potential to hurt the Dragons if they don’t tackle well. Monroe struggled to contain Charlottesville’s ground attack last week, including surrendering a 91-yard touchdown run in the third quarter. Monroe will need to take care of business better against George Mason in order to leave Falls Church with a win.
Who to watch: William Monroe’s Greg Sizemore. Sizemore sat out last week but should be ready to go against Mason. He had 10 tackles and three sacks against Brentsville, so getting him back would be a huge lift for a defense that surrendered 26 points in the second half against Charlottesville last week.
The line: William Monroe by 14. The Dragons have been focused on the Bull Run for a couple of weeks now. Now they get a chance to start turning their goals into a reality.
Blue Ridge (1-1) at North Cross (3-1), 2 p.m. Saturday
The basics: Blue Ridge pounded Hargrave in week one but failed to get the offense going in quite the same way against Flint Hill and fell 23-14 on the road. Now the Barons get a chance to bounce back, and it comes against a North Cross that just blew out Christchurch and Blessed Scrament-Huguenot. The Barons will need to find a way to contain Jordan Lowery, a wideout for the Raiders who has been a fixture at that spot for North Cross for several years and scored twice last week. If Blue Ridge’s offense can find the same form that it had against Hargrave, that would be a big help in what has the potential to become a shootout.
Key matchup: North Cross’s defense takes on Blue Ridge quarterback Justin Armwood. The Raiders have a unique challenge on their hands as they take on Armwood, who scored five rushing touchdowns against Hargrave but only managed four yards on the ground and 61 through the air against Flint Hill. North Cross stifled Christchurch last week, can they repeat the feat against a Blue Ridge offense that has been a little mercurial through two games?
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Malik Johnson. We already knew this, but it bears repeating — Malik Johnson is a playmaker. Against Hargrave and Flint Hill he picked off four total passes including one he returned for a touchdown. He’s also scored twice on receptions, once on a kick return and once on the ground. He’s running out of different ways to score touchdowns at this point. If Johnson can turn on the jets against North Cross, Blue Ridge could be headed back north with a win.
The line: Blue Ridge by 1. North Cross has put together some blowouts, but containing Armwood may prove to be too much of a challenge.
Charlotte Latin (4-0) at Fork Union (1-2), Friday 3 p.m.
The basics: The Blue Devils are going to be truly battle tested before Prep League play opens up for them next week. After they fell on the road to Bishop O’Connell 34-15, the reward is a game on short rest with an undefeated Hawks team that is blowing the doors off teams each week. The lowest point total for Latin so far is 35, and it was also the closest game its had as Ravencroft kept it to a 28-point game. The other totals? 48-13, 55-0, 49-7. The bottom line is that Fork Union, once again, has its hands full here and has to play close to perfect.
Key matchup: The Hawks secondary versus Blue Devils receiver Taurus Carroll. FUMA is going to need the big plays from Carroll. He’s got nine receptions for 196 yards and three touchdowns, so he’s obviously up to the challenge. But the numbers don’t lie. FUMA has 362 yards in the air and so if the Hawks keep Carroll quiet, they can bring a halt to the Blue Devils passing attack. Fork Union has to have its running game be effective to keep Carroll from getting constantly doubled up. And for Carroll, when he’s open, Fork Union has to hit him downfield. Keeping pace with Charlotte’s vaunted offense is going to be the name of this game for the Blue Devils. Carroll’s big play ability is the best way to do that right now.
Who to watch: Charlotte Latin’s Melvin Rouse. The running back/return man is drawing interest from Virginia, Oregon, Northwestern and Duke. He’s not exactly huge at 5-foot-8 but you know how it goes — when a kid that size is that heavily recruited, he’s got the other measurables, as in he’s insanely fast. The Blue Devils can’t miss when then try and tackle him. He’s a threat as a runner, in the backfield as a pass catcher and especially as a return man. He’s also an exceptional cornerback. Keeping the ball out of his hands is crucial, and when he’s got the ball, he sure as well better not be able to get a few steps, because if the start of this season has shown anything, once he’s got that he’s gone.
The line: Charlotte Latin by 17. The Blue Devils run into another exceptional opponent, but the experience can make them stronger down the road.
Woodberry Forest (2-1) at Liberty Christian (2-2), Friday 7:30 p.m.
The basics: It seems odd to say, but this is probably the least amped up a Woodberry team has come into a meeting with Liberty Christian. That’s not because this rivalry isn’t still one of the best, if not the best at the VISAA Division 1 level, but mostly because the Tigers just ran through a gauntlet to get to this point. Last week’s 66-65 win over Bullis (MD) in overtime was another testament to the Air-Woodberry movement that’s taken over this year. But more importantly, the Tigers got Evans Riviere rolling on the ground too, making this offense — without question — the best we’ve seen under coach Clint Alexander. The Tigers’ defense will adapt, it always has, and this year it can rest assured that the offense will be there. That wasn’t always true in years past. LCA on the other hand is coming off two straight losses, one of those to a team Woodberry faced in week one, a shutout at the hands of Bishop McNamara. In the last two weeks the Bulldogs have managed just 11 points, so they’ll have to be better offensively if they want to keep pace with the Tigers. Right now, that’s a tall task.
Key matchup: The Bulldogs’ pass rush against Woodberry quarterback Lindell Stone. The Tigers quarterback has already eclipsed the 1,000 yard passing mark in just three games. His offensive line is giving him time to throw. He has two exceptional receivers in Zach Roderick and Terrell Jana. The ground game is strong with Riviere. Stone has all the weapons he could ask for and he’s making hay with them. LCA’s front four has to get in his grill to make things tough on the Tigers’ offense. Woodberry has been living off the big play, and if Stone doesn’t have time to make that long throw down field, arguably the biggest problem LCA faces would be neutralized. Of course the problem is that front has to get past this impressive line led by Clark Yarbrough.
Who to watch: We’ll stick with the Tigers defense again this week and go with Lionel Johnson. Both Ryan Grady and Joseph Stephenson have been tackling machines, but Johnson is helping to establish a solid pass rush. He leads the Tigers with 2.5 sacks and has nine hurries. He’s fifth on the team in tackles. The more Johnson can add to the rush the better off this unit will get. The front seven has got the talent to start holding teams to low numbers, they’ve just been up against a murderers row of great offensively gifted teams. It sounds odd to say this, but in LCA they have a team that they match up with well.
The line: Woodberry by 7. The Tigers pick up the ever-elusive win in Lynchburg behind this offense which is simply lighting up the scoreboard.
Central Lunenburg (3-1) at Buckingham (3-1), Friday 7 p.m.
The basics: The first big James River District showdown is here. The Chargers are coming off two straight wins, a narrow win over Randolph Henry and a beating of Prince Edward. The Knights are on a roll now having won three straight in convincing fashion, last week’s thrashing of Nottoway, 40-8 being the latest. It’s hard to say what’s more impressive right now — that the Knights clearly have things figured out offensively or that their defense has play so well in all four of its games. It’s easy to highlight what this offense is up to, its usual rushing attack simply rolling past teams. But a serious nod needs to be given to this defense as they’ve given up just four touchdowns so far.
Key matchup: This one is easy — the Chargers front seven takes on running back Leon Ragland. He’s got 10 touchdowns in two weeks. He’s scoring from 89 yards out, he’s punching in goal line runs. The Chargers have to keep Ragland from breaking loose because the second he’s got an opening he’s so tough to bring down. When the Knights run well, they win. It’s as simple as that. This is three games in a row now where they’ve done that, and it actually extends into the last half of the loss to Appomattox. Buckingham’s ground game is as good as ever right now and that’s pretty, pretty, pretty good.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Rajheem Holman. The receiver/runningback had a pair of TDs in the win over Nottoway. If he continues to be effective, the Knights offense is in great shape. Not only will it help keep the tread on Ragland’s tire, it gives them another look for an offensive line that’s clearly figured things out since week one. The parallels between this season and 2013 are becoming blurred, and that’s a good thing for Buckingham.
The line: Buckingham by 6. The Knights rolled William Campbell 55-12. The Chargers fell to the same opponent 41-35. The difference? Buckingham’s defense can simply play, and with this offense on cue now, that’s simply too much for Central on this road trip.
Madison County (0-3) at Warren County (1-2), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Mountaineers got the last week off, and they needed it. The 56-20 loss to East Rockingham put this team in a tough hole to dig out of. The problem though is that two weeks might not be enough for Wildcats. Yes they’ve lost two straight, the last to Brentsville, but Warren’s been playing some big teams to open up their schedule. The Wildcats win over Handley stands out. Madison has to find a way to get things going defensively. Obviously that’s tough for a small school when the bulk of the defensive front graduated last year, but at the end of the day, the Mountaineers need to figure something out. Hopefully the bye week did that.
Key matchup: Madison’s passing attack against the Wildcats’ secondary. Quarterback Chris Smith needs to be able to get the ball to Dre Twyman and Isaiah Smith. Right now Smith has seven receptions for 103 yards and Twyman has four catches for 74 yards. Over three games, that’s not enough. With 34 passing attempts and just 10 completions, the Madison offensive line needs to give Smith the time to get the ball to the two prominent playmakers on this team. While Dylan Breeden has been solid at tight end with 132 yards on four catches, Smith and Twyman have the ability to break the game open offensively. The Mountaineers need Smith to work past this secondary that’s not exactly been stout in three games so far.
Who to watch: Madison’s defense. Whether it’s Bradley Merryman or Gabe Farmer, the two leading tacklers so far — the Mountaineers need a big push up front. This team has given up 38, 26 and 56 points so far. That’s far too much. While the best Warren has done offensively is score 34 in a loss, their 27 points against Handley stick out. Madison needs to get a big push up front against the run more than anything else. Playing from behind is tough. This offense has tools, but if they play from behind they don’t get to do it the way they’d like to.
The line: Warren by 3. The bye week should help, but Warren is a big school and has been playing big opponents relatively close. Tough break for Madison here.
Randolph-Henry (2-2) at Goochland (2-2), Friday 7 p.m.
The basics: The Statesmen rebounded from a 1-point loss to Central Lunenburg to beat Bluestone 29-12. The Bulldogs, as they always seem to do in the Shenandoah Valley, took down R.E. Lee on the road. Those tough first two weeks appear to be behind the Bulldogs. The parallels between the start of this season and the 2012 season are obvious. This could be the making of another big Goochland run in the James River District. Now the question is, just how good is Randolph Henry? An also ran in years past, the Statesmen have wins over Colonial Beach and Bluestone, but have always struggled against this offense. Can they handle the Bulldogs now multi-dimensional attack, and do it on the road? That’d be a very different Randolph Henry squad.
Key matchup: The Statesmen’s defensive front takes on Wyatt Smith, Marcus Burton and Calvin Martin. Smith has 230 yards, Burton 192 and Martin 190. This trio has really come on in the last two weeks. With the wing-t offense that Goochland runs always keeping defenses honest on the read, Randolph Henry has to keep an eye on all three backs. Really, it’s the same old story for Randolph Henry, they have to be able to slow down this ground game. Having said that, there’s little question that Bulldogs will be all too happy to let quarterback Reid Chenault go for the jugular when the box gets a little too crowded. Even still though, when it comes to Goochland, if you don’t solve the ground game first, nothing else really matters.
Who to watch: Goochland’s Cordell Mattox. He’s become a nice complement to Scott Carter in the passing game as he’s got seven catches for 119 yards. Carter has nine catches for 147 yards. To have a pair of regular receivers would be huge for this offense. The Bulldogs have a quarterback that can strike deep and a ground game to create the ideal matchups. Getting regular production out of Mattox would help further round out an already awfully talent offense.
The line: The Bulldogs by 14. They’re at home, they’ve always had the Statesmen’s number and this team is on a bit of a roll. That 0-2 start is in the rearview mirror.
