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Harrisonburg (1-1) at Charlottesville (1-1), 7 p.m.

The basics: Now Charlottesville is back on track. After falling in overtime to E.C. Glass, Charlottesville bounced back with a signature win over James Monroe Friday night, beating a proud program convincingly 46-21. That’s a critical win for the Black Knights as they sort through a pretty challenging early season schedule, especially since the offense found its groove and the defense’s pass rush got going with three sacks and a solid performance in the final three quarters after surrendering two touchdowns early. Now they face a Harrisonburg squad that moved up to Group 5A and only lost 28-7 to Group 3A state title contender Lord Botetourt in their season opener and bounced back to beat John Handley. Can the Black Knights stay on track and ride the three-headed dragon of Sabias Folley, Tre Durrett and Rakeem Davis in the ground game to another win?

Key matchup: Charlottesville’s defense takes on versatile quarterback A.C. White. Harrisonburg’s offense is built around White, who accounted for 18 total touchdowns last year. But he’s facing a defense that has been fantastic so far on third downs in particular, holding opponents to just five conversions on 16 attempts in the first two games. The Black Knights known how to get off the field on those crucial downs and they’ll need to have more of the same success against White.

Who to watch: Charlottesville’s Sam Neale. James Monroe football coach and VHSL Hall of Famer Rich Serbay called Neale a “magician” last week and there’s probably not much higher praise for an option quarterback. Neale carries out excellent fakes, makes all the right reads and can get loose when he runs it himself as he did with 63 yards and two touchdowns against the Jackets. Neale is doing his job at quarterback as well as anyone in the area right now.

The line: Charlottesville by 10. The Black Knights should’ve built a lot of confidence against James Monroe, they can keep it rolling here at home.

 

Turner Ashby (0-2) at Monticello (1-0), 7:30 p.m.

The basics: It’s a small sample size, but Monticello football looked strong against William Monroe, and the Mustangs may be poised for a significant bounce back season. The offense was clicking well, much as it did last season, and they got some big special teams play from senior returner Austin Haverstrom. Now they’ll face a Turner Ashby squad breaking in a new coach in Chris Fraser, formerly of Charlottesville before coaching Maury in Norfolk for six seasons. The Knights have stumbled out of the gate, losing to R.E. Lee and Eastern View. Can Monticello build on week one and keep things going?

Key matchup: Turner Ashby’s defense takes on Monticello quarterback Kevin Jarrell. Jarrell has become a surgeon at quarterback over the last few years and he was efficient against William Monroe, with 144 yards passing and another 48 on the ground. Last week, Eastern View’s Matt Lowry lit up Turner Ashby for four touchdowns through the air and Jarrell has the potential to unleash a similar type of performance.

Who to watch: Monticello’s Benson Hawker. With Jerrick Ayers an established presence at running back, the Mustangs got a pleasant surprise with Hawker running well against William Monroe for 96 yards on 16 carries in the season opener. With some excellent skill position players already in the mix, Hawker, a sophomore, adds another dimension to the offense and could pair with Ayers and help keep him fresh.  

The line: Monticello by 14. The Mustangs get a chance to continue picking up steam out of the bye week.

 

Craig County (0-2) at Nelson County (1-1), 7 p.m.

The basics: Nelson didn’t take a step back last week against Page County despite a loss. The Governors struggled against the Panthers early on, and things snowballed, but if Nelson is going to keep building and picking up wins, they’re going to have to learn how to bounce back in the framework of the game. Friday, they responded to a 34-0 deficit with 18 straight points over two quarters, cutting the Panthers’ lead to just 16 points. Page eventually pulled away again, but that midgame stretch is something to build on and should be a lesson Nelson can draw on in the coming weeks. They host an 0-2 Craig County squad here and Nelson has a chance to pick up another victory against the Rockets, but they’re likely to get Craig’s best shot as they’re hungry for a win as well.

Key matchup: Craig’s secondary takes on the suddenly pass-happy Governors. Nelson has thrown more than 50 passes through two games, which has helped lift Brice Wilson into the area’s leading passer spot. That likely won’t last long statistically, but forcing teams to account for the pass could open things up for a ground game that has some potential. Look for Nelson to continue to try and find ways to get the electric DeVante Rose in space, he had a 76-yard catch and run for a touchdown last week.

Who to watch: Nelson wideout Fletcher Bowles. Bowles had a pair of touchdown grabs against Page during the Governors’ midgame surge and it was the converted basketball player’s first start for Nelson. If he emerges as a reliable target for Brice Wilson at quarterback it’ll give Nelson a huge boost.

The line: Nelson by 7. The Governors get another solid opportunity for a win.

 

Blue Ridge (1-0) at Hargrave (0-1), 7 p.m.

The basics: Blue Ridge continues a three-game road stretch to start this season with a trip to Hargrave. The Barons won’t get a chance to play at home until September 23, and a the key this week will be to lock in on the Tigers with an exciting matchup against Flint Hill next week looming. Based on last week though, this is a Barons squad that’s all-business. They jumped out to a 26-0 lead in the first half — they’re not messing around. Look for more of that this week as they face a Hargrave squad that lost to St. Anne’s-Belfield last week. The Barons can beat opponents so many different ways with an array of weapons offensively and a stingy defense.  

Key matchup: Hargrave’s front seven takes on the Barons’ versatile rushing attack. Five different players had five or more carries for the Barons last week against Atlantic Shores, led by Sammy Fort’s 12 touches for 80 yards. The Barons can stay fresh and quarterback Xavier Kane can get it done on the ground. That’s a lot of weapons to contend with.

Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s wideouts. The Barons got the passing game going against Atlantic Shores, with Cameron Carr snagging 65 yards and Michael Asher hauling in 68 yards. Trying to cover two deep threats like that is a tall task for any high school team and puts a ton of pressure on opposing secondaries.

The line: Blue Ridge by 21. The Barons’ offense should take care of business in this one.

 

St. Anne’s-Belfield (1-0) at Randolph Macon Academy (1-0), Saturday 1 p.m.

The basics: STAB can breath a sigh of relief after last week. The Saints can still get the job done, eeking out a 12-6 win over Hargrave in their season opener. There were a lot of question marks around the squad going into the game with new faces in key spots and a schedule that includes some eight-man contests, but the Saints got a big lift from the win over the Tigers. They found a run game and showed vast improvement on defense over last year’s squad. They face another team that gained confidence in its opener as Randolph Macon beat Massanutten Military. Can the Saints keep things rolling?

Key matchup: STAB’s front seven takes on Randolph Macon’s high scoring offense. The Saints looked solid defensively, with Christian Smith in the trenches giving the Saints a solid foundation. Can he and STAB keep things rolling against the the Jackets? That’ll be a tall task after Massanutten scored 50 points last week.

Who to watch: STAB’s Gabe Decker. The Saints have another back, and he’s a bruiser. Freshman Gabe Decker pounded out some serious yardage against Hargrave with some tough running and the Saints will likely look to lean on him going forward to get the ground game going. With an offensive line led by Will Edelson, the Saints’ rushing attack packs some serious punch.

The line: STAB by 7. The Saints should have built a ton of confidence in the win over Hargrave, look for it to carry over this week.

 

Western Albemarle (1-0) at Lord Botetourt (2-0), 7 p.m.

The basics: Western Albemarle jumped out of the gate strong with a blowout win over Broadway two weeks ago and they’ve had two weeks to prepare for this one against one of the state’s top Group 3A squads. Botetourt is also coming off of an emotional win over Blacksburg, the team that eliminated the Cavaliers from the playoffs last week, so the trap game potential is there. Can Western take advantage? They bring their own unique set of challenges for Botetourt who managed to contain speedy Cole Beck of Blacksburg last week but now face a quartet of speedy wideouts for the Warriors and a team that likes to whip it around on offense. This is a big challenge for the Warriors who have to contend with Botetourt’s Jesse Hanson and Noah Overstreet, a pair of talented linemen up front while the Warriors counter with Luke Tenuta and company in the trenches.

Key matchup: Western’s front seven takes on Lord Botetourt’s rushing attack. Last week the Cavaliers piled up more than 300 yards of rushing against defending state champion Blacksburg, with freshman breakout star Hunter Rice leading the way with 169 yards on the ground. Rice gained 234 yards against Harrisonburg in the Cavaliers’ opener. Western’s Achilles’ Heel the last couple of years has been getting gashed on the ground defensively, so this is an excellent chance to measure the squad’s progress in that department.

Who to watch: Western’s Derek Domecq. If the Warriors are going to knock off Lord Botetourt, their senior quarterback is likely going to be a big reason why. Look for Domecq to attack the Cavaliers on the ground and through the air. He had a strong season opener with 259 yards and two touchdowns through the air and 79 yards and two touchdowns on the ground. Western will have to protect Domecq against a stout Botetourt defense, which is no easy task.

The line: Lord Botetourt by 7. The Cavaliers’ rushing attack makes the difference here.

 

Virginia Episcopal (0-0) at Covenant (2-0), 4 p.m. Friday

The basics: Covenant has rarely gotten the opportunity to go 3-0, so the best potential start in a long time is on the line in this home clash with Virginia Episcopal. Covenant has a rhythm and flow to the offense that’s a big lift for a team this early and the Eagles are playing sound defense, containing a Christchurch squad with a couple of Division I players in the mix. Now Covenant has to just keep it rolling and keep building its identity. So far, so good on that front. VES struggled last year and enters their season opener with a lot of question marks. They’ll likely try and get the job done on the ground, but with the way Covenant’s Cole Harvey has been disrupting the opposition that’s easier said than done.

Key matchup: VES’ front seven takes on the Covenant option, now with wrinkles. Covenant running a lot of veer stuff still, but the Eagles have added some new dimensions that can make them particularly tough to contend with, a byproduct of having an experienced senior quarterback in John Huemme at the helm. Jonas Sanker helps them stretch the defense and they can attack with a couple of different players on the edge, preventing teams from loading up against Donovan Jackson at the point of attack. Jackson rushed for 85 yards last week while quarterback John Huemme went for 105.

Who to watch: Covenant’s Nic Sanker. Sanker’s pick six to end the first half against Christchurch was a game-changing play, giving the Eagles a huge spark going into the half and setting the stage for a critical win. Sanker gives the Eagles someone who can matchup with most any big receiver on the edge as a defensive back, and is also a critical part of the offense. If he can give the Eagles one of those big plays regularly this season, it could be a transformative performance for Covenant.

The line: Covenant by 14. The Eagles should take care of business in this one.

 

Fort Defiance (0-2) at William Monroe (0-2), 7 p.m.

The basics: The timing on this one is good for both squads. The Indians have given up 67 and 42 points respectively in their first two games. The Dragons have given up 49 and 56 points respectively in their first games. Both squads are trying to right the ship and one of them is coming out this game feeling a lot better about their season. The Dragons have lost their first two to a pair of solid Group 3A squads while the Indians have dropped theirs to a solid pair of Group 2A teams. We’re not entirely certain what that means, but the competition has been strong.

Key matchup: Monroe’s rush defense against Fort Defiance running back Matt Wonderly. The junior is a shifty back with a track and field background. The Dragons have the speed to keep Wonderly in check. But they have to make sure that the job gets done upfront so that Wonderly doesn’t gash them for big plays. We saw improvement from the Dragons offense in week two. Now can this defense take a step forward this week against an offense that was held to six points last week?

Who to watch: Monroe’s Jordan Gray and Jaekwon Wayne. The two both made big plays last week, provided the offense and special teams a spark. If quarterback Alex Kinsey can get them the ball in space or over the top, the Dragons will be able to put up some solid numbers this week against a defense that’s reeling so far.

The line: Monroe by 3. The Dragons get off the snide and pick up a win at home.

 

Orange County (1-0) at Eastern View (2-0), 7 p.m.

The basics: The Hornets took down Culpeper 23-13 last week to kick off their season on the road. They continue their tour of Culpeper with another trip, this time to see the Cyclones. Eastern View has put together back-to-back 56-point performances with wins over Culpeper and Turner Ashby. This should be a fantastic test for both squads and they are both lightning quick. A good showing here for Orange would mean a lot, both to this program and the Jefferson District.

Key matchup: Orange’s Darius Minor vs. Eastern View’s D’ago Hunter. The two seniors are electric playmakers. Hunter has been a big play threat for four years for the Cyclones. It makes a huge difference having Minor back this after missing last year because of injury. While the Hornets have depth at corner, Minor’s raw speed might allow them to play man-to-man on him which would be great because the Cyclones are hardly a one dimensional offense — running back Trey Holmes is a problem himself. But more than anything, it’s always great to watch two like-ability athletes line up and do their thing, a battle within the battle. Maybe they’ll both have big games, maybe they’ll cancel each other out. Whichever way it turns out, it’s going to have a big impact on this game.

Who to watch: Orange’s Kenyon Carter. The quarterback looked solid going 15-for-27 passing with 228 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in less than ideal conditions. Between Minor, Tyrone Warren and Chris Washington, he’s got guys all over the field to throw to. Then there’s Jaylen Alexander’s 164 yards on just 23 carries last week. What will Carter and this offense look like on a dry day? And can he carve up this Eastern View defense? If so, that sends a huge message to the rest of the Jefferson District.

The line; Eastern View by 3. The Cyclones are looking a lot like the 12-win team they were last year. This is a tough one on the road but don’t be surprised if the Hornets give them a scare or pull out the win.

 

Louisa County (2-0) at King George (0-2), 7 p.m.

The basics: The Lions, despite missing a pair of key players in Brandon Smith and Malik Bell, had little trouble handling Chancellor last week in a 48-14 road win. Now they get a King George team that’s scored once in two games against Tuscarora and Brooke Point. How healthy are the Lions coming into this week and how much does that matter given last week? Louisa looked deep in a season opening throttling of Courtland in week one. What they did in week two was arguably much more impressive.

Key matchup: King George’s offensive line against the Louisa defensive line. If the Foxes are going to keep up with the Lions’ offense, they’re going to have to keep quarterback Chase Scott upright. It’s going to take big plays to beat this defense because they’re just too tough upfront to grind against. The Foxes have to find a way to stop Tony Thurston and Devin Jackson-McGee, or at least tie them every once in awhile to get a crack at stretching the field. Easier said than done.

Who to watch: Louisa’s Jarrett Hunter. With 22 touches for 190 yards, Hunter leads the Lions rushing attack with 8.6 yards per carry. His 18 touches for 149 yards last week were clutch. After last week, Hunter means a lot to a team that wants to be able to keep the wear and tear off Malik Bell and Job Whalen ahead of a potential playoff run. How much of the load will he carry against King George? It never hurts to find out you’ve got more depth than expected at running back when you pound the ball like Louisa does.

The line: Louisa by 17. The Lions cruise on this one and head into their bye week at 3-0.

 

Goochland (2-0) at Central Lunenburg (0-2), 7 p.m.

The basics: The Bulldogs rolled last week against Fork Union, 32-0 to win their 16th straight regular season game, a streak that stretches back to October 16, 2015. The Chargers are off to a bit of a surprising start at 0-2 but they did run into Altavista, a traditional football power in week one and an up and coming William Campbell team last week. Both losses were close, so Lunenburg is a bit of a trap team at 0-2, and will be even more so if they wind up 0-3. Goochland looks like it hasn’t missed a beat since last season. The offense has balance and depth. The defense is mean where it counts, up front. A 3-0 start would put Goochland right where it’s used to being, in the driver’s seat of the James River District. But Lunenburg is one of the few teams in the past years that has been a tough out at times.

Key matchup: The Chargers linebacking corps against Goochland’s Devin McCray and John King. Listen, running back Jasper Carter will be the focus for Lunenburg, and rightfully so — he’s the area’s leading rusher after two weeks with 334 yards. Last week he put up 163 in conditions where it was obvious the Bulldogs were running it up the middle, and with sloppy footing and a stacked box, Carter brushed it off like no big deal. Right now, Carter is the engine driving Goochland’s offense, and he’s doing enough that it’s opened up opportunities for quarterback Devin McCray and John King to really shine. Outside of the defense stepping up, maybe if Chargers wide receiver LJ Watson is able to come up with big plays for quick points, Carter might get worn down on those long, classically Goochland drives, but don’t bet on that because McCray and King will be busy this week taking advantage of inside defensive scheming.

Who to watch: Goochland’s Ricky Mayfield. At 6-foot-3 and 230 pounds, Mayfield is a problem upfront for opposing offensive lines. His blend of athleticism and size make him a mismatch problem. When somebody has the skills of a middle linebacker and the size of a defensive end, it’s just really tough to work around. Mayfield had a huge junior year and has only stepped things up as a leader of this defense these first two weeks.

The line: Goochland by 4. The Bulldogs are confident right now, they’re healthy and they’re executing at a high level for this early on in the season.

 

Buckingham County (0-2) at Amelia County (1-1), Saturday 10 a.m.

The basics: The Knights are coming off a 20-7 loss to Chatham last Thursday while the Raiders evened their record to .500 with a 30-24 win over an always solid Brunswick squad. Amelia has been a .500 squad ever since their big 12-win year in 2011 and they appear to be as good or better than that this year. The Raiders almost came up with a win in a one-possesion game with Park View in week one. By virtue of playing on Thursday, the Knights were rushed into their meeting with Chatham. But in this one, they’ve picked up two extra days to prepare than the usual week allows. If the Knights can get things rolling offensively, they could steal a win here on the road.

Key matchup: The Buckingham defensive front takes on Amelia running back Elijah Marshall. The junior is coming of a strong sophomore campaign. At 5-foot-8 and 175 pounds, he’s a tough runner that could as much damage running between the tackles as he can hitting the edge. The Raiders have been using a lot of different fronts with Marshall, whether it’s running him out of a pro-set or out of a spread look. He’s carried Amelia’s offense so far and the offense is the strength of this Raiders team these first two weeks of the season. Should the Knights improve defensively they way they did from week one to two once again in week three, they’ll have a shot slowing down the biggest threat they face in this game.

Who to watch: Buckingham’s Walter Edwards. With Gary Toney dinged up after the week one game with Appomattox, the Knights will lean on Tyrese Ayres at quarterback much in the way they did last season. That puts Edwards as the key running back and he did nicely with 16 carries for 81 yards and a touchdown last week. But to take down Amelia, the Knights probably are going to need him over the century mark. That means executing upfront. Edwards showed grit playing a lot of reps last year, and with early injuries messing up Buckingham’s plans during camp, Edwards becomes more even more important.

The line: Amelia by 3. Injuries to key players this early are tough, and it’s already a tough job beating the Raiders at home.

 

Bullis (1-0) at Fork Union (0-1), Saturday 1 p.m.

The basics: Gluttons for punishment, Fork Union always plays a brutal out-of-Prep League schedule. So after last week’s meeting with a Goochland squad that made the VHSL Group 2A final four, the Blue Devils get one of the best private schools from Maryland for a home debut. Last week the Bulldogs throttled Archbishop Carroll out of Washington D.C., 37-0. With a roster rich with national recruiting talent, FUMA is going up against a team that’s won four of the last six IAC championships. Suffice it to say, by the time the Blue Devils reach Prep League play they’re going to be truly battled tested.

Key matchup: Fork Union’s defensive line against Bullis’ Bryson Shaw. The junior spent time last year at both quarterback and in sort of an H-back role and was a big play threat. No matter where he lines up, the Blue Devils have to keep him trapped because the 6-foot 2-inch playmaker has a long stride and can eat up a field quick. When at quarterback he made a lot of plays happen with his feet. As a runner, he’s most dangerous on the edge. And so at the end of the day, whether he’s at quarterback or Tucker Strachan is and Shaw is running sweeps and so on, Fork Union needs it’s defensive line to get after him on the edge of the field.

Who to watch: Blue Devils quarterback Luke Wilson. Because of the rain last week, Fork Union’s game with Goochland was more of an exaggerated exhibition game. We did not get to see what the Blue Devils have planned on offense. So look for Wilson to play a much larger role this week, particularly with his arm. With Logan Justice and Isaiah Barksdale as targets, the passing attack should be in a better rhythm this week, which should in turn make life easier for running backs Iosefa Pua’auli and RC Walbrook.

The line: Bullis by 3. Tough home opening opponent for the Blue Devils in this one, but look for FUMA to keep things close with their playmakers too.

 

Woodberry Forest (0-1) at Bishop O’Connell (0-2), Saturday 3 p.m.

The basics: The Knights fell to Maryland powerhouse Georgetown Prep last week while the Tigers dropped a close contest with Charlotte Latin. With a Prep League debut waiting next week with St. Christopher’s, Woodberry is going to be eager to get back to .500 and what they’re used to. They haven’t started out 0-1 since the 2012 season and haven’t seen 0-2 since 2005. So expect the seniors in particular to be ready for this one, especially now with a week of game film during practice to work with.

Key matchup: The Woodberry defensive line against the O’Connell offensive line. The Tigers allowed 241 yards in the air last weekend. While O’Connell has struggled to run the ball, it hasn’t struggled throwing as quarterback Kim Thompson is 23-for-38 passing with 336 yards and two TDs. The Knights line is led by tackle Jack Murphy, a second team All-VISAA Division 1 selection last year. Woodberry needs to find a way to get past Murphy and company and keep Thompson from being comfortable in the pocket and finding his favorite target, Jahmal Banks, who has 14 catches for 188 yards in two games.

Who to watch: Woodberry running back Jameel Wilson. The senior looked the most comfortable of all the Tigers last week on offense, whether running the ball or catching it out of the backfield. If you’ve seen Wilson before, you know just how deadly he can be in open space. So don’t be surprised if the Tigers roll him out of the backfield looking for screen passes or underneath coverage in the middle of the field. If he plays like he did last week against Charlotte Latin this Knights defense is going to have their hands full as they’ve given up 85 points in two weeks — and yes, to two very good teams, but still.

The line: Woodberry by 4. Tigers bounce back and get coach Scott Braswell his first win with the program.

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