Western (2-4) at Charlottesville (1-6), Thursday 7:30 p.m.
The Basics: The nomadic Charlottesville squad (the Black Knights are playing home games at neutral sites during the artificial surface installation at CHS) continues to make plays and put together strong efforts, including a strong performance against Monticello last week. The Black Knights are more adaptable on offense than expected with a vertical element to the passing game that opens things up. Western Albemarle got tagged by Powhatan last week, but has proven it can pile up points, going blow-for-blow with Monticello a few weeks ago. But containing the Black Knights won’t be an easy task. This one has the makings of a thriller.
Key matchup: Western’s secondary takes on Charlottesville wide receiver Diamonte Scott. Scott is explosive — he piled up 105 yards and two touchdowns on just three catches against Monticello. Can the Warriors’ defensive backs contain the emerging standout.
Who to Watch: Western’s Tanner Knight. While Western hasn’t given its running back Knight the ball a great deal, Monticello’s success on the ground against the Black Knights last week could give the Warriors some guidance. Knight is averaging 4.3 yards per carry and could jump that average up of the Warriors feed him against Charlottesville.
The line: Western by 3. Warriors get the edge, but this one could come down to the wire.
Madison County (3-4) at William Monroe (4-2), Friday 7:30 p.m.
The basics: While Madison fell to its second Bull Run District opponent of the season at the hands of Clarke County, Monroe dropped its first BR game of the year as it lost its match up with Central Woodstock — who now is the only unbeaten team in district play. Neither the Mountaineers nor Dragons can afford a loss here and both hope to finish on top of the district, making what is arguably the most intense rivalry in Central Virginia all the more meaningful. Monroe snapped its long skid against its northern neighbors last season as Madison was snakebitten by turnovers. Expect one doozy of a crowd at this game as Monroe shifted its annual Dragon Fest from September to this game this week.
Key matchup: Madison’s offensive line takes on the Monroe pass rush. Mountaineers quarterback Dustin Farmer can’t be taking a lick every time he drops back to pass for his team’s offense to function the way it needs to. That means that Gage Berryman and the line have to keep Stacey White and his friends from creating havoc in the back field.
Who to watch: Monroe running back Doug Sizemore. The senior gets a favorable matchup here. Last season he ran hard on Madison’s defense. So far this season, the Mountaineers have had their struggles against physical backs like Sizemore. Also, the Monroe back is battling with Monticello’s Isaac Robinson and Louisa’s Andre Mealy for the very unofficial Central Virginia rushing title.
The line: Monroe by 6. Too much Sizemore and the threat of quarterback Jack Morris passing to either Jordan Gentry or Adam Weisenborn takes advantage of any stacking of the box.
Virginia Episcopal (1-5) at Covenant (1-6), 3:30 p.m.
The Basics: This is a clash of rebuilding programs still looking for an identity, with Covenant still trying to piece things together with a young, inexperienced roster. VES presents a potentially favorable matchup for the Eagles though.
Key matchup: Both defenses look for an edge against inconsistent offenses. Whichever defense can disrupt the other squad’s limited offense in this one will gain a huge advantage.
Who to Watch: VES’ Ronnie Stringfield. Stringfield is this contest’s most dynamic threat with 613 yards at an average of 6.45 yards per carry.
The line: Covenant by 3. The Eagles are getting better every week and it could show in a winnable matchup.
Altavista (4-3) at Nelson County (0-6), 7 p.m.
The Basics: Last week could be a turning point for the Governors. They hung tough with Dan River early before Trey Edmunds exploded for 283 yards on just eight touches. If the Governors can build some confidence out of that start, things could go better against Altavista than last year’s 41-0 thrashing.
Key matchup: Altavista’s secondary tries to contain Nelson’s Sedrick Brown. Brown had 76 total yards last week and provides an explosive threat.
Who to Watch: Altavista’s Jestin Brown. Brown broke loose for a 98-yard touchdown last week against Chatham. Containing his big play ability will be key for the Governors.
The line: Altavista by 7. The schedule keeps stacking up against the Governors, but hanging with Dan River should provide some confidence.
Collegiate (1-3) at St. Anne’s-Belfield (2-4), 7 p.m.
The Basics: Finally. The Saints are finally home. It’s been more than a month since the Saints played on their own field. The Saints weathered a four-game road stint with several tough opponents, including a 33-14 loss to Boys Latin last week. Getting home will be a relief and Collegiate is playing wounded right now, struggling against Woodberry Forest and continuing a skid that’s stretched on since a season opening win was followed by a loss to Benedictine.
Key matchup: St. Anne’s-Belfield’s Jake Allen takes on a porous Collegiate secondary. Allen hasn’t been asked to do much through the air with STAB’s ground game handling the bulk of the duties. But Collegiate allowed a Woodberry offense that’s been far from explosive to throw for 225 yards last week. Allen might be able to give the Saints a spark.
Who to Watch: STAB’s Dylan Park. Five solo stops for Park last week against Boys Latin as the senior continues to emerge as a defensive stopper in the secondary.
The line: St. Anne’s by 3. STAB picks up critical victory on return to home field.
North Stafford (5-1) at Albemarle (1-4), 7 p.m.
The Basics: Albemarle got off to a great start against Stafford last week with a Lee Carneal touchdown that put the Patriots up 6-0. The Pats were even within a field goal at the half. But a kick return for a touchdown on the opening play of the third quarter helped Stafford get in gear and roll 42-27 with a dominant second half. Albemarle will have to have another fast start against North Stafford, a team that’s wounded after its first loss of the year against Brooke Point last week.
Key matchup: Albemarle’s defense tries to slow down a loaded North Stafford lineup. The Wolverines have Anthony Shegog, Brandon Ravenel and Kevin Daniels, all dynamic presences at the skill spots on offense. Containing the trio won’t be easy for a squad that’s surrendered 42 points twice in Commonwealth games.
Who to Watch: Albemarle’s Drake Bryant. Bryant had a touchdown last week and continues to give the Pats yet another option at running back along with Micah Rivers and Nico Troche. But clearing the way for those backs has proven a difficult task.
The line: North Stafford by 14. Tough matchup for Albemarle, but Patriots should put together a spirited effort on homecoming.
Central Lunenburg (3-2) at Buckingham (5-1), 7 p.m.
The Basics: Buckingham got some good news beyond a 54-26 victory over Randolph-Henry last week. They got a big performance from Kenneth Johnson, who averaged 11.5 yards per carry en route to a 127-yard night on 11 carries. If Johnson can give the Knights a consistent effort on the ground along that helped kickstart a 389-yard night for the Knights in the rushing attack, Buckingham could be even tougher to beat. Central faces a challenge a week after falling 28-0 to Amelia.
Key matchup: The Knights’ ground game goes toe-to-toe with Lunenburg’s defense that’s been stout. Lunenburg held three opponents in their wins this year under 19 points. Slowing down all the Knights rushing threats — Kyree Koonce rushed for 75 yard sand Tarian Ayers rushed for 86 last week in addition to Johnson’s 127 — won’t be an easy task.
Who to Watch: Buckingham’s Jesse Hickman. The wideout hauled in four catches for 65 yards last week and is a key part of what’s becoming an increasingly balanced Buckingham attack.
The line: Buckingham by 14. Knights keep pace in a loaded James River.
Cumberland (2-4) at Goochland (6-0), 7 p.m.
The Basics: The easiest way to explain this one is common opponents. Three weeks ago Goochland beat Lunenburg Central 46-13 and two weeks ago Cumberland lost to Central 36-8. If Cumberland can get a big performance from dual threat quarterback Devonta Booker, who local fans might remember from a 50-point performance during basketball season against Buckingham last year, they might be able to hang with Goochland. But it’s going to have to be a near-Herculean effort. Goochland will be looking for a start-to-finish performance after surrendering an 80-yard touchdown early to Nottoway.
Key matchup: Cumberland’s front seven versus the Bulldogs’ multi-pronged rushing attack. Patrick Clore, Mitchell Brice, Jake Martin or Zakell Johnson. Any of the four can break a game wideopen for the Bulldogs on the ground. Cumberland is facing a tall task.
Who to Watch: Goochland’s Mason Engel. Engel ripped off a 60-yard touchdown on an interception return last week.
The line: Goochland by 21. The Bulldogs keep chugging along on homecoming night.
Powhatan at Fluvanna 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Powhatan rode Ray Brown at home against Western Albemarle last week to earn its first Jefferson District win in its first attempt. The Indians head into Palmyra where Fluvanna is playing its last game at Costello Stadium. Last week the Flucos matched up nicely against Louisa County for the first half, but could not pull off the upset in the end. Nonetheless, the argument could be made that Fluvanna played better against the Lions than they did in a win over Charlottesville. In Powhatan, the Flucos face another big challenge. The Indians aren’t as physical as Louisa, but they have balance and piled up the points against Western.
Key matchup: Powhatan’s front four against Fluvanna running back Logan Walls. The Flucos’ tailback was the primary reason that Fluvanna gave Louisa trouble as he rushed for 180 yards. The Indians bring a lot of fire power (especially with h-back Ray Brown) offensively to this game, and for Flucos to keep pace, Walls will need to have another big game. Should Powhatan’s defensive line penetrate, that scenario becomes awfully difficult.
Who to watch: Powhatan quarterback Thomas Mitchell. After the Indians resorted to an almost exclusive offense featuring just running backs Ray Brown and Alex Higuchi, the Jefferson District newcomers could well want to feature more of its passing attack as they have high scoring Louisa and Monticello to look forward to in the following weeks. The more balance this team can show, the better off it is and that can’t be accomplished without a confident Mitchell.
The line: Powhatan by 9. Indians sour Fluvanna’s last night at Costello with offensive showing.
Riverbend (0-5) at Orange (1-5) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Orange’s tough introduction to the Commonwealth District continues, but in winless Riverbend, the Hornets have a real solid chance to start feeling good again. Now, the Bears were idle last week and therefore should be more than prepared to hit the road and play Orange, but while it’s defense has played reasonably well, it’s offense averages a fraction over seven points per game. That’s good news for a Hornets defense that’s had issues since beginning CD play.
Key matchup: Orange’s front seven against Riverbend’s ground game. After playing an option offense like Massaponax which manhandled the Hornets up front, its clear that the biggest issue for this team week-to-week is how they fare in the trenches. That means matching up physically on the line and filling the gaps with the linebackers.
Who to watch: Hornets quarterbacks Eric Washington and Tyler Seal. The old rule is when you have more than one quarterback, you don’t have one at all. After alternating the two against Massaponax, Orange would do itself a favor from a continuity standpoint by sticking with one or the other for 48 minutes.
The line: Orange by 1. The Hornets get the edge here for having won a game this year, but Riverbend has played an arguably tougher schedule thus far.
Turner Ashby (0-7) at Monticello (5-1) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Monticello survived a bit of a scare against Charlottesville last week while Turner Ashby fell to Spotswood. While the Mustangs continue to have some issues on defense, it’s quite clear that this team is capable of outscoring just about anyone with its explosive offense. Monticello’s scored more than 40 points in all five wins and never scored less than 20. Against a Knights defense that’s surrendering just under 35 points a game, the offensive stat sheet should have a lot of ink on it by the end of Friday night.
Key matchup: Turner Ashby’s front seven versus the Monticello offensive line. With big linemen like Sam Marshall and Matt Hunt, the Mustangs are simply physical up front and that opens up big holes for Isaac Robinson to run through. The Knights have to keep the Mustangs offensive line from working downfield if they want to put up a reasonable fight.
Who to watch: Monticello wide receiver/defensive end, Sam Patterson. Look for Patterson, who’s broken hand is in the past, to present a serious problem as his size, athleticism and strength make him really difficult to neutralize.
The line: Monticello by 20. The Mustangs’ offense continues to pour on the points and pave the way.
Fork Union (2-4) at Liberty Christian (5-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The defending champs lost a heart breaker last week against St. Christopher’s, as they mounted a successful comeback after a slow start, saw the Saints take a late lead and then had the go ahead field goal in the last seconds of the game blocked. The opponent here will be looking to avenge what happened the last time these two met. LCA was considered the favorite to win VISAA Division 1 title last year but were shocked at home by the Blue Devils. The Bulldogs are considered by many as the top team in the private ranks and have not allowed double-digit points in three straight games including a 10-9 win three weeks ago at Woodberry Forest.
Key matchup: LCA’s secondary versus Fork Union’s D.J. Randle-El. The Fork Union receiver’s athleticism has been the focal point of his team’s offense with quarterback Christian Hackenberg’s arm being able to sling the ball all over the field. If the Bulldogs can keep those two from establishing anything worthwhile, they will have a significant edge.
Who to watch: Liberty running back Carrington Mosley has already hit the 100 carry mark and has 558 yards and nine touchdowns to show for it, but six of those game came in week two and he hasn’t hit the endzone in the last two games. Facing a good combination of size and speed, the Blue Devils front seven will have its hands full trying to keep Mosley from having a big game.
The line: LCA by 3. Balanced Bulldogs get revenge for last year’s playoff meeting.
Landon School (4-1) at Woodberry Forest (3-2), Saturday 2 p.m.
The basics: The Tigers played their most complete game of the season with the offense, defense and special teams units each scoring against an overwhelmed Collegiate team. Woodberry gets a real challenge here from Landon — a school they narrowly beat last year 15-14 and the same squad that handed the Tigers their only loss two seasons back. The Bears shutout Woodberry’s archrival in Episcopal last week, but took a 32-point shelling the week before from McDonogh — the team that was responsible for the Tigers only loss last year.
Key matchup: Woodberry’s run defense against Landon running back Myles Allen. The Tigers should have Bears receiver Joe McDonald more than covered with CJ Prosise in the secondary, and Rogers Clark and his fellow linemen are as good at rushing the passer as any team in Central Virginia, so the big priority here is to keep Allen under the century mark. In five games the 200-pound back has 509 yards on the ground.
Who to watch: Tigers receiver Reid Swearingen. With running backs Christian Asher and Hunter Faulconer proving to be more effective each week, that has opened up the passing game for quarterback Heys McMath. Look for McMath and Swearingen to connect on big plays like they did against Collegiate. If they can, that could well be the tipping point in the game.
The line: Woodberry by 1. Tight matchup here between two stout defenses. The Tigers get the edge for playing on their home turf and the momentum they ride in with.
Christchurch (6-0) at Blue Ridge 2 p.m.
The basics: The Barons came away with a big time win over VISAA Division 1 opponent St. Steven’s-St. Agnes last week but have a daunting task ahead of them in Christchurch. The number one ranked Division 2 squad is scoring more than 38 points per game and in three shutouts has allowed an average of just under five points per game.
Key matchup: Barons quarterback Andre Roberts versus Seahorse defensive back Ashby Lewis. Blue Ridge has athletes and spread the ball out helps them get more success out of bruising back Mayn Francisco. But Roberts has to be aware of Lewis who has four interceptions to his name in five game and six passes defended.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge linebacker Lance Gray. Francisco’s 105-yard 15-carry performance and Roberts’ 168 passing yards may have gotten the job done against SSSA offensively, but Gray’s monster day on defense kept the Barons out in front as he amassed 18 tackles. Blue Ridge need’s Gray to be all over Christchurch running backs Jordan Wallace, Pat Young and Carlos Gray to give his team an opportunity to knock off the number one team in their own division.
The line: Christchurch by 3. The way Blue Ridge played last week, this game could be a lot closer than some might think. That said, the Seahorses have done little to show that they aren’t the best team in Division 2 so far.
