Collegiate (2-1) at Woodberry Forest (3-1), 3:30 p.m.
The basics: The Cougars are coming off a narrow 14-10 loss to a very good Episcopal squad. The Tigers took advantage of their bye week and handled Avalon last week 40-14, their third straight game scoring at least 40. Their lowest score so far is the 37 points they put up in a season opening win over Bishop McNamara. That is to say, Woodberry’s offense is clicking and probably only going to be this good or better going forward. Collegiate’s defense has been strong so far, but offensively they’ve put up 19 and 14 the last two games, so the visitors are going to have to get creative against a Tigers defense that seems to be finding its identity and catching up to this ridiculous offense.
Key matchup: Woodberry running back Jameel Wilson against the Cougars linebacking corps. The Tigers offensive line is pretty good and giving the junior RB some decent holes to work with. Wilson has break away speed and is slippery even when there is a would-be tackler in front of him. If Wilson can establish the ground game and take advantage of the fact that the Cougars cannot stack the box with eight or nine defenders against this vaunted passing attack and deep receiving corps, it will lead to a decisive win. The Tigers obviously expect to be explosive with Lindell Stone throwing the the ball, but they are a superior team when the running game is successful and moves the chains or creates short yardage situations for second and third down. The Cougars’ linebacking corps led by Joseph White has to keep track of Wilson and not allow him to beat them because if he does, the rest of the game will play right into the Tigers’ strengths.
Who to watch: The Woodberry defensive line. Collegiate has a beast in tackle Jess Speight who clocks in a 6-foot-4 and 275 pounds. The Tigers can answer with 6-foot-6 and 255-pound defensive end John Kirven, but also defensive tackle Billy Solms who’s no treat either at 6-foot-2 and 290 pounds. How the Tigers use this end-tackle combo they have against Speight will be fascinating. Solms has been double teamed in most games. Kirven can rush off the edge but also peel back in coverage, chip a tight end, do a bevy of different things to create options for the rest of this line and the linebacking corps which is just teeming with talent. Expect the Tigers to use these two up front in a ton of different ways to complicate matters for Speight and the Cougars.
The line: Woodberry by 4. The Tigers have not lost to the Cougars since 2007, one of the more impressive streaks of the Clint Alexander era.
Buckingham County (1-5) at Goochland (6-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Last year saw the Knights end more than a decade long string of losses to the Bulldogs. Buckingham struggled last week in a 33-0 loss to Bluestone while Goochland cruised to a 41-0 win over Prince Edward. This is arguably the biggest mismatch between these two in forever as since 2009 these two teams have been two of the best in Central Virginia. The Knights are trying to rebuild all over and the Bulldogs are off to their best start since 2011 when they advanced to the Group 2A state title game.
Key matchup: The Knights’ defensive front against the Bulldogs misdirection running game. It’s not just the Buckingham defensive front that has to play well against this very good Goochland offensive line. It’s that that unit has to play stay-at-home defense against a group of running backs who are very good and in an offensive system that creates wholes based on run-fakes. And the minute that Goochland goes up by more than one possession, it has the opposition in a head lock. Forget about the Bulldogs’ defense for a second, even though they’ve given up just one touchdown in the last four weeks — Buckingham has to get a push up front and play so very smart to stay in this game, especially early. Point and case? Marcus Burton had 125 rushing yards last week against Prince Edward. Who scored the touchdowns on the ground? Jasper Carter, Massie Neal, Tanner Bradshaw and Calvin Martin.
Who to watch: Goochland defensive back Devin McCray. Add the freshman to a long list of defenders that are just killing it right now. He had a 63-yard pick-6 last week. As this group continues to dominate, posting four shutouts in six weeks, the fact that there’s a gifted freshman in the secondary should set off another 2011 alarm — that was the year we saw Jordan Jefferson, now at Virginia Tech, burst on to the scene. But Jefferson didn’t make an impact until late in the season. This is a case of the rich getting richer if McCray continues to progress.
The line: Goochland by 27. The Bulldogs are going to remember last year and be eager to put on a show on for their home crowd against their arch rival in the James River District.
Louisa County (5-0) at Powhatan (5-0)
The basics: This is the the moment of truth. Both teams have been tested in their out-of-district schedule. The Lions still have Orange County which could be a close game. The Indians still have Albemarle which could be a close game. Both squads still have Charlottesville on the schedule soon, again another close game. But none of those teams quite pose the threat that they do to each other right now. It’s the second-ranked Lions in Region 4A East hitting the road to face the fourth ranked Indians. Louisa is coming off a drubbing of Fluvanna County while Powhatan handled Western Albemarle. The winner here is on a fast track to potentially come out with the top seed in Region 4A East. This is going to be a battle.
Key matchup: Powhatan running backs Justin Deleon and Cody Lewis against the Lions 3-5-3 look. So with Quinton Ragland and Tony Thurston up front on the defensive line, the Lions have a lot of ways to use their bevy of linebackers. Deleon and Lewis have to run hard and make this linebacking corps miss. This is strength on strength and the Indians have to win this battle. Louisa’s defense has shown it can be flexible in so many ways and how they decide to attack this Powhatan defense is going to be different from the game films from Sherando, Courtland, King George or Albemarle. So it’s going to come down to Deleon and Lewis moving the chains and most importantly, not coughing up the football against an aggresive defense.
Who to watch: Louisa running back Job Whalen. While the Lions have featured Malik Bell, Whalen and Raquan Jones in a mixture up front, don’t be surprised if they unleash Whalen here for a 30-some carry game like we saw in week two against Courtland. If he’s successful initially it’s going to set up Bell to be the hammer that he is and then the Lions’ passing game to find Jordan Cherry and company for those dagger type plays.
The line: Louisa by 4. The Lions have the physical advantage on offense and defense, but have to avoid a slow start.
Fishburne Military (2-2) at Covenant (2-3), 4 p.m.
The basics: Covenant got a major wake-up call in a blowout loss against Blue Ridge in their home opener, running into a wounded group of Barons who’d lost two straight and took out their frustration on the Eagles. An early onslaught put Covenant in too deep of a hole to climb out. Now though Covenant gets a chance to reset and bounce back, and they’ve got Rick Weaver back in the mix and the big running back can handle the load along with Donovan Jackson. That gives them a potentially potent running game going forward. If they can shore up things defensively, the Eagles will be in position to finish strong.
Key matchup: Covenant versus the big play. The Eagles gave up a host of big plays last week against the Barons, allowing several plays of more than 20 yards. That’s never a recipe for success and you can bet that the Eagles’ coaching staff went to work on both erasing the memory of those plays and getting things locked down. Covenant has a number of potential playmakers on defense, look for them to step up and rebound against Fishburne.
Who to watch: Covenant’s quarterback situation. Nic Sanker got hurt against Blue Ridge, so just minutes after getting Weaver back in the lineup for the first time this year, the Eagles lost another key cog. Jacob Smith stepped in behind center for Covenant and the junior is a good athlete and can make some plays, but running the Eagles’ option takes some patience and ideally some experience because making the right reads isn’t easy. Can Smith settle in quickly?
The line: Covenant by 1. The Eagles should bounce back after the loss to Blue Ridge, and if they’re going to keep their playoff hopes in Division II alive, this is a must-win.
St. Anne’s-Belfield (1-3) at North Cross (5-0), 4 p.m.
The basics: St. Anne’s-Belfield may not have gotten in the win column last week, but make no mistake that the Saints have drastically improved in a short window. Falling just 20-18 after a long road trip to Nansemond Suffolk isn’t anything to panic over, it’s a pretty clear sign of growth. STAB isn’t rolling over, clearly, bouncing back from a 14-0 deficit to nearly tie the game, with the two-point conversion coming up short with just over three minutes to play. If STAB can keep trending upward, the back half of their schedule has several manageable games, though these next two weeks are going to be a challenge, with North Cross and Blue Ridge coming in back-to-back weeks. The Raiders are unbeaten and had a week off after winning something of a barnburner against Blue Ridge two weeks ago and they come in averaging nearly 50 points per game.
Key matchup: STAB’s defense takes on the Raiders’ balanced offense. Isaac Harris totes the rock for the Raiders with 634 yards already on the year at a clip of more than eight yards per touch. In the passing game, Miles Lowman has already thrown for a 1000 yards and 14 touchdowns this year. The Saints counter with playmakers on defense like Isaiah Kilby-Sharp and Christian Smith. It’ll take a complete team effort to contain the Raiders.
Who to watch: STAB’s Thomas Harry. Harry threw for 105 yards last week. If the young quarterback keeps developing and getting weapons involved in the offense while minimizing mistakes, it’ll help force opposing defenses not to load the box against the Saints, opening things up for Jaylen Alexander and the ground game.
The line: North Cross by 7. The Raiders’ offense hasn’t slowed down yet, but STAB continues to improve and has the potential to keep it close and steal one with the right breaks.
Albemarle (3-2) at Charlottesville (4-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: This is the kind of game Albemarle wants to be in. It’s also the kind of game Charlottesville wants to be in. A rivalry game with serious stakes layered on top of growing up right next to each other makes for a particularly exciting Friday night. It’ll be a stylistic clash too as the Patriots’ balanced attack run out of multiple formations and a lot of spread packages takes on the Black Knights’ option attack. Charlottesville is coming off a short week after beating Monticello on Monday to pick up a signature win, and it’s probably not a coincidence that Sabias Folley got a light load Monday, look for the Black Knights to feed the big man and try to batter the interior of the Albemarle defense. Charlottesville is also becoming adept at picking the hot hand and feeding it, like they did with Lorenzo Louderback against the Mustangs Monday. The Patriots come in off a reassuring rebound win over Orange County. In that one, everyone seemed to step up, with J’Quan Anderson leading the way at quarterback while Tyquan Rose ripped off a touchdown run and Jamal Thompson pounded away on the ground. When the Patriots are hitting on all cylinders, they’re a major handful.
Key matchup: Albemarle’s Trevon Massie and Zykal Foster take on the Black Knights’ option. Two weeks ago, the Patriots struggled against a misdirection-based offense when Louisa’s single wing gave them fits. The Patriots have proven they can step up when a team tries to come right at them like Orange did last week, but the read-based system Charlottesville relies on preys on defenses’ reaction and if Albemarle over pursues they’ll be vulnerable to counters. They’ve got the speed and strength to contain CHS’s ground game, but they’ve got to prove it Friday night.
Who to watch: Charlottesville’s Louderback. Louderback flies all over the place for the Black Knights defensively. On Monday he forced three fumbles and was in on what seemed like every play, making tackles or forcing Monticello running backs back inside. He’s a hard hitter too, but he’s clearly learned to not go for just the kill shot and make a sound tackle or, as was the case Monday, make a strip and tackle. He’s undeniably one of the area’s best defenders and he’ll be the key to trying to contain Albemarle’s Anderson, a dynamic athlete himself.
The line: Charlottesville by 1. Black Knights get the edge here solely because it’s at their place, but this one is a legitimate tossup.
Western Albemarle (2-3) at Orange County (2-3), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: This has become a really big one for these two squads. Both are coming off losses, the Warriors to Powhatan and Orange to Albemarle and both are currently sitting somewhere near the playoff bubble. With each facing a challenging back half of the schedule, a win here would be huge for either squad. The Warriors have to figure out how to stop the run and fast because Orange is likely going to look to get downhill and rediscover their early offensive rhythm that’s been lost a little the last two weeks. The Warriors gave up too many yards against Powhatan, and now they’re going to face a one-two punch at running back that few teams can match.
Key matchup: Orange’s defensive backs look to contain Western’s Derek Domecq. If you’re going to beat Western, you absolutely can’t let Domecq beat you. The dual threat quarterback is fourth in the area in rushing yards and also fourth in passing yards. He’s particularly dangerous when he gets on the edge and defensive backs or linebackers turn their backs on him and he takes off or they come up to play him and he throws over the top. The Hornets have talent in the secondary, but they’re going to have to play disciplined football about Western’s quarterback.
Who to watch: Orange’s DeAngelo Hunt. The Hornets’ senior’s credentials as a running back are well established, but he has emerged as a major force defensively. It’s not easy to turn around after splitting carries with Tre Smith and try and wreak havoc on defense, but Hunt isn’t a normal athlete. At one point last week against Albemarle he got into position as a tailback and then leapt into the air before the play, seemingly to re-energize himself, like he was resetting the system. He doesn’t appear to get tired, and just when he looks to be headed that way he rallies. In an area with a lot of two-way players that teams are asking a lot of, Hunt still stands out.
The line: Orange by 1. Hornets’ ground game could be the difference here if they can bounce back from the Albemarle loss.
Warren County (1-4) at William Monroe (2-3), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: This year’s William Monroe campaign is starting to feel like a roller coaster ride. Solid result against Brentsville, win against Broadway, blowout loss to Charlottesville, hard fought win at home against George Mason, blowout loss to Clarke County. So we already know Monroe can bounce back and that they’re 2-0 at home, so this looks like a pretty favorable situation for the Dragons. Warren lost in overtime to Madison a few weeks back and then fell to Central-Woodstock at home last week. Can the Dragons get quarterback Malique Shackelford going and prevent the big plays that hurt them last week against Clarke? If they can they’ll be back on the upswing of that roller coaster with rivalry clash on the road against Madison coming up.
Key matchup: Monroe’s run defense takes on Warren’s ground attack. The Dragons have been gashed twice now by solid run games against Charlottesville and Clarke. Monroe has to figure out a way to stop the run, and getting the job done against Warren is the obvious place to start.
Who to watch: William Monroe’s ground attack. The Dragons, like most teams, are at their best when they’re effectively running the ball. That was the case two weeks ago when they beat George Mason but against Clarke County, like everything else, the run game came apart at the seams. The great thing is there doesn’t have to be any carryover from last week, the Dragons can reset the table and get power back Greg Sizemore going again.
The line: William Monroe by 7. The Dragons get a chance to bounce back here and they’re tough at home. Look for them to take advantage.
Monticello (2-3) at Fluvanna County (1-5), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Monticello has a lot of holes right now and they’re working to fix them, but the Mustangs’ struggles to stop the run are first and foremost. A huge group of young linebackers have to cut down on mistakes and trust what they’re seeing rather than guessing, and they should be able to draw on some more experience going forward. They’ll get a couple of weeks here to fix things before entering a murderer’s row of a final four games where they’ll face Albemarle, Orange, Powhatan and Louisa County. Fluvanna, meanwhile, gets its best shot at the Mustangs in years, though they’re re-imagining their offensive identity again with Mark Grooms on the shelf.
Key matchup: Monticello’s front seven takes on the Fluvanna ground game. While it isn’t as formidable as Charlottesville and they’re without Grooms, the Flucos’ have running backs like Craig Russo who can move the sticks. The Mustangs need to improve their run defense and Fluvanna will likely give them an opportunity with a heavy dose of the ground attack. Making sound tackles up the middle and on the edge are critical for Monticello.
Who to watch: Monticello’s Austin Haverstrom. On Monday in the loss to Charlottesville, he had a strong return on the opening kick, led the Mustangs in receiving and played defensive back. Last year against Fluvanna he was a terror on punt returns in the squads’ matchup, finishing with a school record 124 punt return yards in that game. Monticello has to find other playmakers (Reid Huffman and Evan Coleman are capable targets in the passing game) to get in the mix (as well as time to get them involved) but Haverstrom is the surest best for a spark right now.
The line: Monticello by 14. The Mustangs should re-discover an offensive rhythm against the Flucos. They’ve won 14 straight against Fluvanna and that likely won’t change here.
Madison County (4-1) at Central Woodstock (4-1), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Mountaineers continue to entertain as they won yet another one-possession game, their third in a row after beating Riverside 33-27. Central is on fire too. Aside from a loss to a solid Turner Ashby team, the Falcons handed Clarke County a loss and then rolled past Warren County in their last three weeks. This is a huge measuring stick game here for Madison facing a Group 3A opponent and a good one at that. If this is close or the Mountaineers pick up a road win, Madison is going to have a strong October and set up a favorable playoff situation come November.
Key matchup: Madison’s defensive front against Central’s Carston Shockey. Yes the Falcons have a decent passing game, but stopping Shockey up front is the key. The Mountaineers have been thriving on a “bend but don’t break” kind of defense and to live clean there Shockey can’t have a big day on the ground and control the clock. The good new for Madison is that this is nothing new, they’ve been facing a lot of similar offenses and seen success against them. The bad news is that this might be the best the Mountaineers have seen so far, but also maybe the best they’ll see all year.
Who to watch: Mountaineers quarterback Chris Smith. When he’s dialed in, this Madison offense is just amazing. They’re going to need his rushing yardage, but more than anything, his good numbers in the passing game as Central is going to throw everything at running back Isiah Smith. So look for Dre Twyman to be targeted, Dylan Breeden and Isaiah Breckenridge too. The more passing yardage the Mountaineers get the closer this game will be.
The line: Central by 3. Tough matchup on the road, but again, if Madison keeps this one close, or pulls off the upset, that’s huge for a team that’s built up a lot of confidence from last year.
Fork Union (1-4) at St. Christopher’s (2-2), 1 p.m.
The basics: The Blue Devils picked up their first win of the year and a good one in their 27-14 win over Paul VI. Now that that monkey is off the back, FUMA can focus on being competitive in the Prep League standings and try and build a VISAA Division 1 playoff resume. So in that sense, this is a must win considering how difficult the Blue Devils schedule was to start. St. Christopher’s is coming off a 38-17 over Norfolk Academy. While the Saints played two tough teams to start, they’ve had a little easier path the last two weeks. This is an even matchup and one that Fork Union can swipe and turn the tide of its season to build some momentum.
Key matchup: The Fork Union secondary against St. Christopher’s quarterback John Damgard. He’s throwing a lot, to the tune of 268 yards a game and a 66 percent completion percentage. Damgard has 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions. With the Saints averaging just 77 yards per game on the ground, it’s all about the coverage here and the pass rush. That’s not all that different from facing Paul VI so that should help a lot. That said, the Blue Devils can’t afford blown coverages and have to have their defensive backs be sure tacklers against a quality receiving corps.
Who to watch: The Blue Devils’ Donovan Benoit. He’s in on the pass rush. He’s a bruising running back. He’s a force on special teams too. Benoit showed that he could take a game over last week and he provides an emotional spark on the sidelines. FUMA needs him to be on the same level as last week and if he puts up the same kind of game, the Blue Devils will be in great shape.
The line: Fork Union by 1. The Blue Devils have the talent to take this one. They just have to avoid penalties and turnovers, but it won’t be easy.
Nansemond-Suffolk (2-3) at Blue Ridge (2-2), Saturday 2 p.m.
The basics: The Saints held on for a 20-18 win over St. Anne’s-Belfield last week. The Barons blew by Covenant on just four days rest for a 55-14 win. Blue Ridge appears to be healthy and poised for a run here, so long as they avoid the penalties and turnovers that plagued them against Flint Hill and North Cross. That was a non-issue last week, so that’s good. And the 10-day break from the win against the Eagles to this Saturday should help also.
Key matchup: The Barons’ linebacking corps against NSA’s three headed rushing monster of Shaun Faulk, Keshaun Moore and Ehron Knight. The Saints are averaging 201.4 yards per game on the ground. Blue Ridge has played solid against strong running teams, even in the losses, but this is a bit different as NSA has the ability to spread the touches around. Look for Jahlil Puryear and company to try and keep Faulk quiet first. If the Saints don’t find success on the ground, they’ll be in trouble because on the other side of the ball, Blue Ridge has the ability to simply go off.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Justin Armwood. He’s back at quarterback and did he ever look good last week. Xavier Kane and Cameron Carr are outstanding receivers. Jamison Harrison is a force at running back. Armwood’s ability to run, improvise and get the ball down field in the air is truly a problem for any defense. The Saints have to be creative and try and keep Armwood from setting the tone out of the gate, because once he gets going, the Barons are trouble.
The line: Blue Ridge by 9. The Barons take care of business here and begin building their VISAA Division 2 playoff resume.
