Western Albemarle (4-0) at Albemarle (2-2), 7 p.m., JDSportsTV.com stream
The basics: Western made short work or Orange County last week, rolling up 48 points before halftime in an impressive showing of offensive prowess that made it look like the Warriors could seemingly do whatever they want against opposing defenses. But Albemarle boasts one of the area’s stingiest defenses. They don’t give up many yards, points or big plays. They’ve held opponents to an average of 17.8 points and 256 yards per game. By contrast, Western scored twice that many points in the opening quarter last week. This will be a unique test for the Warriors and the best defense they’ve faced so far. But while Albemarle may contain Western more than anyone else so far has, it’s still not clear if Albemarle can score enough points on offense to make that defensive effort pay off. The Patriots are only averaging 19 points per game themselves and barring a monumental shutdown of the Western offense (they’ve been held under 20 points once in the last 14 games) that won’t be enough. With leading receiver Matt Crist out of the lineup with a broken collarbone, kicking the offense into a higher gear won’t be easy.
Key matchup: Western’s offensive line takes on Albemarle’s Ryan Londree. If Albemarle is going to disrupt the rhythm of the Warriors’ offense, Londree is going to have wreak havoc up the middle and pressure Western quarterback Kent Henry to make quicker, tougher decisions on the fly. Londree is tough for any offensive line unit to contain and it won’t be any different for Western who’ll need to double the big man or at least chip him with a second blocker on each play. If Londree gets loose, he could make a major impact.
Who to watch: Albemarle’s Kevin Bernardino. With Crist’s departure, Bernardino has to step up, and so far he’s done just that. The defensive back/wideout had a touchdown catch against Patrick Henry after Crist left the game and then had a pick six against Fluvanna County. If Bernardino continues to emerge as a playmaker it’ll go a long way toward giving the Patriots’ offense the spark it needs.
The line: Western Albemarle by 7. The Warriors have the firepower to overcome Albemarle’s greatest strength, the Patriots’ staunch defense, but getting out of a loud environment at AHS with a win won’t be easy.
Charlottesville (2-2) at Monticello (4-0), 7:30 p.m., WINA Radio
The basics: The Black Knights have the bragging rights after last year, but come into this Mustangs game with a bit of an identity crisis. Last week against Louisa the Black Knights played fantastic in the second half but it wasn’t enough to overcome what they did to themselves in the first. Monticello on the other hand may well have the best offense that Central Virginia has ever seen as it is currently on pace to out do the 2007 Mustang offense that fueled the way for a state title. Monticello played Powhatan close early, but blew the doors off after the first quarter. With all the speed on the field, this meeting between Charlottesville and Monticello could turn into a track meet.
Key matchup: Charlottesville’s front seven takes on running backs Kyree Koonce and T.J. Tillery. You have to stop one and so far nobody has been able to slow down either. Koonce’s yards per carry attempts is the stuff of legend right now as he’s putting up 13.6 yards each time he gets the ball. Tillery is close behind at a ‘measly’ 9.2 and he started off the season dinged up and just now looks like he’s finding his form from last year. Up front Charlottesville can’t let Koonce into open space or he’ll be gone and with Tillery, they have to mind his speed too, but be sure they wrap him up because there are few backs with yardage after contact than he is.
Who to watch: Charlottesville’s Chris Thurston. It looks like Thurston might be the answer at quarterback with Leon Straus sliding over to wide receiver, the position he played very well last year at Blue Ridge. Straus has great jump ball ability and they need production in the passing game. Thurston’s speed and bruising ability as a runner was still evident when he played at quarterback last week. The Black Knights need to match the Mustangs’ big play ability and it seems as though Thurston throwing to Straus inbetween rushing the ball himself and handing off to Rashard Brock is a better alternative than a 3-man rotation in the backfield between those three. Charlottesville has to put up a big number this week because Monticello has every week. Where Thurston lines up will likely dictate how much this offense can muster up.
The line: Monticello by 7. Until a team happens come up with a semblance of an answer this year to the Mustangs, we can’t bet against the Monticello rushing attack.
Fluvanna County (0-4) at Orange County (0-4) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Its good that this matchup comes early on in the Jefferson District slate because both squads could use a big boost in confidence. Last week the Flucos faced Albemarle at home and had trouble matching up with the Patriots depth. While Fluvanna again faces a Division 5 opponent, two classes above where it sits, Orange’s roster isn’t quite as bolstered with seniors and so this should be a better matchup. The Hornets fell last week against the a top-ranked Western Albemarle squad. Orange showed flashes early on but couldn’t muster up defensively to slow down a vaunted Warriors attack. While it’s easy to argue that one team is coming out of this game feeling pretty blue, we’ll argue that this a great learning opportunity for both teams. A close game down to the wire would do both programs a lot of good.
Key matchup: Orange’s secondary vs. Fluvanna’s wide receiving corps. The Hornets have struggled against the pass and there’s little doubt Flucos coach Jason Barnett is going to game plan to give receivers like Jesse Van Dyke as many touches as possible. Now whether that comes through short passing situations or trying to stretch the field with quarterback Austin Foster’s arm remains to be seen. But at the end of the day, Orange has to step up to the table on open field tackling and basic coverage.
Who to watch: Hornets running back/wide receiver Keith Ellis. The versatile sophomore showed great athleticism last week against an athletic defense. Area coaches have always noted, even with the recent dip in wins over the last two years, Orange always has depth with basic skill position players. Having Ellis step in and perform at such a young age could well be a sign of things to come as the Hornets continue to rebuild. One things for sure, quarterback Garrett Johnson can’t have enough shifty playmakers around him. The Flucos have to keep an eye on where Ellis lines up or it could be a quick six points.
The line: Orange by 1. While we expect Fluvanna to perform well offensively, the task of matching up against the Hornets’ offense which has the ability to strike with the big play on any given down proves to be the difference maker here.
Powhatan (3-1) at Louisa County (2-2), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Indians looked good in the first quarter last week against Monticello, but the other three had them out gunned. Nonetheless, they had a great game on the ground getting a pair of 100-yard rushers out of Logan Allen and Linwood Jackson. Louisa put together a winning gutsy performance on the road against Charlottesville a week after coming out on the other side of a gutsy performance at King George. This a pivotal matchup for the Jefferson District here as both these programs look like they could be dark horses right now.
Key matchup: Powhatan’s defensive line versus Louisa running back Markel Groomes. The Lions back is a man, both tall and strong and playing behind a young but sizeable line that is getting better and tougher each week. Groomes is a grinder of a running back, and when he’s on his game this Louisa offense just melts down the clock and wears down defenses. The Indians can’t let the Lions own the time of possession the way Louisa did against Charlottesville as it needs to get its homerun threat in Jackson as many touches as possible.
Who to watch: Allen. Allen is clearly an impact player in the JD and he’s Powhtan’s focal point on offense. Look for the Indians to feed him early and often.
The line: Louisa by 1. It’s not going to be easy, this is arguably the best meeting this week between two evenly matched teams. The Lions have been on the road for the most part and after the last two weeks of playing down to the wire, we’ll give them the nod playing in the jungle.
Woodberry Forest (3-1) at Collegiate (4-0), 4 p.m.
The basics: This one has huge Prep League title implications and since winning back the Prep League title is a major focus for Woodberry this season, the Tigers should be prepared for it. They’re coming off a blowout win over Flint Hill ignited by Nathaniel Tyrell’s three touchdown day, but they’ll have to fight a lot harder in Richmond to overcome a Collegiate squad led by Michigan commitment Wilton Speight. Speight threw for 247 yards last week, with the bulk of them going to his favorite target Noah Dziedzic who hauled in 137 yards on seven catches. The Cougars will need more than one combination to beat the Tigers because Woodberry, over the years, has proven they know how to take away whatever you do best and force a less automatic part of the offense to step up its game.
Key matchup: Collegiate’s defensive backs take on Woodberry’s fleet of receivers. With a lot of attention on how Woodberry’s stout defense will handle Speight, Collegiate has their own challenges to be concerned about on defense. While the power run game has sparked the Tigers’ attack so far this season, the squads’ wideouts — and there are a bunch of them — seem due for a breakout game. Whether it’s Zack Roderick, Nathan Ingram or Christian Asher, the Tigers have the horses to take the passing game to another level. This week might be just the right time.
Who to watch: Woodberry’s defensive line led by Spencer Bibb. Bibb and the rest of the Tigers’ line has to create pressure on Speight. If the big quarterback gets time he’s simply going to pick the Tigers apart. Bibb is adept at knifing through gaps and not overpursuing or coming too far up field, which could make life tough on Speight.
The line: Woodberry Forest by 7. There’s no doubt that the Tigers will throw something different at Speight on defense and that should be enough to give Woodberry the edge.
Covenant (3-2) at Norfolk Academy (4-1), 4 p.m.
The basics: Covenant came into last week’s Friday afternoon battle with Blue Ridge on fire. By the end of a 26-14 loss to the previously winless Barons, their jets had cooled considerably. The Eagles struggled to move the ball on offense early and couldn’t slow down the Barons one-two punch of Torian Pegram and P.J. White at running back. This week they’ll tackle a more diverse and dynamic offense piloted by Josh Parrott, Norfolk Academy’s quarterback who threw for 317 yards and three touchdowns last week in a blowout win over Hampton Roads Academy. Throw in Demetri Boyce’s 180 rushing yards and there’s a lot to account for in the Bulldogs’ offense for Covenant.
Key matchup: Covenant defensive lineman Teddy Morse battles Norfolk Academy’s big, talented line. The Eagles have been at their best when Morse is disrupting the backfield.
Who to watch: Covenant running back Austin Llera. One way to counter the Bulldogs’ balanced approach is with a little power and ball control from the Eagles. Llera is averaging about 6.4 yards per touch. He’s Covenant’s best bet for pounding it out and keeping the ball out of Norfolk Academy’s hands.
The line: Norfolk Academy by 10. The Bulldogs are a bit too physical for the Eagles to handle on the road.
St. Christopher’s (3-2) at Fork Union (1-3) , 3:30 p.m.
The basics: At this point, we know a few things about Fork Union. The Blue Devils can score in bunches and pile up yards. What we don’t know is whether or not the defense can slow down a productive offense. Perhaps with a bye week, they’ve found some answers on that side of the ball, and holding Christchurch to 23 points in a 50-23 win was a start, as it was the first time FUMA held anyone under 50 points this year. The defense faces a much stiffer challenge against St. Christopher’s who nearly upended Benedictine last week.
Key matchup: St. Christopher’s front seven takes on the electric one-two punch of Sam Allen and Rashon Torrence on the ground. Torrence leads the area in rushing and Allen is really dangerous when he improvises once the play breaks down. Both will have to play top notch football and grind things out if they want to steal a win in Richmond.
Who to watch: FUMA’s defense. A hallmark of a Fork Union squad is usually that they improve drastically as the season goes on, a product of the short timetable the coaching staff faces during the preseason. St. Chris struggled to move the ball against an athletic Benedictine squad, and this is an excellent opportunity for the FUMA defense to show it’s shoring things up.
The line: St. Christopher’s by 3. Don’t be surprised if Fork Union takes a big leap forward here and finds a way to beat the Saints. It certainly shouldn’t be easy for St. Chris.
Christchurch at Blue Ridge, 3:30 p.m.
The basics: What a difference a couple of weeks makes. Blue Ridge was all but left for dead after losing handily against Blessed Sacrament but the Barons somehow regrouped and got back on course with a narrow loss to North Cross and then a victory at home last week against Covenant. The playoffs are by no means out of reach still for Blue Ridge but a win over Christchurch is a must if they’re going to have a chance at the postseason. Look for the Barons to lean heavily on P.J. White for the speed and Torian Pegram for the power in the run game once again.
Key matchup: Christchurch’s offensive line takes on a suddenly resurgent Blue Ridge defense. The Barons clamped down on a versatile Covenant squad last week and the Eagles couldn’t seem to find an answer for the Barons no matter what they tried to do on the ground as Blue Ridge made tackle after tackle right near the line of scrimmage. Christchurch’s offensive line struggled against Covenant a few weeks ago and could face similar problems against Blue Ridge’s pressure.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Eric Davis. While the run game really got clicking last week, Davis provides the deep threat the Barons need to stretch the defense. He had a touchdown catch last week and also made a pair of interceptions on defense. Davis’ presence frees White up to run the ball so he’s an integral part of the plan for Blue Ridge right now.
The line: Blue Ridge by 14. The Barons have found a receipe that works in the ground game with White and Pegram and that should be more than enough to run roughshod over the Seahorses.
North Cross (4-1) at St. Anne’s (0-4), 6 p.m.
The basics: STAB is still searching for an end to a frustrating losing streak, but there are a lot of positive signs so far despite a blowout loss to a very good Nansemond Suffolk squad. The passing offense has been pretty productive so far and the Saints took Trinity Episcopal to the brink two weeks ago. North Cross has some solid players and presents a challenge, but this is certainly a winnable game for the Saints, who just need desperately to get over the hump in one of these close battles.
Key matchup: North Cross quarterback Max Revercomb takes on STAB’s unpredictable secondary. Revercomb has thrown for 11 touchdowns and more than 1,000 yards already this season, but the Saints do a pretty good job of disguising things in the secondary, which could make life tough on the junior quarterback. He’s also thrown eight interceptions, so there’s a chance here for someone in the Saints’ secondary to make a big play.
Who to watch: STAB’s Jalen Harrison. If the Saints are going to end their losing streak, Harrison is going to have to play a big role. He’s hauled in a number of big catches already and he could help the Saints keep pace against a North Cross team that’s going to score some points.
The line: North Cross by 3. Raiders aren’t going to find easy sledding at STAB, but at 4-1 they know how to win tough games.
Strasburg (2-2) at William Monroe (0-4), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Rams are coming of a defensive battle where they came up just short against a quality Clarke County squad. The Dragons had their hands full last week with another tough offensive opponent in Warren County. Monroe’s schedule in the first month pitted itself against the kind of opponents it could expect if it qualified for the postseason, but as far as the Bull Run District is concerned, this young group from Stanardsville is finally getting a chance to play against a more evenly-matched opponent. We’ll know a lot more about the progress the Dragons made (and so will Monroe) after last years complete overhaul after this week.
Key matchup: The Rams’ defensive line versus Monroe’s offensive line. If there is one area where the Dragons are facing an uphill battle this week its up front against a defense that’s shutout run heavy East Rockingham and held another brutal offense in Clarke County to just 12 points. The Dragons have to give Chris Glover and Cody Perkins a hole to run through here and there and that’s not going to be easy against this group. Both backs don’t need much of an opening with Perkins being to so shifty and Glover being blazing fast when he gets to the edge.
Who to watch: Rams tight end Jonathan Kloosterman. He’s a matchup issue as any tight end with speed and good hands is at this level of play. At safety and outside linebacker, one way or the other, someone has to be able to cover him as Strasburg quarterback Mark Smoot loves to find him underneath or on the post route. When Smoot has a big day the Rams have stood tall with how stout this defense is. Taking away a favorite target of the quarterback is going to be key, a change from the bruising running game that Strasburg had the last two years.
The line: Starsburg by 3. Monroe can compete here, but they have to step up defensively and unfortunately that’s been the Achilles heel. But a good showing offensively could keep this game close and a one play game.
Madison County (2-2) at George Mason (2-2), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Mountaineers did it again last week, winning in the face of adversity as quarterback James Graves was sidelined with an injury. The defense rose to the occasion to fight off Manassas Park 7-6 and all of the sudden, the Madison team looks like it’s found something after at 0-2 start. But this isn’t going to be the easy out that it was the last few years as Mason’s been much better on both sides of the ball so far this year. Still, the Mustangs are coming off a tough go against the Bull Run District’s frontrunner so far in Central Woodstock. But transitive properties apply here as Madison fell to Luray while Mason rolled to an easy win against them two weeks ago.
Key matchup: Madison’s front seven takes on Mason’s running attack. You could easily argue that the Mountaineers schedule and recent results here give them a huge advantage here as they’ve simply stuffed run-heavy offenses in tight sets in back-to-back games against East Rockingham and Manassas. They get a third straight crack at old fashioned assignment football here with an improved Mason offense. Madison has to keep doing what it’s been doing, getting penetration and not biting on misdirection while still wrapping up in the one-on-one battles. Mason has to find a way to break the area’s most improved defensive front over the last three weeks.
Who to watch: Madison’s Joe Gentry. Graves is questionable this week and so getting the ball into stud receiver Ashton Weakley’s hands is going to be an issue. The Mountaineers used a trick play to pull it off last week. There’s no question that Weakley has to get the ball in open space as often as possible given that he’s averaging 15.5 yards per reception. But the Mustangs know that coming in and will be blanketing him. And thus the door opens for Gentry as all-around playmaker whether as a runner, receiver or quarterback. He threw the TD pass last week to Weakley. He’s going to have to be a difference maker again this week to help open things up on offense.
The line: Madison by 3. The Mountaineers defense clearly has a nose for playing against old-school offenses right now and you can’t argue the results. This might be a low scoring affair, but that plays into Madison’s hand right now.
Central-Lunenburg (6-0) at Goochland (4-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: Did anyone think that by the first week of October the James River District would be decided? Go figure, but whoever wins this matchup has a big leg up that looks like would hold going forward. The Chargers haven’t been really tested yet with their biggest battle coming with a 20-15 win over Culpeper in week two. Goochland on the other hand passed a huge test with Buckingham on the road last week with flying colors. Both these teams are on a roll. Something has to give and it should be quite the show.
Key matchup: The Chargers linebacking corps versus Goochland’s Jaylen Allen, David Dyer and Reid Chenault. This unit has to be right guessing through Goochland’s misdirection game as often as possible. Let’s start with the running backs in Allen and Dyer. Allen is killing it on the edge and in open space. Dyer takes multiple defenders to bring down, and we mean multiple. Biting with an aggressive attack though is troublesome with Chenault at quarterback right now though as he has the arm to turn a play-action play into a quick touchdown with his receivers all but guaranteed one-on-one coverage with a shallow safety offering little protection over the top. That safety is shallow because you almost have to play nine in the box against these two backs. So it’s up to the linebacking unit for the Chargers to make sure that safety can play in coverage instead of having to help out with the rushing attack.
Who to watch: Goochland’s Taivon Fox. He’s just a sophomore (yes, the rich keep getting richer a la Kyree Koonce at Monticello) but he’s a difference maker at receiver and in the return game. The Chargers offense has some teeth and so we expect an even balance there with the Bulldogs getting the edge for their play on defense so far. But if Fox and Cheinault connect or Fox makes a play on special teams, Central might not be able to recover or match it.
The line: Goochland by 3. Hard to argue with the state champs at home right now, but the Bulldogs will have their hands full here. A win and the JRD race is all but over.
Randolph Henry (2-3) at Buckingham (2-2), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Statesmen snapped a nasty looking three game losing streak with a 40-22 win over Cumberland, but still have issues on defense. Buckingham will be looking to expose that defense after falling to rival Goochland after looking pretty good the previous two weeks. The Knights continue to mix things up offensively and this should be a good opportunity for them to cement some decisions for the second half of the season and particularly with Central Lunenburg on the schedule next week. To make things interesting in the JRD, the Knights will need to be in good form against the Chargers. We’re not saying that Buckingham should look past Randolph Henry, but they should look at as a chance to sharpen their teeth against Central coming up.
Key matchup: The Statesmen front eight versus Buckingham running back Kenneth Johnson. The Knights will give the ball to their big man given how successful other teams have been running right at this Randolph Henry defense so far. If Johnson gets to the second level he’s going to simply wear out the Statesmen and control the tempo of the game. Randolph Henry probably has to sell out against him and stack the box with the Buckingham passing attack still being a bit of an unknown commodity as personnel continues to move around. But there’s no question, if you don’t slow down Johnson at the line of scrimmage, you’re done.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s John Edwards and Leon Ragland. Which one is at quarterback or receiver seems to be irrelevant at this point. The two need to hit each other in the passing game to help out Johnson in the running game. Ragland had a great touchdown throw to Edwards last week and that’s something this offense can build on as it should also open up chances for Justin Ayres at receiver on the other side. But at the end of the day, whether its Edwards or Ragland at quarterback, they need to be able to complete more passes than they have so far. They can both help each other out in that department.
The line: Buckingham by 10. The Knights have played pretty well with a solid schedule so far, the Statesmen have been rolled 118-7 by the two quality programs they’ve faced in Altavista and Goochland.
