No. 7 Louisa (6-4) at No. 2 Hanover (7-3), 7:30 p.m. in Region 4A East first round
The basics: Louisa County may have started peaking at the right time as the Lions got on track after a home loss to Western and won three straight to close the regular season. That spurt helped the Lions earn this next opportunity, a shot against Hanover on the road. Louisa is looking for the program’s first playoff win since 2011, but beating the Hawks will be a tall task. Hanover won their final two games of the season and Marcus Bazala is the Conference 20 offensive player of the year. Bazala is usually a running back but had to fill in for Clayton Cheatham for a big chunk of the year, though Cheatham is back in the lineup now which makes Hanover that much tougher to defend and gameplan for. On the flip side, Hanover faces the unique challenge of taking on Louisa County’s single wing offense, and the Lions gave them something to think about last week with a little bit of an aerial assault as quarterback Jordan Cherry threw for three touchdowns against Charlottesville. Still, expect a heavy dose of Job Whalen (1,451 rushing yards on the year) and the Lions’ other backs, a mix of speed and toughness that force defenses to account for every potential ball carrier.
Key matchup: Hanover’s defensive front takes on the mauling Louisa offensive line. There aren’t too many offensive lines that can be as dominant as Louisa’s group. It takes a special defensive front to crack the Louisa front five with Noah Verling, Malik Johnson and Brandon Townes leading the way. On the flip side, Hanover boasts a pair of second team All-Conference 20 selections in the trenches with sophomore defensive end Michael Wilcox and senior tackle Alex Dillard. They’ll have to play up to All-Conference standards to figure out Louisa.
Who to watch: Louisa’s D’Jon Shelton. The Lions are going to need to everything they can get out of Shelton, who may be undersized but has played at twice his size this year at outside linebacker with 53 solo tackles, 10 TFL and five sacks. He’ll need to play big-time again this week as Hanover boasts a pretty dynamic offensive attack. Shelton will need to keep tabs on dual threat quarterback Cheatham, who returned from injury last week and led Hanover to a 24-21 win over Henrico. Shelton’s job is to lock down the edge for Louisa and it’s key for him to have a big game for the Lions.
The line: Louisa by 1. If you haven’t seen the single wing, taking it on can be a major challenge, and the Lions have closed well. Hanover is a tough matchup, but this is a winnable game for the Lions.
No. 16 Hidden Valley (3-7) at No. 1 Western Albemarle (9-1), 7 p.m. in Region 3A West first round
The basics: Western has been pointed at the playoffs from the beginning this year. While the Warriors certainly didn’t overlook any regular season opponents — you don’t get to 9-1 by overlooking teams — for a huge senior class that got a taste of major playoff success with 2014’s state semifinal run, this is what they’ve been looking forward to and preparing for. As the top seed, the Warriors can host until the state final in Lynchburg. That’s a big advantage. Of course, last year in Region 3A West, Hidden Valley was actually the No. 1 team and lost to 16th-seeded Waynesboro. You can bet the Western coaching staff has reminded Western of that fact this week if they weren’t already aware. The Warriors’ first challenge is to keep doing what they’ve been doing all year — refused to look ahead and take on the task at hand. Hidden Valley has some nice pieces — Ryan Mitchell hauled in 163 receiving yards and picked off a pass last week in a narrow win over Cave Spring. The Warriors will need to be on top of their game from the opening kick in order to keep things moving.
Key matchup: The Hidden Valley defense takes on Western’s dynamic offense. The Warriors can score points in bunches, and Hidden Valley gives them up the same way, surrendering 43.5 points per contest this year. If Sam Hearn and Oliver Herndon both get clicking, Hidden Valley could have another long night, because the Warriors are pretty tough to beat once they get a lead. They can either milk the clock with Herndon or answer any rally attempt quickly with a pass from Hearn to Michael Vale or Derek Domecq.
Who to watch: Western’s Matthew Mullin. If the Titans try and pay extra attention to Osiris and Noah Crutchfield up front, that could open things up for someone like Mullin to wreak havoc. Mullin has 4.5 tackles for a loss on the year, tied for fourth on the team with Luke Tenuta and behind the Crutchfields and Stephen Kuzjak. If Mullin and company can disrupt Hidden Valley as the offense gets going, the Warriors could be off and running.
The line: Western Albemarle by 21. Look, anything can happen in the playoffs as Hidden Valley can attest to after last year. But the Warriors are in good position to take care of business here.
No. 3 Blue Ridge at No. 2 St. Anne’s-Belfield, 7 p.m. in VISAA Division II state semifinals
The basics: Now we get to do this for real. Last week both teams employed vanilla schemes and were largely content to punt and play defense in the first of two straight clashes. STAB prevailed 14-10, with the Saints’ defense holding up against a strong late drive by the Barons. But we may not have learned much of anything because Blue Ridge quarterback Justin Armwood was held out in the second half and neither team was willing to open up the playbook. Now with the season on the line, things should get interesting quickly. The high-octane, productive offenses that we’d seen from both programs throughout the rest of the regular season should on display Friday instead of the two teams that combined for 10 total punts. Everything is on the table now, and that should mean fireworks between two archrivals playing for a chance to battle for a state title.
Key matchup: Blue Ridge’s front seven takes on the STAB ground game. Cameron Carr had a strong day against the Barons Saturday as Blue Ridge struggled to stop the Saints’ suddenly smashmouth offense. Odds are good that STAB will try and get that going again, with a mix of Jalen Harrison on the option thrown in as they try and reach the state title game. Blue Ridge has to tackle better and prevent Carr or Harrison from bouncing it outside and picking up easy first downs. If they can do that it’ll go a long way toward sorting out a winner.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Malik Johnson and STAB’s Kareem Johnson. Both seniors are incredibly dynamic, established playmakers, so they’re going to draw a lot of attention. In a game like Friday’s, there’s usually an unexpected star or two, but odds are good the winner will have gotten a big play out of the guy that they’re most intent on getting the ball. Can Kareem Johnson shake loose like Malik Johnson did last week on an incredible touchdown sprint for the Barons? These two are always fun to watch, Friday should be no different.
The line: STAB by 7. The Saints lean on Harrison and if the defense can create pressure like they did last week, that’ll be enough to advance to the state final.
No. 11 Albemarle (6-4)vs. No. 6 North Stafford (7-3), at Stafford at 7:30 p.m. in Region 5A North first round
The basics: After a one-year absence, Albemarle is back in the playoffs, though they lost a little momentum with two-straight losses to finish out the year to cross-county rivals Monticello and Western Albemarle. Now the question becomes can Albemarle take it up a notch as they take on a 5A foe for the first time since playing Orange back in early October. The rapid change in competition level is a potential stumbling block for a lot of Albemarle squads that go from the Jefferson District where they’re one of the two largest schools into the playoffs where everyone is the same size as them. Albemarle’s defense is good enough to keep them in it, it really depends on how well the offense plays, the Patriots need to find a little bit of rhythm and flow on that side of the ball quickly.
Key matchup: Albemarle’s Tyquan Rose versus North Stafford’s Naukym Morton. These guys won’t likely go head-to-head on the field, but the speedsters are key playmakers for their respective squads. Rose scored a pair of long touchdowns against Western last week, one on a hook-and-ladder and the other on the opening kickoff of the second half. Those two efforts kept Albemarle within striking distance. Morton made two big plays last week too, a kickoff return for a touchdown and a game-winning touchdown where he had to reverse field to cover seven yards. Whichever player can step up with a big play Friday would give their respective squad a big lift.
Who to watch: Albemarle’s Chris Cucchiara. The senior has quietly had a big-time year for the Patriots defensively, forcing 23 quarterback hurries and registering five sacks. He’s taking advantage of the attention drawn by some of the Patriots’ more well-known defenders, and that’s why the Patriots’ defense has played like one of the area’s best for big stretches of 2015.
The line: North Stafford by 7. Albemarle’s defense can keep it close, but the offense is still a work in progress, which opens the door for North Stafford take control.
No. 4 Covenant at No. 1 Atlantic Shores
The basics: Let’s not mince words. Getting into the playoffs for the first time since some of Covenant’s players were in second grade back in 2008 is a huge victory, a triumph for the Eagles. The reward for all that work is a matchup with Atlantic Shores, a program with three state titles since the turn of the century, with the latest coming in 2008. Atlantic Shores is 9-0, and they’ve only really been challenged twice this season against Isle of Wight and Norfolk Academy. Five of their other seven wins have been shutouts, including victories over teams that beat Covenant like Christchurch and Virginia Episcopal. Still, Covenant has clicked lately, nearly knocking off another playoff squad in North Cross and with two straight big-time rushing performances.
Key matchup: Covenant’s ground game takes on Atlantic Shores’ defense. The Seahawks surrender less than 10 points per game, which makes for a big test for Covenant’s efficient ground game that’s been extremely productive the last two weeks with Rick Weaver and John Huemme spearheading the attack. Weaver has crossed the 1,000-yard mark as a freshman, and he’s done the bulk of that work in the last couple of weeks. Can the Eagles keep the train going?
Who to watch: Covenant’s secondary. With a couple of big plays down the stretch last week from young players, the Eagles’ defensive backs took a big step forward last week. Can that group’s mix of veterans and young talent hold up against the Seahawks and help come up and defend the inside zone read to prevent big plays by Atlantic Shores? In one of the Seahawks’ lone tests, quarterback Ryan Chamberlain rushed for three touchdowns and 98 yards on 30 carries while also completing more than 50 percent of his passes while throwing for 79 yards, so the Eagles will have their hands full.
The line: Atlantic Shores by 14. Covenant has done impressive work to get here, but the Eagles are a little beat up and the Seahawks are a tough matchup.
Woodberry Forest (9-1) at Episcopal (6-1), Saturday, 2 p.m.
The basics: The Tigers are coming off a strange week, but all of it a good way. First they put up 42 points in the first quarter to just simply cruise to a Prep League title with a dominant win over Fork Union. Then word came down this week that Pinecrest (NC) had to vacate its wins for the year for using ineligible players, so suddenly, Woodberry’s lone official loss was its overtime bout with Avalon back in the first week of October. Of course, the last loss before that, as much as it pains the Tigers to be told or have to remember was at the hands of their arch nemesis Episcopal last yearr, and on Woodberry’s field to make matters that much more sour. After suffering their first loss to the Maroon since 2007, there’s nothing this team wants more than to win this game on the road. The Benedictine and LCA wins are both feathers in the cap, the PL championship too, but at the end of the day, nothing is ever bigger for this program than a win over Episcopal. For as long as any Tiger can remember, all that matters is beating Episcopal. It’s bigger than being president of the United States. To beat the Maroon is to own the world. And with the Maroon coming off a 12-7 loss to Georgetown Prep last week, it will be interesting to see which team shows up, the one from the previous Saturday or the one that won its first six games of the season.
Key matchup: Episcopal’s defensive line against the Woodberry offensive line. Listen, if the Tigers block for quarterback Lindell Stone, there’s not a whole lot that can be done. Nobody has been able to blanket Zach Roderick or Terrell Jana this year. Stone was missing because of injury last year and so he, along with Jana, are the two big additions to the offense this go around. The Maroon have a tall task, trying to get around a group that has only gotten healthier as the season has gone along, and a group that is really playing well since the Avalon game. Woodberry’s offense is averaging 49.6 points per game since then. So it’s a pretty direct deal here, when the Tigers block, the Tigers score… a lot.
Who to watch: Lionel Johnson and the Tigers defensive front. So that’s the flip side to the coin. A defensive leader for a unit that continues to get better than the numbers show on paper, Johnson was dinged up in the Fork Union game, and Woodberry is hoping to have the All-Prep League defender back. With Episcopal quarterback Seth Agwunobi returning, the Tigers need all the ammunition they have. Last year the Maroon signal caller was 11-19 with 147 yards passing and 4 TD’s to go along with his 13 carries for 78 yards against a stout Woodberry defense. Obviously the shoe is on the other foot a bit for the Tigers now, as its offense is simply overwhelming teams in a way it never has before under coach Clint Alexander. So if the Woodberry defensive front can keep Agwunobi bottled up from making the big plays time after time, they’ll be just fine. This is one of those ‘bend but don’t break’ kind of games.
The line: Woodberry by 1. Episcopal’s defense has given up 20 points just once this year. Their struggles offensively against Georgetown Prep are a warning sign though. And the Tigers have so much to play for year in lieu of last year, plus they’re also winners of six of the last seven including their last three roads games in this rivalry.
No. 12 Martinsville (5-5) at No. 5 Buckingham County (9-1) Region 2A West quarterfinals, 7 p.m.
The basics: Sometimes life is unfair, and if you’re the Knights, you can’t help but wonder how you’re ranked fifth in Group 2A West. Bad luck. The bracket is simply stacked with good times and whichever two teams come out of it, before cross bracketing, will be insanely battle tested. The Knights are coming off a 55-6 win over Prince Edward where they not only cruised, but did so with getting a lot of their starters some rest, a good sign on all fronts. Martinsville is coming off back-to-back shutouts of Bassett (33-0) and Patrick County (45-0), so this team has some momentum after enduring a 3-game losing streak before that. With a possible road game against a good Richlands team looming the next week, Buckingham could use a good test as they haven’t had one since Goochland five weeks ago. Of course, credit goes to the Knights there as they’ve won by double digits convincingly ever since week one.
Key matchup: The Bulldogs front nine against the Buckingham read. At this point in the year, the Knights can rely on B.J. Gough to pull back and run or give the ball to the area’s most prolific running back in Leon Ragland. Gough’s decision making has been absolutely on point since he was inserted at quarterback going back to the second half of week one against Appomattox. Nobody has stopped this offense, or even really come close, since week one. The Martinsville defense has been solid in its last three weeks, giving up just 14 points in that span. But this isn’t Bassett or Patrick County they’re going up against. Now with that said, this is team that’s played some really good teams in defeat from the upper divisions in Magna Vista and GW Danville. So the Bulldogs aren’t strangers to great offensive schemes. They just haven’t beaten one yet.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Michael Mabry. He’s this offense’s best friend, because when the Knights get ahead on the scoreboard, they get to unleash him in an aggressive rushing role. He’s a moose, he’s fast, he’s a problem. And he has help on the line so that double teaming him is an option that you have to be careful with. But on top of that, he’s great at creating havoc and turnovers in the backfield. He’s a big reason why the Knights haven’t given up more than two touchdowns since the Goochland game.
The line: The Knights by 4. This isn’t an easy win, but can you remember the last time Buckingham lost a home playoff game? It’s never happened, believe it or not. This team has been on a mission from week two on and been successful. Hard to go against them here.
No. 11 Waynesboro (6-4) at No. 6 Monticello (7-3), Region 3A West quarterfinals, 7 p.m.
The basics: The Mustangs did a great job of closing out their season, because after their one-sided loss to Louisa, it was an uphill climb to get to this point — a home playoff game. After dismantling Albemarle, Monticello did a nice job of sticking with Powhatan early on the road and then pulling away for the 28-10 win. Pin a lot of that on a vastly improved defense that is catering its scheme now to its physical makeup of speedy, athletic players. Now they face the darling of last year’s playoffs. The Little Giants were the little 16-seed that could that made it all the way to the state quarterfinals last year before just falling short in the last seconds against Western Albemarle. Waynesboro has three straight wins to its name and back-to-back shuouts over Broadway and Fort Defiance, so they cannot be taken lightly in lieu of the hot finish, and also because this team has been here before and pulled off one upset after the next in the playoffs.
Key matchup: The Monticello defensive line against Waynesboro quarterback Chris Baker. The Little Giants get a lot of great athletic plays out of their signal caller, and the Mustangs have their hands full. He can run, he can throw and he has a versatile playbook behind him. The Mustangs have to contain, but also get after him without allowing him to be comfortable in the pocket. The Little Giants have scored 20 or more in five straight weeks and 34 or more in the last three with Baker hitting his stride.
Who to watch: The Mustangs’ secondary. Daniel Hummel has come on strong at safety these last few weeks. Syreal Breckenridge has been great at forcing turnovers. Seth Weaver and Michael Crenshaw round things out as two strong defensive backs. Monticello is able to use all of them in aggressive ways, sending them on blitzes and dropping them back in coverage, or counting on them against the run as of late. If this unit and the defensive line stay in sync, the Mustangs will be in excellent shape.
The line: Monticello by 3. This won’t be easy, but the Mustangs look like they are peaking at just the right time, and it’s behind their defense which is so important at this time of year.
No 16. Wilson Memorial (4-6) at No. 1 Goochland (7-3), Region 2A East quarterfinals, 7 p.m.
The basics: Would it be the Region 2A playoffs if these two didn’t match up? They’ve played in three of the last four years and in all three occasions the Bulldogs have won. Two of those are road wins for Goochland and all three were in the second round or later. There’s a rumor over the years that Wilson players are forbidden to wear red thanks to their rivalries with Riverheads and Goochland. This matchup is a bit different than years before, as they’ve been seeded much closer in the past. The Green Hornets were the Group 2A runnerup last year, but lost 22 seniors from that squad. They snuck into the final spot with their 53-0 win over Page County after falling to East Rockingham and Riverheads the two weeks prior. The Bulldogs, are sitting pretty for a nice playoff run a la 2011 and 2012 with the way they finished the year. Winners of four straight, Goochland enjoyed a bye week to finish up the year and comes off a strange finish where it beat Bluestone 52-20 and then topped Prince Edward 64-41 just three days later.
Key matchup: The Wilson secondary against Goochland quarterback Reid Chenault. Go back into the annals of the previous playoffs games between these two. The Bulldogs have always knifed the Green Hornets with a couple of passing plays. Chenault is averaging 133.4 yards passing per game for a team that’s run first and toting the ball at 228.6 yards per carry. So the odds are good he’ll get his chance to take some cracks downfield to Scott Carter, Calvin Martin and Cordell Mattox. All three have 300 yards or more receiving and plays of 44-yards or more. Wilson has to pick its poision, and with the Bulldogs rushing attack running at full steam right now, the odds are good that the Green Hornets will lean against the run and hope that their secondary can handle single-safety coverage against Chenault and his targets.
Who to watch: Goochland’s Mattox. Not only is he a big part of the offense, he’s even more important on the defensive side of the ball and the Bulldogs need him to stay healthy. He’s got a pair of interceptions and a fumble recovery for 45 yards. While on paper this defense has some struggles, it’s worth nothing that this unit has improved solidly since they last lost way back in at the start of October to Buckingham.
The line: Goochland by 17. We almost forgot to mention that Martin is almost averaging a first down per touch at 77 carries for 745 yards. That paired with the fact that the Bulldogs have had the Green Hornets’ number going back to 2011 doesn’t add up well for Wilson.
No. 12 Orange County (6-4) at No. 5 Stonebridge (6-4), Region 5A North quarterfinals, 7 p.m.
The basics: So who had the Hornets not only making the playoffs, but having their first winning season since 2010? That’s serious progress that first year coach Jesse Lohr and this program made in 2015. Outstanding progress. But as Lohr has pointed out each week after a win, this should be the norm for this program. This shouldn’t be unchartered waters, but at least for this group of seniors, it is. The Hornets blew by Fluvanna County 51-7 to bounce back from the loss to Louisa County the week before. They’ve won two of three and they’ve got a healthy Deangelo Hunt back in the fold after he missed the vast majority of the win over Charlottesville. But in Stonebridge, they are facing a team that’s tackled some monsters. The Bulldogs’ win over Potomac Falls was huge and they wrapped up the year against a physical Briar Woods team that may not be what they’ve been in years past, but are still not to be taken lightly. That’s going to be the big test for Orange here as they spent most of the year playing Group 3A and 4A squads. Not the case for Stonebridge, or really any of the 5A teams the Hornets would face not named Albemarle. That’s the challenge for both of the JD’s 5A schools when it comes to the playoffs, finding a way to play up to these teams that are used to facing 5A schools on a week-in week-out basis.
Key matchup: The Hornets line backing corps. against Bulldogs running back Joshua Breece. He handles the load for a team that wants to run first, and he’s got break away speed. Breece was a beast against Potmac Falls with runs of 35, 29 and 66 yards en route to his 195-yard day on 26 touches. The Hornets need this unit led by Ryan Horton to make the tackles in the open field, because if they don’t, it’s going to be trouble. The Hornets struggles defensively against Louisa stick out in this matchup, but the Bulldogs aren’t as old school as the Lions, so that helps a bit. That said, Orange’s defense has to make the play to slow down Breece.
Who to watch: Orange’s DeAngelo Hunt. Nine rushes for 220 yards. Yes it was against a reeling Fluvanna squad, but it’s still impressive, and more important, that he was back in the first place from an injury. This is a different team when Hunt and backfield teammate Trevon Smith are in tandem. Smith is a load to bring down, and so is Hunt, but it’s the latter that has broken off the big plays that have crippled teams and allowed Smith to wear down the interior defense. If Hunt is effective on the edge, that will go a long way for the Hornets.
The line: Stonebridge by 3. Unfortunately because of seeding Orange runs into a team that’s just a little bit too big playing behind its home crowd. If the Hornets are outstanding against the run defensively, this one is close. But if the Bulldogs are clicking, this is going to be an uphill climb for Orange.
