VISAA Division 2 semifinal: Nansemond Suffolk (5-5) at St. Anne’s-Belfield (9-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: Everyone at STAB seems thrilled that the playoffs are here. The Saints really haven’t been tested much since the first weekend in October against North Cross and the playoffs have essentially been a foregone conclusion for weeks now. Clinching the No. 1 seed and the opportunity to host both the semifinal and, if they advance, the final, certainly smooths things out for the Saints. They’re coming off a dismantling of Blue Ridge in a rivalry clash, but expect STAB’s focus to intensify this week with survival on the line. The Saints clearly want another shot at Bishop Sullivan, the No. 2 seeded squad and the team responsible for STAB’s lone loss of the year back in September. If they want to get there, they’ve got to get past NSA and its single wing style ground attack. A hurry-up approach was costly for NSA against STAB in the regular season meeting, so it seems likely that NSA will try and grind the clock Friday.
Key matchup: Nansemond Suffolk’s front seven takes on STAB’s offensive line. The St. Anne’s offense line hasn’t gotten a lot of attention this year, but with the numbers the offense is generating it’s clear that they’re doing their job effectively. Minor Smith and Gideon Elron are among the group’s leaders and what the quintet lacks in size they make up for with speed. Blue Ridge coach Tim Thomas point to the line’s speed as a big factor in the Barons’ loss to STAB and odds are good it’ll give NSA problems again Friday.
Who to watch: STAB’s Kareem Johnson. Johnson was a huge part of the early season blowout, scoring in three different ways–on a punt return, interception and a reception–in the 61-6 STAB win. NSA will likely try and keep the ball out of Johnson’s hands but he’s proven throughout the year that that’s much easier said than done.
The line: STAB by 21. The Saints should roll here after soundly beating NSA in the regular season.
Orange County (2-7) at Albemarle (2-7), 7 p.m.
The basics: Both seasons come to an end, and while both might have made progress last week in losses, finishing the year with a win is going to be a big deal here. Orange gave Monticello a bit of a scare early last week but couldn’t stop the bleeding in the second and third quarters. Albemarle made Louisa work for the win last week, but close game losses have been an unfortunate theme for this squad, one it would like to be done with.
Key matchup: The Hornets front seven takes on the Albemarle offensive line. The Patriots retooled at this position this year and have made strides all season long. Orange coach Keita Malloy would love to see his defensive front play well and shore things up against the run. Conversely, the Patriots would love to feature their running game heavily if possible.
Who to watch: Orange’s Trevon Smith. On both sides of the ball, Smith has shown the ability to make big plays. The Hornets aren’t that far away from being able to compete the way they used to in the JD. They just need a player like Smith to keep doing what he’s doing and to have the rest of the team find a way to rally and play fundamentally sound to bring up the floor a bit. But without big plays from a talent like Smith, it’s not easy to rally a young football team looking to find physicality.
The line: Albemarle by 9. The Patriots finally break through and avoid falling behind in the fourth, much to first year coach Brandon Isaiah’s delight.
Prince Edward (4-5) at Buckingham (6-3), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Eagles were taken to task last week by Goochland while the Knights rebounded from their loss to Nottoway with a beating of Cumberland. The Knights could use the boost in points here. While Prince Edward’s three James River District wins are against the bottom three, Buckingham could still improve it’s Region 2A West standing here, and get one last tuneup before the first round of the playoffs.
Key matchup: The Eagles front four against the Buckingham offensive line. The blueprint is simple, to beat Buckingham you have to be bigger and stronger in the trenches. That’s not easy and if Prince Edward doesn’t show up ready it’s going to spend the rest of the night chasing the back of Leon Ragland and Tariq Gough’s jerseys. Buckingham lives and dies behind it’s offensive production on the ground. It’s getting to that point of the year where that matters more and more. The Eagles have to be sound up front to make this a contest.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Michael Mabry. Part extension of the offensive line, part tight end, Maybry’s role in this Knight’s offensive is of interest with the playoffs approaching. He has the size and strength to play tackle, but is athletic enough to be a mismatch downfield. How much the Knights explore the latter possibility could be interesting as he definitely has the ability to be an x-factor for this team on a weekly basis.
The line: Buckingham by 14. The Knights head into the postseason feeling good.
Madison County (2-7) at Warren County (3-6), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Mountaineers find themselves in the same position for the third straight week. But this time it literally is win or go home. Madison could win here and not make the postseason but all bets are off if they don’t. The Wildcats saw their 3-game winning streak fall after Strasburg took them down last week. The Mountaineers have lost two straight by one possession. This game has all the makings of a close contest. Can Madison rally and make the playoffs?
Key matchup: The Warren County front four versus the run. It’s no secret that Madison is better built to throw than run. So if the Wildcats can get the job done against the run with minimal help, it will be able to play safer coverage. The Mountaineers were balanced last week against Central Woodstock running 18 times and passing 17 times. Unfortunately, Madison only ran for 42 yards. If they don’t make the most of the scheme that Warren is likely to show the job for quarterback James Graves and his receiver’s gets a lot tougher.
Who to watch: Graves. The senior could well be playing high school football for the last time. He’s been the lifeblood of this offense the last three years, taken his licks and found a way to fight through some tough match ups and has been working with an awfully young group these last two years. He’s the all-time leading passer in school history. It would be nice to see him finish the regular season off with a big game in the air, he’s more than earned it.
The line: Madison by 1. The Mountaineers get over the hump thanks to the adrenaline of the seniors and the possibility of making the playoffs.
Western Albemarle (7-2) at Fluvanna County (1-8), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Things escalated quickly last week for Western Albemarle in the second half of what was billed as a major clash with Powhatan. After a late first half touchdown kept the Warriors within striking distance, the offense sputtered in the second half, and Powhatan pulled away to the tune of a 53-16 win for the Indians. Now a humbled Western squad has to try and take care of business against a Fluvanna team hoping to play spoiler. The Flucos would love nothing more than to cap their season with a win that would be pretty similar to Orange’s victory over Albemarle last year in the final week of the season. Fluvanna is pretty banged up however at the skill positions, and they’ll have their work cut out for them. Look for Western to try and get their run game in rhythm once again with the playoffs looming.
Key matchup: Western’s secondary tries to lock down Fluvanna’s Macen Dahl. Western’s defensive backs allowed Powhatan’s Cambrun Graham to post a 12-for-15, 179-yard outing last week. Now they’ll take on the area’s most productive receiver in Macen Dahl.
Who to watch: Western’s run defense. A week after getting shredded by Powhatan’s Logan Allen for 282 yards and four touchdowns, the Warriors’ defense against physical rushing attacks (see Louisa earlier this season) appears to be something of an Achilles’ heel. Can they right the ship against Fluvanna and tighten things up for the postseason?
The line: Western by 21.The Warriors get back on track and primed for the playoffs here.
Nelson County (2-7) at Gretna (0-9), 7 p.m.
The basics: Nelson County has two wins under their belt and a third would be huge for the Governors. Gretna meanwhile has gone through a major rebuilding season and the traditional power has stumbled to a winless record. Expect the Hawks to come gunning for a bright spot to end their season with Friday night.
Key matchup: Nelson’s secondary takes on the Hawks’ passing attack. Nelson’s Andrew Shannon has emerged as a solid piece of the puzzle at free safety for Nelson, and shutting down the passing attack will be key against Gretna as they’ve traditionally tried to take the top off a defense by going deep after a long succession of runs.
Who to watch: Nelson’s seniors. This class of Governors (and there aren’t many of them) get one more crack at making their mark, and a win against Gretna, winless or not, would say volumes about how much progress Nelson has made this year. Can they pull it off?
The line: Nelson by 1. The Governors grab a third win and cap a season that’s been all about progress as Mark Poston continues to try to build a program at Nelson.
Clarke County (9-0) at William Monroe (6-3), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: A lot on the line in this one. The Dragons could win a share of the Bull Run District title and could potentially vault themselves into a home playoff spot with a win over the Eagles, but that’s a tall task. Clarke isn’t just unbeaten. They’ve barely been tested. The Eagles’ most narrow margin of victory this year was a 16-point victory over Strasburg back in late September. Now they’ll face a Monroe team that’s settled on who they are (a power run team that plays stingy defense) and boasts a slew of experienced players on what should be a long, extended senior night ceremony for the Dragons. Can Monroe give Clarke a test and potentially snag a share of the title?
Key matchup: Monroe’s front seven takes on Clarke’s single wing. Disciplined, assignment football is the only way to contain the single wing, so the Dragons will have to step up and take care of their responsibilities as Clarke uses a ton of misdirection within the single wing.
Who to watch: Monroe’s Cody Perkins. He’s less than 10 yards away from the school career rushing record, but perhaps more importantly, his ability to grind the clock could play a huge role for the Dragons if they try and play keep away from Clarke’s offense.
The line: Clarke by 3. Monroe’s seniors can keep this close and potentially steal it, but Clarke is too powerful on offense to be slowed in Stanardsville.
Louisa County (7-2) at Monticello (7-2), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: This game is valuable. The Lions held off Albemarle last week, and win here could launch them up the standings, but also put themselves closer to a top-ranked Salem squad in the Region 4A North. Monticello, after hitting a first quarter speed bump, beat Orange last week and would love to improve its standings. That said the Lions have been the most physical team in the JD not-named Powhatan. So who truly wants this one more?
Key matchup: Louisa’s outside defenders against the run. The Lions are built like Powhatan in a lot of ways and the Indians all but denied the run to the edges and dared the Mustangs to come up the middle. It will be interesting to see if Louisa employs that tactic. If so, the Mustangs have to be able to move the chains on physical runs up the gut and through the passing game.
Who to watch: Louisa’s Deion Jackson and Monticello’s Kyree Koonce. They have opposing styles as runners with Jackson being a bowling ball down-hill runner and Koonce being the ever shifty lightning-quick back. There’s no right way to the run the ball, but these two could well put on an interesting show, albeit in different fashions.
The line: Louisa by 3. The Lions have won four straight and are simply larger up front, that’s given Monticello trouble this year.
Charlottesville (4-5) at Powhatan (8-1), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Black Knights had to win last week to keep their playoff dreams alive and they did so against Fluvanna County, although it wasn’t exactly pretty at least offensively. The Indians look to put a bow on their second Jefferson District championship since joining in 2011 after a truly decisive win over Western Albemarle. Charlottesville is in the playoffs with a win, but getting there will mean their team speed has to trump Powhatan’s size and strength.
Key matchup: Charlottesville’s defensive front against the run. There’s no way to cut this differently, if the Indians get a big game on the ground from Logan Allen, they’re going to win this game. The Black Knights played great against Fluvanna last week, giving up just three first downs. But the Flucos, with no disrespect intended here, aren’t the Indians, both in terms of offensive line play or rushing ability. Charlottesville is smaller but quicker. It has to scheme up a way to make that work. We’ve seen this kind of mismatch workout in terms of the smaller unit a la Woodberry Forest, but in those cases it was never easy. The Black Knights have to be perfect defensively because they will be tested.
Who to watch: Black Knights running back Rashad Brock. He should be back after having to miss last week. When he and quarterback Malik Bartee are running well, the Black Knights offense looks sharp. Brock has the ability to keep Allen and the Powhatan offensive line on the side lines. If he does so and in a big way, this team could just well pull off what would be a considerable upset by most.
The line: Powhatan by 7. The Indians are the class of the Jefferson and for a good reason — they play physical on both sides of the ball. CHS could put up a valiant fight here, but the Indians have so much mojo going right now.
Amelia (6-3) at Goochland (7-2), 7 p.m.
The basics: Goochland has had a sneaky good season, with only two losses, one to Fork Union and the other to a stout Nottoway team, and now with the return of quarterback Reid Chenault, the Bulldogs could be poised to be the sleeper in the Region 2A East bracket. Amelia is red-hot, however, coming in with four straight wins since an early October loss to Nottoway, and in two of those games they didn’t surrender a point. Can Goochland build on last week’s momentum (a 58-28 runaway against Prince Edward) before jumping into the region playoffs next week?
Key matchup: Amelia’s offense battles Goochland’s defense. The Bulldogs haven’t been bad defensively this year and surely the offense taking to the air a little and scoring quickly has force the defense to be out there more than the last few years. But an Amelia offense that’s been explosive of late should be a good tuneup for the Bulldogs’ defense.
Who to watch: Goochland quarterback Chenault. Chenault returned to the lineup last week in the blowout against Prince Edward and picked up right where he left off after a leg injury a few weeks ago. He threw for 179 yards and three touchdowns while completing 60 percent of his passes. The return of Chenault is like getting two players back in the lineup as replacement quarterback Jordan Jefferson shifts back to wide receiver. He had three catches for 82 yards and a score against Prince Edward.
The line: Goochland by 7. The Bulldogs have a talent for mashing the pedal down at just the right time to produce a deep postseason run.
Episcopal (6-2) at Woodberry Forest (7-0), Saturday 2 p.m. in “The Game”
The basics: It’s a legendary rivalry, and this might be the most evenly matched clash in some time as Episcopal comes in searching for its first win in the rivalry since 2008. Known as the “The Game,” the oldest rivalry in the South. Woodberry coach Clint Alexander has learned over the years to embrace the madness and pageantry that is this rivalry that’s usually marked by elaborate skit-like performances by each school’s cheerleaders before either team even takes the field. He doesn’t downplay the intensity of the game or ask anyone to block anything out, but instead pushes his team to understand the moment and rise to the occasion. It’s worked two classes of recent Woodberry graduates didn’t ever experience anything but beating Episcopal. This group of seniors, however, have their work cut out for them. Episcopal has had a strong year, beating powerhouses like Landon and Georgetown Prep as well as Prep League foe Collegiate handily. Episcopal has an explosive offense led by freshman quarterback Seth Agwunobi and running back Eric Smith as well as a massive offensive line. Can that handle the Tigers’ team speed though?
Key matchup: Woodberry’s ground game takes on Episcopal’s front seven. The Maroon looked suspect against the run last week, allowing Bullis’ DeVonte Williams to rush for 157 yards and four touchdowns, though Williams is a three-star prospect with offers from a variety of schools including the Big Ten’s Indiana. Look for Woodberry to try to do much of the same with Evans Riviere toting the rock (78 yards on 14 carries against Fork Union) and Clark Yarborough and company up front paving the way.
Who to watch: Woodberry’s Nathaniel Tyrell. Tyrell has scored five different times on defense or in the return game, and he’s a tremendous game-changing force. This rivalry seems to always bring out the best in a handful of seniors looking to make a mark and cap off their legacy at either of the schools, and Tyrell is an excellent candidate for that kind of performance. Look for him or some other Tiger senior to make a potentially game-changing play.
The line: Woodberry by 3. This has all the makings of a classic between the Maroon and Tigers, and Episcopal should come out fired up after 56-13 and 44-14 losses the last two years. But the Tigers are too fast and too dangerous to fall in this one.
