Louisa County (7-1) at Albemarle (6-2), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: If we’re going to look at matchups, of the two Jefferson District contenders that aren’t Louisa County — Western and Albemarle — Albemarle is conceivably the tougher matchup of the two for Louisa County. The Patriots have a more mobile quarterback who also attacks downfield vertically in Amaje Parker. That stresses the Louisa defense in different ways than a ground attack that wants to run in between the tackles, especially with the stoutness of the Louisa County front seven. But on the flip side, the Lions’ physical ground game that churned out 399 yards on the ground against Western is a tall order for Albemarle to try and stop. This one is interesting because Parker and Wilson are dueling at quarterback against defenses that have been stout much of the season and don’t give up much easily. Can the two mobile quarterbacks get their offenses going in what is potentially a low scoring slugfest? Albemarle attacked through the air against Goochland in the second half and that seems like the best bet against the Lions, but that’s just because there just aren’t any good bets. Chase Miller and Jordan Smith and Maleke Huntington can all jump routes and pick off the ball, plus the Lions have an extremely athletic group of linebackers covering underneath routes and the middle. Whichever offense can find holes and take advantage of opportunities is likely to take control of this one. Both teams are fighting for playoff positioning now in very tough regions, with Albemarle currently in sixth in Region 5D while Louisa County is in fifth in an absolutely loaded Region 4D. A win over Albemarle is a huge power points boost and potentially a home playoff game for the Lions while Albemarle would definitely get a huge boost by knocking off Louisa. A ton on the line in this one.
Key Matchup: Albemarle’s front seven takes on the combination of Smith and Wilson. Against Western Albemarle, Landon Wilson and Jordan Smith combined for 28 carries and 282 yards against a Warriors defense that had previously been very stout against the run. Now the Lions are going to look to force an Albemarle defense that has also been pretty locked into stopping the run, which means the Patriots have to play sound, fundamental football in order to get in position to pull off a win at home. The Patriots’ linebackers and edge players like Alex Freire and Adam Schantz have to be big-time.
Who To Watch: Louisa County’s Stephen Dean. The reigning Jefferson District player of the year is an athletic monster, but he’s also excellent at diagnosing opposing offenses and getting the Lions into position to make stops, a veritable coach on the field at this point. In a game against a mobile quarterback, a linebacker who can cover and bring the physicality against the run is crucial. This is a big test for Dean and the Louisa linebackers, they’re going to need to play some of their best football this season.
The Line: Louisa County by 10. The Lions have proven to be exactly what they looked like coming into this year, a balanced offensive squad with a particularly stingy defense.
Madison County (2-6) at East Rockingham (2-4), 7:30 p.m. Thursday
The Basics: Madison County is, quite suddenly, back in playoff contention with two weeks to go, and with the two teams ahead of them in the Region 2B power points sitting immediately ahead of them, the Mountaineers are largely in control of their own fate. Win two straight and odds are good Madison is going to the postseason. That’s heady territory for a team that is still rebuilding under Larry Helmick, but that win over William Monroe was a huge boost and a second victory over Park View has the Mountaineers moving in a significant way. East Rockingham has played better football of late, so this is by no means an easy win, but the Mountaineers have a lot to play for as they continue to build the program up.
Key Matchup: East Rockingham’s secondary takes on Madison’s passing attack. The Eagles face a Madison offense starting to find its stride as Wade Fox comes in after accounting for three total touchdowns against Park View, including touchdown tosses to Dashawn Tyler and Taylor Fincham. With the Mountaineers running the ball effectively, there will be more pressure on the secondary to come up with stops when the Mountaineers take to the air.
Who To Watch: Madison’s Jordan Morris. Morris went for 108 yards and two touchdowns on the ground last week as he continues to emerge as a viable offensive threat alongside Wade Fox. If Morris keeps forces defenses to account for him, it’s going to make life a little easier for Fox and open up some room to work in the passing game.
The Line: Madison by 1. The Mountaineers have started turning the corner and this is another huge opportunity to snag a win on the road.
Fluvanna (2-6) at Charlottesville (1-7), 7 p.m. Thursday
The Basics: Charlottesville and Fluvanna both put together impressive performances last week and nearly shocked the area against opponents with just one loss. Both these teams may be better than their records indicate. They’re both going to try and get this done on the ground, so look for a game with few possessions and a lot of ball control offense. Old school football, pitting triple option from Charlottesville against Wing-T action from Fluvanna. The re-emergence of Kobe Edmonds after an injury could give the Flucos a jolt, but the most impressive part of last week was holding Western Albemarle scoreless for four quarters. Can the Flucos keep that defensive effort going in a game that could vault either squad back into the playoff conversation in Region 3C?
Key Matchup: Charlottesville’s run defense takes on the Flucos’ multi-faceted run game. Fluvanna had four players against Western rush six or more times. Any given play, anyone that isn’t an offensive lineman could be running the ball, and that makes it challenging defensively. Can the Black Knights play responsibility football and lock up against the run?
Who To Watch: Charlottesville’s Polo Hill. Hill ripped off 126 yards on the ground last week including a 47-yard sprint on a direct snap. He’s proven to be the most explosive threat for the Black Knights on offense and they’ll likely do whatever they have to do to get it in his hands.
The Line: Charlottesville by 1. Kind of a toss up here, but Charlottesville gets the edge because they’re at home.
Goochland (5-3) at Orange County (5-3), 7 p.m. Thursday
The Basics: This is a matchup of two teams with identical records and two offenses that are similarly built around electric dual threat quarterbacks in Orange’s Paul Poirier and Goochland’s C.J. Towles. Towles got banged up against Albemarle, so his availability is unknown. Poirier has impacted the game in all phases for Orange this year as the senior Swiss Army knife has provided backbreaking interceptions, big time runs, big time throws and any number of other key plays night in and night out. Towles has been putting on a similar two-way act, so this may be as simple as who has their best player out on the field and who doesn’t. Expect Goochland’s defense to be prepared as they continue to play really good football, holding an explosive Albemarle offense scoreless in the first half last week before things fell apart in the second half in the secondary in particular. Orange has been getting a touch healthier each week, adding Will Lewis back to the lineup against Louisa County. Can the Hornets pick up a big win at home and potentially lock in their playoff spot in Region 4D where they’re currently seventh? Can Goochland regroup and rethink their approach while they look to stay in playoff position in Region 3B?
Key Matchup: Goochland’s secondary takes on Poirier and the Hornets passing game. Goochland’s defense is quite good, but without Towles roaming the secondary they showed some holes against Albemarle in the passing game. They’ll need players like Eyan Pace to step up and figure out how to mark Sheldon Robinson, JaePharoah Carpenter and Will Lewis who’ve all been targeted by Poirier this year. Get too locked in on marking your man though and Poirier will take off and find the vacated area. This is a significant challenge.
Who To Watch: Goochland’s quarterback situation. With C.J. Towles hurt in the first half against Albemarle, Darius Rivers stepped in against a talented Albemarle defense and not surprisingly the Bulldogs’ offense continued to stall after a scoreless first half with Towles at the helm. Who steps in here and Towles’ health are huge factors for the Bulldogs who have largely leaned on Towles to make something happen this year.
The Line: Orange by 1. These teams offensively are functioning similarly and Orange’s Paul Poirier is definitely healthy so the Hornets get the edge.
Monticello (0-8) at Western (7-1), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Last week’s trip to Palmyra did not go as planned for the Warriors as they escaped with an 8-0 win in overtime while trying to rework their lineup after some significant injuries. With a lot of players going two ways, even a couple of injuries can send things sideways quickly, and Western is fortunate that they’ve had two straight opponents who sit well below .500 last week and this week to work out the kinks. Few high school football teams can successfully endure an injury to a starting quarterback and the Warriors are banged up at other spots too. One thing is for certain though, the Warriors’ coaching staff has proven to be excellent problem solvers over the years and you can bet that after last week’s narrow escape, they’ll have gotten into the lab and cooked up some significant adjustments. Even without those adjustments, the Warriors are still largely healthy up front and Carson Tujague is back in the lineup as of last week and that’s enough to get the nod over a Monticello squad that hasn’t found its footing all year. The Mustangs are still working to shore up the run defense that has surrendered more than 2,000 yards this year, and that doesn’t bode well against a Western team that will likely turn even more heavily toward running back Kaden Morrow. The Warriors are currently No. 2 in Region 4D with just two games to play. Can they hold on to that spot and heal up ahead of the postseason?
Key Matchup: Monticello’s passing game takes on the Warriors’ secondary. The Mustangs’ passing game had some life to it last week with Matt Dixon going 16-for-25 for 153 yards, and Western and while the Warriors have tough to move the ball against, it’s possible with some protection, the Mustangs could get that phase of the game going. Still, they’re likely to find tough sledding against a Western defense that has been stout outside of the Louisa matchup.
Who To Watch: Western’s Joey Burch. Burch has been called on to do a little of everything this year, and last week he stepped in to start at quarterback with Nathan Simon’s injury. It takes an important piece off the board for the Warriors though as Burch was the offense’s main deep threat, so Western needs someone to step up there, but expect some improvement this week from Burch as he gets more comfortable.
The Line: Western by 21. The Warriors are banged up, but expect them to take care of business at home.
Blue Ridge (5-3) at Roanoke Catholic (1-8), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Blue Ridge is likely on the outside looking in right now of the VISAA Division II playoff picture, but this is an excellent chance to build some momentum and open up the possibility of leapfrogging into the top four with some help. It’s also worth noting that what the Barons have done already this year is remarkable. Blue Ridge had practices and a scrimmage during the pandemic, but essentially didn’t play football for a year. To go dormant that long and be a boarding school with its own particular challenges for football (short preseason in particular) and subsequently manage to post a 5-3 record through eight games is just ridiculously impressive. Now the Barons get to enjoy a more normal offseason cycle and get things rolling in a big way again. The STAB win was a good indicator that even with key players like Robby Matos on the shelf, the Barons are headed toward getting back to where they were pre-pandemic as a consistent state title contender.
Key Matchup: Roanoke Catholic’s passing attack takes on Blue Ridge’s secondary. The Blue Ridge secondary struggled to slow down Braden White in particular as STAB put together one of its strongest performances of the year through the air. Can they reverse course, lock in and lock up Roanoke Catholic?
Who To Watch: Blue Ridge’s Tank Gant. Blue Ridge’s offense got exactly the missing piece it needed when Gant returned to the lineup after being injured much of the season as Gant rushed for 164 yards against STAB. With Diarmid Stewar at wideout and Camden Brewer at quarterback, the Barons just became extremely tough to defend.
The Line: Blue Ridge by 21. The Barons should romp here.
Central Lunenburg (6-1) at Buckingham (4-2), 7 p.m. Monday
The Basics: Buckingham’s season has been disjointed with a late start and a forfeit, but Buckingham is in pretty good shape for the playoffs despite those challenges. Currently in fifth place in Region 2B, the Knights get a shot at moving up to be able to compete for a home game in this clash with Central.
Key Matchup: Buckingham’s front seven takes on the Central ground game. Central has mostly been in blowouts this year, with the Chargers doing the blowing out. If the Knights can get off the field on third downs, it’ll help Buckingham’s offense control the clock and shorten the game.
Who To Watch: Buckingham’s offensive line. The Knights have to get the ball moving on the ground in order to pull off the shocker and that starts up front with the line. If Buckingham can work as a unit in the trenches it’ll be a huge boost to the Knights’ chances at knocking off Central.
The Line: Buckingham by 1. The Knights get a chance to boost their playoff stock in a big way.
Pallotti (4-5) at FUMA (2-5), 2 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Fork Union joins a list that’s frustrating to be on — a team that appears to be a lot better than its record. In two weeks they’ll face a Woodberry Forest squad that’s on the same list right now. The Blue Devils have some legit weapons on offense, they’ve got a quarterback who can sling it in Kieran Meyer and they also have an extremely challenging schedule. They lost to Collegiate last week 23-21, a team that soundly beat Goochland earlier this year. Can the Blue Devils get on track with this out-of-state opponent and get some momentum ahead of the season finale against Woodberry Forest?
Key Matchup: Fork Union’s wideouts take on Pallotti’s secondary led by Marquise Allsup. Allsup is a safety with several Division I offers including one from Syracuse. The Blue Devils’ Dominic Julius, Dominique Julius and Caleb Davis out of the backfield can all make defenders miss in the passing game, but Allsup is a top notch player.
Who To Watch: Fork Union’s Kieran Meyer — he threw a 91-yard touchdown pass to Dominic Julius last week against Collegiate and made several other big time plays. If Meyer is in a rhythm it energizes the entire Blue Devil offense.
The Line: Fork Union by 1. The Blue Devils have a shot in this one, they just need to put it all together.
Altavista (2-6) at Nelson County (1-7), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: While Altavista isn’t playing its best football this year, it recently beat a Dan River squad that just shut out Nelson, so this is a challenging home foe for the Governors, who have struggled to find their footing in the second half of this season.
Key Matchup: Nelson’s front seven takes on Altavista’s ground attack. The Governors’ defense has shown flashes of solid play this year, but with the offense not giving them a lot of help, the defense is going to have be lights out against the run in this one.
Who To Watch: Nelson County’s offense. The Governors have to find some offense and start looking toward next year to regain the momentum the program had before COVID hit. Can they get on track and find a spark the next two weeks to carry them into the offseason?
The Line: Altavista by 21. Nelson hasn’t scored in four games, they’re going to have to get on track offensively.
William Monroe (2-5) at Central (6-1), 6:30 p.m. Thursday
The Basics: There’s still time for William Monroe to get itself into playoff positions, but like everyone else out there, time is running out. With two games left, the Dragons just dropped a 13-3 decision to Warren County that might’ve secured a postseason bid. Now they’ve probably got to beat either Central this week or Meridian next week, a pair of teams with six wins already under their belt. This one on the road is a challenge, though Central showed they are far from unbeatable after escaping Charlottesville on the road 24-14. Can the Dragons pull off a stunner and vault themselves back into the playoff picture?
Key Matchup: Monroe’s linebackers take on dual threat quarterback Ashton Baker. Baker absorbed a hit and still found his teammate Jacob Walters for the backbreaker touchdown with under a minute to go. Baker can hurt teams with his legs and his arms and the Dragons’ linebackers are going to have to step up in a big way.
Who To Watch: William Monroe’s injury list. The Dragons are pretty beat up right now, especially at quarterback, and Monroe’s health will make a big difference in whether or not the Dragons can pull off a shocker. Last week against Warren, Monroe managed just 125 yards of total offense.
The Line: Central by 7. Monroe has its work cut out for it.
St. Anne’s-Belfield (2-4) at St. Christopher’s (8-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
The Basics: STAB put up some solid offense but couldn’t knock off Blue Ridge Saturday in a renewal of the schools’ long-time rivalry and now they’ll enter a two-game road stretch to finish the season against the state’s No.1-ranked school in VISAA’s Division I in St. Christopher’s and one of the top schools in Division II in Nansemond Suffolk-Academy. St. Christopher’s just blasted a Trinity Episcopal squad that had been the talk of the Prep League early in the year, and now it’s clear just how talented St. Chris is, with Nikkos Kovanes providing a big punch on the ground to go with an already high-flying passing attack.
Key Matchup: STAB’s secondary takes on wideout Andre Green, Jr. Green is a 6-foot-3, 180-pound four-star recruit weighing offers from UNC, Oregon, Georgia, Clemson…pretty much any big-time program. Every time a local team — or any team for that matter — takes on St. Christopher’s, figuring out what to do about Green has been job one for the defense, and it’s no different for the Saints. Expect STAB to try and bracket Green, and while they’re young, Chance Mallory and Austin Williford are talented defensive backs and they’ll get a chance here to test themselves against the state’s best. Oh and Green often goes both ways. He made a pair of one-handed interceptions a week ago.
Who To Watch: STAB’s Braden White. Despite STAB’s loss to Blue Ridge, White was a huge bright spot with two touchdown catches through the air and more than 150 yards receiving. If Nolan Bruton can keep finding White on deep balls, it could open things up on the ground against a ferocious St. Christopher’s defense.
The Line: St. Christopher’s by 21. St. Chris is on a roll right now and this is a challenging road matchup for STAB.
Woodberry (2-4) at Trinity Episcopal (4-3), 2 p.m. Saturday
The Basics: Woodberry Forest got into the win column for the second time this season with a blowout win over Catholic on the road Saturday. Now they travel again during the weekend and they’ll face Trinity Episcopal, a squad coming off a blowout loss at the hands of St. Christopher’s, who blew out Woodberry two weeks before. Can the Tigers build off last week’s momentum and go toe-to-toe with a Prep League opponent that has majorly upgraded its talent? The Titans may be wounded after last week but sometimes that can spell trouble for the next opponent.
Key Matchup: Woodberry’s linebackers take on Trinity quarterback Jack Toscano. Toscano can hurt teams with his arm and his legs, so the linebackers have to make sure they keep the Titans’ signal-caller hemmed or it’s bound to get dangerous.
Who To Watch: Woodberry’s defensive line. If you’re going to stop a talented Trinity Episcopal crew, and with Rodney Lora back in the mix at defensive end, the Tigers can now disrupt opposing offenses. Against Catholic, Lora grabbed a ball carrier from beyond and eventually tossed him backwards and he also provided some intense pressure on the Catholic quarterback.
The Line: Woodberry Forest by 1. The Tigers found a rhythm last week, now they face a Trinity team that has been proven to be beatable.
