Woodberry Forest (1-0) at Liberty Christian (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: It’s not often that one of the top matchups of the season in private school football happens this early in the year. Less than halfway through September and perhaps the two most highly regarded squads in the state this year are locking horns in Lynchburg under the lights at Liberty University’s Williams Stadium. It’s hard not to get excited about this clash. Matt Lewis has had a fast start to the season at quarterback for the Bulldogs with two touchdowns in each of his first two games and a 20 for 25, 278-yard outing against Brunswick last week. Woodberry quarterback Hunter Etheridge was equally efficient with the ball, completing 18 of 22 balls against Benedictine for 183 yards and a touchdown. With those two signal-callers going at it and the Tigers on a mission for redemption after losing to the Bulldogs last season at home, there should be fireworks in Lynchburg Friday night.
Key matchup: Woodberry Forest’s secondary tries to contain Liberty Christian’s B.J. Farrow. Farrow lit up Brunswick last week early with a 39-yard touchdown and then drew double coverage throughout the second half from Brunswick. The Tigers have the defensive backs to handle Farrow, but they’ll also have to be wary of his fellow wideout Cameron Jones, who had five catches for 72 yards and two touchdowns. Look for Logi Portugal, Nathaniel Tyrell and Josh Wallace to step up for Woodberry.
Who to watch: Woodberry linebacker Duke Sherrell. Sherrell played a role in nine different tackles last week including one for a loss where he stuffed a Benedictine player in the backfield. If Sherrell, a junior, plays like that every week, the Tigers have the makings of the most formidable linebacking crew in the area as he pairs up with Notre Dame-bound Greer Martini and Myles Brown.
The line: Woodberry by 1. The Tigers are on the hunt for revenge and they’ve got enough firepower on both sides of the ball to get the job done.
Fork Union (0-2) at Monticello (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Blue Devils continue their quest to play the top public school programs in Central Virginia as they head to Monticello a week after falling to Goochland. Monticello got coach Jeff Woody got his first win of the year to extend a personal winning streak that dates back to the start of the 2011 season. It was also a big debut for Mustangs newcomer Kyree Koonce who had three touchdowns but only had the ball in his hands a few times as Monticello trounced George Wythe. New quarterback James St. Hill even got into the mix with a strong opening game performance. This is an interesting matchup for both sides, and one that pits two of the most winning programs from the public and private sectors against each other for just the second time in history. The last meeting came in Monticello’s first year of varsity football, a blowout win for the Blue Devils.
Key matchup: Fork Union’s linebacking corps against Koonce. Well if there was one message sent last week, and really all of last year when he was at Buckingham, if you come at Koonce, to borrow a famous line from The Wire, you best not miss. His speed is nearly unmatched and he knows how to make defenders miss. The Blue Devils have to wrap him up when he gets past the line of scrimmage or it’s going to be a tough night. One-on-one tackling was a forte for FUMA last year as they played aggressively schematically. It needs to be again for this road trip to Monticello.
Who to watch: Fork Union running back Rashon Torrence. He had 140 yards against Goochland and dating back the last four years, teams that run at Monticello have given them the toughest outings. The Blue Devils’ defense will have their hands full trying to account for receiver Alex McNair, St. Hill at quarterback and the two-headed monster of Koonce and T.J. Tillery. The best defense against that is to keep moving the sticks on the offensive end and a heavy dose of Torrence could do just that and allow Fork Union to dictate the tempo on the road.
The line: Monticello by 9. The Mustangs’ depth on offense is problematic here for a Fork Union defense that’s facing a third straight outstanding opponent.
Bishop Sullivan (3-0) at St. Anne’s (0-1), 4:30 p.m.
The basics: STAB nearly pulled off a huge victory over Virginia Episcopal, the defending Division III champions, but came up just short at 22-19. The Saints got the passing game going in a big way with Lee Parkhill, a junior who’s made tremendous strides as a quarterback and moved the ball around, getting Kareem Johnson and Jalen Harrison heavily involved in the passing game. But the road doesn’t get any easier for the Saints with the Crusaders coming to town. Bishop Sullivan is built to win this year with several transfers coming in to join wideout Jamil Kamara. With those pieces in place, this is a unique challenge for the Saints.
Key matchup: STAB’s linebackers against the Bishop Sullivan ground attack. The Crusaders are gong to pick up yards and likely points through the air, which makes stopping the Bishop Sullivan ground game from getting into a rhythm a critical part of the job for the Saints. If they can grind the Bishop Sullivan running backs to a halt and counter on offense, they’ll be able to stay in range.
Who to watch: Bishop Sullivan’s Kamara. He’s kind of the obvious choice here, but he’s the top athlete on the field. The Saints actually held Kamara, a highly-sought after recruit with an offer from, among others, UVa, largely in check last season in the two teams’ matchup. But he’s got a little more around him this time around. Look for Kamara to have a big impact either by making big plays or drawing a ton of attention to allow teammates to make big plays.
The line: Bishop Sullivan by 10. This is a tough draw for an improving STAB squad, but don’t be surprised if Bishop Sullivan has a tough time escaping Charlottesville with a win.
Albemarle (0-1) at Stafford (0-2), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Patriots hung tough with Massaponax early but were outscored 21-0 in the second half to get saddled with a season opening loss. The Indians dropped a tight one against King George last week after taking it on the chin against James Monroe the week before. Last year Albemarle appeared to have Stafford dead to rights late in the fourth quarter but couldn’t quite hang on as the Indians mounted a late drive. This senior laden Patriots team will be focused on trying to avenge that defeat.
Key matchup: Albemarle’s secondary versus Stafford’s receiving corps. The Indians weapons are on the edge of the field and the Patriots saw that last year. Albemarle’s an experienced squad and particularly on defense. If the Patriots can avoid giving up the big yardage after the catch they should be in good shape.
Who to watch: Albemarle running back Dominique Talley. He showed well against a talented Massaponax squad and the Patriots would do well to try and control the tempo of this game with a heavy dose of the senior back. With quarterback D.G. Archer being young, getting the running game going with Talley and bruiser Drake Bryant is paramount. Albemarle got both its touchdowns last week with Talley toting the ball. Getting consistency out of him will only help the skill position players around him develop into their roles.
The line: Albemarle by 3. This won’t be easy, but with what Stafford lost to graduation last year paired with what the Patriots returned, this is a more than winnable game against another old Commonwealth District foe.
Courtland (0-2) at Louisa County (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Spotsylvania County tour continues for Louisa coach John Meeks and company, and while the Lions got off to a strong start with a 35-14 win over Spotsylvania two weeks ago, Courtland dropped its second straight game, surrendering 35 points to Riverbend after giving up 42 the week before against Massaponax. The Lions poured on 417 yards of offense last week and will be up against a Cougars defense that’s already struggled, albeit early in the year.
Key matchup: The Cougars’ front seven against Louisa’s duo of Markel Groomes and Deion Johnson. Anytime Louisa’s had depth at running back it’s gone far and it appears that this Lions team has last after just one game. Groomes went off for 170 yards and three touchdowns against Spotsylvania on 29 carries. Of interest should be that Groomes longest run was 14 yards, which means his average of 5.9 yards per carry was actually very close to what he piled up on each rush. That’s truly impressive. And paired with Deion Johnson who put up 138 yards on 14 carries, Groomes is making a good backfield look like a great one already.
Who to watch: Louisa quarterback Trey Cherry. The Lions stuck to the ground in their first game and understandably so. Cherry had 73 yards on 14 touches and only dropped back eight times to pass. How often the Lions go to the air will be worth noting. Meeks let the offense air things out in both 2011 and 2012. Are the Lions just going with what works right now or are they waiting patiently before they let the reigns off Cherry? Of course there’s no real need right now. Cherry showed he belongs in the backfield with Groomes and Johnson after just one week.
The line: Louisa by 10. The Lions grind away on a Cougars team that hasn’t been able to slow down the run. A good night for the green jerseys in the Jungle.
Broadway (0-1) at William Monroe (0-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Dragons ran into a tough matchup with Spotswood over the mountains but have a chance to get their season headed in the right direction with the Gobblers who fell in an odd battle with Millbrook, 6-0. Just as was the case last year, Monroe was able to get points on the board in their loss to the Blazers last week, but it’s a moot point when the other team cranks out 50 or more. Broadway’s offense struggled last week, so this is an intriguing matchup for Monroe but the Gobblers are coming off a bye week, so the Dragons need to be ready for a team that’s been preparing for 14 days.
Key matchup: Monroe’s front four against Broadway’s offensive line. The Dragons have to show up in the trenches. This might be a group that’s still young and undersized here and there, but for this defense to improve, it has to begin at the line of scrimmage. If Monroe can play well up front, the rest will start to work itself out as there are athletes in the middle and on the edges of this defense.
Who to watch: Dragons running back Cody Perkins. He’s shifty, he never stops churning. Perkins’ ability to get the ball north and south on the ground and catch out of the backfield makes him a perfect fit for coach Mark Sanford who loves to grind teams down and work off play-action. While it remains to be seen if Broadway’s offense can get things going, Monroe is going to need a big game from Perkins to make sure its not playing from behind the way it had to last week against Spotswood.
The line: Broadway by 1. A good matchup here but Monroe is still out gunned up front. The Dragons are doing themselves a favor playing against Division 3 opponents since that’s who they would face in the postseason, but that means tough sledding for a team still ironing out the kinks.
Bluestone (1-1) at Goochland (1-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: Goochland, somehow, managed to beat an improving Fork Union squad despite the fact that half the varsity appeared to be tethered to the sidelines due to a variety of injuries. The Bulldogs did it with a great mix on offense, running well inside and outside the tackles while stretching the defense with seam routes, two of which went for big yards. Goochland found new playmakers among young talents pressed into duty after starting eight sophomores and a freshman against the Blue Devils. That increased depth should make the Bulldogs an even more formidable matchup for James River District challengers and in the playoffs down the road.
Key matchup: Bluestone’s defense facing the Bulldogs’ fleet of ball carriers. If Goochland gets players back that are supposed to return, they’re about to become as deep as they’ve ever been in the backfield. Tavion Fox and Jaylen Allen both had breakout games against Fork Union, and with Connor Saunders and Calvin Martin and David Dyer also in the mix, the Bulldogs may be one of the most dangerous rushing teams in the state. Each runner has their own particular style too, and that could make things particularly tough on Bluestone.
Who to watch: Goochland’s defense. It isn’t often that the Bulldogs get torched like they did in the second half against FUMA, and it never happens twice in a row. The Barons have scored more than 35 in each of their first two games, but look for the Bulldogs to end that run. Containing Bluestone’s run game that’s averaging 6.3 yards per carry will be the first point of order.
The line: Goochland by 14. The Bulldogs should get into their usual James River District groove starting Friday.
Covenant (1-1) at Hargrave (1-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: Covenant needed to bounce back in a big way two weeks ago after falling to Atlantic Shores, and the Eagles did just that by simplifying things and getting back to basics on offense. The result was a huge win over Christchurch where The Eagles showed off a variety of offensive playmakers and a tenacious defense that caused a lot of problems for the Seahorses early on. The Eagles now get a chance to take on a resurgent Hargrave squad that knocked off defending state champion Blue Ridge last week. It should be another stout test for the Eagles, who now can boast a balanced offense with Jay Gaffney at quarterback and a fleet of ball carriers.
Key matchup: Covenant’s front seven takes on Hargrave’s dual threat quarterback Jason Fields. Fields leads the Tigers with 277 rushing yards and 193 passing yards. He rushed for 181 yards and three touchdowns on 20 carries just a week after completing 13 of 19 passes against Chatham. The Eagles will have to play assignment football and not allow Fields to get to the edge. Navigating Hargrave’s big offensive linemen will be a big part of the challenge for the Eagles to disrupting Fields.
Who to watch: The Covenant offensive line. It’s hard to argue with a line that goes from clearing the way for just five total yards on the ground in week one to 183 in week two. That’s a critical sea change for the Eagles, and Teddy Morse, Jamison Steljes are two of the guys who deserve the credit. The entire
The line: Covenant by 3. The Eagles seem to have gotten back on track after a frustrating first week misstep, and while the Tigers knocked off Blue Ridge, Covenant has the gameplan to get the job done.
Orange County (0-1) at Eastern View (2-0), 7 p.m.
The basics: Orange didn’t get the regular season going the way they wanted to with a 51-10 loss to Liberty-Bealeton at home, and they need to take things up a notch if they want to beat Eastern View at home. The Cyclones are 2-0 already and while their wins haven’t been pretty, they’re finding a way to get the job done. This season is all about progress for the Hornets, and they’re making some clear strides, but this schedule isn’t doing them any favors right now. If Orange can keep its composure and keep absorbing lessons, by the time the district slate rolls around they could be a tough out for rival squads.
Key matchup: Orange County’s front seven takes on Eastern View runner Kendrick Kube. Kube rushed for 197 yards and two touchdowns against Chancellor last week and after the Hornets struggled to slow down Liberty’s run game, they’ll have to double down against Kube to make sure they don’t get burned again.
Who to watch: Orange County’s Garret Johnson. Johnson, a promising passer, needs to bounce back a week after he completed 18 balls, but they only went for 99 yards. If the Hornets’ offense is going to go anywhere, it’s got to start with the signal-caller.
The line: Eastern View by 3. Hornets are certainly improving but still have to find an identity.
Culpeper County (0-2) at Madison County (0-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: So while the record book says that the Blue Devils fell last week, let’s not kid ourselves, roster violation or not, this team is coming off a 31-0 drubbing of Charlottesville. Madison had Luray’s number for years, but the Mountaineers came up just short last week as they fell in overtime. Culpeper is a mystery coming in as they fell to a pretty solid Central Lunenburg in their first contest, but blew the doors off a Charlottesville team that committed a slew of penalties and turned the ball over left and right.
Key matchup: Culpeper’s secondary against Madison’s receiving corps. Mountaineers quarterback James Graves looked good against Luray as he threw for 292 yards on 24 for 38 passing. Receivers Joe Gentry and Ashton Weakley combined for 19 receptions and 219 yards. The ball will be in the air and so Culpeper’s secondary had better be ready.
Who to watch: Madison’s Tyler Buckley. He had a strong week against Luray last week with five tackles. Having him to go with Bray Lamb (five tackles) and Kenyon Smith (nine stops) is a huge bonus for the Mountaineers as they were hit hardest by graduation on defense. Add to it that Buckley plays in the secondary and you have a defense that is pretty well rounded and capable of adapting to just about anything from week-to-week.
The line: Madison by 1. We’re not sure what to make of Culpeper after two weeks, but Madison’s passing game should give them the edge here if they can avoid turnovers.
Riverheads (1-0) at Nelson County (0-2), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Governors came awfully close to ending their seven-game slide, but fell to Page County which put an end to its own31-game losing streak. Nelson now gets to hit the road to play one of the best Division 1 programs over the last few years in Riverheads. It’ll be a battle of contrasting styles with the Gladiators old-school option attack against the high paced offense that Mark Poston has installed for the Governors.
Key matchup: Nelson’s linebacking corps against the Riverheads ground attack. This is all about stay-at-home football and making sure you don’t guess wrong. The Governors have to be patient and let the chips fall where they may. It’s not the seemingly never ending two and three yard rushes that kill you, it’s over pursuing on a couple of plays and having to play from behind against an offense tailor-made to kill the clock that does you in.
Who to watch: Nelson quarterback Peyton Galloway. He’s been the primary playmaker for the Governors so far on offense and they’ll need him to pour it on against Riverheads to turn this into a shootout. Galloway has shown good ability to be a dual threat so far, so that bodes well for Nelson.
The line: Riverheads by 10. The Gladiators establish control on the ground and show why they’ve played deep into November and December these last few years.
Amelia County (1-1) at Buckingham (0-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: After blowing out Charles City 64-26, the Raiders fell to Bruton 14-6 last week. Buckingham had a week off to work things out offensively in practice after dropping its opener to an experienced Appomattox squad. The Knights had their chances to gut out a win two weeks ago, so don’t be surprised if they come out chomping at the bit in this one against a familiar James River District opponent in Amelia.
Key matchup: Buckingham’s defensive line against Amelia’s offensive line. The Knights showed promise up front against Appomattox, but also showed there was room to grow. Getting after Amelia in the backfield is crucial here as Bruton did last week and slowed the Raiders offense greatly. With what the Knights have in the secondary and at linebacker, should the front four play well everything should come together defensively. Like we said before, this unit had its moments in week one against a vaunted line. More of them will allow the offense to work out what it needs to to make this the standard Buckingham product everyone’s been used to these last five years.
Who to watch: Buckingham quarterback John Edwards. He took a helmet-to-helmet lick against Appomattox and kept playing. Most players wouldn’t have gotten up, much less continued to play after that, so there’s no questioning his grit. But the Knights do need him and his receiving corps to get off on a better foot than they did against the Raiders to keep teams from loading nine in the box to zero in on Kenneth Johnson. Buckingham ran a lot of screens and short passes to try and get things going early last week, but those plays were snuffed out. Getting the ball downfield here and there is only way to let Johnson have a fighting chance to do what he does on the ground.
The line: Buckingham by 4. Few teams bounce back better after a loss than coach Craig Gill’s do. There’s a lot to be said for that, especially for a young team that had a bye week to focus on what they want to do.
Fort Defiance (1-1) at Western Albemarle (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Western Albemarle bounced back from a lackluster win over Spotswood in the opener to pile up some points against Waynesboro, but the Warriors’ defense is still showing some signs of development. If the guys in the interior of the defense can get things going and start stopping the opposition at the point of attack, things could start going a lot smoother for the Warriors. They’ll face another tough test on the ground in Fort Defiance, as the Indians’ two-headed rushing attack of Evan Stickley and Stephen Ruiz-Haynes comes to town. The Western offense got back into a groove though with Kent Henry throwing for four touchdowns and running for another two, and that unit should be able to carry them as the defense continues to come along
Key matchup: Fort Defiance’s linebackers take on Henry. The Warriors’ dual threat signal-caller forces opposing linebackers to make quick decisions about coverage or run support, and Henry can make them pay for the wrong choices in a hurry.
Who to watch: Western’s Tre Banks. Banks got into a rhythm with Henry last week with three catches for 62 yards against Waynesboro, and if he can keep that going, it’ll make an already deep, dangerous Western receiving corps that much tougher for opposing teams to mark.
The line: Western Albemarle by 7. The Warriors should, at the very least, be able to outscore Fort Defiance. If the WAHS defense takes a step forward, they’ll be in even better shape.
Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot (2-1) at Blue Ridge (0-1), 2 p.m. Saturday
The basics: Blue Ridge stumbled out of the gate against Hargrave last week, but that loss could have been influenced by a lot of things. For one, Hargrave has improved significantly under Ben Paris, for another the Barons haven’t been together long and they’ve got a ton of new faces. Sometimes that first game can turn into an anomaly, but making sure that happens has to start right now against Blessed Sacrament, a team that won the Division IV state title game last year, two divisions below the Barons, who also won a championship last year. Blessed Sacrament beat a talented Atlantic Shores squad but then struggled against North Cross and fell to the Raiders. The door is open for Blue Ridge to tighten things up and get back on track at home Saturday.
Key matchup: Blessed Sacrament’s offensive line takes on Ryan Etheridge. Etheridge, the Barons’ senior defensive end/linebacker is on seemingly every tackle. Along with classmate Jordan Edelman, he gives the Barons an incredible core in the front seven to build around. Etheridge had 15 total tackles last week and if Blessed Sacrament wants to get things going on offense, they’ll have to find ways to, at least occasionally, neutralize Etheridge.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Torian Pegram. Pegram rushed for 78 yards on 11 carries last week against Hargrave, and Blessed Sacrament proved they were susceptible to the run against North Cross when they surrendered 143 yards and three touchdowns to Ryan Dent on the ground. If Pegram can get into a groove, it’ll go a long way toward boosting the Barons’ chances.
The line: Blue Ridge by 1. The Barons have to bounce back right now and at home against a Division IV opponent is a good place to start, and Blessed Sacrament has been a little bit inconsistent to start the year. Look for Blue Ridge to capitalize.
