Fork Union (0-1) at Goochland (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: We don’t get to see an elite area private school squad lock up with an elite public school squad very often, which makes Friday night’s clash between Goochland and Fork Union an intriguing part of the slate. Goochland is clearly looking for an extreme challenge before entering a James River District schedule that will feature some inconsistent competition, and FUMA fits the bill. Fork Union, which broke character last week in a blowout loss to Georgetown Prep and ran the ball just six times, will try to bounce back and establish an identity.
Key matchup: Goochland’s corners take on a battalion of wideouts for Fork Union. The Bulldogs have some depth and playmakers like Zakell Johnson in the secondary. But contending with speedy, tall wideouts like Jay Gafford, Austin Stone and Michael Guerci won’t be easy.
Who to watch: Goochland quarterback Cody Johnson. He threw for 210 yards last week, a total coach Joe Fowler reports is almost surely the most the Wing-T heavy Bulldogs have thrown for in his entire tenure. A little diversity to the offense should make Goochland that much tougher to control.
The line: FUMA by 3. Goochland will get what they’re looking for and rise to the test against the Blue Devils, but FUMA should come away victorious.
Woodberry Forest (0-0) at Benedictine (1-1) 4 p.m.
The basics: Woodberry jumps into the season with a road clash with one of the five Virginia teams left on the Tigers’ increasingly diverse and out-of-state heavy schedule. Woodberry strolled past Benedictine last year 41-7 and with a seasoned defense back in the fold, the Tigers should get off to a quick start in 2011. Still, the Tigers will have to overcome the loss of quarterback Jacob Rainey, who suffered a devastating, gruesome leg injury in last Saturday’s scrimmage. Rainey was still in the hospital in Fairfax as of Thursday afternoon. Benedictine crushed Paul VI last week and boasts Virginia Tech commitment Nigel Williams on the defensive line, but this will be a far different test, depending on the Tigers’ mindset coming into the contest.
Key matchup: Woodberry’s relentless pass rush versus Benedictine quarterback Davis Geary. If the Tigers can get to Geary and apply pressure early — and with Rogers Clark, Doug Randolph and Nate Ripper in the mix they’ve certainly got the ability to — the Cadets’ signal-caller could have a long day.
Who to watch: Woodberry’s Heys McMath. The junior signal-caller was set to split time with Rainey at the quarterback position — both are big-time college prospects. But Rainey’s injury will thrust the weight of the offense onto McMath, and there aren’t many better to take it on. McMath proved his moxie last year, piloting the Woodberry offense as the starter in the last installment of the monumental Woodberry/Episcopal rivalry.
The line: Woodberry Forest by 7. The Tigers are fully reloaded and should get off on the right foot on the road, despite Rainey’s condition.
Flint Hill (0-0) at Covenant (0-2), 4 p.m.
The basics: The Eagles had a rough one for their home opener last week by playing host to Christchurch. After being shutout by the Seahorses, Covenant is still looking for its first touchdown of the the first half as all of its 18 points scored against Fredericksburg Christian were attained in the fourth quarter. Last year the Eagles opened with Flint Hill in a wild game that saw 35 fourth quarter points with the Huskies coming out on top. Covenant has a chance to get the ball rolling against this Flint Hill defense.
Key matchup: Covenant’s pass rush versus Flint Hill quarterback Andy Rehberger. The Huskies have a 3-year starting senior QB in Rehberger and he’s got senior wide receivers to target. There’s no question that the Eagles have to shore up their defense against the run, but if they sell out against it, Flint Hill has the experience and personnel to really exploit that.
Who to watch: Covenant’s Brady Doyle. The junior had a 27-yard run at the end of the game against Christchurch standing in at quarterback. A baseball standout, Doyle’s got size and an arm and some wheels to go with it. How coach Dave Rocco winds up using him from week to week could be interesting.
The line: Flint Hill by 3. The Huskies have 29 players back from last year and bring back the their talent at both the line of scrimmage and skill positions. Expect improvement from Covenant after last week though.
Prince Edward (0-2) at Buckingham (1-0), 7 p.m.
The basics: Buckingham got into a shootout in week zero against Appomattox and proved it can win a high-scoring contest. And with Tarian Ayers, the only senior quarterback in the area who’s started since his freshman year, triggering the attack, the Knights should be able to pile up points. The defense is still a bit of a work in progress, but it likely won’t show against a Prince Edward team that fell to Buckingham’s James River District foe Cumberland last week.
Key matchup: Buckingham’s fresh crop of linebackers track Prince Edward quarterback Davon Adams. With the graduation of Michael Layman and Maurice Taylor, the Knights had a couple of holes to fill at linebacker and that can show against a dual threat like Adams. Expect Tariq Bartee to take control at that spot.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Kyree Koonce. The freshman tailback can take off, as evidenced by his 69-yard touchdown against Appomattox and a 95-yard screen pass catch and run in a scrimmage with Buffalo Gap. If Koonce gets loose once or twice, it’s going to be a long night for Prince Edward.
The line: Buckingham by 14. Knights kick into fifth gear with sizeable win over Prince Edward.
Virginia Episcopal (1-0) at St. Anne’s-Belfield (0-1), 7 p.m.
The basics: This just isn’t a good draw for Virginia Episcopal. St. Anne’s-Belfield has proven in the past that early losses usually don’t define the Saints, and getting STAB a week after a late-game loss to Bishop Sullivan is going to make life tough on VES. The Saints should bounce back in a huge way against a VES team that started the season well with a 34-15 over Carlisle. It won’t be a walkover though — VES has revamped the roster and added some serious athletes like Ronnie Stringfield at running back. They also return Martin Owens, an honorable mention all-state honoree in 2010.
Key matchup: VES’s front seven versus STAB tailback Branford Rogers. Rogers is slippery, quick and tough to bring down Is VES’s front up to the challenge?
Who to watch: STAB freshman quarterback Jake Allen. Allen played admirably in a less-than-ideal situation for a ninth grader making his first starter—an old-fashioned shootout. If Allen continues to give the Saints consistent, solid play, STAB should get back on track quickly.
The line: St. Anne’s by 14. Expect the Saints to bounce back in a big way against VES.
Colonial Forge (1-0) at Albemarle (0-2) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Albemarle High has been through a brutal couple of weeks to open the season, and it won’t get any easier this week with Colonial Forge as the Patriots’ Commonwealth District opener. Forge boasts a strong defense and can pile up points fast too, having jumped out to a 21-6 lead at the break in its opener against Forest Park. Look out for speedy back Trey Reed and rugged lineman/linebacker combo Quinton Winters.
Key matchup: Albemarle and its own psyche. The Patriots are just two weeks into things, but they’ve been through a stomach-punch loss against a county rival and a frustrating blowout against another rival. Albemarle would be well-served to hold things together and stay the course, because while the win-loss column hasn’t showed it yet, this is a much-improved Patriots squad.
Who to watch: Albemarle’s Timmy Aker. Aker’s consistent hands have been a bright spot over the past two weeks. The Patriots have to get better protection up front in order for Lee Carneal to get the ball out to Aker in space.
The line: Colonial Forge by 7. Very tough Commonwealth opener for a reeling Albemarle squad.
Midlothian (0-1) at Powhatan (1-0) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Powhatan’s tough schedule continues with Midlothian, a Group AAA Dominion District squad that went 4-6 in 2010. Powhatan is trying to get back on track after a lopsided loss to Grafton. Midlothian fell to King George last week, so expect the Indians to find a little more rhythm this Friday.
Key matchup: Powhatan’s defensive front takes on a seasoned Midlothian line. Powhatan’s front will need to play big-time football against a Midlothian team that returns four starters up front.
Who to watch: Powhatan’s Ray Brown. Sure, he was the guy last week, but after a 94-yard kick return for a touchdown in a tough loss against Grafton for Powhatan, Brown’s got to be the guy again. Brown is electric and if he gets into open space, he’s awfully tough to bring down.
The line: Powhatan by 14. The Indians get back on track after last week’s slip-up against Grafton.
Liberty (Bealton) (2-0) at Western Albemarle (1-0) 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Western got a week to recover and reset after a thrilling, emotional victory over archrival Albemarle, but now it’s going to have to eliminate mistakes against a Liberty Bealton squad that’s picking up a head of steam already after two lopsided victories over Potomac Falls and Park View. This should be a solid test for the Warriors as sophomore Kent Henry gets his second start of his career after a stirring outing against the Patriots.
Key matchup: Western’s front seven battling Bealton’s rushing attack led by Aristotle Howard. Howard had 216 yards and five total touchdowns, four of them on the ground, in week one. He followed that with 128 yards and a pair of touchdowns against Park View last week. Plus, Anthony Budd can move the ball too. Western’s front seven will have to strap it up tight in order to hang with Liberty Friday.
Who to watch: Western Albemarle’s Austin Ellis. Ellis had 13 tackles in week zero’s thrilling victory over Albemarle High, but he and the rest of the Western Albemarle linebackers like Tommy Mullin will have their hands full with the Liberty Bealton ground game.
The line: Liberty by 10. Western Albemarle should be able to give Bealton a challenge and have a chance in the fourth quarter, but success on the ground should tilt the result to Liberty.
Fluvanna County (1-1) at Spotsylvania (0-1), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: After taking down Prince Edward to open up with a run, Fluvanna was rolled by a Goochland offense that imposed its will on the ground and in the air. The Flucos also struggled with turnovers, which only made matters worse. Spotsylvania comes in after giving up 41 points to Washington & Lee in its first game.
Key matchup: The Knights secondary versus Flucos quarterback Austin Foster. Logan Walls can run the ball, and Fluvanna’s got athletes that can catch. If a shaky Spotsy defense wants to excel against the Flucos, they’re going to have to force turnovers and picking on a young quarterback is smartest way to go about that. If Foster can manage the game and keep from giving the Knights a short field, Fluvanna will have the edge in this game.
Who to watch: Fluvanna wide receiver YaYa Anderson. Just a pure athlete, Anderson provided the lone score for his team last week on a catch in the endzone from Austin Foster and finished with 75 yards on four catches. If the Flucos can target him twice as often, Spotsylvania could be in trouble. It’s awfully defend against Anderson’s skill.
The line: Fluvanna by 3. The Flucos turn it around.
Courtland (1-1) at Louisa County (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Despite losing just about its entire team to graduation and welcoming in a new coach, Louisa County looked just like it did last year against an athletic Orange County team. The Lions’ offense has balance, explosiveness and a downhill runner that should put fear in all defenses in Andre Mealy. Courtland is coming in licking its wounds after getting beaten up on by Massaponax. Louisa should get an added bonus from the stands. Former coach Mark Fischer and his team are making a trip up to the game as they look to help the community in the aftermath of the earthquake. Click here to hear more about it.
Key matchup: The Cougars linebackers versus fullback J.D. Dennis. Kudos to Louisa Coach John Meeks for being creative with Dennis. The massive senior was creating gaping holes upfield for all the Louisa runners to enjoy. If Spotsylvania’s defense can’t keep Dennis from getting 10-15 yards upfield and plowing through the defense, it’s going to be a rough outing.
Who to watch: Louisa quarteback Zack Jackson. The junior looked really sharp in his first start under center. He throws a nice ball, runs well and looked really comfortable in the offense. His abilities make it really hard for defenses to zero in on one thing, especially with a set of wide receivers like Lorenzo Henson, Peanut Johnson and another big specimen in Matt Cook.
The line: Louisa by 10. The Lions have that angry look and they’re going to enjoy another home game in front of their fans.
Culpeper County (0-1) at Orange County (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Both Orange and Culpeper’s defenses are coming into this matchup looking to stop the bleeding. While the Hornets took their lumps in the form of giving up 430 yards on the ground to Louisa County, the Blue Devils watched Fauquier put up 384 yards of offense split almost evenly between the run and pass. The bright spot for Orange was that in the second half of its game against Louisa, the Hornets offense showed signs of the usual electric play that the school has been notorious for in years past.
Key matchup: Orange’s run defense against Culpeper running back Joshua Frye and quarterback Zach Crimm. The Hornets have to look sharper than they did against Louisa back Andre Mealy and quarterback Zach Jackson before they head into Commonwealth District play.
Who to watch: Hornets quarterback Eric Washington. The sophomore certainly took a baptism by fire last week, but he managed to finish the first half strong with a late touchdown pass and had a second half as he worked the ball around to his receivers. He’s going to need to be careful against Culpeper’s secondary as the Blue Devils nabbed three picks last week, but just weren’t able to do much with it.
The line: Orange by 7. The Hornets should rebound nicely here and they were awfully banged up coming into the Louisa game. Expect the defense to shoulder more of the load this week.
Broadway (2-0) at William Monroe (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The original slated matchup for Dragonfest shapes up to be a solid one. Monroe is coming in after a big win over Spotswood that sends a message to the members of the Bull Run District elite — Clarke County, Madison County and Manassas Park. In Broadway the Dragons will have their hands full as the Gobblers dismantled a Millbrook team that’s made the Region II playoffs in back-to-back seasons.
Key matchup: Monroe’s offensive line versus Broadway’s defensive front. The Gobblers held Millbrook to under 100 yards rushing last week and -27 yards in the first half. The Dragons are a run happy team with a bruiser in running back Doug Sizemore, but he’s going to need holes to run through for his team to improve to 3-0 and set up play action and the passing attack.
Who to watch: Dragons quarterbacks Jack Morris and Michael Knight. By now its well known fact that Monroe is content on hammering away with the run. Can Morris and/or Knight sell the passing game to exploit eight and nine men in the box or make it so Broadway won’t want to crowd the line of scrimmage?
The line: Monroe by 3. The Dragons pull out another hard fought win in front of an appreciative crowd in its new surroundings.
Madison County (1-1) at Strasburg (2-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: This was supposed to be a bye week for the Mountaineers, but the dropping of football at Rappahannock forced Madison find a fix. Here it is. The Mountaineers bounced back after their tough week one road loss by beating Luray by 23 points in all facets of the game.
Who to watch: Madison running back LJ Ward. When you carry the ball 13 times and almost hit the 200-yard mark, you’ve earned the attention of the next defense you face. One thing that is clear so far for coach Stuart Dean’s team − he’s got depth at running back with Logan Carptener having a big first week and Ward just exploding in week two.
Key matchup: The Mountaineers’ offensive line versus Strasburg’s defensive line. The Rams’ defensive front had a big day in its week two throttling of Page County. Madison has to give quarterback Dustin Farmer some time because when he has it, good things are happening for this offense as the Mountaineers have exposed the coverage thrown to its receivers so far.
The line: Madison by 4. Strasburg looks better than the sub .500 team they were last year, but beating the Mountaineers is a lot tougher than beating Page or Stonewall Jackson (Quicksburg).
Riverheads (1-0) at Nelson (0-2), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: The Governors have a tough task as they search for their first win of the season. After losing its season opener last year, Riverheads beat Nelson en route to a 13-game winning streak capped with a Group A championship. Rodrell Smith and Tyler Vest have had their moments in Nelson’s two losses, but they need a little more help.
Key matchup: Nelson’s defensive line versus Riverheads offensive line. This one is pretty straight forward, the Gladiators are a running team. They pack the line tight, load up with tight ends and get the ball moving down hill. If Nelson can’t penetrate, Riverheads will take control of this game quickly and keep running until they’re given a reason not to.
Who to watch: Governors lineman William Morris. The senior is the biggest players on the field for Nelson at 6-foot-3 and 285 pounds. If he can be the cog in the middle and soak up more than one blocker, that opens holes for his fellow linemen and linebackers to fill the gaps.
The line: Riverheads by 7. Tough matchup for Nelson, but it should provide a significant test for rests ahead in the Dogwood District.
George Wythe (0-0) at Monticello (1-0), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: A chance for the Mustangs to pick up another Group AAA win which should help them pile up the points in the playoff standings. Wythe has struggled in previous years, winning just two games last season and none the year before that. It’s tough to know what to expect from the Richmond based squad as this is their season opener. That’s a big advantage for the Mustangs as they’ve already got four solid quarters of play under their belt.
Key matchup: Monticello’s linebacking corps against the run. The Mustangs defensive line had its moments last week, the secondary looks like it’s going to have its moments all year. If the middle of the defense continues to play well, the overall defensive product should be vastly improved from last year.
Who to watch: Mustangs safety TJ Tillery. He’s only a sophomore, but Tillery is already establishing himself as one of the area’s most exciting defensive backs. He’s only going to get better. The way he plays the middle of the field dicates a lot of what opposing offenses can do.
The line: Monticello by 9. Back-to-back Group AAA wins has this team out to the start they were looking for.
Blue Ridge (0-0) at Hargrave (0-0) Saturday 2 p.m.
The basics: Orlando Patterson opens up his career as the Blue Ridge head coach with a road clash against Hargrave. Hargrave has struggled in recent years, but Tigers coach David Tavenner seems to have the program headed in the right direction and Hargrave’s diverse offense will challenge Blue Ridge with a lot of different formations.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge running back Mayn Francisco. On a team with a number of unknowns, Francisco is a known quantity, a reliable solid running back who can carry the ground attack. Expect Blue Ridge to lean on the senior tailback.
Key matchup: Blue Ridge’s revamped offensive line takes on a quick and imposing Hargrave defensive line. The Barons are replacing a number of key linemen and Hargrave has two tough defensive players in the trenches in Markez Newkirk and Nigel Cathan.
The line: Blue Ridge by 3. This one is a really tough call, but Francisco should give the Barons a foundation.
