Albemarle (6-2) at Monticello (5-3), 7:30 p.m. Radio: WINA
The basics: Halloween eve with Albemarle coming to Monticello? This one should be fun. This might be the biggest Jefferson District matchup of the season so far as both teams have a lot on the line as far as the playoff ratings go. Then you can throw in two of the area’s most passionate, dynamic student sections that could be decked out in costumes as Halloween is the next day? The atmosphere has the potential to be electric. On the field, the Mustangs have had two inconsistent weeks, as they locked down Orange’s ground game two weeks ago and then couldn’t get off the field against Louisa County’s ground attack. Monticello may have fallen victim to a trap game with Albemarle looming a week out, but it has put some pressure on the Mustangs to finish strong and hold on to a home playoff game by staying in the Region 3A West’s top eight. Albemarle, on the other hand, has a pair of cross-county rivalry games to finish the year in this game and a matchup with Western next week. It’s pretty important for the Patriots to get a win here and put themselves in position to potentially grab a home playoff game or at least avoid an increasingly difficult opponent in the opening round. They looked more in sync offensively against Powhatan, particularly out of the gate outside of an early pick six, but they’re going to need to take care of the ball against a Monticello team that feeds on any swing in momentum when it’s at home. Whatever running back can get on track and keep the chains moving, whether it’s Monticello’s Darian Bates or Albemarle’s Jamal Thompson or Rooney Turay will give their offense a big boost.
Key matchup: Albemarle’s defense takes on the Mustangs’ multi-faceted offense. This is strength on strength Friday as the Patriots’ heady, disciplined defense looks to handle a Monticello offense that can adjust and adapt. The Mustangs have solid receiving options in Seth Weaver and Reid Huffman while Bates can also carry the load at running back like he did two weeks ago against Orange County. The Mustangs should be locked in on this one, and they’ll be looking to make some big plays after suffering the tough loss to Louisa on the road last week. Can they crack a Patriots defense that hasn’t given up more than 21 points all season long though? That’s a tall task.
Who to watch: Both teams’ sophomore quarterbacks, Monticello’s Kevin Jarrell and Albemarle’s J’Quan Anderson. Reputations for young quarterbacks are often forged in games like this. Look at Western’s Kent Henry a couple of years back and his overtime win as a sophomore over the Patriots. Or Monticello’s Jhalil Mosley’s breakout game against the Patriots in 2010, when he unleashed a 61-yard bomb on his first varsity pass in a 35-7 win as a 10th grader. Neither Jarrell nor Anderson need to play outside themselves for their squad to win. They just need to stay patient, minimize mistakes and make a few key plays. Whichever young signal-caller can handle the pressure and keep his team on track will have a tremendous advantage over the opposition. If both quarterbacks handle that task, we could be in for an instant classic.
The line: Push. We don’t push often, but this game is just absolutely dead even. The Mustangs could get the edge because they’re at home, but Albemarle’s defense has just been so strong all year.
Covenant (4-4) at North Cross (5-3), 7 p.m. (at Spartan Stadium in Salem)
The basics: Despite absorbing a 47-23 loss to St. Anne’s-Belfield last week, the Eagles held on to their No. 4 playoff spot in the VISAA’s Division II thanks in part to Blue Ridge handling fifth-place Virginia Episcopal. It seems like that now the Eagles may control their own fate — two wins and they’re likely in the state playoffs for the first time since 2008 especially if STAB beats VES Friday. Beating North Cross won’t be any easy task though, and Randolph Macon looms in the season finale, so Covenant is going to have to play its best football of the season the next two weeks. For the Eagles, that means controlling the clock by maintaining possession and bring the same defensive intensity that helped Covenant make a couple of fourth down stops early against an explosive STAB team. Covenant finished nicely in the fourth quarter despite being down big in the clash with the Saints, if that carries over to this week it’d be a big help as Covenant tries to make a playoff push.
Key matchup: Covenant’s defense takes on a resurgent North Cross passing game. After the Raiders struggled against Blue Ridge, they bounced back against Fuqua behind an explosive three catch, 165-yard, two-touchdown effort by Jordan Lowery at wideout and an efficient an efficient 8-for-10 outing by sophomore replacement quarterback Nariq Bailey. Bailey still threw a pair of picks in the win over Fuqua, so if the Eagles’ secondary can make a big play or two and hand the ball back to their ball control offense, that could swing the game toward Covenant.
Who to watch: Covenant’s seniors. There aren’t many of them, but the Eagles’ seniors like Stephen Wilder, Jamison Steljes and Josh Klein have been a big part of Covenant’s football program for several years. If that group, with some help from their
The line: Covenant by 1. The Eagles need this one in a big way. Look for them to play like they do.
Virginia Episcopal (3-4) at St. Anne’s (5-3), 7 p.m.
The basics: This has some trap game potential, as STAB is coming off a win over Covenant and is poised to square off for a home playoff game in a rivalry tilt with Blue Ridge next week. But the Saints’ key leaders like Jalen Harrison, Kareem Johnson and Campbell Miller have been here before after a state final run in 2014, so they know how to handle these key late season matchups. Of course, STAB is a little banged up, though it’s unclear who’ll return this week to the lineup. That could mean players who haven’t quite taken center stage yet this season like Michael DiGiacomo could need to step up and answer the bell for the Saints. Each year it seems that some relatively unknown player puts together a monster effort in a key win for STAB and they may need that kind of performance this week.
Key matchup: STAB’s defense takes VES’s ground-heavy attack. After facing Covenant’s triple option last week, it’s time for the Saints’ defense to buckle up its collective chin strap and get ready for another ground-and-pound squad. VES has rushed for 1,537 yards while throwing for just 348 on the year. Stuffing George Battle, who’s nearing the 1,000-yard mark, is the key for a Saints defense that was particularly effective against Covenant for the first three quarters.
Who to watch: STAB’s Kareem Johnson. Johnson has drawn a lot of focus from defenses and thus opened things up for other playmakers for the Saints, but last week he got loose with a long screen pass for a touchdown and a big catch down the sideline. Throw in his strip and recovery on the second play of the game with Covenant and it appears that the senior has saved his best play for his last few high school games.
The line: STAB by 14. The Saints have too much talent on the edges for Bishops to contain.
Bluestone (2-6) at Goochland (5-3), 7 p.m.
The basics: Despite three total losses and two that count toward the VHSL ratings, Goochland is in great position to hold on to a key slot in the top four of Region 2A East, which would guarantee two home playoff games if the Bulldogs keep winning. They could even finish as high as No. 2, which would give Goochland three potential home games. That’d be huge for a team that’s pretty banged up right now but could put themselves in a great spot if they can snag two wins here to close the regular season. They turn around and play Prince Edward Monday in essentially back-to-back contests, which could change how the coaching staff approaches things, trying to keep running backs fresh so they can get through this two game swing before a 10-day break prior to the playoffs.
Key matchup: Goochland’s defense tries to stop Darion Butler and Keith Patrick. With Butler on the ground and Patrick catching passes, Bluestone has a couple of effective, reliable playmakers. Can Goochland clamp down on the Barons and keep things moving ahead.
Who to watch: Goochland’s Calvin Martin. Martin is the No. 11 rusher in the area, with 7.8 yards per carry and six touchdowns, giving Goochland’s balanced attack an explosive option. He’s also only carried the ball 67 times which should mean he’s fresh for this stretch run and the playoffs to come. That could prove to be a big advantage for the Bulldogs.
The line: Goochland by 21. Look for the Bulldogs to play classic Goochland football, keep things on the ground and pick up the a win.
Fluvanna County (0-8) at Powhatan (3-5), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Both these squads are hurting right now as Fluvanna is still searching for its first win while Powhatan has suffered a major spate of injuries that prompted coach Jim Woodson to suggest they were looking for an 8-man league to play in. The Indians did manage to beat Charlottesville 20-15 a couple of weeks back but they struggled against Albemarle last week. Fluvanna is coming off a fourth-straight week of surrendering at least 40 points so the defense has to get back on track against an Indians squad that has had its own offensive struggles.
Key matchup: Fluvanna’s offense takes on an opportunistic Powhatan defense. The Indians’ Will Schwartz picked off a screen pass and rushed for a touchdown last week against Albemarle so Powhatan is capable of making some big plays defensively. The Flucos have to take care of the ball in addition to trying to move the chains.
Who to watch: Fluvanna County’s Jay Amos. Amos had a kick return for a touchdown last week against Western Albemarle and has clearly been the Flucos most explosive playmaker this year. Can he make enough dynamic plays to keep Fluvanna within striking distance?
The line: Powhatan by 21. The Indians are banged up but should find a rhythm against the struggling Flucos.
William Campbell (6-3) at Nelson County (1-7), 7 p.m.
The basics: Another week, another tough Dogwood District foe for Nelson County. The Governors have done a solid job of fighting and clawing against another tough slate of games, and they’ll look to continue to improve and make some noise against a William Campbell squad that’s won four of its last five games.
Key matchup: Nelson’s defense takes on Campbell’s Tyrell Slaten. Slaten rushed for 261 yards and three touchdowns against Altavista last week in a big win. Can the Governors bottle up the Generals’ star runner?
Who to watch: Nelson County’s offensive line. While the Governors have struggled to score points, the squad’s group up front has been solid, with three straight games without giving up a sack.
The line: William Campbell by 27. The
Randolph Macon Academy (4-3) at Blue Ridge (6-1), Saturday 2 p.m.
The basics: Blue Ridge put up a huge number against Virginia Episcopal Friday, rolling 51-10 on the road as the Barons have started to realize their potential in the last few weeks. That development has Blue Ridge on a collision course with rival St. Anne’s-Belfield next week, which makes this week’s game a bit of a trap game. Look past Randolph Macon and Blue Ridge could get tripped up. The Barons are playing efficient, focused football right now though, so don’t expect them to look past anyone. With two home games to close the year, Blue Ridge has an excellent opportunity to snag a home playoff game in the state semifinals, but they’ve got to stay focused on the task at hand.
Key matchup: Blue Ridge’s front seven takes on RMA quarterback Peter Blair. Blair scored three first half touchdowns against Massanutten and is a major threat on the ground. Lucky for the Barons he’s running into the teeth of a defense that can be awfully stingy. If Blue Ridge’s linebackers make the right reads and contain Blair, Blue Ridge should be able to neutralize the Jackets’ offense.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Tae Watts is quietly emerging as a solid threat for the Barons in the ground game as he’s averaging 6.13 yards per carry. He’s not a big back, but he’s slippery and it’s tough to get a clean shot on him. He’ll also make defenses pay if they try and focus too much on quarterback Justin Armwood.
The line: Blue Ridge by 21. Barons get rolling in this one and head into the STAB clash at 7-1.
Fork Union (4-4) at Benedictine (7-1), 4 p.m.
The basics: The Blue Devils edged Collegiate after crawling out of a 16-0 hole to win 24-22. That was a must-have victory for FUMA and now the top ranked team in the state, one coming of their first loss of the season at the hands of Woodberry Forest, strolls into Fork Union looking to bounce back. When we say that Fork Union’s defense has to be close to perfect here, we mean it. Benedictine is not messing around. They’ve got toys to play with.
Key matchup: Just like last week, it’s Fork Union’s secondary up against a skilled set of receivers. This time around, the Blue Devils don’t just have to worry about being spread out, it’s about the size and skill that the Cadets have that’s troublesome. Scott Bracey (Duke-bound) is a mobile quarterback, and Donovan Tennyson (Vanderbilt-bound) is explosive. Of course the Cadets don’t mind flexing out Bracey into a receiver position either. FUMA has to slow down this passing game that generates a lot of big plays if they want to keep up.
Who to watch: Fork Union’s Taurus Carroll. He’ll not only be needed in the secondary to try and help match up with Benedictine’s athleticism, the Blue Devils are going to need big plays from him and quarterback Chris Basso on offense in order to keep up in what is likely going to be a high scoring affair — if the history of Benedictine’s schedule means anything.
The line: Benedictine by 17. A great game from running back Adisa Gittens-Smith would help here for FUMA, but the Cadets are pretty solid against the run on defense. Benedictine is ranked as high as they are for a reason.
Buckingham (7-1) at Randolph-Henry (4-4), 7 p.m.
The basics: Go figure, a week after Buckingham rolls through three opponents in eight days, they get a bye week. The Knights got a chance to ice the bruises they accumulated and get some well deserved rest to try and finish of the rest of their regular season. Winners of seven straight, Buckingham gets a Randolph-Henry team that’s improved from years past, but has not been able to beat any of the big players in the James River District, with losses to Central Lunenburg, Goochland and Amelia making up three of their four losses. Buckingham has beaten all four by double digits and its victories over Central and Amelia were nothing short of laughers. Coming off a bye, that’s bad news for the Statesmen, even if they’ve won two in a row.
Key matchup: The “Knight set” offense against the Statesmen defensive front. Until teams stop it, Buckingham is all too happy to line it up tight in a goalline-like formation and jam the ball down its opponents throats. The offensive linemen love this scheme. The running backs love this scheme. This is old fashioned football and what the Knights have done in this set is sustain demoralizing, long physical drives that allow its speedy backs to break open long runs later in the game. If the Statesmen can’t slow this scheme down, Buckingham is going to simply roll. This offense can be more diverse, but it doesn’t have to be because so far, only one team has shown capable of matching up against it and that was way back in week one in Appomattox, one of the top teams in the state.
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Rajheem Holman. The Knights are going to fly behind running back, Leon Ragland and quarterback B.J. Gough, everyone knows that — but as the playoffs loom, look for this offense to try and find a way to not only keep the tread on the tire for its two vaunted runners, but also to create some wrinkles, dole out some experience. Holman has moves, don’t be surprised if he gets a chance to shine a bit in this one.
The line: Buckingham by 14. The Knights were so good in that 8-day 3-game stretch one can only imagine what they’ll look like when they’ve had two weeks to prepare, get rested.
Western Albemarle (7-1) at Charlottesville (3-5), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: Two teams with two different outlooks right now. The Warriors fared fine with Sam Hearn on the sidelines against the Flucos last week, which was important. Charlottesville fell to Orange County in a game where they were explosive, but struggled with turnovers and the Hornets’ physical ground game. The Black Knights are out of the playoffs and will be looking to finish the year strong and gear up for a solid 2016 season as they are young all over. Western, on the other hand, is looking to pick up the win and get healthy as it gears up for its postseason. It’s two most productive players, Hearn and running back Oliver Herndon have both been concussed this year. Keeping those two fresh is key heading into November.
Key matchup: Western’s defensive line against the Charlottesville triple-option. The Black Knights are the only team running this scheme in the JD, so it takes some preparing, but it’s not all too different from getting ready for Louisa County’s single wing as both offenses demand responsibility, assignment football from the defense. The Warriors are big up front, they over match most of the offensive lines they face. If they play methodically here against this offense, they’ll get their chances in the back field. They looked good against the Lions. A strong showing here could help them get ready for the unknowns that rest ahead in the coming weeks.
Who to watch: The running back duel. Herndon is second in the area in rushing behind Buckingham’s Leon Ragland. Charlottesville’s Rashad Brock is as talented as any back in the area, but he doesn’t have the numbers in terms of carries to be at that forefront statistically. That’s part of the sacrifice that comes with a triple option offense, but there’s no question that Brock is as hard to bring down as any back in the JD. Look for these two to showcase their abilities. We’ve seen these two programs put up great shootout games before. It will be interesting to see if one back gets hot if the other offense can get their guy going.
The line: Western by 10. Charlottesville’s turnover struggles hurt here as Western seems to have kicked that bug of their own that made things harder than they needed to be early in the season. The Warriors have a little too much upfront on defense and an offense that’s awfully diverse.
St. Christopher’s (5-3) at Woodberry (6-2), Saturday, 2 p.m.
The basics: The Saints fell to Trinity Episcopal last week, but not without a fight. The Tigers went on the road and beat the top ranked VISAA Division 1 school in Benedictine with an explosive second half effort on both offense and defense. Were it not for an iffy Benedictine special teams touchdown, things might not have been so close. The Saints have lost to Benedictine and Trinity, both teams the Tigers have handled. With that said though, St. Chris has some weapons on offense that the Tigers can’t take lightly.
Key matchup: The Woodberry pass rush against St. Chris quarterback, Jeb Bemiss. If St. Chris is going to make this a game, it’ll be because of Bemiss and a receiving corps that has a bit of depth to it. Bemiss can move around, make throws and take care of the ball as he has just four interceptions in 109 passing attempts. The Tigers aren’t enormous up front, but they’ve got speed and they’ve got scheme. Look for Lionel Johnson and the crew upfront to try and make things tough on the Saints signal caller. If they do, they’ll be well on the path to victory, because as we well know by now, Woodberry’s offense isn’t slowing down for anyone right now.
Who to watch: Tigers quarterback Lindell Stone. We think, in all fairness, we should explain to you exactly what it is that Woodberry does. For instance, if St. Chris scores, Stone is going to come out nice and early, take a walk on the field and crack this defense wide open. And when he comes out on the next drive, if St. Chris doesn’t have an answer, he’ll crack this defense wide open again. And again. And again. The numbers don’t lie, 2,643 passing yards, multiple 400-yard games. Zach Roderick and Terrell Jana at receiver. St. Chris has to put Stone’s receivers to sleep or Stone puts the Saints’ home playoff chances to sleep.
The line: Woodberry by 13. The Tigers stick with the game plan, pour on the points through the air.
William Monroe (1-7) at Culpeper County (4-4), 7 p.m.
The basics: The Dragons weren’t able to string two-in-row together after their win over Madison as they fell to a surging Central Woodstock team, 44-12, last week. The Blue Devils have won two of their last three including a 14-point win over Manassas Park on the road last week. This Culpeper team has played some pretty good squads and they’ve gone up against one physical group after another, so they’ll be ready for Monroe’s solid ground game in terms of mindset. Monroe’s defense has to be better than it’s been these last two weeks in order to churn out a win here.
Key matchup: The Dragons secondary against quarterback Hunter Crim. The Blue Devils like to work the ball around the field, and as such, they’ve been prone to turnovers. They had four last week. Monroe’s secondary has to be able to turn those mistakes into points the way that the Cougars did last week, because were it not for that, Culpeper would have simply plowed past Manassas with ease, and it’s not like they had too much trouble in the first place. We’ve been waiting for the Monroe defense that showed up against Clarke County and Warren County to resurface after it’s offense found a bit of a surge in that Madison game. Here against this team, the Dragons need both, but have to have its defense create turnovers no matter what.
Who to watch: Monroe receiver Tyler Trevillian. Malik Mallory, Ben Sizemore and Malique Shackleford spearhead the rushing attack, and Monroe wants to run the ball. Their opportunity to get the ball downfield will present itself and Shackleford needs to get Trevillian involved when he can to help break up the stacked defense the Blue Devils will likely present. To run the ball well when everyone knows its coming, you have to occasionally take the top of the defense off, and Trevillian can do that for Monroe.
The line: Culpeper by 7. The Blue Devils have been in one close game after another against a pretty solid schedule. Monroe has to be able to shore things up defensively to keep this one close.
Louisa County (4-4) at Orange County (5-3), 7:30 p.m.
The basics: You have to go back to 2011 since the “Battle for the Gordonsville Tastee-Freeze” had this much meaning. That was of course the Lions season opener with the Hornets after the earthquake that rocked Mineral. You have to go back to 2008 since Orange has come out on top in this rivalry. But as it stands now, you have two teams playing for the right to play in November, and two teams that have a lot in common in terms of make up. Louisa picked up a huge win over Monticello last week. Orange hung on against Charlottesville in a sloppy game for both teams. Thank the schedule for this one because there is a lot on the line in this matchup. A win cements a playoff spot for either, and sets up the possibility for a first round home game should the winner go on to prevail in week 10. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves here, this is about county pride. This is about two teams that run the ball well. This is about a border battle. This is a great October football matchup here.
Key matchup: Orange County’s defensive line against the Lions misdirection game. It’s easy to identify, but Louisa has down a really nice job of making things tough on teams this last month. You can’t just key in on Job Whalen. You have to stay at home and make sure he’s got the ball and it’s not Malik Bell, RaQuan Jones and so on. The Lions have runners and they are a nice mix of both physical and athletic. The Hornets slowed down Charlottesville’s run game, particularly up the middle, which is a good sign for them. But they have to be better on the edge where the Black Knights picked up the bulk of their yardage.
Who to watch: Hornets running back Trevon Smith. With DeAngelo Hunt missing last week, Smith had to carry the load and did a nice job of it. We’ve seen these two split carries most of the way, almost perfectly evenly, so it was good to see Smith not wear down. Actually, he only got stronger as the game went on. Orange is a better team when both are available, and they’d love to have both to keep Louisa’s offense on the sidelines as Monticello coach Jeff Lloyd put it nicely “Louisa played defense by playing offense” last week. When the Lions go on those long drives, they aren’t just scoring. Smith needs to be as he was last week, and the addition of Hunt would only help if he’s available.
The line: Louisa by 1. Winners of seven straight in this rivalry, you can’t exactly pick against them until they lose. But they’ve also won two of three against three really good teams and played great defense in those wins.
Madison County (2-6) at George Mason (5-3), 7 p.m.
The basics: Tough break for the Mountaineers as they face what, in years past, is usually a win a on the schedule. The Mustangs are having a breakout season, and doing it with their offense. Madison’s defense played really well in against Strasburg but couldn’t get it done on the other side of the ball in an 8-7 loss to Strasburg. Mason is coming off a 56-42 win over Warren County. Can Madison get the offense that played against Monroe to lineup with the defense that played against Strasburg? That’d be a huge help. With Mason scoring more that 20 in six games and more than 55 in three games, there’s not a lot of wiggle room here for Madison.
Key matchup: Madison’s front seven against the Mason three-headed monster of Hunter Sulc, Dustin Greeen and D’Montaie Noble. The Achilles’ heel for Madison so far has been against the run up the middle. The Mustangs are going to go to that well as often as they can and the Mountaineers need to shore things up in the middle and tackle as a team to try and slow down this equal opportunity offense down. Jake Price and Gabe Farmer are leading the way in tackles but they need help behind them to help win this battle.
Who to watch: Madison’s Chris Smith. The Mountaineers quarterback could have Dre Twyman back this week which is a huge bonus. But even if Twyman is out, Smith needs to help out his running back, Isaiah Smith with the rushing load while also working in big tight end Dylan Breeden. If Madison is going to win this game it’ll be because Smith works the ball around to his targets in the passing game, picks up some yards himself and then Isiah Smith does his usual thing. Madison needs to be clicking on all cylinders in this one, especially on the road.
The line: Mason by 9. The Mustangs’ offense hits Madison in a week spot.
