WHAN Radio/RVA Sports Network Game of The Week: Atlee (2-3) at #12 Lee-Davis (4-1), 6:30pm, 102.9 FM/1430 AM, online by CLICKING HERE, and on TuneIn Radio App on "Radiall":
The Raiders begin the second half of the season tied for 15th in a 5A North Region where the top sixteen teams make the postseason, but several teams are just behind them on the outside looking in. Atlee must cut down on the mistakes, and missed opportunities, that doomed their 41-10 loss Monday at home against #5 Highland Springs. After a relatively easy first half, the Confederates begin a rugged stretch where three of the last five opponents currently have a combined record of 14-2 (Highland Springs, Henrico, Patrick Henry). The defense that plays best likely wins.
NBC12 Game Of The Week: Louisa (5-0) at Powhatan (5-0), 7:30pm: The best atmosphere this Friday night will likely reside just off Route 60 in Powhatan in a battle of unbeatens. It's a series that most people outside of the two counties represented don't realize just how much this game means to the combatants. The Lions currently top the eight-team sub-region of Conferences 19 and 20 in 4A East, with Dinwiddie just behind and Powhatan just behind them. Even if Louisa wins, there's no guarantee they will hold off the Generals for the top spot, as Dinwidde eyes a win over a 6A district rival, which yields four more points than the defeat of a 4A team.
#1 Manchester (5-0) at Midlothian (2-4), 7:30pm: The Lancers look to keep the success of the first half of the season into their second half, while the Trojans harbor hopes of an upset and, with it, a chance to jump into the top eight in 4A East, Conferences 19 and 20. A Midlothian win, coupled with a Chancellor win over Courtland, would do just that. But it's a very tall order, as Frank Boyd and company look to continue to build on their lead atop the 6A South eight-team sub-region standings of Conferences 3 and 4.
#7 Thomas Dale (4-1) at #2 Dinwiddie (5-0), 7pm: A classic Central District battle looms large this season. Can anyone slow Dinwiddie's offense down enough to stay in a game with them? So far, the answer has been no. But the Knights will, arguably, give them their toughest test yet. Remember, the Knights won this match-up in both 2014 and 2015. Bryce Witt and company haven't defeated Thomas Dale, the Generals' last win in this rivalry coming in the 4A State Championship season of 2013. The play of Witt, along with the Generals' defense, will be key to this one.
(#3 L.C. Bird (5-1) is idle....)
#4 Hermitage (4-1) at Deep Run (3-2), 7pm: It's Homecoming for the Wildcats, but there's no cupcake opponent coming in. The Panthers have won four straight after their opening night loss to Highland Springs. Their offense has hit overdrive, and their defense is becoming more opportunistic. The last "close" contest in this series was a 19-0 shutout win for Hermitage six years ago. Deep Run last defeated Hermitage in 2006, and own just two wins in school history over the Panthers. They first played in 2003, the year Deep Run opened.
Hanover (1-4) at #5 Highland Springs (4-1), 7pm: The Springers look for their third straight win, and fifth straight over the struggling Hawks, whose ten-year postseason streak is in serious jeopardy, having to still play the Springers, plus Lee-Davis, Varina, and Henrico. The Hawks must find some offensive, as opposing defenses have bottled up quarterback Clayton Cheatham, denying him the running game and forcing Hanover to rely on an air attack hampered all season by injuries. Juwan Carter threw three of Highland Springs' four touchdown passes Monday in their win at Atlee. He'll look to do more of the same at Kreiter Stadium.
#6 Douglas Freeman (5-0) at Glen Allen (0-5), 7pm: Another tough hill to climb for the winless Jaguars this week as Tanner Dobrucky and the Rebels come in this week, looking to stay unbeaten. Their weaker schedule in the Colonial District cost them the top spot in 5A South Central this past week as L.C. Bird's win over then 5-0 Monacan gave them an abundance of extra VHSL rider points, and now, the slight edge for the #1 seed. But the Rebels can't control those things; they will worry about taking care of what they can control, and that will be the rest of the Colonial District. Their toughest challenges, Mills Godwin and Hermitage, come at the end of the regular season. For Glen Allen, there are winnable games still ahead on the schedule. They'll look for as many positives tonight as possible, maybe even the unexpected upset.
Georgetown Prep (3-1) at #8 Benedictine (4-0), Saturday, 1pm: The Cadets look to stay unbeaten, but the "Little Hoyas" will present a very big test, their only loss coming by a point to Gonzaga of Washington, DC on September 17th. Common opponent? Bishop O'Connell, which both teams defeated by similar scores (30-7 GP, 36-7 Benedictine). A win here clears the way for the Cadets to, if they take care of business, to control their destiny in the VISAA Division I playoff race. No one else in Division I is currently unbeaten.
#9 Patrick Henry (5-0) at Varina (2-3), 7pm: These two teams have only met once this century: last year with the Blue Devils victorious. Before that, they last met in the 1999 Central Region playoffs with the Blue Devils winning. This game has a simple formula: a much improved Patriot defense must contain C.J. Jones and the rest of the Varina offense. Even with their recent struggles, every coach will tell you, it's hard to win at Varina. Lee-Davis couldn't do it two weeks ago for their lone defeat. And with Varina now on the outside looking in in the 5A South Central playoff race, they need a victory. That's dangerous for Patrick Henry. But the Patriots have had a normal week of practice, while Varina has had to quickly turn from a 21-0 loss at Henrico to try to figure out the complex Patrick Henry offense. A good game for Travious Tyler bodes well for the Patriots.
James River (3-2) at #10 Monacan (5-1), 7:30pm: After losing their first game Monday at L.C. Bird, badly, one of two things can happen with the Chiefs. They can come out firing on all cylinders to leave the experience behind and move on, or they can have a short week hangover, which would give the Rapids a chance to pull off the win. Remember, James River gave #1 Manchester all they wanted the week after the Lancers knocked off the Skyhawks before falling by just seven points, and the Rapids are in the thick of their 6A South Region playoff race. Just about anything could happen in this game. The winner will reap a lot of benefits in their fight for the postseason. Syour Fludd of Monacan and Jack Dash of James River have combined for 26 touchdowns and just five interceptions this season. Secondaries are going to get a workout tonight.
#11 Henrico (4-1) at Armstrong 0-5), 7pm: The Warriors look to continue building a new winning streak coming off their 21-0 win over Varina, finally vanquishing the Blue Devils on Monday evening. The Wildcats are struggling mightily and may not be able to find a win this season as they must continue to face the gauntlet that is the Capital District.
Meadowbrook (3-2) at Hopewell (3-2), 7:30pm: Merner Field should be a fun place Friday with two teams with some similarities, and some definite differences. The biggest difference has been the trajectory of the Monarchs, looking for their fourth straight win, versus the uneven results Hopewell has experienced this season, unable to put a big streak together, with battles still to come with Thomas Dale and Matoaca. How healthy is Cameren Hill? He's passed for nearly 500 yards and five touchdowns, but also four interceptions.
J.R. Tucker (0-5) at Mills Godwin (3-2), 7pm: Mills Godwin running back Wesley Dugger has a thousand-yard season, in just five games. Can he keep the mojo going against a Tiger defense that has allowed 30+ points in four of their five games this season? With the Eagles now in the top eight in 5A South Central, they'll do everything possible to win and keep the Varinas and Matoacas at bay.
OTHER GAMES:
Fork Union (1-4) at St. Christopher's (2-2), 3:30pm
Collegiate (2-1) at Woodberry Forest (3-1), 3:30pm
John Marshall (1-4) at Thomas Jefferson (2-3), 4pm
George Wythe (1-4) at Clover Hill (0-5), 7:30pm
Huguenot (1-5) at Cosby (3-2), 7:30pm
Petersburg (2-3) at Matoaca (2-3), 7pm
Colonial Heights (0-5) at Prince George (2-3), 7pm
Buckingham (1-5) at Goochland (5-0), 7pm
Jamestown (0-5) at New Kent (3-2), 7pm
Charles City (1-4) at King William (2-3), 7pm
No comments:
Post a Comment