(#1 Highland Springs, #10 Douglas Freeman, Hermitage, Charles City have byes)
Dinwiddie (3-3) at #2 Hopewell (6-0), 7pm: The Blue Devils are playing even better than they did in their playoff run that ended with a Class 3 State Championship back in 2017. Treveyon Henderson is the early front runner for top player honors in the area, with 24 touchdowns in six games, an insane average of four touchdowns per game. While Matoaca and Prince George are still ahead, we believe it is the Generals of Dinwiddie who may have the best shot at ruining Hopewell's perfect regular season. They've won two straight, evening their record, but, more importantly, leaping back into the top eight in Region 4B, in sixth place Patrick Henry, Monacan and even #3 Spotsylvania all within their sights. For once, Dinwiddie needs this to be a more defensive affair. If Henderson gets warmed up, watch out.
#3 Manchester (5-1) at Midlothian (1-5), 7pm: The Lancers get back to work after losing the 16-0 halftime lead last Friday against Highland Springs. For Manchester, it's look to win four straight to end the regular season 9-1 and earn as high a playoff berth in Region 5B as possible. For the Trojans, it's their last best chance to get an upset win and, with it, tons of bonus points in the VHSL point system, reviving their faint postseason hopes. A 4-6 team won't make the playoffs in Region 5B, so, for Midlothian, it's time to throw the kitchen sink into the game plan. The Lancers still have Powhatan, L.C. Bird and Cosby ahead.
Henrico (4-3) at #4 Varina (6-1), 7pm: Henrico wins last week, and still drops out of the top eight in Region 5B thanks to Clover Hill's win over L.C. Bird. This only reinforces how critical it is for teams in the 17-team gauntlet of a region to collect all the wins you can. By contrast, the top four seeds in 5B are separating themselves from the rest of the pack, as Varina, the #4 seed now, is currently 2.5 points ahead of #5 Prince George, three points up on #6 Douglas Freeman. As Varina head coach Stu Brown noted on the RVA Sports Network Scoreboard Show last Friday after the Blue Devils' 48-10 win at Patrick Henry, the Warriors have had their number lately, and this year, they need to do a better job of both game planning and in-game adjusting. A win for Henrico would vault them back into the top eight, as they could even catch idle Douglas Freeman. Matoaca, the #7 seed, has 1-5 Colonial Heights while Clover Hill has 3-3 Huguenot. Varina looks for a win to keep pace with the teams ahead of them.
#5 Louisa (6-0) at Kettle Run, 7pm: It should be, repeat, should be an easy night for the Lions, even on the road. They have the advantage in Region 4B over 7-0 Eastern View, who go to 3-3 King George. Thus, wins for both Louisa and the Cyclones would help Eastern View draw closer in the regional standings, but Louisa has a game in hand.
Mills Godwin (3-4) at #6 Deep Run (6-0), 7pm: The Wildcats will continue to take things one game at a time, and this week, it's an Eagle team still searching to put together their best performance. The pressure will be on Godwin's defense to slow down Bo Kite and the Wildcat offense. Mills Godwin has scored eighteen points or less in six of their seven games, so if Deep Run can find 21 points or more, history says they'll have the advantage. Deep Run also needs the win to keep pace with the other top teams in Region 5B, while they keep one eye over their shoulder for Varina. (TWITTER: @lifeguard_duty and @henricosports)
#7 Monacan (5-1) at Powhatan (3-3), 7:30pm: It's Homecoming for an Indian team that suddenly is in need of a victory. A last minute loss to Cosby last week sent Powhatan out of the top eight in Region 4B due to wins for Dinwiddie, Huguenot and Chancellor. Now they must contend with a Monacan team that escaped with a one-point win over Midlothian last week, and find themselves in fourth place in 4B, surrounded by four teams that are within one point or so both ahead of them and behind them, from Eastern View to Dinwiddie. Josiah Nelson comes off a good performance and will need another one Friday. A high scoring game likely favors the visitors.
Prince George (4-2) at Thomas Dale (4-2), 7pm: October 20, 2000. Bill Clinton was President, and America was about to learn the phrase "hanging chad". It's been almost nineteen years since Prince George last defeated Thomas Dale. Now, the Royals, in the thick of the postseason chase in Region 5B in fifth place, look to end their nearly two decades of frustration. To do so, however, they must stop a Knights team that slid to sixth place in Region 6A last week despite a win over Meadowbrook. Does the Royal defense have enough to slow down Thomas Dale? Can their young, talented offense penetrate the Dark Zone Defense? We'll know by 10pm Friday.
Woodberry Forest at #9 Benedictine (5-2), Saturday, 1pm: The Cadets picked up an important 27-13 win last week at home over Collegiate to solidify the top seed in VISAA Division I. But St. Christopher's is hot on their heels, so they need to close strong. Woodberry Forest took Collegiate to triple overtime two weeks ago, so nothing is a given in this one. The final two weeks send Benedictine to King William and St. John Paul the Great.
#11 Thomas Jefferson (5-1) at Caroline (1-5), 7pm: Caroline can put up points. Ask King William. But, of course, so can Shamar Graham and the Vikings. This week, it could be very tough to keep the top seed in Region 2A. Nottoway gets Goochland Friday and Poquoson gets unbeaten Warhill. So, even with a victory, Thomas Jefferson could see their lead in the region standings shrink, or possibly even disappear. For the Vikings, it's win Friday and don't worry about the rest. They have currently unbeaten Deep Run, a Class 5 school, in their season finale, so opportunity will be there to be at the top of the region when it counts: at the end of the regular season.
#12 Cosby (5-1) at L.C. Bird (3-3), 7pm: What a game this should be! Cosby enters with a five-game winning streak after a nail-biting win over Powhatan. They moved up to the #4 seed in Region 6A. However, the Titans have never defeated the Skyhawks, dating back to their first meeting in 2007. They'll face a Skyhawks team that is on the outside looking in when it comes to Region 5B, 2.5 points out of eighth place. The way to remedy that is to beat a 5-1 team in a higher classification than you. This should be a defensive battle, as Cosby has given up only 41 points in their winning streak, while L.C. Bird have scored 41 points in their last two wins. Having given these statistics, watch a track meet break out instead.
GAME OF THE WEEK: Lee-Davis (2-4) at Atlee (2-4), 6:30pm airtime on 102.9 The Mater (102.9 FM/1430 AM), CLICK HERE to listen online, mobile on @tunein app on "Radiall".
Two teams in desperate need of a victory, and two arch rivals. This could be the most intense game of Week 8. Tyler Warren had 480 yards of total offense, by himself, in last week's loss to Henrico. A fifth loss in Region 5B, with Varina and Highland Springs still to come, endangers the Raiders' playoff hopes. Meanwhile, after an 0-4 start, Lee-Davis picks up two victories to keep teams ahead of them within shouting distance in Region 4B. However, the Confederates likely need to win out (Atlee, Henrico, Patrick Henry) since their game with St. Christopher's next week won't count in the VHSL formula. Atlee broke a three-game losing skid to Lee-Davis last season.
Collegiate (4-2) at Fork Union (3-3), 3pm airtime on 102.9 The Mater (102.9 FM/1430 AM), CLICK HERE to listen online, mobile on @tunein app on "Radiall".
With Fork Union nipping at the heels of the top four in VISAA Division I, and next week's opponent for the Cougars, Norfolk Academy, in the same position, it's very simple for Nigel Williams and Collegiate. One game at a time, one win at a time. It would be great, for Cougar fans, to get wins this Friday and next Saturday. Then, the annual rivalry game with St. Christopher's could be for home field advantage. Will Williams return to the quarterback position this week? Tune in live to The Mater to find out.
Clover Hill (4-2) at Huguenot (3-3), 7pm: The Cavaliers are one of three surprise teams inside the top eight of Region 5B with four weeks to go, joining Prince George and Matoaca. In "The Jennings Bowl", the Clover Hill head coach takes on his old team, the Falcons, who returned to the top eight in Region 4B last week. Each team is essentially in the same position in their respective regions, on the right side of the standings for now, but with teams swirling around them, ready to pounce should they lose. This is one of the most important games, from a playoff standpoint, on this week's schedule.
Glen Allen (3-3) vs. J.R. Tucker (1-5), 7pm, Douglas Freeman HS: The Jaguars took awhile to get their engine going this season, but the last two weeks, they've looked like the team that stormed to the school's first winning season in its history a year ago. Devin Flowers is, well, Devin Flowers, and the Jags look to get over .500 and continue their climb towards the top eight in Region 5B. The disadvantage, however, is a win over a one-win rival won't be as strong in the VHSL formula that if, for example, Clover Hill beats a three-win Huguenot, or especially if L.C. Bird knocks off 5-1 Cosby. Jaguar fans need to be rooting for Huguenot and Cosby this week, too, if, while they're at it, Lee-Davis. If the Confederates beat Atlee, the Jags pick up two bonus points for having defeated Lee-Davis and it keeps Atlee behind Glen Allen, provided they beat their biggest rivals this decade.
Hanover (1-5) at Patrick Henry (4-3), 7pm: It's Senior Night for Patrick Henry, who finish the regular season with a trip to Armstrong, a bye, and Tomato Bowl 61 in Mechanicsville at Lee-Davis on November 8th. The Patriots, if they play to their standards this season, should be favored in each game. Having a weak strength of schedule down the stretch, however, doesn't help them in the jam-packed playoff race in Region 4B. They enter in fifth place, but seven teams surrounding them in the standings stand less than two points away from the Patriots, either ahead or behind. For the Hawks, they get that first win for David Butler, but now have to find a way to slow down Alex Sikkar, who has been putting together one of the best individual seasons in the Central Region outside of Treveyon Henderson of Hopewell.
OTHER GAMES:
Matoaca (4-2) at Colonial Heights (1-6), 7pm
Petersburg (2-4) at Meadowbrook (0-6), 7pm
John Marshall (3-3) at Tunstall, 7pm
Trinity Episcopal (5-3) at Potomac School (3-3), 2pm Saturday
St. Christopher's (6-1) at Loyola Blakefield (MD), 2pm Saturday
George Wythe (0-6) at James River (0-6), 7pm
Nottoway (5-1) at Goochland (5-1), 7pm
Manassas Park (3-3) at Armstrong (1-6), 7pm
Mathews (1-5) at King William (4-2), 7pm
Amelia (3-3) at Bluestone (2-4), 7pm
Grafton at New Kent (2-4), 7pm
Essex (5-1) at Colonial Beach (3-3), 7pm
West Point (5-2) at King & Queen Central (6-0), 7pm
No comments:
Post a Comment