The race to the playoffs is in full gear! Let's check the latest rankings:
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1) VARINA (4-1-1, was #1, at Hanover, Friday 7pm): The Blue Devils return to action at Hanover, a team coming off a loss where they allowed their opponent to score twenty unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Varina will get everyone's best shot down the stretch, and, yes, the showdown with the team below is two weeks from Friday.
2) HIGHLAND SPRINGS (5-1, was #2, vs. St. Frances Academy (Regional), Thursday 7pm): This young team is growing up fast, which is fully intentional. Now they'll finally have a tenth game on their schedule, welcoming in the regional program from Maryland's St. Frances. They still have Hermitage, Varina, and Hanover to come, and are currently atop Class 5, Region C.
3) THOMAS DALE (6-0, was #3, vs. Dinwiddie, Friday 7pm): Another week, another win, this time 21-14 over Matoaca. Normally a huge game on the fall calendar, the injury-depleted Dinwiddie Generals come in having lost five in a row. The Knights haven't escaped the injury bug, but have found ways to keep winning, beginning with a defense that is putting up historic program numbers. And at Thomas Dale, that's saying something. The Knights can own the top seed in Class 6, Region A if they run the table.
4) TRINITY EPISCOPAL (5-1, was #4, vs St. Michael the Archangel, Saturday 1pm): It's not a good thing to earn a victory via forfeit, but that was the case Saturday as the Titans did not play North Cross. SMTA returns to Richmond a week after falling just short on a last-second touchdown drive at St. Christopher's, who won 20-14.
5) MIDLOTHIAN (6-1, was #5, vs. Cosby Friday 7pm): The winning streak now stretches to a half-dozen as the Trojans prepare to host a Cosby team desperate for a signature win that would vault them into the top six in Class 6, Region A. Midlothian, meanwhile, is second in Class 5, Region C behind Highland Springs and just ahead of Douglas Freeman, with whom they hold a head-to-head tiebreaker.
6) PETERSBURG (6-0, was #6, at Meadowbrook, Friday 7pm): The Wave win their first game against Dinwiddie in two decades, and now prepare for a tricky trip to Cogbill Road, where the Monarchs bested Prince George last week, and gave Hopewell a scare just a few weeks ago.
7) MANCHESTER (6-1, was #7, bye week): It was an incredibly gutsy performance for the Lancers in their 42-40 overtime win over L.C. Bird Friday. Now with a week to heal, the Lancers will face Powhatan and RHSA before their regular season finale showdown against Huguenot. Currently second in Class 6, Region A, they hope to win out and hope Thomas Dale does not.
8) HUGUENOT (5-1, was #9, at Powhatan, Thursday 7pm): An uneven first half, but a rousing second half as the Chiefs turned a 19-10 halftime lead into a 62-17 win over Monacan. Powhatan just picked up their first win this season Friday over RHSA. The Falcons are second in Class 4, Region B just behind unbeaten Louisa, just ahead of Varina.
9) DOUGLAS FREEMAN (5-1, was #11, at Deep Run, Friday 7pm): Have to give props to the Mavericks for taking Thomas Jefferson's best shot, turning a 10-0 halftime deficit into a 14-10 lead, then bouncing back to best the Vikings 16-14 to win their fourth straight. Currently sitting third in Class 5, Region C, Douglas Freeman has rivalries all around as the season winds down, beginning with a trip off Nuckols Road Friday, and battles still looming with Hermitage and Glen Allen.
10) HERMITAGE (4-2, was #10, vs. Glen Allen, Friday 7pm): The Panthers must find a way to slow down Jakeem Dandridge, Luke Perini, and a dangerous Glen Allen offense coming out of the bye week. The Panthers begin this week in seventh place in Class 5, Region C, while the Jaguars are fifth, and want to climb higher.
11) ARMSTRONG (6-1, was #8, vs. Atlee, Friday 7pm): The Wildcats let one slip away against Thomas Jefferson, bounced back in Emporia, and now take on an Atlee team who must win out for any hopes of a playoff bid in their region. Armstrong is currently fifth in Class 2, Region A, just behind a King William team they routed earlier this season. Hanover and Arcadia round out the Wildcat schedule.
12) HOPEWELL (5-1, was #12, at Prince George, Friday 7pm): Now 242 points scored in their last five games, all victories, the Blue Devils next head to rival Prince George, who, too, are in must-win mode in Class 5, Region C. Hopewell currently edges out Petersburg for first place in Class 3, Region A.
DROPPING OUT: None
CHASING THE DOZEN: TeeJay, Mechanicsville, Glen Allen, Meadowbrook
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