Region 3B Championship: Independence (4-1) at Goochland (6-0), 7 p.m.
The Basics: Goochland earned the opportunity to host a region championship game by virtue of being the No. 1 seed and by shutting out No. 4-seeded Brentsville last week 21-0. The Bulldogs have found a number of different winning formulas over this condensed spring season, but leaning on its stout defense and doing enough on offense to take care of business has proven to be the most consistent option. That theory will get its most fierce test as Florida State pledge Brian Courtney pilots the Independence offense. You can also expect Independence will be intent on not letting Goochland grind it out and will likely load up the box, but the Tigers did struggle to stop a rugged, productive Skyline rushing attack last week so it’s possible Connor Popielarz could find some running room. But it may require C.J. Towles and Kam Holman may need to put on a similar display to what that duo unleashed against Hopewell back in the 2019 state semifinals when they made Hopewell pay for stacking the box by attacking deep. Plus, Towles could call his own number a little more often in this one, he did an excellent job of taking off for a critical score against Brentsville last week after a passing play broke down. This one has the potential to be a classic with two awfully good athletes at quarterback and a Goochland defense that has been essentially suffocating opponents all year long taking perhaps the most dynamic attack they’ve faced so far. Goochland did a pretty good job of containing a speedy Orange squad enough to beat the Hornets, and there are surely some lessons from that one that the Bulldogs can employ in this one and both programs are surely eager to put themselves just one win away from a state title game appearance. Look for Goochland to lean on its experience too, they’ve won two-straight region championships the last two years against Poquoson and James Monroe.
Key Matchup: Goochland’s defense takes on Brian Courtney. Coutney is an athlete who plays quarterback for the Tigers out of the single wing. Well, if there’s one defensive group prepared to give a relic offense like the single wing fits, it’s Goochland’s squad who has been playing the Wing-T on offense since they were in elementary school. Playing the single wing or the option puts a premium on assignment football and Goochland has an ingrained understanding of how to handle that kind of challenge. Look for the Bulldogs to also draw confidence from that hard fought win over Liberty Bealeton earlier this season. Still, Courtney is a major threat, certainly the best quarterback Goochland has squared off against this year, and he rushed for 184 yards and five touchdowns on just 20 touches last week. This is certainly going to be a challenge for a front seven that got a big boost from Anthony Holland’s eight tackles a week ago.
Who to Watch: Goochland’s Will Stratton. Throughout the last two years, Stratton has made a name for himself as a kick blocker, but he just has a knack for making big plays more generally. Last week Stratton scooped up an errant pitch or shovel for the Bulldogs and raced to the house, putting Brentsville away for good. Stratton also had two tackles for a loss last week, so it’s clear he’s not just popping up on those big plays — he’s always around the ball. If he can come up with another game-shifting play or two, the Bulldogs will be in position to head to the state final four next week for the third-straight time.
The Line: Goochland by 1. Courtney is going to be a challenge, but the Bulldogs’ defense has only surrendered 42 points all year. Don’t expect the floodgates to open up Friday.
