Region 4B First Round: No. 8 King George (6-4) at No. 1 Louisa (10-0), 7:30 p.m.
The Basics: There are no free lunches in Region 4B, and that’s been true for years. This might be one of the deepest seasons, which is reflected in top-seeded Louisa taking on a team that just beat Spotsylvania, who just beat Eastern View. Everyone is pretty darn good in Region 4B. Lucky for the Lions, they’re pretty darn good too. The Lions cruised past Albemarle on the road last week with contributions from deep on their roster, so Louisa should be rested and prepared. Jarett Hunter’s early injury against Albemarle is worrisome, but he’s one of the area’s toughest players and even if he isn’t 100 percent, There is a fleet of players who can carry the playmaking load on offense including Kalup Shelton, Robbie Morgan, Noah Robinson and Alex Washington. The Lions just have a lot more of those type of dudes than most anyone else does, and they’ve got an offensive line that’s been particularly sharp led by David Munoz. King George has some quality wins including a victory over Region 3B standout James Monroe but common opponents indicate that Louisa had a much easier time with those teams than King George did. For instance, they barely knocked off Orange in the season opener, needing a couple of mistakes from the Hornets to get the job done. The Foxes have improved though and Louisa will have to be locked in from the opening kick. That’s never really a problem for the Lions in The Jungle.
Key Matchup: Louisa’s defense takes on King George junior quarterback Charles Mutter, III. Mutter has a William and Mary offer already and has thrown for 1,917 yards and 17 touchdowns this year. The 6-foot-2 signal caller was particularly sharp in that regular season finale win over Spotsylvania, through four scoring passes just a week after the Knights upended Eastern View. The Lions counter with a state championship caliber secondary and a relentless pass rush led in large part by senior Aaron Aponte who seems to come free off the edge a lot more than opponents would like. Block him one-on-one and you’re likely to find your quarterback under duress. Can the Lions get home to Mutter on the pass rush and lock things down on the back end.
Who to Watch: Louisa County’s Stephen Dean. On a defensive unit full of heralded players like Aaron Aponte, Alex Washington and Austin Sims, it seems almost unfair that a sophomore middle linebacker would emerge as another solid piece late in the season. Dean had an interception against Albemarle and made several stops against Fluvanna including one where he knifed into the heart of the Fluvanna offensive line and blew up the Flucos’ ball-carrier. So many playmakers for the Lions on that side of the ball and now you can add another one in Dean, part of a young cadre of talent along with Qwenton Spellman that’ll power the Lions for years to come.
The Line: Louisa by 14. King George is a better-than-average eight seed, but Louisa County has been on a mission this year, they’re not about to falter out of the gate.
Region 3B First Round: No. 5 Skyline (5-5) at No. 4 William Monroe (6-4)
The Basics: William Monroe hasn’t won a playoff game since 1991’s state title run. That’s almost 30 years. There’s no specific Chicago Cubs level curse (perhaps The Curse of Cordell Burley, the running back on the 1991 team that rushed for 1,992 yards would be appropriate), but the Dragons haven’t advance to the second round since George H. Bush was president. This is one of the Dragons’ best chances at ending that long drought, a home playoff game against a Skyline team that they beat three weeks ago 41-27. Of course, the Dragons don’t have to look nearly as deep in their history to see when a similar situation back in 2011 didn’t go as planned, when Monroe beat Manassas Park in the regular season by 14 and lost 64-22. Expect this group of Dragons to be ready. They’ve got a gameplan — control the clock by controlling the ground game — that has worked really well during this four-game win streak with help from a stingy defense. If the Dragons can keep it up, they’ll likely end the drought and find itself playing in the Region 3B semifinals.
Key Matchup: Skyline’s defense tries to stop Monroe running back Dupree Rucker. The Dragons have made things simple for themselves with one of the area’s most productive ground attacks led by Rucker, who’s been an absolute force. That simplicity makes this the key matchup every week really. If an opponent can find a way to stuff Rucker, which is easier said than done, it’ll force Monroe into doing something they’re less comfortable doing and that could prove tough. Skyline gave up 234 yards and four touchdowns to Rucker in the regular season meeting, so they know how tough the task is that lies ahead.
Who to Watch: William Monroe linebacker Xzabia Kolpack. Already a sure tackler, Kolpack emerged this year as a playmaker too, including notching two sacks last week in the win over Central-Woodstock. With the way the offensive is able to grind out yards and milk the clock, a big sack to force a turnover on downs or can turn the tide of a game for the Dragons.
The Line: William Monroe by 7. The Dragons’ playoff win drought ends here.
Region 3B First Round: No. 8 Independence (2-8) at No. 1 Goochland (9-1)
The Basics: Goochland’s 2019 football schedule is officially cursed. First it was the Fork Union double booking early in the year, then Bluestone cancels its trip to Goochland in the final week of the regular season. Now? Warren County declines to play in the playoffs after being announced as Goochland’s first round opponent, opening the door for Independence to revive their season and head south to take on the Bulldogs. What a year. In the end, Goochland now jumps into the time of year they’re built for, playoff football. They’ll welcome an Independence squad that lost its first eight games in its first season of varsity football before picking up two late season wins over winless Park View and a two-win Rock Ridge team. The knock against Goochland is going to be that they’ve played a largely 2A schedule because of their spot in the James River and now they’ve got to level up to Class 3 football, but we’ve all seen this song and dance before back in 2009 and 2010 when the Bulldogs moved up to the Jefferson District and won it. Now they’ll take on the task of playing in the 3A playoffs without being tested in the last month really and they’ll lean on that stingy defense to get the job done. Independence will likely find some tough sledding against that unit.
Key Matchup: Goochland’s front seven looks to stop Independence dual threat quarterback Brian Courtney. Courtney has rushed for 1,300 yards on the ground and thrown for another 1,541 yards. That’s a huge offensive impact. If the Bulldogs can figure out ways to hem in Courtney and keep him from breaking contain, that should transform the game. He’s thrown nine interceptions and with a ballhawking secondary forcing him to win with his arm is probably a good move for Goochland. Kindrick Braxton and Will Stratton in the linebacking corps will be tested.
Who to Watch: Goochland’s Kindrick Braxton. This is the kind of game where players like Braxton, an All-State performer a year ago, have to leave no doubt. Independence has won two straight games, they’ve got a little momentum, they thought their season was over and then it wasn’t. They’ve got hope. Braxton’s job as a lockdown, hard-hitting defender is to erase that hope early so Independence doesn’t end up hanging around and pulling off a shocker.
The Line: Goochland by 10. The Bulldogs rarely slip up early in the playoffs and the change in opponent early this week won’t impact their preparation. They’ll be ready.
Region 3C First Round: No. 8 Western Albemarle (4-6) at No. 1 Heritage-Lynchburg (9-1)
The Basics: While Western Albemarle dropped its last two games and endured an injury to Carter Shifflett at the quarterback spot last week, they find themselves in the postseason for the ninth time in the last decade thanks in part to Buffalo Gap beating Fort Defiance. The Warriors draw the unenviable task of taking on the defending Class 3 state champions Heritage in the first round. The Pioneers’ lone loss came in the season opener against a school from North Carolina that finished the regular season 8-2 and was the state runner-up in 2018. They beat an excellent E.C. Glass team 15-14 in overtime two weeks ago and they’re outscoring opponents by an average of 38-15.
Key Matchup: Western’s defense contends with Heritage running back K.J. Vaughn. Vaughn is the heartbeat of the Heritage offense, rushing 29 times for 140 yards against E.C. Glass. Western will have to find ways to stuff the run, so they’ll need big games from second team All-Jefferson District picks defensive end Cameron Greene and linebackers John Buetow and Dakota Howell. If the Western front seven can make an impact, it’ll go a long way toward slowing down Heritage’s prolific offense.
Who to Watch: Western Albemarle’s Austin Shifflett. With Carter Shifflett likely on the shelf, Western will turn to junior tailback Austin Shifflett for offensive productivity. Shifflett has been clipping along quietly this year after a breakout sophomore campaign and has rushed for 877 yards this year. To upend Heritage, he’s likely going to need a monster game in this one.
The Line: Heritage by 14. The Warriors just have too much uncertainty going into this one against the defending state champions.
Region 5D First Round: No. 6 Albemarle (3-7) at No. 3 Patrick Henry-Roanoke (6-4)
The Basics: Albemarle was in the playoffs before they’d played a down of football this year. In Region 5D, everyone is in with just eight teams. But in particular a key win over Fluvanna County kept Albemarle out of the region basement and earned a second shot at a Patrick Henry squad that beat Albemarle 26-0 early in the year. Albemarle was searching for some rhythm back then and while the Patriots haven’t gotten completely locked in, they’ve certainly improved, figuring out ways to get an array of young weapons going, in particularly Ebenezer McCarthy at running back. Starting quarterback Jake King got banged up against Louisa County, so it’ll be interesting to see how Albemarle has to shift things around. Aquon Sims is a viable other option, a good athlete with a lot of familiarity with the offense. But this one will likely come down to how Albemarle’s defense plays against a Patrick Henry offense with several big-time playmakers like receiver Trace Pedigo (782 yards, 7 TDs) and quarterback Roy Gunn (who didn’t play in the first meeting). Albemarle has its work cut out for them in this one.
Key Matchup: Albemarle’s front seven takes on Patrick Henry running back Jalen Cook. In the two teams’ first meeting, Cook shredded Patrick Henry for 310 yards. The Patriots didn’t have first team All-JD linebacker Jake Rombach, and Rombach can make a huge difference when he’s at the top of his game. It won’t be easy to hem in Cook, but Romach could be a difference-maker in this rematch.
Who to Watch: Albemarle’s Torry Green and Robert Jones. The Patriots’ top two wide receivers are playing to extend their high school careers, and if Albemarle is going to keep Patrick Henry from loading up against second team All-JD running back Ebenezer McCarthy, it’s likely going to be up to Green and Jones moving the chains through the air. Can Green get things going like he did in a monster performance against Charlottesville?
The Line: Patrick Henry-Roanoke by 10. The Roanoke-area Patriots get the edge here.
Region 3C First Round: No. 7 Fluvanna (5-5) at No. 2 Spotswood (10-0)
The Basics: Fluvanna County played its way into the playoffs with a victory over Monticello last week, earning the Flucos a second straight trip to the playoffs for the first time since since 2000. Say what you want about how the Flucos finished the regular season — they went 1-4 over the second half of the campaign — but getting to the playoffs twice in a row is yet another huge step in this turn around that Michael Morris helping orchestrate. Players have bought in in a lot of ways, they’re winning the games they’re expected to win and that’s a pretty good recipe for being a fixture in the playoffs. With that said, Spotswood is having the kind of season programs dream about. They win in a variety of ways with a dynamic, multi-faceted offense and they often blow the doors off of opponents, which is why they win games with an average score of 41-9. On the flip side, anything can happen in the region playoffs. Fluvanna nearly upended Brookville a year ago, and it has been more than 30 years since the Flucos won a playoff game. So, they’re definitely due for one to break their way. Getting it done on the road would be one of the biggest wins in program history, definitely the biggest since the turn of the century. Can the Flucos pull off a shocker?
Key Matchup: Fluvanna’s rushing defense tries to slow down Valley District player of the year Ethan Barnhart. Barnhart went on a barnstorming tour of local squads early in the year and impressed, piling up huge yardage. That didn’t stop when Spotswood played in the Valley League clearly, so the pressure is on Alden Custer and Caleb Stoltz, two first team All-Jefferson District picks on the defensive line for the Flucos, will have to play big-time football. Malachi Hill will have to play big-time football too as a defensive stopper at linebacker, this is one of the most productive backs that Fluvanna has faced and that’s saying something with Jaylen Alexander and Jarett Hunter on the Flucos’ district schedule.
Who to Watch: Fluvanna quarterback Kobe Edmonds. With 824 yards on the ground at a clip of 8.2 yards per carry, Edmonds has been the Flucos’ most consistent threat on the ground this year and with the playoffs on the line, the Flucos would be best served to turn him loose and let him try and wreak some havoc against a defense that just doesn’t give up much.
The Line: Spotswood by 10. The Flucos will need to be perfect in this one.
Region 2B First Round: No. 7 Page (7-3) at No. 2 Buckingham (9-1)
The Basics: We said it last week and it held up in a solid 29-14 win over Nottoway — this is the time of year that Buckingham is built for. A strong run game and a stingy defense are the two common threads between most programs that are successful in the postseason, and with an extremely productive trio of runners, Buckingham has the offense. The defense is perhaps even better, a solid unit with few discernible holes. They’ll face a Page team that runs a heavy dose of the wishbone and has a pack of pretty good athletes executing their signature style. With so many backs in the backfield, The Knights will have to play responsibility football, taking care of business each and every play. If they don’t, they risk getting gashed with a big play. The biggest issue for Page is that no matter what they can scratch out on offense, they’ll face the unenviable task of trying to stop a driven Buckingham squad that is intent on making a deep run. For the Knights to accomplish that goal, it starts with executing on offense and disrupting the Panthers’ rhythm while on defense.
Key Matchup: Page’s front seven takes on Buckingham’s two-headed run game. Tae Toney and Walter Edwards. Walter Edwards and Tae Toney. Either way that the Knights attack opponents, the ground game rarely falters. A dynamic quarterback and a reliable, explosive runner have helped make Buckingham’s offense into a veritable steamroller. Now Page has to figure out how to handle it, and that’s got the potential to be a tough task for the Panthers.
Who to Watch: Buckingham’s Xavier Copeland. Copeland can have a major impact in two phases — as a defender and as a returner on special teams. Throw in three touchdowns as the Knights’ top wideout and Copeland is just a walking threat. If the Knights can find ways to get the ball in his hands, he can transform the game.
The Line: Buckingham by 10. The Knights should get a round one win for the first time since 2015.
VISAA Division 2 Championship Game: No. 2 Blue Ridge (8-3) at No. 1 North Cross (10-1)
The Basics: This is the second chance that Blue Ridge has wanted since September 27 and the Barons have fought through everything this year has thrown at them — including playing the state semifinals without their starting quarterback — to get here. Devin Walker’s heroic effort last week kept the Barons alive in a shootout with Christchurch and punched Blue Ridge’s ticket for the state championship game. Now they face a North Cross team that scored 70 points on the Barons back in late September. They’ll face a talented, dynamic North Cross offense, led by North Cross quarterback Gabe Zappia who has thrown for 2,229 yards and 28 touchdowns. The Barons counter with a serious fleet of athletes, dynamic matchup problems at a slew of different positions. If the Barons’ secondary is locked in and can keep Blue Ridge within striking distance, it’ll go a long way toward getting the Barons over the hump for the first time in three years. Bottom line? If the Barons are going to reverse course from the first meeting, the Blue Ridge defense has the be on top of things from the opening kick.
Key Matchup: Blue Ridge’s secondary takes on North Cross’ array of wideouts. Zae Baines is the headliner here, a Temple commit with 784 yards on just 34 catches, but Ian Cann and James Jackson have been major threats all year too, with more than 500 yards receiving each. Stephen Alexander’s high-flying offense usually get sa number of different receiving threats in the mix and this year is no exception. Most high school teams don’t have the personnel to cover three wideouts, but Blue Ridge has the athletes when healthy. Lance Gaskins, Iceysis Lewis and company can lock things down most weeks. Can they get it done this week.
Who to Watch: Blue Ridge’s Andy Nwaoko. If the Barons are going to disrupt North Cross’ dynamic, quick strike offense, Nwaoko getting home on the pass rush is as good of a way to do it as any at the Barons’ disposal. He’s a relentless athlete and he was impactful last week against Christchurch, forcing the issue repeatedly in the backfield. If Nwaoko is in attack mode, he’s extremely tough to contain.
The Line: North Cross by 1. Don’t bet on the Barons getting taken apart like they did last time on defense. This one is going to be a dogfight.
