Western Albemarle (5-0) at Albemarle (4-1), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Here. We. Go. This is always a highly-anticipated matchup, but with both teams playing excellent football, this has the potential to be a special edition of one of the area’s most hotly-contested, down-to-the-wire rivalries. Motivation wise? Don’t think the Patriots aren’t well aware of the blowout, shutout loss they absorbed this spring. Both teams return nearly every major player from that game and surely the Patriots will be attempting to reverse that narrative from spring, much as they have this fall. The Patriots have transformed a team that had an average spring into a squad that’s knocking off state powers like William Fleming and blasted an Orange County team on the road that had been largely on fire to start the season. On the flip side, the Warriors come in unbeaten with a quality road win over Goochland and hard-fought wins over Turner Ashby and Wilson Memorial on their resume. Both defenses are simply excellent, with different styles as Western plays opponents largely straight up, relying on their players’ savvy and diagnostic abilities to solve what the offense throws at them. The Warriors are greater than the sum of their parts, though outside linebacker Carson Tujague is an awfully good part, one of the area’s best linebackers. Albemarle looks to force the issue more often and boasts perhaps the area’s best cornerback tandem in Malik Washington and Jacob Terry. The defensive battle is strength on strength, but neither offense is lacking either. Both have proven they can run the ball and attack through the air when needed with Tujague and Joey Burch huge pass-catching threats for the Warriors and Christian Humes, Jake King and Tay’veon Wilson providing a spark catching the ball for AHS. This one has the potential to be a lot of fun.
Key Matchup: Albemarle’s run game takes on Western’s run game. Both squads need to establish the run for their offenses to be at their best. For the Patriots, that could be Eb McCarthy or Noah Grevious or Amaje Parker getting it moving on the ground. For the Warriors, it could be Kaden Morrow or fullbacks Kyle Keyton and Dakota Howell. No matter who carries the rock, the ground game is paramount, and whoever can impose their will in that department gets a huge leg up in this clash.
Who to watch: Albemarle quarterback Amaje Parker. Parker being the signal-caller is one of the few major changes between the spring version of the Patriots and now. If he plays the way he played last week where he accounted for nearly 300 yards of total offense, that could be a difference-maker, but that’s easier said than done against a stingy, disciplined Western Albemarle defense. Parker’s offensive line is going to have to meet the moment.
The Line: Western by 1. The Warriors get the edge here because of the 36-0 spring result. With Albemarle’s improvement, recreating that result seems impossible, but this one could come down to the wire and the Warriors have already proven their ability to close out a close game.
Orange County (3-2) at Louisa County (5-1), Saturday 5:30 p.m.
The Basics: For a Louisa County football team that prides itself on preparation and routine, this fall has been anything but routine. After not getting to play last week’s game against Monticello, the Lions now find themselves in a delayed situation that forced the rivalry game with Orange County to Saturday. It continues a line of crazy situations, like not getting to play Massaponax and replacing them with King George. This time it’s a 15-day layoff for Louisa, who is already 3-0 in Jefferson District play with a schedule that’s backloaded with challenging games as they go Orange-Western-Albemarle-Goochland to finish the year. Orange County, meanwhile, is reeling from a 44-0 blowout loss at the hands of Albemarle that upended one of Central Virginia’s best stories early in the year, an Orange team intent on making good on the potential they showed all spring. The Patriots put the Hornets back at square one in some ways and now they’ve got to take whatever they’ve fixed and try to make it work in The Jungle, the area’s most challenging environment to play in. This is where Louisa can really turn things up a notch and start building its playoff resume into its usually formidable state, but the path is more challenging than recent years with four tough games coming up. Beating the Hornets will start that process in earnest.
Key Matchup: Orange quarterback Paul Poirier versus the Louisa front. If there’s one set of defensive linemen and linebackers well-suited to hem in Poirier, it’s Louisa County. Albemarle likely provided some of the blueprint last week so look for the Lions to use some of what the Patriots did to lock up Orange’s previously explosive offense. It helps of course that book ends Qwenton Spellman and Eli Brooks will make life tough on Poirier and that linebacker Stephen Dean is lurking no matter where Poirier tries to run.
Who to watch: Louisa County’s Landon Wilson. Pick. Your. Poison. The Lions’ quarterback is just beating teams with his legs and his arms equally. He’s thrown for 445 yards and rushed for another 427. There’s just no way to focus on one aspect of the game against Louisa now, you have to guard the entire field and Wilson is the chief reason why. This has the potential to be a statement game for the junior quarterback to kick off this challenging stretch for the Lions.
The Line: Louisa County by 10. The Lions’ defense is the difference-maker here.
Monticello (0-5) at Fluvanna County (1-4), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: A matchup of two teams looking for some kind of win and a chance to establish an identity that has been missing so far this year for both of them. The Mustangs are coming off a week where they had to forfeit to Louisa County due to a combination of COVID and injuries, and Monticello has to lock back in quickly for one of their best chances for a win left on the schedule. Fluvanna, meanwhile, played without an injured Kobe Edmonds and struggled offensively against Goochland, absorbing a 28-0 shutout. Can the Flucos get back on track against a Monticello defense that has been giving up huge numbers on defense this season, or did the off week give the Mustangs a chance to work out the kinks and re-tool ahead of the bulk of the Jefferson District schedule.
Key Matchup: Monticello’s Logan Clark takes on the Fluvanna run defense. Clark is averaging 4.5 yards per carry, so he’s one of the best bets to get the offense going, along with Miles Frazier. But so far that hasn’t come easy, so the Mustangs have to sort out a way to get the ball moving.
Who to watch: Fluvanna County’s Owen Leydig. With Edmonds out, much more of the offensive burden falls to Leydig at quarterback and they’ll need him to step up in this game, this opportunity.
The Line: Fluvanna by 7. The Flucos have enough defense to get the job done here.
Charlottesville (1-4) at Goochland (3-2), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: It’s been six years since Goochland lost more than one regular season game, but the Bulldogs responded well last week to dropping a game with Western Albemarle and rolled past Fluvanna County last week. Now they face a Charlottesville team coming off a week off, a squad that hasn’t met its full potential yet due in part to injuries and depth issues. If the Black Knights have healed up, that’s going to make a huge difference against the Bulldogs. Charlottesville’s Polo Hill and Eddison Duolo give the Black Knights some playmaking ability but they’ll have to navigate a defense led by Kia Burton and De’Andre Robinson. That’s a serious challenge in and of itself, and if the Black Knights want to throw they’ll face C.J. Towles and Eyan Pace in the secondary. There just aren’t many good answers for attacking the Bulldogs’ defense, but the Black Knights are going to need to figure it out. Meanwhile, the Goochland offense also needs to get going and find a rhythm, particularly in the run game. Look for continued progress on that front.
Key Matchup: Goochland’s defensive line taking on the Black Knights’ option attack. Goochland struggled to get off the field in the late stages of the game against Western Albemarle and that might be Charlottesville’s best bet, to grind it out and keep the ball out of Towles’ hands at quarterback. That’s, of course, easier said than done. It took Western an entire game to finally get the ball moving consistently on the ground.
Who to watch: Goochland defensive lineman Enrique Alvarez-Palacios. Alvarez-Palacios is perhaps the least heralded member of the Bulldogs’ defensive front but he’s also awfully good. He pounced on a fumble last week against Fluvanna and has shown a knack for being around the ball on turnovers. If he brings that energy and opportunism, he’ll keep strengthening an already stout unit.
The Line: Goochland by 7. The Bulldogs are starting to get back on track.
Collegiate (3-2) at Woodberry (0-3), 3:30 p.m. Friday
The Basics: If the quality of Woodberry Forest’s opponents early in the season holds up, there’s reason to believe that the Tigers can get back on track in the Prep League portion of the schedule and be a factor in the league race. That starts against the Cougars, a sharp squad that put away Goochland earlier this year. This is a critical litmus test for setting expectations for the Tigers the rest of the way. A win is a good indication that Woodberry will be in good shape to compete and battle for wins the rest of the way. Another loss and the Tigers may have to rethink some things because it isn’t going to get much easier, this is a challenging schedule from top to bottom.
Key Matchup: Donovan versus Donovan. Look for a heavy dose of Donovan Baker on the ground for Woodberry while Collegiate leans on Donovan Williams for an offensive spark. Both teams know they need those playmakers to step up.
Who to watch: Woodberry’s receiving corps. The Tigers’ offense has only managed about 11 points per game, and they’re going to need more from the wideouts to get that moving in the right direction. The return of 6-foot-2 junior Landon Ellis could be the spark they need.
The Line: Woodberry Forest by 1. The Tigers end their slide here.
Richmond Christian (1-3) at Covenant (1-4), 4 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Covenant has stacked up a major rash of injuries and that’s impacted their ability to hang with Blessed Sacrament, the likely No. 1 seed come 8-man playoff time. But with a week off to heal up and re-tool and a favorable matchup, this might be the week the Eagles get back on track. Richmond Christian is giving up a lot of points week-in and week-out, and Covenant has to find a way for its offense to take advantage.
Key Matchup: Covenant’s defensive front takes on Richmond Christian’s run game. If Covenant can stuff the run and make Richmond Christian one dimensional, that’ll help get the offense on track too with more opportunities when they create stops.
Who to watch: Covenant’s quarterback situation. Injuries have stacked up here, and figuring out who can carry the load at that spot is going to be crucial Friday afternoon.
The Line: Covenant by 7. The Eagles with a good chance to get back in the win column here.
William Monroe (2-2) at Skyline (0-4), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: For the second-straight game, William Monroe faces a winless squad and it’s another chance to find a rhythm before the home stretch where three of the Dragons’ four opponents have winning records. The Dragons can’t afford a slip up here as every win is critical if they’re going to make a push toward the playoffs. The secondary truly found its legs a week ago with a trio of interceptions against Manassas Park.That makes the Dragons a multi-level challenge for Skyline.
Key Matchup: Skyline’s offensive line contends with Monroe’s Isaiah Taylor and Thomas Mack. Taylor and Mack are the top generators in the pass rush for the Dragons, with Taylor coming up with a sack against Manassas and Mack producing in a big way against Spotswood earlier this year. Can the Dragons disrupt the Hawks’ backfield?
Who to watch: William Monroe’s Bryce Hoffman. The Dragons’ running back scored on the ground against Manassas Park and getting something going in the rushing attack is crucial for Monroe as they enter the back half of the schedule. Shea Jeffers also picked up a score on the ground and that balance and creativity will be critical to getting the run game going.
The Line: Monroe by 10. The Dragons righted the ship two weeks ago, should play well coming out of the bye week.
Madison County (1-4) at Clarke (5-0), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Madison County is clearly improving, but this is a tough draw even for a squad that’s finding its legs. Clarke is always a major challenge and they’ve got quality wins over Central-Woodstock and Strasburg already under their belts. The Mountaineers will have their work cut out for them this week. They’ll need Wade Fox to be sharp at quarterback and ge a variety of his teammates involved in the passing game.
Key Matchup: Madison’s front seven takes on Clarke’s Kyler Darlington. Darlington rushed for 180 yards and two touchdowns against Central, and the Mountaineers now have to figure out how to slow him down. If Madison can bottle him up, it’ll really improve their chances against Clarke.
Who to watch: Madison County’s Morgan Tompkins. The junior linebacker came up with several tackles, flying all over the field against Parry McCluer. Tompkins’ development will be critical to the defense’s improvement over the rest of this year and on into next.
The Line: Clarke by 10. Challenging matchup on the road for the Mountaineers.
Randolph Henry (2-2) at Buckingham (2-1), 7 p.m. Friday
The Basics: Buckingham County’s season is again in a weird mode as they didn’t get to play a road game against Bluestone and it went down as a forfeit. After not getting to play two games so far, it’s shaping up to be a busy October with four games on the slate for the Knights. Can Buckingham persevere and find a rhythm this year despite the unpredictability of the schedule? Can they stay locked in and stick together?
Key Matchup: Randolph Henry’s ground game takes on the Knights’ front seven. Buckingham shut out Prince Edward in part by playing good defense against the run. Can they shut down the Statesmen too?
Who to watch: Buckingham’s Kenneth Williams. The Knights need Williams to get going to jumpstart the offense. Look for him to have a big outing against the Statesmen.
The Line: Buckingham by 10. The Knights pick up a win here.
Fork Union (2-2) at St. Christopher’s (5-0), 1 p.m. Saturday
The Basics: Fork Union takes on the state’s top-ranked team on the road, and while the Blue Devils are coming in off a narrow loss to Norfolk Academy, they’re playing some of the best football they’ve played this year. If they can bring a similar approach to the table they’ll make things tough on the Saints and they’ll be in position to pull off a shocker.
Key Matchup: Fork Union’s secondary takes on St. Chris wideout Andre Green, Jr. It isn’t an easy task to contain Green, but the Blue Devils have a ton of athletes on the back end. Can they figure out a way to lock up Green, a 6-foot-3 speedster with offers from Georgia, LSU, Oregon and North Carolina among others?
Who to Watch: Fork Union’s Dominic Julius. Julius scored touchdowns on a long catch and a kick return against Norfolk Academy. If he can make those same kind of plays it’ll help Fork Union hang with the Saints.
The Line: St. Chris by 7. Fork Union has shown the potential to pull off the upset here, but they’re going to need to play perfect.
Norfolk Christian (1-4) at Blue Ridge (3-2), 2 p.m. Saturday
The Basics: Blue Ridge struggled last week against North Cross, but the Barons have shown an ability to bounce back from challenging losses in past seasons. Norfolk Christian provides an excellent opportunity to get back on track for Blue Ridge. The Barons have to cut down on the turnovers, with four of them coming in the loss to North Cross. Blue Ridge managed to move the ball a little bit but those turnovers were brutal. If the Barons can cut down on mistakes, it would be a huge step toward resetting things.
Key Matchup: Norfolk Christian’s struggling passing game takes on Blue Ridge’s secondary. The Barons have a lot of impressive playmakers in the secondary like Tanner Rocha and Robby Matos and Norfolk Christian has only managed to throw for 238 yards in five games. That’s not going to get easier against the Barons’ ballhawks.
Who to watch: Blue Ridge’s Nate Jaramillo. Jaramillo plays bigger than he is as a relentless defender. He was in on eight tackles against Christchurch and got banged up against North Cross and it was clear the Barons missed him when he was out. If he can get back in the mix, it’ll go a long way toward helping Blue Ridge get back on track.
The Line: Blue Ridge by 14. The Barons should bounce back in this one.
