point per pick, GOTW worth 2. Picks are due by Friday @ 7pm. If games are Thursday, it is your responsibility to pick game b4 game time. If games are earlier than Thursday the game will not count. No score predictions needed.

Tabb @ Bruton
Rappahannock @ Essex
York @ Poquoson
Clarke Co @ Central – Woodstock
Nelson Co @ Appomattox Co
Narrows @ Parry McCluer
Brookville @ EC Glass
Heritage @ Amherst Co
Lebanon @ Rural Retreat\
Eastside @ Rye Cove
Patrick Henry @ Holston
Virginia @ Tazewell

GOTW
Union @ Ridgeview

I saw this game got moved but wanted to try to get it confirmed. If so I may have to make the short trip up from my place in Lynchburg to Amherst tomorrow. That game will be a barn burner.

So having seen both teams play multiple times and having watched the KW Central game last week i feel like like this is a 28-17 type of game in CCs favor. The Central offense is different with Barahona at qb. More of the Yew offense we've seen over the years. I think against CC if you throw the football decent you can move the ball. Interested to see how Centrals oline matches up against CCs d line. Should be a good game. Usually is when these 2 meet up

The race in the Shenandoah continues to surprise us every week. Friday night the big surprise was Staunton shutting out Wilson. The win itself was not a total shock but the 21-0 margin certainly was, as no other team had been able this season to shut down the Hornet offense. I expected to read that either Podgorski or Baucom had been injured but apparently not, so The Storm just did it with great defense, which does not bode well for the other teams for the rest of the season.

In other games Friday night, Fort Defiance blanked Waynesboro 36-0, Stuarts Draft knocked off Buffalo Gap 39-24 and in a non-district game, Riverheads beat Christiansburg 10-7 with a field goal at the final horn. At this point, each team has played two district games with Staunton and Fort Defiance each 2-0; Riverheads, Gap, and Draft all 1-1; and Wilson and Waynesboro probably out of the race at 0-2.

So that sets up a very interesting Friday night the 11th, because Waynesboro, the weakest team in the league is off this weekend, leaving three other games on the docket, each of which will have a bearing on the district race. Riverheads travels to Staunton, Stuarts Draft goes to Fort Defiance, and Wilson hits the road to Buffalo Gap.

Because of how wild the season has been so far, you could make a case for any of those teams to win any of those games. There is not a slam dunk in the bunch. Just as one possibility, let's say all three home teams were to win. That would leave Staunton and Fort at the top, with their November 1st game possibly the championship game of the season. If in fact the Storm and Indians win Friday, two more teams (Riverheads and Stuarts Draft) will get their second losses and pretty much be eliminated from the race. As for the Bison, if they win Friday, they will remain in the race, because they still play both Staunton and Fort.

There are of course other possibilities and to keep the race as wide open as possible, we should pull for wins by Riverheads and/or Stuarts Draft to keep things interesting. So bottom line, if you are in the area Friday night, even if you are not a fan of any team, check out one of these three games. Here is my take on them, knowing perfectly well that I will not go 3-0.

RIVERHEADS AT STAUNTON: In my pre-season pick, I had the Big Red winning the district with Staunton second. Fort Defiance of course put RHS behind the eight-ball a few weeks ago, making a title an uphill climb for the Gladiators. Meanwhile, Staunton started out slow but appears to be finding its groove on both offense and defense. The teams have one common opponent, Wilson, and Riverheads just barely squeaked past the Hornets 14-13. Comparing scores is risky business, but you cannot ignore that discrepancy. Officially I will go with Staunton to knock off the Gladiators, but it worked for me to go against RHS in the C'burg game, so maybe I have a little reverse psychology thing going on here. The injury status for Riverheads will be a key factor here. One final warning for Storm fans......put Riverheads away early if you want to win, because if the Gladiators can keep it close at halftime, that brain trust knows how to make the right adjustments to make you pay.

STUARTS DRAFT AT FORT DEFIANCE: At this point, I have not read any details about the Cougars' win over the Bison. Was it nip and tuck or did they blow out to a 32-0 lead and fight off a Bison rally? Whatever the case, I think this one will come down to a question of how far the Indian passing game can carry them. Armentrout was a super player and if they have not found the player or players to make up for his absence, then I have to go with the Cougars to take this one.

WILSON AT BUFFALO GAP: This one will feature two teams coming off a loss and the winner will be the team that can put that loss behind them. Wilson would seem to be the most demoralized, considering that they were shut out, whereas the Bison, as already mentioned, are still in control of their own destiny if they can run the table. I am not saying that the Bison will ultimately be in the championship picture, but taking things one game at a time, I like their chances to send Wilson back to Fishersville with a disappointing 0-3 district mark, despite how impressive they have been this season.

MN @ UCLA
GT @ UNC
IA ST @ WV
WI @ Rutg
WA @ IA
Syr @ NC St
Cin @ UCF
PSU @ USC
CA @ Pitt
OH ST @ OR
AZ @ BYU
Coa Car @ JMU (Thur)
MS @ LSU*
TX @ OK*

DET @ DAL*
IN @ TN*
HOU @ NE
LAC @ DEN
SF @ SEA (Thur)
TB @ NO
PIT @ LV
CLE @ PHI
ATL @ CAR
CIN @ NYG
CHI @ JAX

*GOW 2 pts each

I attended two Southeastern District games involving the top four teams (Oscar Smith, Kings Fork, Indian River, and Nansemond River. Here are some of the prospects I was able to watch.
Oscar Smith

After a scoreless 1st half, sophomore Lonnie Andrews III kicked it into high gear in the 2nd half with two touchdown passes and two touchdown runs. Andrews is a duel-threat quarterback who can direct drives via the pass or running for 1st downs. He finished 15 of 26 for 223 yards and two touchdowns while adding 20 yards and two scores on the ground. Andrews has offers from Boston College, Charlotte, Syracuse and Virginia Tech.

Brandon Nesbit (5-foot-8, 205) had two uncharacteristic fumbles in the 1st half but he still ran for 117 yards before halftime. He had a big 3rd quarter including a key 48-yartd run that to put the Tigers in scoring position for their 3rd touchdown. He finished with 191 yards rushing on 28 attempts and a touchdown. Nesbit has offers from Marshall, James Madison, Virginia Tech, East Carolina, Campbell, Bowling Green, and Liberty. Nesbit gained 1120 yards with 13 touchdowns as a junior while earning All-Region at running back.

Rivals 3-star Jayden Covil (5-foot-10, 155) set the tone for the Tigers shutout coming up with two interceptions and a pass breakup. Covil matched his season interception total of two he had as a sophomore. Covil has an offer from Virginia Tech while also having an ACC offer from Duke. Charlotte, Old Dominion, James Madison, and Norfolk State have also offered.

I get the feeling Oscar Smith junior Na'Rod Jarvis (6-foot-3, 215) may not realize how good he is. His athleticism and frame is next level and he is receiving NFL caliber coaching from former NFL veteran and Tigers defensive coordinator Eli Harold. Jarvis was credited with three tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss and half a sack. However, it was his constant pressure on the Nansemond River backfield that led to the Warriors gaining only 27 yards in total offense. He is listed at linebacker but he spent most of the night attacking the Warriors backfield from the defensive end position.

Kings Fork

JaVon Ford II is a true workhorse, and he ran for 175 yards and two touchdowns. He runs with good vision, is hard to bring down and he has breakaway ability turning small gains in big yardage chunks. Ford was an All-State selection as a junior after rushing for 1354 yards with 24 rushing touchdowns while adding 21 catches for 268 yards receiving. His 14 offers include Virginia Tech, West Virginia, North Carolina, James Madison and Liberty.

I have seen sophomore Reginald Davis (5-foot-10, 165) in three different environments including camps, 7-on-7 and during a big district game. All three times he has been one of the top performers and a player I feel will be a Power 4 prospect. Against Indian River, Davis had an interception that he returned 40 yards, and he added three pass breakups. Davis also made a big hit on special teams. He has three interceptions on the season and belongs in the list of the state's top 2027 prospects.
Junior Joshua Pittman added a sack, and he put pressure on the Indian River backfield until the final snap. He never gave up on any play and he made several tackles just by playing to the whistle. Although Pittman is listed as a linebacker, he makes his biggest impact on the edge, and he is growing (6-foot-3, 220) into a defensive end. Virginia Tech, Duke, James Madison, and East Carolina are among the schools who have offered.

Senior Sshimyael Holt (6-foot-4, 280) was credited with six tackles, and he was the key to Kings Fork winning the line of scrimmage. He says he has more than a dozen offers including Virginia Tech, Kentucky, Duke, Coastal Carolina, Temple, Towson, Old Dominion, East Carolina, James Madison and Marshall. Holt made All-Region as a defensive tackle at Nansemond River.

Indian River

I enjoyed watching the All-District matchup between Indian River senior tackle Carrington Gaynor (6-foot-3, 268) and Kings Fork edge Joshua Pittman. Both players seem to enjoy the competition during the pass plays when matched up. Gaynor was a 2nd team All-Region selection as a junior. He receives maybe the best coaching available from Head coach Brandon Carr and offensive line coach DJ Dinsmoor. Gaynor earned a scholarship offer from Virginia Union during the summer and was on my All-Summer Camp team. He also has interests from James Madison, North Carolina A&T and Delaware State.

The 2028 class in Virginia is already showing star potential and freshman Kayce Jordan (6-foot-1, 225) is already turning heads recording three sacks in his 1st varsity start. Jordan was active on the defense for Indian River with a half dozen tackles and a tackle for loss. Jordan performs at a high level, and he plays like a 4-year starter. His future is bright. He is already on the radar of D1 schools.

The Braves have several other underclassmen to keep an eye on. Junior linebacker Malik Avery (5-foot-10, 185) led Indian River with nine tackles and two tackles for loss. Freshman D.J. Alexander was credited with seven tackles while junior linebacker Cameron Brooks also had seven tackles plus two tackles for loss.

Indian River senior running back Ravon Moore (5-foot-9, 200) finished with 13 carries for 64 yards and was productive in the 1st three quarters. He also had two catches for 22 yards. Moore did not have any carries in the 4th quarter when Indian River trailed 24-7. Moore is a back who can stay on the field in both the run and pass game. Moore is receiving interests from Hampton, Georgetown, St. Francis, Ferrum, and VMI.

Senior Trey Voskanyan (5-foot-11, 173) had an interception while also adding an intercepted a 2-point conversion try. He is a playmaker who is a great cover corner. Last year, Voskanyan was a 1st Team All-Region 5A performer at safety after collecting 44 tackles, 13 pass breakups and seven interceptions. Voskanyan has interest from North Carolina Central University, North Carolina A&T, University of New Hampshire, and East Carolina.

Nansemond River

Junior quarterback Tyerll Grant (6-foot-0, 175) didn't have a strong game against Oscar Smith but he showed good form and mobility against one of the State's best defenses. Grant has had a strong season and should help Nansemond River reach the playoffs. He has thrown for 843 yards with nine touchdowns in six games after passing for 1334 yards and 13 touchdowns in a different offense last season.

Senior RJ Jones was the Warriors best defensive player finishing with nine tackles from the safety position. Jones is starting to receive more interests as he has offers from Shenandoah, McDaniel, Roanoke College and Ferrum College since the start of the season.

Senior Xavier Gresham finished with seven tackles including a 1.5 tackle for loss and half a sack. Junior linebacker Travis Freeman (5-foot-10, 195) finished with eight tackles, and he is one of the top tacklers in the 757.

Courtland @ Spotsylvania
Atlee @ Patrick Henry Ash
Caroline @ Chancellor
IC Norcom @ Churchland (Sat)
Matoaca (C5) @ Thomas Dale (C6)
Colonial Forge (C6) @ Mountain View (C6) (Thur)
Meadowbrook (C6) @ Prince George (C5)
Freeman (C5) @ Hermitage (C5)
Oscar Smith (C6) @ Indian River (C5)
Glen Allen @ Varina*
Manchester @ Huguenot*

Heritage Lyn @ Amherst Co* (Sat)
Dominion @ Rock Ridge* (Thur)
Loudoun Co @ John Champe (Thur)
Loudoun Valley @ Tuscarora (Thur)
Brookville @ EC Glass
Louisa @ Orange Co
Halifax Co @ Mecklenburg Co
Christiansburg @ Blacksburg
Westfield (C6) @ James Madison (C6) (Thur)
William Fleming (C5) & William Byrd (C3)
Franklin Co (C5) @ Northside (C3)
Clarke Co (C2) @ Central Woodstock (C2)

*GOW 2 pts each

Annandale 37, Justice High School 26
Armstrong 41, Greensville County 0
Bayside 37, First Colonial 9

Benedictine 42, Collegiate-Richmond 0
Brentsville 28, Warren County 7

Briar Woods 31, Riverside 21
Brunswick Academy 54, Kenston Forest 30
Buckingham County 48, Nottoway 0
Chilhowie 44, Northwood 12

Colgan 71, Freedom – Woodbridge 0
Colonial Forge 23, Mountain View 13
Fairfax 62, C. G. Woodson 14
Freedom – South Riding 56, Osbourn Park 8

Gar-Field 22, Potomac 12
Green Run 41, Landstown 7
Grundy 44, Twin Valley 14
Hancock, Md. 34, Stonewall Jackson High Schooll 28

Hayfield 70, Edison 6
Herndon 37, Chantilly 14
Hopewell 28, Petersburg 14
Independence 37, Lightridge 31

James Madison 26, Westfield 21

John Champe 28, Loudoun County 21
Kempsville 23, Ocean Lakes 15
Langley 42, Wakefield 30

Mount Vernon 42, Falls Church 7
Norfolk Academy 26, Nansemond-Suffolk 0
Oakton 17, West Potomac 14
Osbourn 22, Unity Reed 13

Patriot 35, Gainesville 20
Phoebus 63, Kecoughtan 0
Potomac School 28, Sidwell Friends, D.C. 6
Rock Ridge 48, Dominion 21

Salem-Va. Beach 35, Kellam 7
St. Albans, D.C. 24, Episcopal 17
Stone Bridge 37, Potomac Falls 0
TJ-Alexandria 23, John R. Lewis 0

Tallwood 49, Princess Anne 14
Tuscarora 33, Loudoun Valley 0
Warwick 56, Denbigh 7
Washington-Liberty 42, George Marshall 13

West Springfield 33, James Robinson 28
Woodbridge 24, Forest Park 15
Yorktown 39, McLean 7

Still have a couple games to be played so will update once they are complete.

1. Strasburg (5-0): 23.60
2. Clarke County (5-0): 23.20
3. Riverheads (5-1): 21.33
4. Buckingham (5-0): 20.80
5. Fort Defiance (4-2): 20.67
6. Stuarts Draft (4-2): 18.17
7. Madison Co. (2-3): 16.40
8. Page County (2-3): 14.80
9. Luray (1-4): 13.40
10. Central Woodstock (1-4): 13.00
11. Stonewall (1-4/2-4): 12.80

Stonewall game from last night was a win, but it is not eligible for points so that is why the 2 records.

For one reason or another, Riverheads had not played a game for three weeks before taking the field tonight to host the Staunton Storm JVs. The Big Red was understandably a bit rusty from that unwanted break, but got their running game in gear enough to put four scores on the board and turn back the visitors.

The Gladiators took the first five and a half minutes off the clock and drove 70 yards to score, with Rylan Payne scoring from the one. He added the two point conversion to stake RHS to an early 8-0 lead. He then added a second TD early in the second quarter to make the score 14-0 after a penalty foiled the PAT.

At that point, it might have looked like RHS would be scoring at will, but Staunton had other ideas as they connected on a nice 55 yard completion from Jaymin Jones to Gabryel Johnson. They tacked on the PAT to close out the first half at 14-7.

For the rest of the game, both teams were somewhat sloppy at times, but unfortunately for Staunton, they got the worst end of that deal. They had frequent personnel issues, which either led to a penalty or a need to call an unwanted time-out. They were flagged for delay at least twice, although there were play clocks plainly in view as there have been at Riverheads for several years now. They also had two disastrous punt snaps that gave Riverheads favorable field position. There was no doubt that Staunton has athletic talent, but this was not their night in the efficiency department.

Riverheads was not perfect either, due to the long layoff, but they did get a couple of surprise rushing performances in the second half. After utilizing Payne as the primary weapon in the first half, they turned in the second half to a pair of newcomers, Joel Maybush and Sean Miller, who have just been moved down from varsity to JV. That decision may have been made because of an injury to the Big Red's second-leading rusher Cason Croft, who is likely to be out a while.

Maybush and Miller each took to their new team like a duck to water, as each scored a TD in the second half to round out the Riverheads scoring. Staunton managed to sandwich a second TD in between those two scores, so it was 20-13 and therefore still very much in doubt until Miller's late TD put the game away.

With the win, I believe the JVs are 3-1 now. There is no word yet on when or if the rained-out game with Wilson will be re-scheduled. Up next for the Gladiators will be a trip to Buffalo Gap next Thursday.

In the meantime, all eyes will be on the field at Gypsy Hill Friday night when the varsity Gladiators will make the trip into Staunton to help the Storm celebrate Homecoming. That game will have huge implications on the district title race as well as the playoff picture down the road. Staunton would like nothing better than to remain unbeaten in district play, whereas Riverheads needs the win to stay within striking distance after an early-season loss to Fort Defiance. Speaking of which, the Indians will have their own big game going on tomorrow night when they host Stuarts Draft. If the two home teams win those two games, it will pretty much knock both Riverheads and Stuarts Draft out of contention, and leave the Fort and the Storm on a collision course for their November 1 meeting.

JUNIOR VARSITY

Richmond Collegiate Cougars
0

Final

Benedictine Cadets
42

HALF | Colonial Forge 16, Mountain View 0

Dominant first half performance for the Eagles as the Wildcats are still looking to put points on the board

Champe 14 Loudoun County14
Tuscarora 21 Loudoun Valley 0

Greetings from Ocean Lakes High School in Virginia Beach on this Senior Night, where it's 61 degrees and rather sunny and we're ready for a 6:30 PM EST early kick-off of Beach District Football.

It's the Dolphins of Ocean Lakes at 4-1 playing host to the visiting Kempsville Chiefs, who come in at 3-2 overall.

We'll have updates here + on Twitter or 'X' as they call it @hatfieldsports

Before we start with Kempsville receiving the opening kickoff, let's give you our mini preview and picks from earlier on the V.I.P. Board...


Kempsville (3-2) at Ocean Lakes (4-1) . . . The Dolphins had won nine in a row over Kempsville 2010-18, but the Chiefs have now reeled off three straight in this series, including 28-20 last year. It was not a thing of beauty for Kempsville in its 16-12 win over Landstown last week, but they are looking for that defense – headed up by LB Darryl Veal and DB Jaylen Hatton (4 INT’s) – to contain an Ocean Lakes attack putting up 40.6 points per game. Ocean Lakes scored two non-offensive touchdowns in their 32-24 loss to Cox last week, where they led by double-digits early before getting shut out in the second half.

Ocean Lakes QB Noah Colon has been a dual-threat weapon this season with 651 yards passing and 10 TD’s on 33 completions to go with 591 yards rushing and 5 TD’s on 62 attempts. Colon committed this past week to play his College Football at Hampton University, where he will likely be used a slot receiver. His go-to target is WR Devin McGill (13Rec. 262Yds. 2 TD’s), though he’s doing a nice job of spreading the ball around.

Kempsville has used different players at the QB spot. The key to them in this one will be establishing the ground attack, sparked by sophomore Robert Hughes, and controlling the line of scrimmage. Senior LG Makai Bacon anchors the Chiefs o-line, which has its hands full blocking Dolphins pass rusher Taylor Vogel (12 sacks).

Matt Hatfield Says – Ocean Lakes 24-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Ocean Lakes 26-20

Here’s some Thursday night calm before to storm filler for y’all…was just thinking about how I take for granted the beautiful views of the Shenandoah Valley. Just about every football stadium I’ve been too has had incredible views of the Blue Ridge…especially this time of year when the leaves are changing. Lots of beautiful parts of the state but I’m lucky enough to live in one of the most stunning. I’ve been to:

Harrisonburg
Rocktown
Spotswood
East Rockingham
Luray
Central Woodstock
Strasburg
Stonewall Jackson
Turner Ashby
Broadway
Staunton
Waynesboro
Stuart’s Draft
Sherando
John Handley
James Wood

And just about everyone one of them had an incredible view. Enjoy the sights tomorrow night at all your respective football games 😎

High School Football Predictions Battle: 2024 Regular Season Totals

Matthew Hatfield – 122-19 (86.5%)
Coach Ed Young – 118-23 (83.7%)

Young went 19-3 compared to Hatfield’s 17-5 mark, missing on a pair of Southeastern District tilts with King’s Fork/Indian River and Grassfield/Great Bridge that helped Ed draw closer.

** Tune in to Hatfield & Young on 757 Saturday Sports Talk on CoVA Sports TV from 9:30 to 11:30 AM EST on YouTube! **


Action for Thursday 10/10/24:

Kempsville (3-2) at Ocean Lakes (4-1) . . . The Dolphins had won nine in a row over Kempsville 2010-18, but the Chiefs have now reeled off three straight in this series, including 28-20 last year. It was not a thing of beauty for Kempsville in its 16-12 win over Landstown last week, but they are looking for that defense – headed up by LB Darryl Veal and DB Jaylen Hatton (4 INT’s) – to contain an Ocean Lakes attack putting up 40.6 points per game. Ocean Lakes scored two non-offensive touchdowns in their 32-24 loss to Cox last week, where they led by double-digits early before getting shut out in the second half.

Ocean Lakes QB Noah Colon has been a dual-threat weapon this season with 651 yards passing and 10 TD’s on 33 completions to go with 591 yards rushing and 5 TD’s on 62 attempts. Colon committed this past week to play his College Football at Hampton University, where he will likely be used a slot receiver. His go-to target is WR Devin McGill (13Rec. 262Yds. 2 TD’s), though he’s doing a nice job of spreading the ball around.

Kempsville has used different players at the QB spot. The key to them in this one will be establishing the ground attack, sparked by sophomore Robert Hughes, and controlling the line of scrimmage. Senior LG Makai Bacon anchors the Chiefs o-line, which has its hands full blocking Dolphins pass rusher Taylor Vogel (12 sacks).

Matt Hatfield Says – Ocean Lakes 24-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Ocean Lakes 26-20


Bayside (2-3) at First Colonial (1-5) . . .

Matt Hatfield Says – Bayside 30-12
Coach Ed Young Says – Bayside 26-16


Landstown (2-4) at Green Run (6-0) . . .

Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 56-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 45-8


Salem-VB (4-1) at Kellam (2-3) . . .

Matt Hatfield Says – Salem-VB 28-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Salem-VB 21-18


Princess Anne (0-6) at Tallwood (1-4) . . .

Matt Hatfield Says – Tallwood 34-9
Coach Ed Young Says – Tallwood 30-12


Denbigh (1-4) at Warwick (6-0) . . .

Matt Hatfield Says – Warwick 48-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Warwick 50-0


Phoebus (5-0) at Kecoughtan (0-6) . . .

Matt Hatfield Says – Phoebus 62-3
Coach Ed Young Says – Phoebus 50-0

With 3 games remaining, Essex JV team is 5-0 with wins over….

4A Caroline 28-8
Northumberland 38-0
2A Southampton 28-8
2A King William 38-22
Rappahannock 52-8

Keep up the good work young men.

Well, one game of the Dynamic Dozen did not happen - Buckingham/Lunenburg - as it got postponed to later in the month of October...

So considering we picked 13 the week before, I guess it evens out.

A 10-1 mark turns out to be the best we've had all year. We're hoping that mid-season form continues as we move into October...

Hat's Dynamic Dozen Picks from Week 5 - 10-1 ( (90.9%)
Hat's Dynamic Dozen Selections for 2024 Season - 43-17 (71.7%)

Our Selections for Week 6 will be in the next post shortly!

Bull run opening weekend who wins

I think some jobs may be on the line.
https://www.fairfaxtimes.com/articl...cle_0cf41168-2f24-11ef-be80-5771473f6dd4.html

No. 3 Oscar Smith meets 11th-ranked Indian River
in key Southeastern District game.

Games are on Thursday this week so please have your picks in by 7:00 pm on Thursday.

Gainesville @ Patriot (-7)
Annandale (-3) @ Justice
South County (-14) @ Alexandria City
West Springfield (-7) @ Robinson
Oakton (-6) @ West Potomac
Chantilly @ Herndon (-7)
Westfield @ Madison (-21)
Marshall (-3) @ Washington-Liberty
McLean @ Yorktown (-7)
Riverside @ Briar Woods (-7)