Friday night, six of the seven Shenandoah District teams were matched up in the first "full" week of the district schedule. In those three games, Riverheads shut out Buffalo Gap 42-0 even though the Bison twice made it inside the five yard line, Wilson rolled past Fort Defiance 47-7 to move to 4-1 on the season, and Stuarts Draft's Aaron Nice scored all six touchdowns on the way to a 42-20 pounding of Staunton.
Although none of those games were especially close, things should start to tighten up considerably in the coming weeks. As for this week, which we will call Week 8 of the season, the Green and Gold of Wilson Memorial will be the busiest team as they will take the field Tuesday night in a make-up game at Rockbridge, and then host Riverheads on Saturday afternoon, meaning the Hornets will have played three games in the span of eight calendar days. Meanwhile, on the regular Friday night circuit, there should be some closer games, at least one of which looks almost dead-even on paper. Here is the full slate, in chronological order........
Wilson at Rockbridge County (Tuesday night): This is a make-up game necessitated by a COVID cancellation from back in early September. If that game had been played as scheduled, it might have been a tough one to call. But since then, the Hornets have been on fire and rumor has it that new coach Drew Bugden could get elected mayor of Fishersville if he chose to run. All four of Wilson's wins have come over fellow Class 3 teams, so they are not only winning but they are moving closer to a favorable post-season slot. (The first rankings from the VHSL are due out any time now.) As for this game, Wilson certainly looks like the favorite on paper, since Rockbridge does not possess any such impressive wins.
Waynesboro at Rockbridge County (Friday night): Yes, you are reading right....there has been nothing said or written to indicate that the Wildcats will delay to Saturday or beyond, so they apparently will play a third game within SEVEN calendar days, all at home I might add, as they won a 47-36 shootout over Spotswood Friday night. Even if Wilson gets the better of them Tuesday, the Cats should have enough to send Waynesboro packing in this non-district clash.
Fort Defiance at Staunton (Friday night): This is the one I alluded to above as being dead-even on paper. Each team has tasted success outside the district, with the Indians surprising Rockbridge a few weeks ago, whereas Staunton won two early games against Covington and Page County. However, they each lost big to Waynesboro in addition to their losses Friday night. Therefore this one is quite simply going to determine who finishes in the basement and who can look back at the end of the year and say "well at least we didn't finish last." I have not seen either team play yet in person, but the impression I get is that Staunton has an identity problem and just may not realize its own potential, whereas the Indians are a young but promising team that desperately wants to grow up fast. On a hunch I will go with Fort Defiance but if this one is separated by more than a touchdown either way, I will be surprised.
Stuarts Draft at Buffalo Gap (Friday night): This one also has the potential to be the best Friday night game on the docket, as they only have three losses between them. Since two of those were to the powerhouse Gladiators, that is nothing to be ashamed of. If you were to compare scores, you would be inclined to go with the Cougars in this one, since they at least had Riverheads worried for a while, whereas Friday night's Gap loss to the Gladiators was over by halftime. Playoff spots are almost guaranteed for both teams I would assume, but each one would still like to end up near the top of the district standings and of course the Cougars still have the Riverheads re-match circled on all their calendars. The Gap is a better team than they showed Friday night, but I still have to go with the Cougars in this one, perhaps in a 42-28 shootout kind of game.
Riverheads at Wilson (Saturday at 1:00): Someone here on the board recently said that the Hornets will not be able to consider themselves as the "real deal" until they beat either Riverheads or Stuarts Draft, and they will have chances to do exactly that in the coming weeks. On paper, this does look like the most competitive game between the two in several years, and Wilson should come in with the utmost in confidence, especially if they have made Rockbridge their fifth Class 3 victim by that time. But the plain and simple truth is that Riverheads just has so darn much talent than you can't prepare for EVERYTHING they can throw at you. For most of the season, Triple C has been the main threat and he still remains one of, if not THE top scorer in the district. Then down at Lord Botetourt, the Gladiators unleashed Luke Bryant on the unsuspecting Cavaliers. Then although it may not have been pre-planned, Cole Burton shredded the Bison defense Friday night with four touchdowns. So if Coach Bugden and his staff can develop a defensive game plan that stops ALL of those weapons, not to mention the Gladiators' decent passing game, then Wilson can win and will certainly deserve it. But I don't see that happening. I am not sure Riverheads can dominate the Hornets the way they did the Bison, but I do see a Big Red victory that will complete their grueling five-game road swing and keep their nationally-ranked win streak intact.
Although none of those games were especially close, things should start to tighten up considerably in the coming weeks. As for this week, which we will call Week 8 of the season, the Green and Gold of Wilson Memorial will be the busiest team as they will take the field Tuesday night in a make-up game at Rockbridge, and then host Riverheads on Saturday afternoon, meaning the Hornets will have played three games in the span of eight calendar days. Meanwhile, on the regular Friday night circuit, there should be some closer games, at least one of which looks almost dead-even on paper. Here is the full slate, in chronological order........
Wilson at Rockbridge County (Tuesday night): This is a make-up game necessitated by a COVID cancellation from back in early September. If that game had been played as scheduled, it might have been a tough one to call. But since then, the Hornets have been on fire and rumor has it that new coach Drew Bugden could get elected mayor of Fishersville if he chose to run. All four of Wilson's wins have come over fellow Class 3 teams, so they are not only winning but they are moving closer to a favorable post-season slot. (The first rankings from the VHSL are due out any time now.) As for this game, Wilson certainly looks like the favorite on paper, since Rockbridge does not possess any such impressive wins.
Waynesboro at Rockbridge County (Friday night): Yes, you are reading right....there has been nothing said or written to indicate that the Wildcats will delay to Saturday or beyond, so they apparently will play a third game within SEVEN calendar days, all at home I might add, as they won a 47-36 shootout over Spotswood Friday night. Even if Wilson gets the better of them Tuesday, the Cats should have enough to send Waynesboro packing in this non-district clash.
Fort Defiance at Staunton (Friday night): This is the one I alluded to above as being dead-even on paper. Each team has tasted success outside the district, with the Indians surprising Rockbridge a few weeks ago, whereas Staunton won two early games against Covington and Page County. However, they each lost big to Waynesboro in addition to their losses Friday night. Therefore this one is quite simply going to determine who finishes in the basement and who can look back at the end of the year and say "well at least we didn't finish last." I have not seen either team play yet in person, but the impression I get is that Staunton has an identity problem and just may not realize its own potential, whereas the Indians are a young but promising team that desperately wants to grow up fast. On a hunch I will go with Fort Defiance but if this one is separated by more than a touchdown either way, I will be surprised.
Stuarts Draft at Buffalo Gap (Friday night): This one also has the potential to be the best Friday night game on the docket, as they only have three losses between them. Since two of those were to the powerhouse Gladiators, that is nothing to be ashamed of. If you were to compare scores, you would be inclined to go with the Cougars in this one, since they at least had Riverheads worried for a while, whereas Friday night's Gap loss to the Gladiators was over by halftime. Playoff spots are almost guaranteed for both teams I would assume, but each one would still like to end up near the top of the district standings and of course the Cougars still have the Riverheads re-match circled on all their calendars. The Gap is a better team than they showed Friday night, but I still have to go with the Cougars in this one, perhaps in a 42-28 shootout kind of game.
Riverheads at Wilson (Saturday at 1:00): Someone here on the board recently said that the Hornets will not be able to consider themselves as the "real deal" until they beat either Riverheads or Stuarts Draft, and they will have chances to do exactly that in the coming weeks. On paper, this does look like the most competitive game between the two in several years, and Wilson should come in with the utmost in confidence, especially if they have made Rockbridge their fifth Class 3 victim by that time. But the plain and simple truth is that Riverheads just has so darn much talent than you can't prepare for EVERYTHING they can throw at you. For most of the season, Triple C has been the main threat and he still remains one of, if not THE top scorer in the district. Then down at Lord Botetourt, the Gladiators unleashed Luke Bryant on the unsuspecting Cavaliers. Then although it may not have been pre-planned, Cole Burton shredded the Bison defense Friday night with four touchdowns. So if Coach Bugden and his staff can develop a defensive game plan that stops ALL of those weapons, not to mention the Gladiators' decent passing game, then Wilson can win and will certainly deserve it. But I don't see that happening. I am not sure Riverheads can dominate the Hornets the way they did the Bison, but I do see a Big Red victory that will complete their grueling five-game road swing and keep their nationally-ranked win streak intact.
