Here is a Review of how the Playoff Picks went for Matthew Hatfield and Coach Ed Young...
Hatfield:
6A = 2-0
6B = 2-0
6C = 1-1 (missed on Lake Braddock/West Springfield)
6D = 2-0
5A = 2-0
5B = 2-0
5C = 1-1 (missed on Fleming/Freeman)
5D = 2-0
4A = 2-0
4B = 1-1 (missed on King George/Dinwiddie)
4C = 2-0
4D = 1-1 (missed on E.C. Glass/Jefferson Forest)
3A = 0-2 (missed on Heritage/Hopewell and Lafayette/Lake Taylor)
3B = 1-1 (missed on Armstrong/TJ-Richmond)
3C = 2-0
3D = 2-0
2A = 1-1 (missed on Poquoson/King William)
2B = 2-0
2C = 2-0
2D = 2-0
1A = 2-0
1B = 2-0
1C = 1-1 (missed on Galax/Grayson County)
1D = 2-0
Round 2 Total = 39-9 (81.3%)
Playoff Total = 117-23 (83.6%)
Young:
6A = 1-1 (missed on Manchester/Thomas Dale)
6B = 2-0
6C = 2-0
6D = 2-0
5A = 2-0
5B = 1-1 (missed on Warwick/King's Fork)
5C = 2-0
5D = 2-0
4A = 2-0
4B = 1-1 (missed on King George/Dinwiddie)
4C = 2-0
4D - 2-0
3A = 1-1 (missed on Heritage/Hopewell)
3B = 1-1 (missed on Armstrong/TJ-Richmond)
3C = 1-1 (missed on Turner Ashby/Spotswood)
3D = 2-0
2A = 1-1 (missed on Poquoson/King William)
2B = 2-0
2C = 2-0
2D = 2-0
1A = 2-0
1B = 2-0
1C = 1-1 (missed on Galax/Grayson County)
1D = 1-1 (missed on Rye Cove/Twin Springs)
Round 2 Total = 39-9 (81.3%)
Playoff Total = 115-25 (82%)
Region 6A:
#3 Manchester (11-1) at #1 Highland Springs (11-1) . . . These are two of the most successful programs in the entire Richmond area over the past several seasons. Loren Johnson’s Springers have won five state titles since 2015 and this team is well-stocked with talent, headlined by reigning Class 5 State Offensive Player of the Year and Maryland commit Khristian Martin (84 of 158 for 1337 yards, 11-2 TD/Int. ratio) at quarterback. They also have junior linebacker Brennan Johnson, the Class 5 State Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore who has collected 76 total tackles on the campaign.
Manchester is not hurting for talent either to go with QB Landen Abernethy and RB Devin Bryant, who ran for 129 yards and 3 TD’s on just 13 carries in an opening round playoff win over Landstown. The defense is headed up by West Virginia commit Makai Byerson, last year’s Region 6A Defensive Player of the Year, from his defensive end spot. East Carolina commit Kenny Walz leads the o-line and WR/DB Kyree Richardson, a Richmond pledge, is one of a host of playmakers for them.
The Springers won a classic early in the regular season, 41-35, thanks to Martin’s 69-yard game-winning touchdown pass to George Lovelace. Another tight battle is expected between these two powers, and if the Lancers can contain Highland Springs sophomore Eric Byrd (134Att. 1310Yds. 18 TD’s) and ground attack, this is a very winnable game for Tom Hall’s Lancers.
Matt Hatfield Says – Highland Springs 28-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Highland Springs 21-16
Region 6B:
#3 Battlefield (12-0) at #1 Freedom-PW (11-0) . . . In the ten years prior to Darryl Overton (86-20) taking over as Freedom’s Head Coach, the Eagles won just 18 games compared to 84 losses. Currently, the Eagles are riding a 26-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Greg Hatfield’s Bobcats have pieced together three consecutive unbeaten regular seasons and they are the last team to bounce Freedom from the playoffs, doing so 24-7 in 2021.
Freedom junior running back Jeff Overton Jr. has followed up earning Class 6 State Offensive Player of the Year honors as a tenth grader by rushing for 581 yards and 10 TD’s in two postseason games here in 2023. So bottle him up and everything’s good, right? Wrong, because QB Tristan Evans has tossed eight touchdowns in two playoff wins, including three on 15 of 20 for 253 yards in the regional quarters vs. Potomac, and WR JuJu Preston has a 3-TD performance this postseason to go with picking up an offer from Clemson this month.
Villanova commit and WR Brandon Binkowski was spectacular in Battlefield’s 21-18 comeback win over Mountain View in the regional semis, hauling in nine balls for 177 yards and a pair of scores. His brother, Cameron, is a force on defense off the edge and was Cedar Run District Defensive Player of the Year. To have any chance in this one, they don’t want to get in a track meet with the speedy and explosive Eagles, who come in averaging 56.7 PPG after setting the state scoring record in 2022 with 952 points.
Matt Hatfield Says – Freedom-PW 41-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Freedom-PW 32-26
Region 6C:
#5 Fairfax (9-3) at #2 Lake Braddock (10-2) . . . Earlier this year, it was Lake Braddock winning by a count of 21-9. The Bruins saw junior dual-threat QB Michael Suris complete 8 of 14 passes for 186 yards and a 2-1 TD/Int. ratio. Kai Austin was a big threat in that game with three catches for 104 yards and a score. On the year, Austin has 62 receptions for 985 yards and 7 TD’s. The Bruins also depend on Xavier Marin in a major way in the passing game. Sophomore Tyrone Jackson was a factor defensively with 17 total stops in that game.
How Fairfax is playing for the Occoquan Region 6C crown for a second straight year is mighty impressive considering they lost their two stud linebackers, Georgia commit Kris Jones and Drew Taylor, to injury during the regular season. They recovered from a 50-7 loss to South County by stunning the top-seeded Stallions, 30-6 in the regional semis. Tristan Edwards managed the game well from the QB Spot, while sophomore Henry Maltese returned a blocked punt for a score to go with a rushing touchdown.
If the Lions can disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Lake Braddock passing game, this is a game that they can win; otherwise the Bruins probably have a bit more firepower at their disposal to advance on to the State Semis.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lake Braddock 30-27
Coach Ed Young Says – Lake Braddock 26-24
Region 6D:
#6 Westfield (9-3) at #1 James Madison (11-1) . . . These two Concorde District rivals have played some tight games over the years. From 2016-2019, Westfield won all five meetings, including three decided by seven points or less. However, Madison has returned the favor with four straight victories over the Bulldogs, prevailing 21-16 a year ago and rallying for a 28-24 triumph earlier this season.
Matt Hatfield Says – Madison 22-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Madison 21-20
Region 5A:
#3 Indian River (9-3) at #1 Green Run (12-0) . . . This is the fifth playoff meetings between these two teams since 1994. Ironically enough, Cadillac Harris was coaching for Green Run in the first two playoff games, a 30-9 loss to the Braves in 1994 and 14-7 defeat in 1995, but then was on the other sideline coaching Indian River when they blanked the Stallions 6-0 in 2007. He was a spectator for the 2021 postseason encounter like he will be for this one.
Two years ago, Green Run won comfortably 27-7 at home in the regional semis on their way to the first of back-to-back regional titles. Some of the same components from each side will again be key figures in this meeting.
Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 21-17
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 18-14
Region 5B:
#3 Warwick (11-1) at #1 Maury (12-0) . . . This marks the 24th time that the Raiders and Commodores square off on the gridiron. Maury has won the past four meetings, which includes a 48-14 victory as recent as 2018 in the playoffs.
The Warwick defense has allowed a mere 36 points on the season, just three per contest. They pitched eight straight shutouts before a 10-2 loss to Phoebus, and given that the first touchdown scored on them was a kickoff return by Grassfield in the season opener, it took until the fourth quarter of the regular season finale vs. the Phantoms for their defense to surrender a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Maury offense is one of the state’s most prolific outfits seen in recent years, piling up a staggering 59.7 points per game. Their lowest output was 23 in a win over Highland Springs, who beat them a season ago in the Class 5 State Championship at ODU.
Au’tori Newkirk has flourished in the move up from junior varsity to varsity as the starting quarterback for the Commodores this year. The junior has connected on 147 of 213 passes for 2978 yards and a 34-4 TD/Int. ratio, plus has rushed for another 612 yards and 10 TD’s. His receiving core is a deep and skilled one with South Carolina commit Fred ‘Jay-R’ Johnson, Duke pledge Da’Vontae Floyd, LeBron Bond, Josh Powell and Jahvon Wiggins all making a profound impact. Furthermore, the backfield trio of Melvin Lowe, Leon ‘Fatman’ Clark and Damari Palmer come in with a combined 2428 yards and 37 TD’s rushing.
Warwick is equipped to making Maury have to work extra hard for its usual numbers with what they present defensively, led by hard-hitting linebacker Iziah Emery (127 stops), flanked by Xavier Carter and Niz’john Humphrey. Up front, Duwuane Skipwith, Adonus Watson, Antwone Vasquez and Dashaun Jackson are excellent at breaking down protection for offenses. Then there is the difference maker on the back end in Messiah Delhomme, who has returned a pair of his six interceptions for touchdowns and has only continued to blossom after earning Region 4A Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore.
This is a game where Delhomme should be more of a focal point on offense to get the ball in his hands, through runs or quick screens, than seen during the second half of their 10-2 loss to Phoebus. While Warwick can engineer drives with Ri’jon Hammond (1016 yards, 12 TD’s), Ian Bacon and Cameron Glenn carrying the rock, it’s Delhomme that strikes fear in the heart of the opposition. Raiders QB Eduardo Rios Jr. (25 TD’s total) can stretch out defenses with a very formidable core of receivers that include Keon Batts, Mike Alleyne, Julio Carrecter and Dakota Brodus.
In putting up 43.3 PPG, the Warwick offense probably goes under appreciated to an extent, but this is chance to really open some eyes against a top-notch defense because the Commodores are yielding just 8.2 PPG and pitched six straight shutouts of Eastern District foes. Johnson, junior FS Kendall Daniels, sophomore LB Ike Simmons and DE Ari Watford (7 sacks) are four intimidating pieces to the defense, all destined for Power 5 schools, plus then you throw in Floyd as an ACC corner, Lavontay Bond as an All-State level defender on the opposite side, and it doesn’t end there. Linebacker Dylan Goad and DE Leslie Hines have combined for 129 tackles, feasting when blockers are overly concerned about the others.
Matt Hatfield Says – Maury 28-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Maury 21-14
Region 5C:
#8 William Fleming (8-4) at #3 Matoaca (9-3) . . . This is the first ever playoff meeting between these two teams. For Matoaca, it’s their deepest playoff run since falling to Jefferson Forest in consecutive years, 1992 and 1993, for the State Championship.
While the Warriors try to even their all-time playoff record to 23-23, the Colonels of William Fleming are looking to make history as the first team since the postseason format expanded to eight teams in each region to make the State Playoffs as a No. 8 seed on the gridiron. Before this current four-game winning streak, Fleming had three losses by eight points or fewer to quality foes in Patrick Henry-Roanoke, Lord Botetourt and William Byrd, which came in overtime. They avenged the defeat to PH-Roanoke with a 23-16 opening round upset, and with a victory here, it’ll put them in the State Semis for the second time in three years.
Matt Hatfield Says – Matoaca 27-16
Coach Ed Young Says – William Fleming 23-20
Region 5D:
#2 Briar Woods (8-3) at #1 Stone Bridge (7-4) . . . While Mike Burnett beat Stone Bridge twice while he was the Head Coach at Tuscarora and once in the playoffs, the Falcons are 0-10 all-time against Mickey Thompson’s Bulldogs. That includes 0-3 under Burnett and a 29-12 loss earlier this year during the regular season.
Wake Forest commit Myles Turpin is a versatile do-it-all weapon for Coach Thompson. Turpin and fellow senior Troy Marquez combined for 1110 yards rushing and 15 TD’s during the regular season, but the Bulldogs had seven different players find the end zone on the ground and four via pass receptions. The main weapon for QB Brandon Pena is Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (34Rec. 786Yds. 10 TD’s in regular season).
Briar Woods has a very formidable passing connection with QB Brady Carmical (98 of 180 for 1678 yards, 19-8 TD/Int. ratio) firing to fellow junior Colin Capistrant (38Rec. 719Yds. 5 TD’s). Carmical has 629 yards and 11 TD’s rushing as well, so the offensive line giving him time to use his feet and converting third downs will be pivotal against a very stout Bulldogs defense that grew from a rugged early season schedule.
Stone Bridge has played in 11 State Championship games in the past 18 years and they are going for their 16th regional title, sixth in a row. They expect to win in late November and move on to December.
Matt Hatfield Says – Stone Bridge 31-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Stone Bridge 30-14
Region 4A:
#2 Warhill (12-0) at #1 Phoebus (12-0) . . . Injuries don’t overshadow this game, but are certainly part of the story. Warhill will be without tailback Jaedyn McAdoo, their leading rusher, due to a broken collarbone. Phoebus is without starting QB Adonis Stowers, who threw for over 1100 yards and 23 touchdowns in the previous 12 wins.
Maybe one of the more fascinating stats is that Warhill is actually averaging more points per game at 47.6 than Phoebus, who checks in at 45.3 PPG, even though they had the 104-point regional quarterfinal outing against Jamestown. The Lions will lean on North Dakota State commit Taylen Eady at receiver as he’s averaging over 70 yards per game receiving and running back turned dual-threat QB Liam Francisque, the Bay Rivers District Offensive Player of the Year.
What remains to be seen is whether or not the Warhill offensive line can block a ferocious Phoebus pass rush, spearheaded by Maryland commit Anthony Reddick, the Peninsula District Defensive Player of the Year, and ODU pledge Taysean Stevenson. The Phantoms have enough guys on offense with Paul Stephen Davis, workhorse back Davion Roberts and PD Offensive Player of the Year Keyontae Gray to make it a relatively smooth transition of talented freshman QB Maurikus Banks, who threw for 112 yards in relief vs. Hampton a week ago.
Matt Hatfield Says – Phoebus 24-8
Coach Ed Young Says – Phoebus 33-6
Region 4B:
#2 Varina (10-2) at #1 King George (12-0) . . . Until last year, King George was 0-6 all-time against Varina, which beat the Foxes 28-10 in the 2021 playoffs on their way to a state title. However, last year it was King George that knocked Varina out of the postseason, 31-14, before falling to Dinwiddie in a 47-41 overtime classic for the Region 4B crown. Just a week ago, King George kept its undefeated season going with a 46-29 win over Dinwiddie, marking the ninth time they’ve eclipsed 20-plus points in a game.
As for Varina, their only two losses this year came to Class 6 title contenders in Highland Springs, 20-19, and Freedom of Woodbridge, 35-27. The Varina defense has pitched four shutouts on the year with one coming over Indian River 13-0 in the opener and another being 43-0 over Courtland in the opening round of the playoffs.
Jack Pearson was in a groove against Dinwiddie, completing 12 of 17 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. Having arguably the best receiving tandem in the state with Maryland pledge Mekhai White (17 TD catches) and Virginia Tech commit Chanz Wiggins (14 TD grabs doesn’t hurt. Varina counters with one of the best sophomore skill position playmakers in DaMari Carter, who has seen 13 of his 42 receptions go for scores.
Matt Hatfield Says – King George 21-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Varina 20-18
Region 4C:
#2 John Champe (10-1) at #1 Tuscarora (11-0) . . . It’s the fourth time since 2017 that Tuscarora and John Champe are squaring off with each previous meeting being decided by eight points or less. Tuscarora won two of the previous three contests, but fell in overtime, 28-27 in 2018 before the Huskies got revenge later on in the playoffs that year.
Since a 27-13 loss to Briar Woods in the season opener, the Knights of John Champe have rattled off ten straight wins, scoring 50-plus points on five occasions.
Led in the trenches by mammoth 6-foot-8 offensive tackle and Florida commit Fletcher Westphal, Tuscarora is seeking its 25th playoff win 2011. While the Huskies haven’t won a state title, they’ve made it to the Championship round on three occasions – 2014, 2017 and 2019. Statistically, this appears to be the strongest defense they’ve fielded, yielding just 8.9 points per game. However, the offense will have to sharpen up a bit as the 29.2 PPG is the lowest average for the program since 2018.
Matt Hatfield Says – Tuscarora 20-15
Coach Ed Young Says – Tuscarora 18-16
Region 4D:
#3 E.C. Glass (9-3) at #1 Salem (11-1) . . . It’s a re-match of last year’s Region 4D Finals, where E.C. Glass defeated Salem 35-21. The Hilltoppers actually are 6-2-1 since 1980 against a Spartans program with ten state titles. Salem features two Under Armour All-Americans in running back Peyton Lewis, a Tennessee commit, and Georgia pledge Chris Cole, who leads the defense from his linebacker spot.
Matt Hatfield Says – Salem 34-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Salem 26-22
Region 3A:
#5 Heritage-Newport News (7-5) at #2 Lafayette (10-2) . . . At 1-5 overall earlier in the season, it didn’t look like Heritage would be playoff-bound, let alone be thinking about playing on Thanksgiving weekend. Scott Woodlief’s Hurricanes are here in large part because of the improvement shown on defense as they’ve gone from giving up 29.7 points per game during that early stretch to just 7.7 PPG allowed on this six-game winning streak.
Lafayette and Heritage last met in 2015 with the Rams winning 41-13 in Williamsburg, whereas the Canes won the only other meeting, 26-20, at Cooley Field in 1996.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lafayette 24-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Lafayette 20-18
Region 3B:
#4 Armstrong (9-3) at #2 Brentsville District (11-1) . . . After falling to Phoebus in the State Semis each of the past two years, the Tigers of Brentsville District are hoping to not only win their third consecutive regional title, but that the third time is the charm and they get to the State Championship game this December under third-year Head Coach Loren White.
His Tigers are riding a nine-game winning streak, where they won by double-figures twice over a Kettle Run team that played in last year’s Class 4 state Finals.
Armstrong Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt has been suspended for this game due to social media posts made following their win over previously undefeated Thomas Jefferson-Richmond in the regional semis.
Matt Hatfield Says – Brentsville District 30-12
Coach Ed Young Says – Brentsville District 24-16
Region 3C:
#2 Turner Ashby (11-1) at #1 Liberty Christian (11-0) . . . Two years removed from falling to Phoebus in the Class 3 State Championship game at Liberty University, Frank Rocco’s Bulldogs of LCA appear ready to finish the deal here in 2023. They’ve been dominant all year long, beginning with a tough season-opening win over Class 4 contender Salem, and have continued it in the playoffs by outscoring the likes of Fluvanna and Rustburg by a combined 101-19 count through the first two rounds.
Turner Ashby got here by avenging a 35-34 overtime loss to Spotswood in the regular season finale by besting Heritage-Lynchburg – last year’s Class 3 runner-up – 26-14 in the quarterfinals and then eliminating those Blazers that handed them their only loss to date in a decisive 35-7 manner.
The past two playoff encounters with Liberty Christian were not pretty for Turner Ashby, which lost to the Bulldogs 50-19 a year ago and by a much closer margin of 22-16 in 2019.
Matt Hatfield Says – Liberty Christian 36-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Liberty Christian 30-8
Region 3D:
#2 William Byrd (11-1) at #1 Magna Vista (12-0) . . . Even though Joe Favero’s Warriors of Magna Vista won back-to-back state titles in 2014 over Lafayette and 2015 over Lord Botetourt, this season has marked uncharted territory. That’s because they are enjoying their first ever 12-0 start, averaging 44.2 points per game in the process. Save a 35-34 escape vs. Gretna and 27-20 comeback triumph over Christiansburg in the regional semis, the Warriors have gotten the job done in rather convincing fashion each time out.
William Byrd won three straight meetings over Magna Vista from 2013-15, but the Terriers were beaten by the Warriors 21-7 in 2016 and 22-19 in 2021.
Matt Hatfield Says – Magna Vista 27-24 (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says – Magna Vista 26-18
Region 2A:
#3 Amelia (9-3) at Poquoson (9-3) . . .
This is the first time that Poquoson is hosting a regional title game since 2010 when ironically enough they last won a State Championship.
Amelia County is a surprise entry in this regional title game, especially considering they lost to Central-Woodstock 37-0 in September. A strong running game by the Falcons did them in that night, and the Bull Islanders will likely present similar challenges behind Eastern Kentucky track commit Baker Green, Khaleo Smith and Cody Little. Those three helped Poquoson combine for 159 yards rushing against King William last week.
Believe it or not, King William actually rushed for more yards as a team, 164 on 36 attempts, but struggled through the air with just three completions out of 12 attempts for a mere 25 yards, most of which came on the final game.
Matt Hatfield Says – Poquoson 23-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Poquoson 33-25
Region 2B:
#2 Riverheads (11-1) at #1 Central-Woodstock (12-0) . . . Fresh off an 8-7 win over Strasburg in the regional semis, the Central-Woodstock Falcons take on a Riverheads team that they beat by that same exact margin to open the 2023 season.
Riverheads has won 31 straight playoff games (one of which is a forfeit), trouncing Madison County 69-14 in the quarterfinals and beating Clarke County 27-13 in the regional semis. The Gladiators are seven-time reigning State Champs at the Class 1 level, but capturing their eighth consecutive crown as they move up to the Class 2 level this year will be a much stiffer test.
As far as the all-time series goes, Riverheads leads it 11-9 with all the meetings dating back to 1988.
Matt Hatfield Says – Riverheads 14-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Central-Woodstock 14-12
Region 2C:
#3 Glenvar (10-2) at #1 Radford (12-0) . . . All the Bobcats did in the regular season meeting was create four turnovers, including a 60-yard pick-six from Landen Clark, an Elon commit who has dazzled all year long from the QB spot. Clark directed an offense that was balanced with 178 yards passing and 144 yards rushing as they beat the Highlanders 36-3 to get some payback for three previous losses in the series.
The Glenvar offense can do some damage behind QB Brody Dawyot, one of the top triggermen in all of Class 2, but tackling better and getting off the field on third down is a must to stay in the match with this Radford attack. It’s hard to envision them playing consistently enough to spring the upset after surviving last week’s 38-34 battle with Gretna, although a lot of points could be scored in this one as the Radford defense got hit for 30 points in a 20-point triumph over Appomattox a week ago.
Matt Hatfield Says – Radford 37-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Radford 30-14
Region 2D:
#2 Graham (11-1) at #1 Union (11-1) . . . The reigning Class 2 State Champion G-Men of Graham saw their 19-game winning streak halted in a 27-14 loss to Union back on September 15th. For the Bears, it ended a three-game losing skid in the head-to-head series.
Matt Hatfield Says – Graham 27-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Graham 28-23
Region 1A:
#2 Northumberland (10-2) at #1 Essex (12-0) . . . To open the playoffs, Essex hammered Colonial Beach 46-0 and held the Drifters to just 84 total yards of offense. The Trojans then took care of business convincingly over Lancaster, 36-0 in the regional semis. It was a much easier time than in their 38-28 win over the Red Devils in the regular season, thanks largely to the offensive line creating great running room for Avari Walker and Zay Bundy, both of whom went over 100 yards on the ground.
Now the Essex defense gets a test in Northumberland, which sizzled to the tune of 70-24 over Westmoreland in the regional quarters before taking down West Point 42-26 in the semis. In the first seven games of the season, QB Tyreek Lundy threw for 27 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions for Northumberland with a 76.6% completion rate and 1735 yards. Senior Markiel Cockrell is perhaps the most dynamic guy on the field in this one with 1113 yards rushing on 100 attempts to go with 288 yards receiving on 18 catches through 12 games.
As electric as the Northumberland passing game and offense can be, consider that Essex has won 11 of the past 12 meetings, including 54-35 earlier this year. The Indians have held them below 20 points only twice in that span, one of which came in that 27-16 breakthrough in 2018.
Matt Hatfield Says – Essex 26-19
Coach Ed Young Says – Essex 30-24
Region 1B:
#3 Altavista (9-3) at #1 Sussex Central (11-1) . . . It’s quite an offensive tandem in the backfield for first-year Altavista Head Coach Matt Deloatch with senior QB Jordan Pippin (1541 total yards, 22 TD’s total) and junior RB Ladainian Stone (1460 yards, 24 TD’s rushing). Question is do the Colonels have the defensive personnel to slow down a Sussex Central ground game with three players right around 1000 yards in freshman Malcolm Bivens, Anthony Cropper and Rachun Silver? Both Cropper and Silver are putting up more than 12 yards per carry.
Neither defense has been playing at a very high level this postseason, but the Tigers do have confidence in getting a pick-six to seal last week’s 38-24 triumph over William Campbell and sophomore Jameer Williams is a tackling machine with triple-digit stops on the campaign.
Matt Hatfield Says – Sussex Central 31-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Sussex Central 28-21
Region 1C:
#5 Galax (8-4) at #3 George Wythe (9-3) . . . It’s looking a lot like last year for George Wythe, which recovered from back-to-back regular season losses to Graham and Grundy by double-figures to notch six straight wins on their way to a spot in the Class 1 State Finals. The Maroons opened 2-3, which included a 34-19 loss at the end of September to Galax, but have since won seven in a row, all by double-figures and are averaging 45.9 PPG during the hot streak.
Galax loves to run it behind Tedruhn Tucker, who ran for 2137 yards and 20 TD’s a season ago. Wythe doesn’t mind going to the air with Tandom Smith, a First Team All-State QB a season ago that threw for 1084 yards and 9 TD’s while also rushing for 912 yards.
Matt Hatfield Says – Galax 27-26
Coach Ed Young Says – George Wythe 23-21
Region 1D:
#2 Rye Cove (11-1) at #1 Honaker (12-0) . . . These two teams met in early September with Honaker winning a shoot-out by a count of 40-32. Since that point, Rye Cove has won nine in a row, twice beating Twin Springs with the latest victory being an 18-7 triumph in the regional semifinals.
The Rye Cove defense has pitched five shutouts and held seven opponents to single digit points. Meanwhile, Honaker has not only won eight of the past nine meetings, but they’re as lethal as it gets offensively at the Class 1 level. The Tigers are putting up 45.8 points per game and have put up less than 30 only once, which came in a 26-18 win over Patrick Henry-Glade Spring.
Is there a better Class 1 combo than QB Peyton Musick of Honaker to WR Parker Bandy? On the year, Musick has thrown for 3112 yards and 47 TD’s with 18 of them going to Bandy, who has 83 receptions for 1238 yards, plus has made eight interceptions defensively. It’s probably going to take Rye Cove QB Landon Lane being near flawless to outlast the Tigers and their Air Raid attack that puts up 45.8 points per game in a shoot-out.
Matt Hatfield Says – Honaker 42-28
Coach Ed Young Says – Honaker 33-23
Hatfield:
6A = 2-0
6B = 2-0
6C = 1-1 (missed on Lake Braddock/West Springfield)
6D = 2-0
5A = 2-0
5B = 2-0
5C = 1-1 (missed on Fleming/Freeman)
5D = 2-0
4A = 2-0
4B = 1-1 (missed on King George/Dinwiddie)
4C = 2-0
4D = 1-1 (missed on E.C. Glass/Jefferson Forest)
3A = 0-2 (missed on Heritage/Hopewell and Lafayette/Lake Taylor)
3B = 1-1 (missed on Armstrong/TJ-Richmond)
3C = 2-0
3D = 2-0
2A = 1-1 (missed on Poquoson/King William)
2B = 2-0
2C = 2-0
2D = 2-0
1A = 2-0
1B = 2-0
1C = 1-1 (missed on Galax/Grayson County)
1D = 2-0
Round 2 Total = 39-9 (81.3%)
Playoff Total = 117-23 (83.6%)
Young:
6A = 1-1 (missed on Manchester/Thomas Dale)
6B = 2-0
6C = 2-0
6D = 2-0
5A = 2-0
5B = 1-1 (missed on Warwick/King's Fork)
5C = 2-0
5D = 2-0
4A = 2-0
4B = 1-1 (missed on King George/Dinwiddie)
4C = 2-0
4D - 2-0
3A = 1-1 (missed on Heritage/Hopewell)
3B = 1-1 (missed on Armstrong/TJ-Richmond)
3C = 1-1 (missed on Turner Ashby/Spotswood)
3D = 2-0
2A = 1-1 (missed on Poquoson/King William)
2B = 2-0
2C = 2-0
2D = 2-0
1A = 2-0
1B = 2-0
1C = 1-1 (missed on Galax/Grayson County)
1D = 1-1 (missed on Rye Cove/Twin Springs)
Round 2 Total = 39-9 (81.3%)
Playoff Total = 115-25 (82%)
Region 6A:
#3 Manchester (11-1) at #1 Highland Springs (11-1) . . . These are two of the most successful programs in the entire Richmond area over the past several seasons. Loren Johnson’s Springers have won five state titles since 2015 and this team is well-stocked with talent, headlined by reigning Class 5 State Offensive Player of the Year and Maryland commit Khristian Martin (84 of 158 for 1337 yards, 11-2 TD/Int. ratio) at quarterback. They also have junior linebacker Brennan Johnson, the Class 5 State Defensive Player of the Year as a sophomore who has collected 76 total tackles on the campaign.
Manchester is not hurting for talent either to go with QB Landen Abernethy and RB Devin Bryant, who ran for 129 yards and 3 TD’s on just 13 carries in an opening round playoff win over Landstown. The defense is headed up by West Virginia commit Makai Byerson, last year’s Region 6A Defensive Player of the Year, from his defensive end spot. East Carolina commit Kenny Walz leads the o-line and WR/DB Kyree Richardson, a Richmond pledge, is one of a host of playmakers for them.
The Springers won a classic early in the regular season, 41-35, thanks to Martin’s 69-yard game-winning touchdown pass to George Lovelace. Another tight battle is expected between these two powers, and if the Lancers can contain Highland Springs sophomore Eric Byrd (134Att. 1310Yds. 18 TD’s) and ground attack, this is a very winnable game for Tom Hall’s Lancers.
Matt Hatfield Says – Highland Springs 28-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Highland Springs 21-16
Region 6B:
#3 Battlefield (12-0) at #1 Freedom-PW (11-0) . . . In the ten years prior to Darryl Overton (86-20) taking over as Freedom’s Head Coach, the Eagles won just 18 games compared to 84 losses. Currently, the Eagles are riding a 26-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Greg Hatfield’s Bobcats have pieced together three consecutive unbeaten regular seasons and they are the last team to bounce Freedom from the playoffs, doing so 24-7 in 2021.
Freedom junior running back Jeff Overton Jr. has followed up earning Class 6 State Offensive Player of the Year honors as a tenth grader by rushing for 581 yards and 10 TD’s in two postseason games here in 2023. So bottle him up and everything’s good, right? Wrong, because QB Tristan Evans has tossed eight touchdowns in two playoff wins, including three on 15 of 20 for 253 yards in the regional quarters vs. Potomac, and WR JuJu Preston has a 3-TD performance this postseason to go with picking up an offer from Clemson this month.
Villanova commit and WR Brandon Binkowski was spectacular in Battlefield’s 21-18 comeback win over Mountain View in the regional semis, hauling in nine balls for 177 yards and a pair of scores. His brother, Cameron, is a force on defense off the edge and was Cedar Run District Defensive Player of the Year. To have any chance in this one, they don’t want to get in a track meet with the speedy and explosive Eagles, who come in averaging 56.7 PPG after setting the state scoring record in 2022 with 952 points.
Matt Hatfield Says – Freedom-PW 41-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Freedom-PW 32-26
Region 6C:
#5 Fairfax (9-3) at #2 Lake Braddock (10-2) . . . Earlier this year, it was Lake Braddock winning by a count of 21-9. The Bruins saw junior dual-threat QB Michael Suris complete 8 of 14 passes for 186 yards and a 2-1 TD/Int. ratio. Kai Austin was a big threat in that game with three catches for 104 yards and a score. On the year, Austin has 62 receptions for 985 yards and 7 TD’s. The Bruins also depend on Xavier Marin in a major way in the passing game. Sophomore Tyrone Jackson was a factor defensively with 17 total stops in that game.
How Fairfax is playing for the Occoquan Region 6C crown for a second straight year is mighty impressive considering they lost their two stud linebackers, Georgia commit Kris Jones and Drew Taylor, to injury during the regular season. They recovered from a 50-7 loss to South County by stunning the top-seeded Stallions, 30-6 in the regional semis. Tristan Edwards managed the game well from the QB Spot, while sophomore Henry Maltese returned a blocked punt for a score to go with a rushing touchdown.
If the Lions can disrupt the timing and rhythm of the Lake Braddock passing game, this is a game that they can win; otherwise the Bruins probably have a bit more firepower at their disposal to advance on to the State Semis.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lake Braddock 30-27
Coach Ed Young Says – Lake Braddock 26-24
Region 6D:
#6 Westfield (9-3) at #1 James Madison (11-1) . . . These two Concorde District rivals have played some tight games over the years. From 2016-2019, Westfield won all five meetings, including three decided by seven points or less. However, Madison has returned the favor with four straight victories over the Bulldogs, prevailing 21-16 a year ago and rallying for a 28-24 triumph earlier this season.
Matt Hatfield Says – Madison 22-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Madison 21-20
Region 5A:
#3 Indian River (9-3) at #1 Green Run (12-0) . . . This is the fifth playoff meetings between these two teams since 1994. Ironically enough, Cadillac Harris was coaching for Green Run in the first two playoff games, a 30-9 loss to the Braves in 1994 and 14-7 defeat in 1995, but then was on the other sideline coaching Indian River when they blanked the Stallions 6-0 in 2007. He was a spectator for the 2021 postseason encounter like he will be for this one.
Two years ago, Green Run won comfortably 27-7 at home in the regional semis on their way to the first of back-to-back regional titles. Some of the same components from each side will again be key figures in this meeting.
Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 21-17
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 18-14
Region 5B:
#3 Warwick (11-1) at #1 Maury (12-0) . . . This marks the 24th time that the Raiders and Commodores square off on the gridiron. Maury has won the past four meetings, which includes a 48-14 victory as recent as 2018 in the playoffs.
The Warwick defense has allowed a mere 36 points on the season, just three per contest. They pitched eight straight shutouts before a 10-2 loss to Phoebus, and given that the first touchdown scored on them was a kickoff return by Grassfield in the season opener, it took until the fourth quarter of the regular season finale vs. the Phantoms for their defense to surrender a touchdown.
Meanwhile, the Maury offense is one of the state’s most prolific outfits seen in recent years, piling up a staggering 59.7 points per game. Their lowest output was 23 in a win over Highland Springs, who beat them a season ago in the Class 5 State Championship at ODU.
Au’tori Newkirk has flourished in the move up from junior varsity to varsity as the starting quarterback for the Commodores this year. The junior has connected on 147 of 213 passes for 2978 yards and a 34-4 TD/Int. ratio, plus has rushed for another 612 yards and 10 TD’s. His receiving core is a deep and skilled one with South Carolina commit Fred ‘Jay-R’ Johnson, Duke pledge Da’Vontae Floyd, LeBron Bond, Josh Powell and Jahvon Wiggins all making a profound impact. Furthermore, the backfield trio of Melvin Lowe, Leon ‘Fatman’ Clark and Damari Palmer come in with a combined 2428 yards and 37 TD’s rushing.
Warwick is equipped to making Maury have to work extra hard for its usual numbers with what they present defensively, led by hard-hitting linebacker Iziah Emery (127 stops), flanked by Xavier Carter and Niz’john Humphrey. Up front, Duwuane Skipwith, Adonus Watson, Antwone Vasquez and Dashaun Jackson are excellent at breaking down protection for offenses. Then there is the difference maker on the back end in Messiah Delhomme, who has returned a pair of his six interceptions for touchdowns and has only continued to blossom after earning Region 4A Defensive Player of the Year honors as a sophomore.
This is a game where Delhomme should be more of a focal point on offense to get the ball in his hands, through runs or quick screens, than seen during the second half of their 10-2 loss to Phoebus. While Warwick can engineer drives with Ri’jon Hammond (1016 yards, 12 TD’s), Ian Bacon and Cameron Glenn carrying the rock, it’s Delhomme that strikes fear in the heart of the opposition. Raiders QB Eduardo Rios Jr. (25 TD’s total) can stretch out defenses with a very formidable core of receivers that include Keon Batts, Mike Alleyne, Julio Carrecter and Dakota Brodus.
In putting up 43.3 PPG, the Warwick offense probably goes under appreciated to an extent, but this is chance to really open some eyes against a top-notch defense because the Commodores are yielding just 8.2 PPG and pitched six straight shutouts of Eastern District foes. Johnson, junior FS Kendall Daniels, sophomore LB Ike Simmons and DE Ari Watford (7 sacks) are four intimidating pieces to the defense, all destined for Power 5 schools, plus then you throw in Floyd as an ACC corner, Lavontay Bond as an All-State level defender on the opposite side, and it doesn’t end there. Linebacker Dylan Goad and DE Leslie Hines have combined for 129 tackles, feasting when blockers are overly concerned about the others.
Matt Hatfield Says – Maury 28-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Maury 21-14
Region 5C:
#8 William Fleming (8-4) at #3 Matoaca (9-3) . . . This is the first ever playoff meeting between these two teams. For Matoaca, it’s their deepest playoff run since falling to Jefferson Forest in consecutive years, 1992 and 1993, for the State Championship.
While the Warriors try to even their all-time playoff record to 23-23, the Colonels of William Fleming are looking to make history as the first team since the postseason format expanded to eight teams in each region to make the State Playoffs as a No. 8 seed on the gridiron. Before this current four-game winning streak, Fleming had three losses by eight points or fewer to quality foes in Patrick Henry-Roanoke, Lord Botetourt and William Byrd, which came in overtime. They avenged the defeat to PH-Roanoke with a 23-16 opening round upset, and with a victory here, it’ll put them in the State Semis for the second time in three years.
Matt Hatfield Says – Matoaca 27-16
Coach Ed Young Says – William Fleming 23-20
Region 5D:
#2 Briar Woods (8-3) at #1 Stone Bridge (7-4) . . . While Mike Burnett beat Stone Bridge twice while he was the Head Coach at Tuscarora and once in the playoffs, the Falcons are 0-10 all-time against Mickey Thompson’s Bulldogs. That includes 0-3 under Burnett and a 29-12 loss earlier this year during the regular season.
Wake Forest commit Myles Turpin is a versatile do-it-all weapon for Coach Thompson. Turpin and fellow senior Troy Marquez combined for 1110 yards rushing and 15 TD’s during the regular season, but the Bulldogs had seven different players find the end zone on the ground and four via pass receptions. The main weapon for QB Brandon Pena is Na’eem Abdul-Rahim Gladding (34Rec. 786Yds. 10 TD’s in regular season).
Briar Woods has a very formidable passing connection with QB Brady Carmical (98 of 180 for 1678 yards, 19-8 TD/Int. ratio) firing to fellow junior Colin Capistrant (38Rec. 719Yds. 5 TD’s). Carmical has 629 yards and 11 TD’s rushing as well, so the offensive line giving him time to use his feet and converting third downs will be pivotal against a very stout Bulldogs defense that grew from a rugged early season schedule.
Stone Bridge has played in 11 State Championship games in the past 18 years and they are going for their 16th regional title, sixth in a row. They expect to win in late November and move on to December.
Matt Hatfield Says – Stone Bridge 31-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Stone Bridge 30-14
Region 4A:
#2 Warhill (12-0) at #1 Phoebus (12-0) . . . Injuries don’t overshadow this game, but are certainly part of the story. Warhill will be without tailback Jaedyn McAdoo, their leading rusher, due to a broken collarbone. Phoebus is without starting QB Adonis Stowers, who threw for over 1100 yards and 23 touchdowns in the previous 12 wins.
Maybe one of the more fascinating stats is that Warhill is actually averaging more points per game at 47.6 than Phoebus, who checks in at 45.3 PPG, even though they had the 104-point regional quarterfinal outing against Jamestown. The Lions will lean on North Dakota State commit Taylen Eady at receiver as he’s averaging over 70 yards per game receiving and running back turned dual-threat QB Liam Francisque, the Bay Rivers District Offensive Player of the Year.
What remains to be seen is whether or not the Warhill offensive line can block a ferocious Phoebus pass rush, spearheaded by Maryland commit Anthony Reddick, the Peninsula District Defensive Player of the Year, and ODU pledge Taysean Stevenson. The Phantoms have enough guys on offense with Paul Stephen Davis, workhorse back Davion Roberts and PD Offensive Player of the Year Keyontae Gray to make it a relatively smooth transition of talented freshman QB Maurikus Banks, who threw for 112 yards in relief vs. Hampton a week ago.
Matt Hatfield Says – Phoebus 24-8
Coach Ed Young Says – Phoebus 33-6
Region 4B:
#2 Varina (10-2) at #1 King George (12-0) . . . Until last year, King George was 0-6 all-time against Varina, which beat the Foxes 28-10 in the 2021 playoffs on their way to a state title. However, last year it was King George that knocked Varina out of the postseason, 31-14, before falling to Dinwiddie in a 47-41 overtime classic for the Region 4B crown. Just a week ago, King George kept its undefeated season going with a 46-29 win over Dinwiddie, marking the ninth time they’ve eclipsed 20-plus points in a game.
As for Varina, their only two losses this year came to Class 6 title contenders in Highland Springs, 20-19, and Freedom of Woodbridge, 35-27. The Varina defense has pitched four shutouts on the year with one coming over Indian River 13-0 in the opener and another being 43-0 over Courtland in the opening round of the playoffs.
Jack Pearson was in a groove against Dinwiddie, completing 12 of 17 passes for 356 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions. Having arguably the best receiving tandem in the state with Maryland pledge Mekhai White (17 TD catches) and Virginia Tech commit Chanz Wiggins (14 TD grabs doesn’t hurt. Varina counters with one of the best sophomore skill position playmakers in DaMari Carter, who has seen 13 of his 42 receptions go for scores.
Matt Hatfield Says – King George 21-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Varina 20-18
Region 4C:
#2 John Champe (10-1) at #1 Tuscarora (11-0) . . . It’s the fourth time since 2017 that Tuscarora and John Champe are squaring off with each previous meeting being decided by eight points or less. Tuscarora won two of the previous three contests, but fell in overtime, 28-27 in 2018 before the Huskies got revenge later on in the playoffs that year.
Since a 27-13 loss to Briar Woods in the season opener, the Knights of John Champe have rattled off ten straight wins, scoring 50-plus points on five occasions.
Led in the trenches by mammoth 6-foot-8 offensive tackle and Florida commit Fletcher Westphal, Tuscarora is seeking its 25th playoff win 2011. While the Huskies haven’t won a state title, they’ve made it to the Championship round on three occasions – 2014, 2017 and 2019. Statistically, this appears to be the strongest defense they’ve fielded, yielding just 8.9 points per game. However, the offense will have to sharpen up a bit as the 29.2 PPG is the lowest average for the program since 2018.
Matt Hatfield Says – Tuscarora 20-15
Coach Ed Young Says – Tuscarora 18-16
Region 4D:
#3 E.C. Glass (9-3) at #1 Salem (11-1) . . . It’s a re-match of last year’s Region 4D Finals, where E.C. Glass defeated Salem 35-21. The Hilltoppers actually are 6-2-1 since 1980 against a Spartans program with ten state titles. Salem features two Under Armour All-Americans in running back Peyton Lewis, a Tennessee commit, and Georgia pledge Chris Cole, who leads the defense from his linebacker spot.
Matt Hatfield Says – Salem 34-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Salem 26-22
Region 3A:
#5 Heritage-Newport News (7-5) at #2 Lafayette (10-2) . . . At 1-5 overall earlier in the season, it didn’t look like Heritage would be playoff-bound, let alone be thinking about playing on Thanksgiving weekend. Scott Woodlief’s Hurricanes are here in large part because of the improvement shown on defense as they’ve gone from giving up 29.7 points per game during that early stretch to just 7.7 PPG allowed on this six-game winning streak.
Lafayette and Heritage last met in 2015 with the Rams winning 41-13 in Williamsburg, whereas the Canes won the only other meeting, 26-20, at Cooley Field in 1996.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lafayette 24-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Lafayette 20-18
Region 3B:
#4 Armstrong (9-3) at #2 Brentsville District (11-1) . . . After falling to Phoebus in the State Semis each of the past two years, the Tigers of Brentsville District are hoping to not only win their third consecutive regional title, but that the third time is the charm and they get to the State Championship game this December under third-year Head Coach Loren White.
His Tigers are riding a nine-game winning streak, where they won by double-figures twice over a Kettle Run team that played in last year’s Class 4 state Finals.
Armstrong Head Coach Jeremy Pruitt has been suspended for this game due to social media posts made following their win over previously undefeated Thomas Jefferson-Richmond in the regional semis.
Matt Hatfield Says – Brentsville District 30-12
Coach Ed Young Says – Brentsville District 24-16
Region 3C:
#2 Turner Ashby (11-1) at #1 Liberty Christian (11-0) . . . Two years removed from falling to Phoebus in the Class 3 State Championship game at Liberty University, Frank Rocco’s Bulldogs of LCA appear ready to finish the deal here in 2023. They’ve been dominant all year long, beginning with a tough season-opening win over Class 4 contender Salem, and have continued it in the playoffs by outscoring the likes of Fluvanna and Rustburg by a combined 101-19 count through the first two rounds.
Turner Ashby got here by avenging a 35-34 overtime loss to Spotswood in the regular season finale by besting Heritage-Lynchburg – last year’s Class 3 runner-up – 26-14 in the quarterfinals and then eliminating those Blazers that handed them their only loss to date in a decisive 35-7 manner.
The past two playoff encounters with Liberty Christian were not pretty for Turner Ashby, which lost to the Bulldogs 50-19 a year ago and by a much closer margin of 22-16 in 2019.
Matt Hatfield Says – Liberty Christian 36-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Liberty Christian 30-8
Region 3D:
#2 William Byrd (11-1) at #1 Magna Vista (12-0) . . . Even though Joe Favero’s Warriors of Magna Vista won back-to-back state titles in 2014 over Lafayette and 2015 over Lord Botetourt, this season has marked uncharted territory. That’s because they are enjoying their first ever 12-0 start, averaging 44.2 points per game in the process. Save a 35-34 escape vs. Gretna and 27-20 comeback triumph over Christiansburg in the regional semis, the Warriors have gotten the job done in rather convincing fashion each time out.
William Byrd won three straight meetings over Magna Vista from 2013-15, but the Terriers were beaten by the Warriors 21-7 in 2016 and 22-19 in 2021.
Matt Hatfield Says – Magna Vista 27-24 (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says – Magna Vista 26-18
Region 2A:
#3 Amelia (9-3) at Poquoson (9-3) . . .
This is the first time that Poquoson is hosting a regional title game since 2010 when ironically enough they last won a State Championship.
Amelia County is a surprise entry in this regional title game, especially considering they lost to Central-Woodstock 37-0 in September. A strong running game by the Falcons did them in that night, and the Bull Islanders will likely present similar challenges behind Eastern Kentucky track commit Baker Green, Khaleo Smith and Cody Little. Those three helped Poquoson combine for 159 yards rushing against King William last week.
Believe it or not, King William actually rushed for more yards as a team, 164 on 36 attempts, but struggled through the air with just three completions out of 12 attempts for a mere 25 yards, most of which came on the final game.
Matt Hatfield Says – Poquoson 23-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Poquoson 33-25
Region 2B:
#2 Riverheads (11-1) at #1 Central-Woodstock (12-0) . . . Fresh off an 8-7 win over Strasburg in the regional semis, the Central-Woodstock Falcons take on a Riverheads team that they beat by that same exact margin to open the 2023 season.
Riverheads has won 31 straight playoff games (one of which is a forfeit), trouncing Madison County 69-14 in the quarterfinals and beating Clarke County 27-13 in the regional semis. The Gladiators are seven-time reigning State Champs at the Class 1 level, but capturing their eighth consecutive crown as they move up to the Class 2 level this year will be a much stiffer test.
As far as the all-time series goes, Riverheads leads it 11-9 with all the meetings dating back to 1988.
Matt Hatfield Says – Riverheads 14-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Central-Woodstock 14-12
Region 2C:
#3 Glenvar (10-2) at #1 Radford (12-0) . . . All the Bobcats did in the regular season meeting was create four turnovers, including a 60-yard pick-six from Landen Clark, an Elon commit who has dazzled all year long from the QB spot. Clark directed an offense that was balanced with 178 yards passing and 144 yards rushing as they beat the Highlanders 36-3 to get some payback for three previous losses in the series.
The Glenvar offense can do some damage behind QB Brody Dawyot, one of the top triggermen in all of Class 2, but tackling better and getting off the field on third down is a must to stay in the match with this Radford attack. It’s hard to envision them playing consistently enough to spring the upset after surviving last week’s 38-34 battle with Gretna, although a lot of points could be scored in this one as the Radford defense got hit for 30 points in a 20-point triumph over Appomattox a week ago.
Matt Hatfield Says – Radford 37-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Radford 30-14
Region 2D:
#2 Graham (11-1) at #1 Union (11-1) . . . The reigning Class 2 State Champion G-Men of Graham saw their 19-game winning streak halted in a 27-14 loss to Union back on September 15th. For the Bears, it ended a three-game losing skid in the head-to-head series.
Matt Hatfield Says – Graham 27-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Graham 28-23
Region 1A:
#2 Northumberland (10-2) at #1 Essex (12-0) . . . To open the playoffs, Essex hammered Colonial Beach 46-0 and held the Drifters to just 84 total yards of offense. The Trojans then took care of business convincingly over Lancaster, 36-0 in the regional semis. It was a much easier time than in their 38-28 win over the Red Devils in the regular season, thanks largely to the offensive line creating great running room for Avari Walker and Zay Bundy, both of whom went over 100 yards on the ground.
Now the Essex defense gets a test in Northumberland, which sizzled to the tune of 70-24 over Westmoreland in the regional quarters before taking down West Point 42-26 in the semis. In the first seven games of the season, QB Tyreek Lundy threw for 27 touchdowns compared to just three interceptions for Northumberland with a 76.6% completion rate and 1735 yards. Senior Markiel Cockrell is perhaps the most dynamic guy on the field in this one with 1113 yards rushing on 100 attempts to go with 288 yards receiving on 18 catches through 12 games.
As electric as the Northumberland passing game and offense can be, consider that Essex has won 11 of the past 12 meetings, including 54-35 earlier this year. The Indians have held them below 20 points only twice in that span, one of which came in that 27-16 breakthrough in 2018.
Matt Hatfield Says – Essex 26-19
Coach Ed Young Says – Essex 30-24
Region 1B:
#3 Altavista (9-3) at #1 Sussex Central (11-1) . . . It’s quite an offensive tandem in the backfield for first-year Altavista Head Coach Matt Deloatch with senior QB Jordan Pippin (1541 total yards, 22 TD’s total) and junior RB Ladainian Stone (1460 yards, 24 TD’s rushing). Question is do the Colonels have the defensive personnel to slow down a Sussex Central ground game with three players right around 1000 yards in freshman Malcolm Bivens, Anthony Cropper and Rachun Silver? Both Cropper and Silver are putting up more than 12 yards per carry.
Neither defense has been playing at a very high level this postseason, but the Tigers do have confidence in getting a pick-six to seal last week’s 38-24 triumph over William Campbell and sophomore Jameer Williams is a tackling machine with triple-digit stops on the campaign.
Matt Hatfield Says – Sussex Central 31-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Sussex Central 28-21
Region 1C:
#5 Galax (8-4) at #3 George Wythe (9-3) . . . It’s looking a lot like last year for George Wythe, which recovered from back-to-back regular season losses to Graham and Grundy by double-figures to notch six straight wins on their way to a spot in the Class 1 State Finals. The Maroons opened 2-3, which included a 34-19 loss at the end of September to Galax, but have since won seven in a row, all by double-figures and are averaging 45.9 PPG during the hot streak.
Galax loves to run it behind Tedruhn Tucker, who ran for 2137 yards and 20 TD’s a season ago. Wythe doesn’t mind going to the air with Tandom Smith, a First Team All-State QB a season ago that threw for 1084 yards and 9 TD’s while also rushing for 912 yards.
Matt Hatfield Says – Galax 27-26
Coach Ed Young Says – George Wythe 23-21
Region 1D:
#2 Rye Cove (11-1) at #1 Honaker (12-0) . . . These two teams met in early September with Honaker winning a shoot-out by a count of 40-32. Since that point, Rye Cove has won nine in a row, twice beating Twin Springs with the latest victory being an 18-7 triumph in the regional semifinals.
The Rye Cove defense has pitched five shutouts and held seven opponents to single digit points. Meanwhile, Honaker has not only won eight of the past nine meetings, but they’re as lethal as it gets offensively at the Class 1 level. The Tigers are putting up 45.8 points per game and have put up less than 30 only once, which came in a 26-18 win over Patrick Henry-Glade Spring.
Is there a better Class 1 combo than QB Peyton Musick of Honaker to WR Parker Bandy? On the year, Musick has thrown for 3112 yards and 47 TD’s with 18 of them going to Bandy, who has 83 receptions for 1238 yards, plus has made eight interceptions defensively. It’s probably going to take Rye Cove QB Landon Lane being near flawless to outlast the Tigers and their Air Raid attack that puts up 45.8 points per game in a shoot-out.
Matt Hatfield Says – Honaker 42-28
Coach Ed Young Says – Honaker 33-23
