High School Football Predictions Battle: 2024 Regular Season Totals
Matthew Hatfield – 20-4 (83.3%)
Coach Ed Young – 18-6 (75%)
The two disagreements saw Hatfield nudge in front, thanks to a couple of Southeastern District teams prevailing over Peninsula District squads on the other side of the water with Western Branch blanking Menchville and Nansemond River defeating Bethel.
More games will come in the Friday Tidewater Predictions column - including Matt and Ed's selections with in-depth breakdown on Phoebus at Highland Springs as well as Wise (MD) at Maury in a matchup of defending State Champs.
For now, check out a four-pack of Thursday games around the '757' area code...
Thursday’s Action for 9/5/24:
Warwick (1-0) at Bethel (0-1) . . . How smothering have the Warwick Raiders been defensively? Well, consider the following - - their defense has allowed just one touchdown in the past 11 regular season games. That came in the 2023 regular season finale to Phoebus in a 10-2 loss. They’re fresh off a 35-0 thumping of Grassfield, where they held the Grizzlies to 28 total yards and generated four turnovers, including two by senior FS Jaden Gilliam. Bethel did get burned for 402 total yards – with 215 coming through the air – in a 46-14 loss to Nansemond River. So as tough as it may be for the Bruins to generate scoring drives, the defense will have its work cut out for them slowing down a very well-rounded Warwick receiving core with Keon Batts, Julio Carrecter and Dakota Brodus.
Matt Hatfield Says – Warwick 30-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Warwick 36-0
Grassfield (0-1) at Woodside (0-1) . . . In Alonzo Coley’s debut at Woodside, the Wolverines nearly sprung the upset, falling to Hampton 25-19 in double-overtime. That should give them confidence in their matchup with Grassfield, which couldn’t mustard up a score and yielded 331 total yards with 15 first downs in a shutout loss to Warwick. This was a relatively close game last year with Grassfield prevailing 20-7 at home over the Wolverines. A special teams play can swing things. Keep an eye on Woodside return man Callen Morrison, who returned a punt 56 yards to the house vs. Hampton.
Matt Hatfield Says – Woodside 16-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Woodside 19-16
Hickory at Manor (0-1) . . . Coach Donnell Brown begins his seventh season at the helm of his alma mater, Hickory, which believe it or not is actually 16-12 all-time in openers. That stat probably surprises folks considering the Hawks have never won a playoff game and have just two appearances all-time, both coming in 2021 and 2022 during the expanded eight-team field. Manor had a rough opener under its new Head Coach Anton Paige, falling at Warhill by a count of 68-0. Senior QB Owen Kelly (pictured above) of Hickory should get opportunities to attack down the field as the Hawks try to duplicate last year’s 20-0 shutout of the Mustangs.
Matt Hatfield Says – Hickory 27-7
Coach Ed Young Says – Hickory 20-18
Jamestown (0-1) at Essex (1-0) . . . Rated No. 1 in the Class 1 Top Ten rankings on VaPreps, the Essex Trojans cruised in their season opener vs. Sussex Central, rolling to a 58-6 win behind 184 yards rushing and 5 TD’s on 11 carries from tailback Jaden Holmes. 58-6 romp of Sussex Central. The defense also got in on the act with a couple of touchdowns as Demonte Johnson ran in a fumble 26 yards for a score and freshman Tim Walker did likewise from 30 yards out. The James Riley era did not get off to a super start at Jamestown, which fell to Class 2 Nottoway by a count of 41-18. That stretches the Eagles’ losing streak to games. Jamestown is 0-3 all-time vs. Essex, which holds a 70-0 scoring edge in the series.
Matt Hatfield Says – Essex 28-0
Coach Ed Young Says – Essex 46-0
Matthew Hatfield – 20-4 (83.3%)
Coach Ed Young – 18-6 (75%)
The two disagreements saw Hatfield nudge in front, thanks to a couple of Southeastern District teams prevailing over Peninsula District squads on the other side of the water with Western Branch blanking Menchville and Nansemond River defeating Bethel.
More games will come in the Friday Tidewater Predictions column - including Matt and Ed's selections with in-depth breakdown on Phoebus at Highland Springs as well as Wise (MD) at Maury in a matchup of defending State Champs.
For now, check out a four-pack of Thursday games around the '757' area code...
Thursday’s Action for 9/5/24:
Warwick (1-0) at Bethel (0-1) . . . How smothering have the Warwick Raiders been defensively? Well, consider the following - - their defense has allowed just one touchdown in the past 11 regular season games. That came in the 2023 regular season finale to Phoebus in a 10-2 loss. They’re fresh off a 35-0 thumping of Grassfield, where they held the Grizzlies to 28 total yards and generated four turnovers, including two by senior FS Jaden Gilliam. Bethel did get burned for 402 total yards – with 215 coming through the air – in a 46-14 loss to Nansemond River. So as tough as it may be for the Bruins to generate scoring drives, the defense will have its work cut out for them slowing down a very well-rounded Warwick receiving core with Keon Batts, Julio Carrecter and Dakota Brodus.
Matt Hatfield Says – Warwick 30-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Warwick 36-0
Grassfield (0-1) at Woodside (0-1) . . . In Alonzo Coley’s debut at Woodside, the Wolverines nearly sprung the upset, falling to Hampton 25-19 in double-overtime. That should give them confidence in their matchup with Grassfield, which couldn’t mustard up a score and yielded 331 total yards with 15 first downs in a shutout loss to Warwick. This was a relatively close game last year with Grassfield prevailing 20-7 at home over the Wolverines. A special teams play can swing things. Keep an eye on Woodside return man Callen Morrison, who returned a punt 56 yards to the house vs. Hampton.
Matt Hatfield Says – Woodside 16-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Woodside 19-16
Hickory at Manor (0-1) . . . Coach Donnell Brown begins his seventh season at the helm of his alma mater, Hickory, which believe it or not is actually 16-12 all-time in openers. That stat probably surprises folks considering the Hawks have never won a playoff game and have just two appearances all-time, both coming in 2021 and 2022 during the expanded eight-team field. Manor had a rough opener under its new Head Coach Anton Paige, falling at Warhill by a count of 68-0. Senior QB Owen Kelly (pictured above) of Hickory should get opportunities to attack down the field as the Hawks try to duplicate last year’s 20-0 shutout of the Mustangs.
Matt Hatfield Says – Hickory 27-7
Coach Ed Young Says – Hickory 20-18
Jamestown (0-1) at Essex (1-0) . . . Rated No. 1 in the Class 1 Top Ten rankings on VaPreps, the Essex Trojans cruised in their season opener vs. Sussex Central, rolling to a 58-6 win behind 184 yards rushing and 5 TD’s on 11 carries from tailback Jaden Holmes. 58-6 romp of Sussex Central. The defense also got in on the act with a couple of touchdowns as Demonte Johnson ran in a fumble 26 yards for a score and freshman Tim Walker did likewise from 30 yards out. The James Riley era did not get off to a super start at Jamestown, which fell to Class 2 Nottoway by a count of 41-18. That stretches the Eagles’ losing streak to games. Jamestown is 0-3 all-time vs. Essex, which holds a 70-0 scoring edge in the series.
Matt Hatfield Says – Essex 28-0
Coach Ed Young Says – Essex 46-0
