With both Stuarts Draft and Riverheads picking up fairly easy victories tonight, we now have the matchup we have all been waiting for and anticipating. The Gladiators from Riverheads at 9-0 traveling to the Cougars from Stuarts Draft at 9-0. Will be one of the biggest regular season matchups in this area in a LONG TIME. Could have major seeding implications for both teams in playoffs as if my math is correct (which is could be wrong) with wins both would be #1 seed in their respective playoffs, while a loss for either may drop them to 2nd (I know this for Stuarts Draft as I think my math showed nobody besides Central Woodstock could pass them, but with their loss tonight, the boys from CW cannot pass them now. So, what does everyone expect for this huge game?
Now its official, we can now discuss "THE GAME"
- Thread starter Gunz41
- Start date
I think this will be the most competitive game Riverheads will have had up to this point in the season, but I think they come away with the W. I think they are the real deal this year. With that being said, Draft is pretty darn good too. Their defensive line is probably the best in the area, and they've got some good skilled players as well. I've heard folks be very critical of the coaching for some reason but I think Nathan Floyd has done a great job since taking over, as replacing Goforth & Bowers isn't an easy thing to do. All in all, unless you are 2015 Galax or 2008 William Campbell, you likely arent going shut down the big red machine, which means your offense is going to have to match them and that's where I think things will get tricky for the Cougars as Riverheads has a very underrated defense, that I dont think the Cougars will be able to 'run' on. I think the key for them will be to get the passing game going some. Perhaps the biggest key for the cougars imo has nothing to do with the Xs & Os and that is to keep the players focused on the task at hand, realizing that this is just another game-- not the state game or some other big time event us folks on here will make it out to be. Its one game and should not make or break their season. I watched Gap come out against RHS and they were overly-hyped for the game, and you cant do that. Riverheads came out normal and did what they do, while Gap tried to make it into this big time event. Ive always told my kids that preparing for football games should be the same no matter who you are playing and avoid buying into the pregame hype, especially with how the playoffs are nowadays.
I picked on BGHS in my post, but the Leemen came out the same way when they faced RHS too. I hope SD doesnt fall victim to that as well
I will probably have much more to say about this game as the week wears on, but for right now, my expectation is that poise will have a lot to do with who wins it. If SD comes out fired up, hits Riverheads in the mouth with something big, and gets some confidence going, will RHS be able to handle it or will they cave in to the pressure? Or if the shoe is on the other foot, and Riverheads simply does its thing, and takes businesslike control of the game, will the Cougars panic? And there are probably a dozen other ways it might go.
I think Keith Stone has it right. Both teams are legit and if you look at O versus D on each side there are certainly some things each should look at as an advantage. Which team can impose their will on the other? Draft has certainly made a case for having the more stout D by holding every opponent under 14. On O it is very close with the red team having a slight advantage in points scored. I will say this is every bit as big of a game as the three year adventure that was the Cullen era at Wilson so Draft should love the gate from this game. As TO would say, "Get your popcorn". I just hope for a weather free, clean game, and no injuries for either team.
