Rd. 3 Lafayette (12-0) at Courtland (10-2)
- Thread starter DEVILSLB99
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Defense played best game of year against Heritage. Heritage went from last week to over 600 yards offense to 260 and 423 yards passing to 93. Different offense in Courtland as I understand they run most often like Bay River teams. Lafayette will be at 100% as no injuries I saw last night. Heard game is on Friday- is that official. Been too many years since my last visit to Courtland so anybody have directions? Is field grass or turf? Lafayette has played 1 game on grass this year. No big deal.
I'm going with Courtland, sorry about that Lafayette. Courtland, I believe is the more battle tested. Their schedule, IMO was much tougher than your Rams.
Hope I'm wrong for the BRD's sake, but.....
This Hanover, LT, Lafayette & Courtland scenario is bruising. Hope everyone stays healthy and keeps it clean.
Hope I'm wrong for the BRD's sake, but.....
This Hanover, LT, Lafayette & Courtland scenario is bruising. Hope everyone stays healthy and keeps it clean.
95 North to the first Fredericksburg exit onto Route 1 north. After about a half mile make a left onto Courthouse Road/208 west. Stay on that road for a couple miles until you see a Hardee's/Food Lion on the left. Make that Left onto Smith Station Rd. The school is on the left behind the food lion. Safe travels. The field is Grass and it took a beating last night on the Left side of the field my the score board. The other side looks untouched. I watched several players slipping skidding and not getting traction last night. EVs white/Blue jersey pant combinations were all muddy after game.
the arguments over who had the toughest schedule continue forever it seems. I think the BRD plus now a SE district team and a Peninsula district team has Lafayette as ready as ever.
2 games? We'll see. Like I said, I'm still pulling for Lafayette. but they haven't played KG, JM, Chancellor, North Stafford, 'Ponax, Riverbend, EV & Louisa.
Just trying to keep it real. Cougars are more battle tested. No one in the BRD mounted a serious challenge IMO.
Although I agree with you that Courtland is more battle tested, Poquoson is no slouch and are still playing and Tabb gave Phoebus a great game last week.
The Rams schedule was actually not that bad. Poquoson, Grafton, York and Smithfield are all good teams. All playoff teams. Only Grafton kept it "kind of" a close game. The Rams crushed them all. You just can't continue to overlook that fact. Although I wouldn't place much stock in a win over 4 - 6 Churchland or 5 - 6 Heritage NN, the Rams continue to get it done with authority. It will be awfully tough to pick against them.
Should be a good game next weekend. Happy Thanksgiving and GL to all.
Should be a good game next weekend. Happy Thanksgiving and GL to all.
Once you reach this level of the playoffs, it's mostly all things equal. I like the way Lafayette responded against Heritage, it was knotted at 13 late in the 3rd Quarter, that hasn't happened all season. The Rams dug deep and imposed their will on Heritage. I think after last years state final loss, those holdovers had a chip on their shoulders. They're very talented and Andy Linn does a tremendous job of coaching and adjusting. I think it'll be a great game and if I wasn't working next Saturday, I'd be right there watching this one.
To tell you the truth I have not seen any of those teams, have you? A lot gets posted on here without any interaction between areas so the comparative quality of one over the other is really guesswork.
the records for Churchland and Heritage may not be gaudy but remember who and where they play. Half of Heritage's losses- LT, Hampton and Phoebus, 34-1.
Just looked at Maxpreps and saw their two tackles at 297 and 305! We will be at a size disadvantage! Does anybody have any stats on Courtland- rushing, passing, Int, fumbles, etc. I can tell now they have real good size.
They were big Friday but EV was much bigger. Courtland is big physical and athletic they pushed EV around all night . The speed some of those guys have is unbelievable
I don't really think Courtland pushed EV around...they were just better at executing their offense. EV should have been able to score a little bit more....EV defense just couldn't get the runners down. Courtland's running game is very good and they executed it very well.
I look at Courtland at just about another undefeated team. The 1 point loss to Masssponax who is 12-0 in 5a is hardly a loss and the inexplicable loss to KG was avenged later in a blow out win. I can see why at home they are the favorite.
No, I haven't seen any of the Battlefield teams play this year. But I do have past history on my side. Historically, aside from Poquoson, BRD teams have struggled against the Battlefield. That's all I need to know. Oversimplified? Probably. But until someone in the BRD proves otherwise, consistantly, I'm giving the nod to Courtland. It isn't personal. I am a big Lafayette fan. Classy coaching staff and hard nosed, hard working kids. What's not to like about them?
You can't coach size and you can't coach speed, however I think you can coach determination and motivation. If Courtland shows up with the same steely-eyed determination and focus they've had since the King George loss several weeks ago, they'll be a very tough out. Courtland's speed is very impressive and sometimes that little extra burst or effort makes all of the difference.
I can easily see why you pick Courtland, no problem. Great record, tough schedule, scores a lot of points, at home, on grass which we have played only one game on. Historically we are 2-2 with Courtland and both losses at their field, another negative for us. An uphill battle for sure but I will be there hoping this time it all clicks.
As I've stated before. I'm in the Rams corner, for the BRD's sake and for Lafayette's. I've never felt bad about Smithfield losing to a Lafayette team, because more often than not they were the better team. And truthfully, after the BS no TD call suffered by Smithfield against Courtland at Smithfield a few years back, I'm totally in Lafayette's corner. But that's my BRD faith shining through. I still think the Rams are in for the fight of their 2015 playoff life.
I've seen this point being brought up a couple of times by you. Does this really matter? I'm asking your honest opinion does Lafayette playing on a grass field make them less effective? What about teams that play on grass all season then play on turf that the make them more effective? Just wanting to know.
In my opinion playing on a artificial surface that is clean and fast nearly every game and then getting use to the slower grass surface that can be bare and muddy in areas can affect to some degree the performance. I consider just part of home field advantage. Even a loud band playing all the time versus the "quiet" BRD takes some getting use to.
It's official--game is to be played Friday night at 7:00 PM. The weather is even looking promising.
Hey Lafayette - not to bombard you with directions but here is a slightly different route that only requires 1 turn after you leave the interstate: take the exit OCBOY said to take but go south on Rt 1. Take a right on Spotsylvania Parkway (7th light I think, there is a CVS Pharmacy on the right just before the light - big shopping center on the left). Just keep straight - you'll get to a light where the road changes from a 4 lane divided road to a two lane road and keep straight and you'll be on Smith Station Rd. The school is no more than a half mile on the right. When you go through the light where the road goes to two lanes it's the right lane that ends so make sure you are in the left lane. On Rt 1 you'll pass by lots of places to eat on both sides of the road if you want dinner before getting to the game. Have a safe trip!
Courtland runs a wing-T - 3 good running backs, seem to always have all 3 over 100 yards. One of them got hurt in the first playoff game and his replacement is good too. I hope he's OK now - you never want to see anyone get hurt. They don't pass much, but if you put 8 in the box to stop the run they'll pass and they are very effective when they do. So they make you play them honest. I think this will be a very good game. Good luck to you and to Courtland. I'm a JM guy - I plan to come to your game. It will be the first time I've seen you play anyone but us.. Have a good one!
Well, it wasn't a BS call. I can see how the refs made it and the guy was standing within just a few feet and on the goal line. He could not have had a better position. But it was the wrong call. Smithfield scored and probably should have won.
Two really good teams will play Friday. I find it very hard to pick a winner here. GL to both.
Hmmmmm...Smithfield to Courtland High...2.5 hours.....I just may be able to make that trip.
Sure sport....your call, my call. I know where I was and what I saw. Doesn't really matter today, because the truth of the matter is Smithfield outplayed them that day - except on the scoreboard, the only stat that really matters at the final gun.
Bare and muddy won't be the case but I do concede it's not the same as turf and being in the Burg, the Cougars have played only 1 game all year that wasn't grass (KGs new stadium but I wish you could have seen the old "pit". Cowpastures were smoother, had fewer rocks and smelled better).
The band is hardly louder than any other and will NEVER play when the opponent comes to the line of scrimmage. Lowman would never allow it. But they will support the team all night.
I said it was the wrong call and that the Smithfield QB scored. We both saw the same thing. I'm not sure I understand.
Thanks- the Heritage band played all game at all times and was loud !!!! And jumping up and down! The grass will take some getting used to- they at least practice on grass- no artificial turf, yet.
You must not of been at the game Friday because the band sure did play and the field was a mud pit Friday and the east endzone was tore all up. That rain on Thursday messed that field up. Hopefully courtland can stay on the west endzone and even if out.
My apologies. I missed your "wrong call" comment. I'm on week #6 of 70 hour weeks, it's been a long stretch, I'll try to do a better job of reading things more accurately!
Still was a fantastic football game. I was 23 or 24 days post-op back surgery. I should not have been out there, but I was....exciting game. Courtland's secondary and LB's were lights out that game.
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Not celebration, just stating what's going on. It was close for a while then the Cougars took over
It's been a tremendous defensive effort from Courtland, they're back 7 cover so much ground
Great news. Lafayette has not given up that many points all year nor have they scored so few. Great job Cougars.
I watched the game I seen what Lafayette had. Some things you shouldn't say and you say to so look who's calling the kettle black
If I recall, Chancellor did have a lot of success in a scrimmage with Lafayette this year. They won the live part of the scrimmage
