recruit804 Power 10 Week 4:
#1 Highland Springs (4-0) – The consistency at which the Springers display each and every week has been matched by no other opponent that they’ve lined up against this season. Highland Springs has chopped down Avalon, Oscar Smith, Meadowbrook, and North Stafford this season by a combined score of 158-32. North Stafford was the latest victim as it allowed the Springers to drop 54 points on its defense. It’s the third time in the last four years that North Stafford has allowed team to reach 50 points in a contest. The Springers travel to North Carolina next week.
#2 Manchester (3-0) – The Lancers have also been extremely consistent to start the regular season. It’s been three-up and three-down as Manchester has passed early teams against both Varina and Monacan. After knocking off Clover Hill last week 27-7, the Lancers have a soft spot in their schedule next week as they host James River. Continue to keep an eye on starting quarterback Roemell Garcia. He’s beginning to blossom in his role completing 25-of-49 passes for 352 yards and three touchdowns through the first four weeks of the season. He’s also carried the ball 59 times for 413 yards and two scores.
#3 Louisa County (3-0) – The Lions have been tested early and one has to enjoy the way they’ve been able to respond. They’ve been able to mow down Courtland and Chancellor with Massaponax proving to be their toughest opponent thus far. The Lions received a late score and Jarett Hunter was able to punch in the two-point conversion. A missed field goal allowed Louisa to walk away with its third-consecutive win of the season. Next up for the Lions is Charlottesville after being idle last week.
#4 Varina (3-1) – If no one is talking about Hermitage this week it’s because of what the Blue Devils were able to accomplish in 48 minutes of football on Friday evening. The Panthers were held to just 167 total yards of offense with 105 yards coming on the ground from Nigel James. Prospects like James Reid, Bobby Dunn, Brysen Ross, and Isiah Page are the reason why Varina has been able to be as dominant as it is through the first four weeks of the season. With Hanover coming to town next week, expect the Blue Devils to hold serve on their home field.
#5 Hopewell (3-0) – The Blue Devils is another one of those programs that are sneaky good heading into the fifth week of the season. They’ve reached the 35-point plateau in all three games thus far this season and have yet to be challenged in either game. With the exception of Norcom dropping a couple of touchdowns in the second half of a week three match up it’s been all Blue Devils in the early going. Trey Henderson and Robert Briggs have been magical to start the season and the defense is only allowing 15 points per contest. Hopewell will travel out to Colonial Heights this week.
#6 Thomas Dale (2-1) – Similar to Louisa, the Knights were also idle last week after suffering their first loss of the season against Hermitage. It only made sense for Thomas Dale to take this past week to focus on the bigger picture which shouldn’t have been the loss to the Panthers, but more so focusing on how to respond with Petersburg making the trip out to J. Wilson Crump Stadium this week. Should Thomas Dale get back on track it’ll be just in time for a mid-season showdown with Hopewell at Merner Field.
#7 Deep Run (3-0) – We were on the fence about Deep run to start the football season and then still even after the Wildcats convincingly knocked off Lee-Davis and Atlee. However, after defeating Henrico and Patrick Henry in back-to-back weeks, Deep Run is really starting to get the attention of many programs in the Central Region. The offense has been humming led by Bo Kite and Kyle Gensome while Sam Hutchinson has been consistent in leading the defense from week-to-week. Up next this week for Deep Run will be Hermitage who will look to get back to its winning ways after the Varina debacle last week.
#8 Douglas Freeman (3-1) – The Rebels have been a pleasant surprise after dropping their first game of the season against Prince George. Since then Douglas Freeman has won three-consecutive contests including knocking off Atlee by a single possession last week. The road stays pretty manageable over the next two weeks if the Rebels can knock off its next two opponents. However, I wouldn’t blame anyone within the program for keeping an eye on Deep Run as a match up looms in three weeks.
#9 Patrick Henry (3-1) – A 17-14 loss at the hands of Deep Run wasn’t what the Patriots were looking for heading into the fourth week of the season. But it takes nothing away from what Patrick Henry was able to accomplish against its first three opponents. However, the Patriots need to be very strategic about what happens next because what happens can weigh them down just as much mentally as it can physically. Patrick Henry travels to Henrico next week where they can either get their season back on track with a win, or watch it began to slip a little more with a loss. Choose wisely.
#10 Amelia County (3-0) – So, Amelia County is going to be a shocker to people who don’t follow recruit804 and football in the Central Region. This spot could’ve been reserved for Monacan whose only loss of the season was against Manchester. Be that as it may, it was an absolutely horrid loss for the Chiefs as their only victories have come against Hanover and James River. Thomas Jefferson was also a great candidate for a jump, but their only loss of the season came against Amelia County. The Raiders have convincingly won all three games thus far, but have back-to-back tough match ups against Nottoway and Goochland. We’ll see just how for real Amelia County is.
On the bubble: Thomas Jefferson (3-1), Monacan (2-1), Matoaca (2-1), Petersburg (2-2), Henrico (2-2), Hermitage (2-2), John Marshall (2-2), and Mills Godwin (2-2).
– Brandon Mitchell
