Week number two if anything clouded up the picture in the Shenandoah instead of clarifying it. After Riverheads had pummeled unbeaten Luray in the first week, it might have been logical to assume that the Gladiators were ready to breeze through the rest of their schedule if indeed the Dogs were supposed to have been "Top Dogs." But then the Bison rolled into RHS and gave the Big Red all it could handle, and Luray had so much trouble at Wilson that they barely escaped with a win. Meanwhile Stuarts Draft is still unbeaten in the district as well.
So now we are faced with SO MANY questions.......Did the Gap game serve as a wake-up call for Riverheads so that we will see the Gladiators step up their game even further in the coming weeks? Are East Rock and Stuarts Draft both still potential hurdles for the Big Red? Is Buffalo Gap going to run the table the rest of the way and hope RHS falters somewhere along the line? Did the Wilson game tell us that Luray is middle-of-the-pack or will they be able to remain in contention? Is it all going to come down to the final night when Stuarts Draft visits the Coliseum? Stay tuned to find out!
Meanwhile, here are the games for Week Three of the district schedule and in their own way, they all have interesting plots:
Riverheads at East Rock: This one should be a dandy, if you like offense! The Gladiators are still averaging in the 40 point range per game, almost entirely on the ground. (I think they might have attempted 12 passes in all five games!) whereas the Eagles are the opposite from what I read and they instead live and die by the pass. So the one that can stop the other's game will come out on top. My expectation is that Coach Casto will have convinced his boys that the Gap game showed that they need to come ready to play every night and that we will therefore see a newly-focused Big Red Friday night. East Rock will of course be understandably fired up, never having beaten RHS, so it could be a close one. Another factor is that the Gladiators have had their best efforts so far this season on the road, but of course Waynesboro and Buffalo Gap had something to do with that! Last time in Elkton the Gladiators needed an end-zone interception in the final 30 seconds to hold on, so it could be that wild again. I will go with a 49-34 Big Red win.
Stuarts Draft at Buffalo Gap: Each week we have had a too-close-to-call game and this week it has to be this one. I personally have nothing to go on and will only play a hunch. The only common opponent they have is Fort Defiance and even that only gives the Draft a 49-48 edge. The Bison have amazing size whereas the image I have is that the Draft relies on speed. So for one reason only.........to keep alive the possibilities for a SD/RHS title game on November 6th.... I will predict a tight Cougar win in this one. Maybe a two-point conversion or missed kick somewhere along the line. 21-20 SD.
Page at Luray: Apparently this game is THE premier sporting event in that county year after year, no matter what kind of season the teams are having. So they will no doubt get their usual capacity crowd and it will get rowdy. On paper, however, I don't see anything less than a Bulldog runaway, so I will predict 42-14 in favor of the home team. But with this kind of rivalry who knows?
Wilson at Stonewall: From everything we have read, Wilson apparently beat Luray everywhere but on the scoreboard Thursday night. So that game may have an impact on this one. If the Hornets came out of that game mad and determined to prove something, then Stonewall could be put away quickly. But if the Generals were to get a break or two early, it could cause Wilson to think "here we go again," in which case SJ might be able to pull off the upset. I don't see this one as being especially close and will predict a 28-8 Wilson victory but hearing about a Stonewall win or close game would not come as a shock.
At this point, it looks like we will have decent weather for all games. Let's hope so!
So now we are faced with SO MANY questions.......Did the Gap game serve as a wake-up call for Riverheads so that we will see the Gladiators step up their game even further in the coming weeks? Are East Rock and Stuarts Draft both still potential hurdles for the Big Red? Is Buffalo Gap going to run the table the rest of the way and hope RHS falters somewhere along the line? Did the Wilson game tell us that Luray is middle-of-the-pack or will they be able to remain in contention? Is it all going to come down to the final night when Stuarts Draft visits the Coliseum? Stay tuned to find out!
Meanwhile, here are the games for Week Three of the district schedule and in their own way, they all have interesting plots:
Riverheads at East Rock: This one should be a dandy, if you like offense! The Gladiators are still averaging in the 40 point range per game, almost entirely on the ground. (I think they might have attempted 12 passes in all five games!) whereas the Eagles are the opposite from what I read and they instead live and die by the pass. So the one that can stop the other's game will come out on top. My expectation is that Coach Casto will have convinced his boys that the Gap game showed that they need to come ready to play every night and that we will therefore see a newly-focused Big Red Friday night. East Rock will of course be understandably fired up, never having beaten RHS, so it could be a close one. Another factor is that the Gladiators have had their best efforts so far this season on the road, but of course Waynesboro and Buffalo Gap had something to do with that! Last time in Elkton the Gladiators needed an end-zone interception in the final 30 seconds to hold on, so it could be that wild again. I will go with a 49-34 Big Red win.
Stuarts Draft at Buffalo Gap: Each week we have had a too-close-to-call game and this week it has to be this one. I personally have nothing to go on and will only play a hunch. The only common opponent they have is Fort Defiance and even that only gives the Draft a 49-48 edge. The Bison have amazing size whereas the image I have is that the Draft relies on speed. So for one reason only.........to keep alive the possibilities for a SD/RHS title game on November 6th.... I will predict a tight Cougar win in this one. Maybe a two-point conversion or missed kick somewhere along the line. 21-20 SD.
Page at Luray: Apparently this game is THE premier sporting event in that county year after year, no matter what kind of season the teams are having. So they will no doubt get their usual capacity crowd and it will get rowdy. On paper, however, I don't see anything less than a Bulldog runaway, so I will predict 42-14 in favor of the home team. But with this kind of rivalry who knows?
Wilson at Stonewall: From everything we have read, Wilson apparently beat Luray everywhere but on the scoreboard Thursday night. So that game may have an impact on this one. If the Hornets came out of that game mad and determined to prove something, then Stonewall could be put away quickly. But if the Generals were to get a break or two early, it could cause Wilson to think "here we go again," in which case SJ might be able to pull off the upset. I don't see this one as being especially close and will predict a 28-8 Wilson victory but hearing about a Stonewall win or close game would not come as a shock.
At this point, it looks like we will have decent weather for all games. Let's hope so!
