As discussed recently, the final five weeks of the regular season were headed for a dogfight with as many as six of the seven teams still in the running for the district title. Well with two of those five weeks in the books, things are still about as tight as ever as we legitimately have four of those six teams that could still win it if things were to fall in place for them. Better yet, when playoff time rolls around, most of those six will make the field within their particular classifications and have their chances for post-season success.
Last weekend I miraculously managed to predict all four games correctly (including Waynesboro's non-district win over Rockbridge) but it was not easy as Fort Defiance shocked everyone by keeping unbeaten Staunton out of the end zone until the fourth quarter when The Storm came to life and squeezed out a 14-12 win in the final minute of the game. Meanwhile Riverheads handled Wilson 41-21 and Stuarts Draft nipped Buffalo Gap 17-12.
So moving on to this third of those five competitive weekends, RHS and Staunton are the only teams unbeaten in district play and they will meet next Friday the 28th. But it would be presumptuous to call that the "championship" game because we have one-loss Wilson and Stuarts Draft left in the mix and each one of those is quite capable of upsetting the apple cart. And as just mentioned, Fort and Gap can play with anybody even if they each now have two district losses and are probably out of championship contention. So let's see what is in store for this, the third weekend of the final five............
BUFFALO GAP AT STAUNTON: Until their struggle at the Fort Friday, I would have likely considered this one a no-brainer Storm victory. But the Bison have a strong, balanced running game, and if Staunton comes out sluggish again, or plays the same kind of three quarters they apparently did Friday, the Bison could very easily take this one. However, Friday's win at the Fort was not the first time Staunton has come from behind, as they rallied the week before and scored three times in the final five minutes to turn back Stuarts Draft. So my guess is that this time the coaches will have addressed the team's slow starts and therefore I expect a more focused Storm team to take charge from the beginning. Look for about a three-TD win for the home team.
RIVERHEADS AT FORT DEFIANCE: The Indians may have their two losses and may have been eliminated from the title chase, but they are still the "feel good" story of the year and Coach Rolfe, along with Staunton's Coach Bell, each deserve major praise for the competitive race we have had this season. As for this game, the Indians will certainly not back down and will be highly motivated to prove that Friday night was not a fluke. Riverheads fans will of course hope that Luke Bryant has another epic game and that Triple C is back at full strength, because they may need both of them at peak efficiency to take this one. Although RHS follows its team well on the road, this is their first game away from Greenville since the second week of the season, but I do not expect that to be a factor. I will go with the Gladiators by the same three TDs they have beaten Gap and Wilson, but just like those two wins, it may not be easy.
WILSON AT STUARTS DRAFT: If there is a down to the wire slobberknocker to be found this weekend, this is probably it. Not only is there a natural rivalry, but each one has only the one district loss and therefore they each know that another stumble will knock them out of the race. Wilson still gets Staunton later and SD still has Riverheads on the schedule, so regardless of what happens Friday, these two still have plenty to say about the way things will turn out. I am going with Wilson in this one but I am probably influenced by the fact that I have seen them play, but have not seen the Cougars. But if the Hornets can pass as effectively as they did Friday and also turn the ground game loose for a score or two, I think they will be too much for the Cougars. I go with Wilson by two scores in what will likely be a shootout.
SPOTSWOOD AT WAYNESBORO: As mentioned above, the Little Giants picked up win number one Friday, so will they end this season just like they did last year? The Blazers were on top of the Valley District until Friday's narrow loss at TA, so this one may come down to a question of whether they can overcome that disappointment as opposed to letting it get in their heads. Assuming they are still fighting for a Region 3-C playoff spot, and knowing that they came to Wilson recently and beat the Hornets by three scores, I will have to go with the visitors in this one to stop the Waynesboro win streak at one.
So there you have it........I am predicting three road wins out of the four games. Risky business for sure, but let's stay tuned to see if I am 11-0 after this weekend or maybe a dismal 7-4, or just somewhere dull and boring in the middle.....
Last weekend I miraculously managed to predict all four games correctly (including Waynesboro's non-district win over Rockbridge) but it was not easy as Fort Defiance shocked everyone by keeping unbeaten Staunton out of the end zone until the fourth quarter when The Storm came to life and squeezed out a 14-12 win in the final minute of the game. Meanwhile Riverheads handled Wilson 41-21 and Stuarts Draft nipped Buffalo Gap 17-12.
So moving on to this third of those five competitive weekends, RHS and Staunton are the only teams unbeaten in district play and they will meet next Friday the 28th. But it would be presumptuous to call that the "championship" game because we have one-loss Wilson and Stuarts Draft left in the mix and each one of those is quite capable of upsetting the apple cart. And as just mentioned, Fort and Gap can play with anybody even if they each now have two district losses and are probably out of championship contention. So let's see what is in store for this, the third weekend of the final five............
BUFFALO GAP AT STAUNTON: Until their struggle at the Fort Friday, I would have likely considered this one a no-brainer Storm victory. But the Bison have a strong, balanced running game, and if Staunton comes out sluggish again, or plays the same kind of three quarters they apparently did Friday, the Bison could very easily take this one. However, Friday's win at the Fort was not the first time Staunton has come from behind, as they rallied the week before and scored three times in the final five minutes to turn back Stuarts Draft. So my guess is that this time the coaches will have addressed the team's slow starts and therefore I expect a more focused Storm team to take charge from the beginning. Look for about a three-TD win for the home team.
RIVERHEADS AT FORT DEFIANCE: The Indians may have their two losses and may have been eliminated from the title chase, but they are still the "feel good" story of the year and Coach Rolfe, along with Staunton's Coach Bell, each deserve major praise for the competitive race we have had this season. As for this game, the Indians will certainly not back down and will be highly motivated to prove that Friday night was not a fluke. Riverheads fans will of course hope that Luke Bryant has another epic game and that Triple C is back at full strength, because they may need both of them at peak efficiency to take this one. Although RHS follows its team well on the road, this is their first game away from Greenville since the second week of the season, but I do not expect that to be a factor. I will go with the Gladiators by the same three TDs they have beaten Gap and Wilson, but just like those two wins, it may not be easy.
WILSON AT STUARTS DRAFT: If there is a down to the wire slobberknocker to be found this weekend, this is probably it. Not only is there a natural rivalry, but each one has only the one district loss and therefore they each know that another stumble will knock them out of the race. Wilson still gets Staunton later and SD still has Riverheads on the schedule, so regardless of what happens Friday, these two still have plenty to say about the way things will turn out. I am going with Wilson in this one but I am probably influenced by the fact that I have seen them play, but have not seen the Cougars. But if the Hornets can pass as effectively as they did Friday and also turn the ground game loose for a score or two, I think they will be too much for the Cougars. I go with Wilson by two scores in what will likely be a shootout.
SPOTSWOOD AT WAYNESBORO: As mentioned above, the Little Giants picked up win number one Friday, so will they end this season just like they did last year? The Blazers were on top of the Valley District until Friday's narrow loss at TA, so this one may come down to a question of whether they can overcome that disappointment as opposed to letting it get in their heads. Assuming they are still fighting for a Region 3-C playoff spot, and knowing that they came to Wilson recently and beat the Hornets by three scores, I will have to go with the visitors in this one to stop the Waynesboro win streak at one.
So there you have it........I am predicting three road wins out of the four games. Risky business for sure, but let's stay tuned to see if I am 11-0 after this weekend or maybe a dismal 7-4, or just somewhere dull and boring in the middle.....
