Coach Ray Norcross holds up the 2022 Class 1 title which was the 7th straight championship. Can they do it again?
It's great to be back for the most exciting part of the year which is playoff football across the Commonwealth! Several teams have emerged showcasing some of their best talent assembled in school history while others are beating the odds and could bring home the ultimate hardware. We will give a quick recap and then get you ready for the playoffs kicking off Thursday and Friday nights.
This year featured several surprises and many teams who hadn't been contenders in nearly a decade or more found themselves the talk of the town. Lancaster posted their best season since 2010 and has a team capable of being in any contest. Head Coach Landon Gouveia has done a great job removing Lancaster from the homecoming definite list. In his first year, the son of Kurt Gouveia (from the most prestigious organization in the NFL, Washington) has Lancaster hosting in the first round.
Coach Todd Jones Essex group thought they had the squad to take the 2022 state championship but fell short. Who would've believed that this group would have a better chance of actually achieving that goal. The Trojans went 10-0 in the regular season for the 2nd consecutive season and featured one of the best run defenses in Class 1.
Altavista has posted their first winning season since 2016 and they have been noted as "the best 2nd half team in the playoffs." The Colonels have been superb with their second half adjustments. This past Friday they turned a Chatham blowout almost into one of the season's best comebacks. Keep an eye on the Colonels this postseason.
The Tigers of Sussex Central rebounded from a rough 4th quarter in the opener and have lived up to expectations of them being a contender. Coach Curtis Jefferson has one of his most potent offensive and defense combinations since 2016. They are one of the most physical teams in the playoffs.
Brunswick dropped down from Class 2 and are comfortable putting up their first winning season since 2014. Like their district counterparts Sussex, the Bulldogs are physical and scrappy. Both of the losses came down to the wire which included a 42-41 loss to Central Lunenburg and a 22-20 loss to Sussex.
King William rebounded from a 1-5 start playing a tough schedule and have now won 4 starts to finish .500. The Cavaliers have started to find offensive consistency just in the nick of time. Expect the Cavaliers to flex their muscle early and will need their fans to hit the road.
The state champion Riverheads Gladiators take their talent to Class 2. They started out with a 1 point loss to the Class 2 Region B champion and state runner up Central Woodstock so they know they can get to Salem once again. 7 straight state titles is the current streak but the playoff pressure will be greater than ever before for Big Red.
Poquoson features an experienced veteran group and is exactly where most predicted. The Bull Islanders have their best chance in years to bring home the Class 2 state championship. The defending Region A champions look to be more than ready for Shenandoah in December.
Out west Honaker was the top squad putting up big numbers but the Tigers got a challenge in their regular season finale. They will face a motivated Rural Retreat squad to open the playoffs. Bath County will have their best team in two decades facing off against the traditional powerhouse Maroon Tide of Galax.
Now let's take a look at the opening round predictions for Class 2 & Class 1 Region A & B:
Class 2 Region A
Baker Green and company will be too much.
8 Nandua 0
1 Poquoson 52
5 Bruton 12
4 King William 34
The home crowd propels the Chargers late.
7 Southampton 14
2 Central Lunenburg 20
6 Greensville County 6
3 Amelia County 26
Class 2 Region B
8 Stuarts Draft 14
1 Central Woodstock 62
5 Fort Defiance 13
4 Strasburg 28
Gladiators pull away late.
7 Madison County 7
2 Riverheads 28
6 Clarke County 20
3 Buckingham 35
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Class 1 Region A
8 Colonial Beach 6
1 Essex 58
Red Devils flip the script in this one.
5 Rappahannock 20
4 Lancaster 24
7 Westmoreland 27
2 Northumberland 48
6 Northampton 18
3 West Point 54
Class 1 Region B
8 Cumberland 0
1 Sussex Central 64
5 Franklin 28
4 William Campbell 36
Last time they played 2016 in the first round of the playoffs and Gap won 8-6. Not this time.
7 Buffalo Gap 6
2 Brunswick 35
6 Surry County 14
3 Altavista 54
Hope everyone enjoys the games and we will see if there are some surprises to the predictions!
