We have roughly reached the halfway point in the Shenandoah District season and for the most part we have established who is near the top and will likely stay there vs. who is at the bottom and still has hopes to improve before the season ends. Unfortunately for the teams that are struggling, all three games on the slate Friday night will send them to the home court of one of those top tier teams.
So on paper, it looks like three comfortable wins for the home teams but then again, upsets do happen. At least nobody will have to wear that big heavy coat you have been lugging to all the other games lately. Here is the Friday night line-up....
BUFFALO GAP AT STAUNTON: This is the almost-guaranteed running-clock-by-the-end-of-the-third-quarter game. Staunton's depth and talent level is so far above everyone else's that their string of 25 point + blowouts will almost certainly continue for the duration of the season. They "might" have a challenging game or two left on the schedule, but it won't be this one. The Storm rolls easily to a name-the-score blowout win.
WAYNESBORO AT STUARTS DRAFT: Hmm, did I perhaps speak too soon about guaranteed wins? After all, Waynesboro did come within two points of the Cougars when they met the first time. But having seen both play and knowing that Draft is now riding a nine-game winning streak tells me that one may have been a fluke and that they will not let this one get anywhere near that close. Pencil in the home team for at least a 20 point win in this one.
RIVERHEADS AT WILSON: This one has the potential to be a closer-than-expected game or Wilson might run away with it. The Gladiators are mired in the middle of a losing streak at the moment, but for the most part they have kept their games close and they hustle and scrap to the very end. Wilson on the other hand has lost three in a row, I believe, and two of those were right there on their home floor. When these two met in Greenville earlier, the Hornets raced out to a big halftime lead but Riverheads came alive and played an outstanding second half to make it respectable. The team that comes out determined to snap its losing streak will come out on top but don't be surprised if BOTH of them come out with that kind of fire, in which case it could be quite the interesting game.
That leaves Fort Defiance as the odd man out Friday night but that is because they are playing Saturday in the Rock the Ribbon shootout down at Rockbridge County High School. They are the final game of the day, and will play Alleghany. The first time around, the newly-enlarged Alleghany team whomped Fort pretty good to the tune of 83-56. But I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the Indians had not yet found their identity when that one was played, and that this time, especially after several days of rest, they will even the score.
So on paper, it looks like three comfortable wins for the home teams but then again, upsets do happen. At least nobody will have to wear that big heavy coat you have been lugging to all the other games lately. Here is the Friday night line-up....
BUFFALO GAP AT STAUNTON: This is the almost-guaranteed running-clock-by-the-end-of-the-third-quarter game. Staunton's depth and talent level is so far above everyone else's that their string of 25 point + blowouts will almost certainly continue for the duration of the season. They "might" have a challenging game or two left on the schedule, but it won't be this one. The Storm rolls easily to a name-the-score blowout win.
WAYNESBORO AT STUARTS DRAFT: Hmm, did I perhaps speak too soon about guaranteed wins? After all, Waynesboro did come within two points of the Cougars when they met the first time. But having seen both play and knowing that Draft is now riding a nine-game winning streak tells me that one may have been a fluke and that they will not let this one get anywhere near that close. Pencil in the home team for at least a 20 point win in this one.
RIVERHEADS AT WILSON: This one has the potential to be a closer-than-expected game or Wilson might run away with it. The Gladiators are mired in the middle of a losing streak at the moment, but for the most part they have kept their games close and they hustle and scrap to the very end. Wilson on the other hand has lost three in a row, I believe, and two of those were right there on their home floor. When these two met in Greenville earlier, the Hornets raced out to a big halftime lead but Riverheads came alive and played an outstanding second half to make it respectable. The team that comes out determined to snap its losing streak will come out on top but don't be surprised if BOTH of them come out with that kind of fire, in which case it could be quite the interesting game.
That leaves Fort Defiance as the odd man out Friday night but that is because they are playing Saturday in the Rock the Ribbon shootout down at Rockbridge County High School. They are the final game of the day, and will play Alleghany. The first time around, the newly-enlarged Alleghany team whomped Fort pretty good to the tune of 83-56. But I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that the Indians had not yet found their identity when that one was played, and that this time, especially after several days of rest, they will even the score.
