Alright, so the regular season is completed. Here's a closer look at how VaPreps Publisher Matthew Hatfield and his co-hort on ESPN Radio 94.1 during 757 Saturday Sports Talk, Coach Ed Young, fared on their Predictions.
Both went 17-4 in Tidewater games with Matt getting the nod on Hickory/Lakeland, whereas Coach was proven right on Salem/Cox.
Hatfield's Final Regular Season Tidewater Total: 193-30 (86.5%)
Hatfield's Final Regular Season Total for All Games: 281-57 (83.1%)
Hatfield's Mark on Nov. 4-6 Weekend Games: 28-5 (84.5%)
Hatfield's Mark on Tidewater Games for Nov. 4-6 Weekend: 17-4 (80.9%)
Coach Young's Season Total: 182-41 (81.6%)
Coach Young's Mark on Tidewater Games for Nov. 4-6 Weekend: 17-4 (80.9%)
Let's now get to the Playoff Picks for Hatfield and Young, who has regularly beaten Matt in the postseason in recent years after taking his regular season beating. Will that trend continue here in 2021?
Region 6A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Cosby (3-7) at #1 Oscar Smith (8-1) . . . Oscar Smith has won regular season games by an average of 52 to 2 during the calendar year of 2021, and with the Titans sporting a record under .500, this one will likely mirror that rather than a November nail-biter.
Matt Hatfield Says - Oscar Smith 52-3
Coach Ed Young Says - Oscar Smith 55-0
#6 Ocean Lakes (5-4) at #3 Manchester (7-2) . . . While the Dolphins have dropped four of five, they take on a Manchester squad that is putting up 41.1 points per game, their highest clip since the 2018 undefeated state title season when Lancers averaged a whopping 54.1 PPG. That year, Manchester bounced Ocean Lakes from the playoffs in a 42-3 State Semis drubbing at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.
Matt Hatfield Says - Manchester 30-16
Coach Ed Young Says - Manchester 22-18
#7 Franklin County (5-5) at #2 Western Branch (8-2) . . . The 30.1 points per game that Franklin County is putting up is the most they've averaged in program history. Question is can their defense, which allows 33.3 PPG, slow Bruins RB Shimique Blizzard? The junior has racked up 1100 all-purpose yards with 15 TD's (12 rushing, 3 receiving) on 157 carries this season.
Matt Hatfield Says - Western Branch 42-20
Coach Ed Young Says - Western Branch 36-21
Region 5A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Tallwood (4-6) at #1 Green Run (10-0) . . . This is a re-match of the regular season opener, which Green Run won 56-7 behind 257 total yards and 5 TD's (4 of the passing variety) by QB Xavier Davis. Facing a Green Run offense averaging 41.7 PPG, it's going to take the Tallwood defense playing the game of their lives to secure the program's first playoff victory since 1998.
Matt Hatfield Says - Green Run 42-12
Coach Ed Young Says - Green Run 44-8
#5 Indian River (5-3) at #4 Bayside (6-4) . . . These two programs are mirror images in many ways as they both throw it fairly well, struggle to run the ball consistently, and each have solid players at each level defensively. It's the first meeting in the series since a 28-6 win by Bayside in 1998. This may come down to how much pressure the Bayside defense - led by LB's Jeryhn McClenny (82 tackles) and David Hudnell (50 tackles, 11 TFL) - can apply on Braves sophomore signal caller Tyler Allison (1276 yards, 16 TD's passing).
Matt Hatfield Says - Indian River 14-13
Coach Ed Young Says - Bayside 16-12
#6 Cox (5-5) vs. #3 Salem-VB (7-2) at Kellam HS . . . A 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Jahrell Walton to open the game set the tone for Salem in its 20-14 victory over Cox in the regular season finale. Both teams ran the ball with moderate success; Keimar Carter-Gatlin had 140 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries for Salem, while Falcons WR turned QB Jordin Cooper gained 114 yards to go with 2 TD's. Whoever clamps down on the run the best should hold the upper hand by night's end.
Matt Hatfield Says - Salem 16-14
Coach Ed Young Says - Salem 22-20 (upset alert though!!)
#7 Hickory (4-6) at #2 Kempsville (7-1) . . . The passing combo of Colin Cheanult to Brandon Still (7Rec. 221Yds. 2 TD's last week) led the way for the Hawks to beat Lakeland 38-30 in the regular season finale and clinch the school's first ever playoff berth. Now a Hawks defense allowing 32.6 PPG will have to gang tackle Chiefs bruising ball carrier NaiQuan Washington-Pearce (1179Yds. 15 TD's rushing).
Matt Hatfield Says - Kempsville 36-18
Coach Ed Young Says - Kempsville 30-12
Region 5B Tidewater Matchups:
#6 Kecoughtan (4-5) at #3 Nansemond River (4-5) . . . A rare quarterfinal featuring both teams under .500. In fact, it's the only one in the whole state where this is the case! Jeff Super, who once was an assistant at Nansemond River, tries to lead Kecoughtan to its first playoff win since 2015 when the Warriors, then as a No. 7 seed, knocked off No. 2 seed Salem on the road. The QB that does the better job of minimizing miscues - Nolan James for Nansemond River and Marvin McCue for Kecoughtan - will be better positioned to advance his team.
Matt Hatfield Says - Nansemond River 22-16
Coach Ed Young Says - Nansemond River 24-18
#5 Menchville (4-4) at #4 Norview (5-4) . . . Rodney Taylor tries to lead Menchville to its first playoff win since 1993 when they beat Maury 31-13 at Chittum Field. This is the first ever meeting with Norview, which has allowed more than 28 points just once all season and that came ironically enough in their 40-6 loss to Maury in the regular season finale. The task for the Pilots on defense is to frustrate Menchville QB Kevin White (1052 yards, 13 TD's), who directed a passing attack that was the PD's most consistent outside of Phoebus.
Matt Hatfield Says - Norview 20-15
Coach Ed Young Says - Norview 28-12
Region 4A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Smithfield (3-6) at #1 King's Fork (8-1) . . . Smithfield, which was shut out in back-to-back weeks in October by Lafayette and Tabb, faces a defense that held its first four foes to single-digit points. That included the Packers, who lost 35-6 to King's Fork back on August 27th. Freshman RB Javon Ford ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in that one, while Virginia Tech commit Kyree Moyston made three sacks on defense. Unless they get Moyston, Tavias Higgs (10 sacks), Bravion Campbell (6 sacks) and the rest of King's Fork's pass rushers blocked, Smithfield will fall to 0-6 all-time in this series.
Matt Hatfield Says - King's Fork 32-8
Coach Ed Young Says - King's Fork 34-0
#5 Deep Creek (6-4) at #4 Churchland (8-2) . . . This is perhaps the best first round matchup of any of the quarterfinals around Tidewater as both schools played in region title games back in the spring; Churchland falling to Lake Taylor in the Region 4A Final for a second straight season, whereas Deep Creek was routed at home by Maury for the Region 5A crown. Both teams have dual-threat QB's with Tony Barnes directing a Deep Creek attack averaging 31.3 PPG the past seven, while Brandyn Hillman leads a Churchland offense putting up 47.3 PPG the last four outings. Hillman has more than 1000 yards passing as well as rushing with 26 total touchdowns. He's only been intercepted four times and will have to carefully pick his spots against a Hornets secondary that features Lamontae Wilson, who made a school-record 12 interceptions during the regular season. Expect a tight battle throughout.
Matt Hatfield Says - Deep Creek 24-21
Coach Ed Young Says - Churchland 34-30
#6 Warwick (6-4) at #3 Warhill (9-1) . . . If not for a 32-30 overtime loss to Woodside, the Raiders would enter this one on a five-game winning streak. Davion Corpening ran for 209 yards and 3 TD's on 14 carries for Warwick in their 25-6 win over Menchville to close out the regular season. Without injured RB Bryce Buchanan (135Att. 1104Yds. 11 TD's), Warwick will rely on him even more. Warhill is sky high after beating Lafayette 14-7, holding a Rams attack averaging more than 500 yards per game to a mere 62. Their defensive front with LB Logan Gray alongside DT Nate Coffey and DE Noah Holmes will make it hard for the Raiders to sustain drives.
Matt Hatfield Says - Warhill 19-13
Coach Ed Young Says - Warhill 24-16
#7 Manor (4-3) at #2 Hampton (8-1) . . . It has been a long time coming for Manor, previously known as Woodrow Wilson, to be in the playoffs. Their last trip came in 1991 when Coach Darnell Moore, behind the sterling QB play of Aaron Sparrow, led the Presidents to a State Championship win over E.C. Glass in Chesapeake. Now the Mustangs under the direction of Jelani Fair - a former assistant of Moore's when he led Bayside to a regional title in 2010 - face the state's most storied program. Those revered Crabbers are mighty tough on defense, yielding just 5.9 PPG behind DB Ja'Quan Montgomery (4 INT TD returns) and LB Marcus Triggs, the Peninsula District Defensive Player of the Year.
Matt Hatfield Says - Hampton 24-8
Coach Ed Young Says - Hampton 28-0
Region 3A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Tabb (5-5) at #1 Phoebus (9-1) . . . Both teams come in feeling very different as the Tigers rebounded from a 0-5 start to win five straight under first-year Head Coach Brent Ashley, whereas Phoebus suffered a humbling 42-0 loss at Class 6 power Oscar Smith to wrap up the regular season. Don't expect the Phantoms to sulk for long; they've won the previous four encounters with Tabb by a combined total of 146-45.
Matt Hatfield Says - Phoebus 42-6
Coach Ed Young Says - Phoebus 48-0
#5 Hopewell (5-3) at #4 Lake Taylor (6-4) . . . We're looking at two of the state's most successful programs meeting for the first time ever. Lake Taylor owns 37 playoff victories in its history and have captured three state titles under Coach Hank Sawyer since the 2012 season. Hopewell, which won Class 3 state titles in both 2017 and 2019 under Coach Ricky Irby, enters with 32 postseason victories dating back to 1982. The fact that this is the first ever encounter is somewhat remarkable. Offensively, they're almost identical with the Titans averaging 33.2 PPG compared to 33.1 PPG for the Blue Devils, who might be a bit stingier defensively (13.6 PPG allowed compared to 32.1 PPG allowed for LT). But if Lake Taylor avoids turnovers (14 INT's thrown and 13 lost fumbles), the Hopewell defense will have a hard time stopping them cold.
Matt Hatfield Says - Hopewell 36-33
Coach Ed Young Says - Lake Taylor 28-24
#6 Booker T. Washington (5-4) at #3 Lafayette (7-2) . . . After a 4-1 start, the Bookers have dropped three of four. The offense dipped from 32.4 PPG to 18.8 PPG, so it'll be pivotal they have a respectable passing dimension to complement workhorse RB Jerome Jones against the defending Class 3 State Champs. Since being torched for 61 points by King William, the Lafayette defense has held its last three foes to 12 PPG. However, they come in off a season-low seven points in a loss to Warhill, so re-establishing the passing combo of QB Luke Hanson to WR Jaylen Pretlow early against the speedy Bookers will be a primary objective.,
Matt Hatfield Says - Lafayette 35-15
Coach Ed Young Says - Lafayette 30-20
#7 Southampton (6-3) at #2 York (9-1) . . . A couple of forfeit wins and a fairly respectable finish helped Southampton jump from out of the playoff picture a few weeks ago to one of the final seeds in Region 3A, despite a 20-0 loss to non-qualifier Lakeland in early September. York's lone blemish was 35-24 to defending Class 3 State Champ Lafayette in a game where the Falcons led by 10 in the third quarter. All Jordin Lennon did in the regular season for York was rush for 1625 yards and 25 TD's on 155 attempts to go with a touchdown reception, 60-yard pick-six, three sacks and a 48-yard made field goal.
Matt Hatfield Says - York 43-9
Coach Ed Young Says - York 44-6
Region 2A Tidewater Matchups:
#6 Poquoson (5-4) at #3 Brunswick (5-2) . . . The Bull Islanders of Poquoson lead the all-time series 2-1, including a 31-12 triumph in the 2007 playoffs. Poquoson's Brayden Hayes comes in just two tackles away from 100 for the season and needing 270 yards to get to 1000, which will be hard to do in this game, but a win will certainly give him a great shot to get in there in the semifinals against the winner of the 2/7 quarterfinal between high-scoring King William and 5-3 Greensville.
Matt Hatfield Says - Poquoson 27-14
Coach Ed Young Says - Brunswick 27-26
Rest of Predicted Winners for VHSL Opening Round Action:
Region 6A:
#4 Thomas Dale (7-2) at #5 James River-Midlothian (7-4)...
Matt Hatfield Says - Thomas Dale
Coach Ed Young Says - Thomas Dale
Region 6B:
#8 Colonial Forge (4-6) at #1 Battlefield (10-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Battlefield (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Battlefield
#5 Gar-Field (5-5) at #4 Osbourn (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Gar-Field
Coach Ed Young Says - Osbourn
#6 Unity Reed (5-5) at #3 Patriot (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Patriot
Coach Ed Young Says - Patriot
#7 Forest Park (5-5) at #2 Freedom-PW (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Freedom
Coach Ed Young Says - Freedom
Occoquan Region 6C:
#8 Alexandria City (5-5) at #1 Robinson (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Robinson
Coach Ed Young Says - Robinson
#5 West Springfield (7-3) at #4 South County (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - South County
Coach Ed Young Says - South County
#6 West Potomac (6-4) at #3 Fairfax (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Fairfax
Coach Ed Young Says - Fairfax
#7 Justice (6-4) at #2 Lake Braddock (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Lake Braddock
Coach Ed Young Says - Lake Braddock
Region 6D:
#8 George Marshall (5-5) at #1 James Madison (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - James Madison
Coach Ed Young Says - James Madison
#5 South Lakes (5-5) at #4 Yorktown (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Yorktown
Coach Ed Young Says - Yorktown
#6 Wakefield (5-4) at #3 Westfield (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Westfield
Coach Ed Young Says - Westfield
#7 Chantilly (5-5) at #2 Centreville (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Centreville
Coach Ed Young Says - Centreville
Region 5C:
#8 J.R. Tucker (4-4) at #1 Highland Springs (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Highland Springs
Coach Ed Young Says - Highland Springs
#5 L.C. Bird (5-3) at #4 Douglas Freeman (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Douglas Freeman
Coach Ed Young Says - L.C. Bird
#6 Glen Allen (4-5) at #3 Hermitage (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Hermitage (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Hermitage
#7 Mills Godwin (4-6) at #2 Midlothian (6-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Mills Godwin
Coach Ed Young Says - Midlothian
Region 5D:
#8 Independence (7-3) at #1 Stone Bridge (10-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Stone Bridge
Coach Ed Young Says - Stone Bridge
#5 Albemarle (8-2) at #4 Riverbend (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Riverbend
Coach Ed Young Says - Riverbend
#6 Woodgrove (7-2) at #3 Mountain View (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Mountain View
Coach Ed Young Says - Mountain View
#7 Patrick Henry-Roanoke (7-3) at #2 Massaponax (7-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Massaponax
Coach Ed Young Says - Massaponax
Region 4B:
#8 Atlee (6-4) at #1 Dinwiddie (8-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Dinwiddie
Coach Ed Young Says - Dinwiddie
#5 Patrick Henry-Ashland (8-2) at #4 Matoaca (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Patrick Henry-Ashland
Coach Ed Young Says - Matoaca
#6 Powhatan (7-3) at #3 Varina (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Varina
Coach Ed Young Says - Varina
#7 Chancellor (5-4) at #2 King George (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - King George
Coach Ed Young Says - King George
Region 4C:
Northwestern #4 Sherando (5-5) at Dulles #1 Broad Run (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Broad Run
Coach Ed Young Says - Broad Run
DD #3 Loudoun County (8-2) at NW #2 Handley (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Loudoun County
Coach Ed Young Says - Handley
DD #4 Tuscarora (8-2) at NW #1 Kettle Run (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Tuscarora
Coach Ed Young Says - Tuscarora
NW #3 James Wood (7-3) at DD #2 Heritage-Leesburg (8-2)
Matt Hatfield Says - Heritage-Leesburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Heritage-Leesburg
Region 4D:
#8 Amherst (4-5) at #1 Salem (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Salem
Coach Ed Young Says - Salem
#5 Louisa (8-2) at #4 E.C. Glass (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - E.C. Glass
Coach Ed Young Says - E.C. Glass
#6 Halifax County (7-2) at #3 Western Albemarle (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Western Albemarle
Coach Ed Young Says - Western Albemarle
#7 Orange County (6-4) at #2 GW-Danville (7-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - GW-Danville
Coach Ed Young Says - GW-Danville
Region 3B:
#8 Armstrong (2-7) at #1 Meridian (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Meridian
Coach Ed Young Says - Meridian
#5 Culpeper (4-6) at #4 Goochland (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Goochland
Coach Ed Young Says - Goochland
#6 Skyline (3-6) at #3 James Monroe (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - James Monroe
Coach Ed Young Says - James Monroe
#7 Warren County (3-7) at #2 Brentsville District (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Brentsville District
Coach Ed Young Says - Brentsville District
Region 3C:
#8 Wilson Memorial (5-5) at #1 Liberty Christian (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Liberty Christian
Coach Ed Young Says - Liberty Christian
#5 Broadway (6-4) at #4 Turner Ashby (6-4) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Turner Ashby
Coach Ed Young Says - Broadway
#6 Rockbridge County (5-5) at #3 Brookville (6-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Brookville
Coach Ed Young Says - Rockbridge County
#7 Waynesboro (5-5) at #2 Heritage-Lynchburg (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Heritage-Lynchburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Heritage-Lynchburg
Region 3D:
#8 Staunton River (4-5) at #1 Christiansburg (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Christiansburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Christiansburg
#5 Lord Botetourt (6-3) at #4 Hidden Valley (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Lord Botetourt
Coach Ed Young Says - Lord Botetourt
#6 Magna Vista (5-5) at #3 Bassett (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Magna Vista
Coach Ed Young Says - Bassett
#7 Northside (4-6) at #1 Abingdon (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Abingdon
Coach Ed Young Says - Abingdon
Region 2A:
#8 Randolph-Henry (5-4) at #1 Nottoway (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Nottoway
Coach Ed Young Says - Nottoway
#5 Thomas Jefferson-Richmond (6-3) at #4 Amelia (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Thomas Jefferson-Richmond
Coach Ed Young Says - Thomas Jefferson-Richmond
#7 Greensville (5-3) at #2 King William (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - King William
Coach Ed Young Says - King William
Region 2B:
#8 Madison County (3-7) at #1 Central-Wise (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Central-Wise
Coach Ed Young Says - Central-Wise
#5 Buckingham (6-2) at #4 Strasburg (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Strasburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Strasburg
#6 East Rockingham (4-5) at #3 Clarke County (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Clarke County
Coach Ed Young Says - Clarke County
#7 Luray (4-5) at #2 Stuarts Draft (7-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Stuarts Draft
Coach Ed Young Says - Stuarts Draft
Region 2C:
#8 Patrick County (2-7) at #1 Glenvar (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Glenvar
Coach Ed Young Says - Glenvar
#5 Martinsville (4-5) at #4 James River-Buchanan (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - James River-Buchanan
Coach Ed Young Says - James River-Buchanan
#6 Floyd County (6-4) at #3 Radford (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Radford
Coach Ed Young Says - Radford
#7 Gretna (5-5) at #2 Appomattox (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Appomattox
Coach Ed Young Says - Appomattox
Region 2D:
Mountain 7 #4 Lee (4-6) at Southwest #1 Graham (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Graham
Coach Ed Young Says - Graham
SW #3 Virginia High (8-2) at M7 #2 Union (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Union (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Union
SW #4 Tazewell (5-5) at M7 # 1 Central-Wise (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Central-Wise
Coach Ed Young Says - Central-Wise
M7 #3 Ridgeview (7-3) at SW #2 Richlands (4-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Ridgeview
Coach Ed Young Says - Ridgeview
Region 1A:
#8 Rappahannock (4-5) at #1 Essex (5-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Essex
Coach Ed Young Says - Essex
#5 West Point (6-3) at #4 Northampton (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - West Point
Coach Ed Young Says - Northampton
#6 Colonial Beach (5-4) at #3 King & Queen (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - King & Queen
Coach Ed Young Says - King & Queen
#7 Northumberland (6-2) at #2 Washington & Lee (5-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Northumberland
Coach Ed Young Says - Washington & Lee
Region 1B:
#5 William Campbell (4-4) at #4 Sussex Central (6-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Sussex Central
Coach Ed Young Says - Sussex Central
#6 Surry (5-5) at #3 Central-Lunenburg (7-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Central-Lunenburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Central-Lunenburg
Region 1C:
#8 Grayson County (5-5) at #1 Galax (7-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Galax
Coach Ed Young Says - Galax
#6 Narrows (5-5) at #3 Parry McCluer (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Narrows
Coach Ed Young Says - Parry McCluer
#7 Eastern Montgomery (5-5) at #2 Giles (6-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Giles
Coach Ed Young Says - Giles
Region 1D:
#8 Honaker (5-5) at #1 Holston (10-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Holston
Coach Ed Young Says - Holston
#5 Grundy (5-4) at #4 Chilhowie (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Grundy (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Grundy
#6 Twin Valley (7-3) at #3 Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Patrick Henry-Glade Spring
Coach Ed Young Says - Patrick Henry-Glade Spring
#7 Eastside (5-4) at #2 Twin Springs (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Twin Springs
Coach Ed Young Says - Twin Springs
Both went 17-4 in Tidewater games with Matt getting the nod on Hickory/Lakeland, whereas Coach was proven right on Salem/Cox.
Hatfield's Final Regular Season Tidewater Total: 193-30 (86.5%)
Hatfield's Final Regular Season Total for All Games: 281-57 (83.1%)
Hatfield's Mark on Nov. 4-6 Weekend Games: 28-5 (84.5%)
Hatfield's Mark on Tidewater Games for Nov. 4-6 Weekend: 17-4 (80.9%)
Coach Young's Season Total: 182-41 (81.6%)
Coach Young's Mark on Tidewater Games for Nov. 4-6 Weekend: 17-4 (80.9%)
Let's now get to the Playoff Picks for Hatfield and Young, who has regularly beaten Matt in the postseason in recent years after taking his regular season beating. Will that trend continue here in 2021?
Region 6A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Cosby (3-7) at #1 Oscar Smith (8-1) . . . Oscar Smith has won regular season games by an average of 52 to 2 during the calendar year of 2021, and with the Titans sporting a record under .500, this one will likely mirror that rather than a November nail-biter.
Matt Hatfield Says - Oscar Smith 52-3
Coach Ed Young Says - Oscar Smith 55-0
#6 Ocean Lakes (5-4) at #3 Manchester (7-2) . . . While the Dolphins have dropped four of five, they take on a Manchester squad that is putting up 41.1 points per game, their highest clip since the 2018 undefeated state title season when Lancers averaged a whopping 54.1 PPG. That year, Manchester bounced Ocean Lakes from the playoffs in a 42-3 State Semis drubbing at the Virginia Beach Sportsplex.
Matt Hatfield Says - Manchester 30-16
Coach Ed Young Says - Manchester 22-18
#7 Franklin County (5-5) at #2 Western Branch (8-2) . . . The 30.1 points per game that Franklin County is putting up is the most they've averaged in program history. Question is can their defense, which allows 33.3 PPG, slow Bruins RB Shimique Blizzard? The junior has racked up 1100 all-purpose yards with 15 TD's (12 rushing, 3 receiving) on 157 carries this season.
Matt Hatfield Says - Western Branch 42-20
Coach Ed Young Says - Western Branch 36-21
Region 5A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Tallwood (4-6) at #1 Green Run (10-0) . . . This is a re-match of the regular season opener, which Green Run won 56-7 behind 257 total yards and 5 TD's (4 of the passing variety) by QB Xavier Davis. Facing a Green Run offense averaging 41.7 PPG, it's going to take the Tallwood defense playing the game of their lives to secure the program's first playoff victory since 1998.
Matt Hatfield Says - Green Run 42-12
Coach Ed Young Says - Green Run 44-8
#5 Indian River (5-3) at #4 Bayside (6-4) . . . These two programs are mirror images in many ways as they both throw it fairly well, struggle to run the ball consistently, and each have solid players at each level defensively. It's the first meeting in the series since a 28-6 win by Bayside in 1998. This may come down to how much pressure the Bayside defense - led by LB's Jeryhn McClenny (82 tackles) and David Hudnell (50 tackles, 11 TFL) - can apply on Braves sophomore signal caller Tyler Allison (1276 yards, 16 TD's passing).
Matt Hatfield Says - Indian River 14-13
Coach Ed Young Says - Bayside 16-12
#6 Cox (5-5) vs. #3 Salem-VB (7-2) at Kellam HS . . . A 95-yard kickoff return for a touchdown by Jahrell Walton to open the game set the tone for Salem in its 20-14 victory over Cox in the regular season finale. Both teams ran the ball with moderate success; Keimar Carter-Gatlin had 140 yards and a touchdown on 26 carries for Salem, while Falcons WR turned QB Jordin Cooper gained 114 yards to go with 2 TD's. Whoever clamps down on the run the best should hold the upper hand by night's end.
Matt Hatfield Says - Salem 16-14
Coach Ed Young Says - Salem 22-20 (upset alert though!!)
#7 Hickory (4-6) at #2 Kempsville (7-1) . . . The passing combo of Colin Cheanult to Brandon Still (7Rec. 221Yds. 2 TD's last week) led the way for the Hawks to beat Lakeland 38-30 in the regular season finale and clinch the school's first ever playoff berth. Now a Hawks defense allowing 32.6 PPG will have to gang tackle Chiefs bruising ball carrier NaiQuan Washington-Pearce (1179Yds. 15 TD's rushing).
Matt Hatfield Says - Kempsville 36-18
Coach Ed Young Says - Kempsville 30-12
Region 5B Tidewater Matchups:
#6 Kecoughtan (4-5) at #3 Nansemond River (4-5) . . . A rare quarterfinal featuring both teams under .500. In fact, it's the only one in the whole state where this is the case! Jeff Super, who once was an assistant at Nansemond River, tries to lead Kecoughtan to its first playoff win since 2015 when the Warriors, then as a No. 7 seed, knocked off No. 2 seed Salem on the road. The QB that does the better job of minimizing miscues - Nolan James for Nansemond River and Marvin McCue for Kecoughtan - will be better positioned to advance his team.
Matt Hatfield Says - Nansemond River 22-16
Coach Ed Young Says - Nansemond River 24-18
#5 Menchville (4-4) at #4 Norview (5-4) . . . Rodney Taylor tries to lead Menchville to its first playoff win since 1993 when they beat Maury 31-13 at Chittum Field. This is the first ever meeting with Norview, which has allowed more than 28 points just once all season and that came ironically enough in their 40-6 loss to Maury in the regular season finale. The task for the Pilots on defense is to frustrate Menchville QB Kevin White (1052 yards, 13 TD's), who directed a passing attack that was the PD's most consistent outside of Phoebus.
Matt Hatfield Says - Norview 20-15
Coach Ed Young Says - Norview 28-12
Region 4A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Smithfield (3-6) at #1 King's Fork (8-1) . . . Smithfield, which was shut out in back-to-back weeks in October by Lafayette and Tabb, faces a defense that held its first four foes to single-digit points. That included the Packers, who lost 35-6 to King's Fork back on August 27th. Freshman RB Javon Ford ran for 120 yards and a touchdown in that one, while Virginia Tech commit Kyree Moyston made three sacks on defense. Unless they get Moyston, Tavias Higgs (10 sacks), Bravion Campbell (6 sacks) and the rest of King's Fork's pass rushers blocked, Smithfield will fall to 0-6 all-time in this series.
Matt Hatfield Says - King's Fork 32-8
Coach Ed Young Says - King's Fork 34-0
#5 Deep Creek (6-4) at #4 Churchland (8-2) . . . This is perhaps the best first round matchup of any of the quarterfinals around Tidewater as both schools played in region title games back in the spring; Churchland falling to Lake Taylor in the Region 4A Final for a second straight season, whereas Deep Creek was routed at home by Maury for the Region 5A crown. Both teams have dual-threat QB's with Tony Barnes directing a Deep Creek attack averaging 31.3 PPG the past seven, while Brandyn Hillman leads a Churchland offense putting up 47.3 PPG the last four outings. Hillman has more than 1000 yards passing as well as rushing with 26 total touchdowns. He's only been intercepted four times and will have to carefully pick his spots against a Hornets secondary that features Lamontae Wilson, who made a school-record 12 interceptions during the regular season. Expect a tight battle throughout.
Matt Hatfield Says - Deep Creek 24-21
Coach Ed Young Says - Churchland 34-30
#6 Warwick (6-4) at #3 Warhill (9-1) . . . If not for a 32-30 overtime loss to Woodside, the Raiders would enter this one on a five-game winning streak. Davion Corpening ran for 209 yards and 3 TD's on 14 carries for Warwick in their 25-6 win over Menchville to close out the regular season. Without injured RB Bryce Buchanan (135Att. 1104Yds. 11 TD's), Warwick will rely on him even more. Warhill is sky high after beating Lafayette 14-7, holding a Rams attack averaging more than 500 yards per game to a mere 62. Their defensive front with LB Logan Gray alongside DT Nate Coffey and DE Noah Holmes will make it hard for the Raiders to sustain drives.
Matt Hatfield Says - Warhill 19-13
Coach Ed Young Says - Warhill 24-16
#7 Manor (4-3) at #2 Hampton (8-1) . . . It has been a long time coming for Manor, previously known as Woodrow Wilson, to be in the playoffs. Their last trip came in 1991 when Coach Darnell Moore, behind the sterling QB play of Aaron Sparrow, led the Presidents to a State Championship win over E.C. Glass in Chesapeake. Now the Mustangs under the direction of Jelani Fair - a former assistant of Moore's when he led Bayside to a regional title in 2010 - face the state's most storied program. Those revered Crabbers are mighty tough on defense, yielding just 5.9 PPG behind DB Ja'Quan Montgomery (4 INT TD returns) and LB Marcus Triggs, the Peninsula District Defensive Player of the Year.
Matt Hatfield Says - Hampton 24-8
Coach Ed Young Says - Hampton 28-0
Region 3A Tidewater Matchups:
#8 Tabb (5-5) at #1 Phoebus (9-1) . . . Both teams come in feeling very different as the Tigers rebounded from a 0-5 start to win five straight under first-year Head Coach Brent Ashley, whereas Phoebus suffered a humbling 42-0 loss at Class 6 power Oscar Smith to wrap up the regular season. Don't expect the Phantoms to sulk for long; they've won the previous four encounters with Tabb by a combined total of 146-45.
Matt Hatfield Says - Phoebus 42-6
Coach Ed Young Says - Phoebus 48-0
#5 Hopewell (5-3) at #4 Lake Taylor (6-4) . . . We're looking at two of the state's most successful programs meeting for the first time ever. Lake Taylor owns 37 playoff victories in its history and have captured three state titles under Coach Hank Sawyer since the 2012 season. Hopewell, which won Class 3 state titles in both 2017 and 2019 under Coach Ricky Irby, enters with 32 postseason victories dating back to 1982. The fact that this is the first ever encounter is somewhat remarkable. Offensively, they're almost identical with the Titans averaging 33.2 PPG compared to 33.1 PPG for the Blue Devils, who might be a bit stingier defensively (13.6 PPG allowed compared to 32.1 PPG allowed for LT). But if Lake Taylor avoids turnovers (14 INT's thrown and 13 lost fumbles), the Hopewell defense will have a hard time stopping them cold.
Matt Hatfield Says - Hopewell 36-33
Coach Ed Young Says - Lake Taylor 28-24
#6 Booker T. Washington (5-4) at #3 Lafayette (7-2) . . . After a 4-1 start, the Bookers have dropped three of four. The offense dipped from 32.4 PPG to 18.8 PPG, so it'll be pivotal they have a respectable passing dimension to complement workhorse RB Jerome Jones against the defending Class 3 State Champs. Since being torched for 61 points by King William, the Lafayette defense has held its last three foes to 12 PPG. However, they come in off a season-low seven points in a loss to Warhill, so re-establishing the passing combo of QB Luke Hanson to WR Jaylen Pretlow early against the speedy Bookers will be a primary objective.,
Matt Hatfield Says - Lafayette 35-15
Coach Ed Young Says - Lafayette 30-20
#7 Southampton (6-3) at #2 York (9-1) . . . A couple of forfeit wins and a fairly respectable finish helped Southampton jump from out of the playoff picture a few weeks ago to one of the final seeds in Region 3A, despite a 20-0 loss to non-qualifier Lakeland in early September. York's lone blemish was 35-24 to defending Class 3 State Champ Lafayette in a game where the Falcons led by 10 in the third quarter. All Jordin Lennon did in the regular season for York was rush for 1625 yards and 25 TD's on 155 attempts to go with a touchdown reception, 60-yard pick-six, three sacks and a 48-yard made field goal.
Matt Hatfield Says - York 43-9
Coach Ed Young Says - York 44-6
Region 2A Tidewater Matchups:
#6 Poquoson (5-4) at #3 Brunswick (5-2) . . . The Bull Islanders of Poquoson lead the all-time series 2-1, including a 31-12 triumph in the 2007 playoffs. Poquoson's Brayden Hayes comes in just two tackles away from 100 for the season and needing 270 yards to get to 1000, which will be hard to do in this game, but a win will certainly give him a great shot to get in there in the semifinals against the winner of the 2/7 quarterfinal between high-scoring King William and 5-3 Greensville.
Matt Hatfield Says - Poquoson 27-14
Coach Ed Young Says - Brunswick 27-26
Rest of Predicted Winners for VHSL Opening Round Action:
Region 6A:
#4 Thomas Dale (7-2) at #5 James River-Midlothian (7-4)...
Matt Hatfield Says - Thomas Dale
Coach Ed Young Says - Thomas Dale
Region 6B:
#8 Colonial Forge (4-6) at #1 Battlefield (10-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Battlefield (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Battlefield
#5 Gar-Field (5-5) at #4 Osbourn (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Gar-Field
Coach Ed Young Says - Osbourn
#6 Unity Reed (5-5) at #3 Patriot (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Patriot
Coach Ed Young Says - Patriot
#7 Forest Park (5-5) at #2 Freedom-PW (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Freedom
Coach Ed Young Says - Freedom
Occoquan Region 6C:
#8 Alexandria City (5-5) at #1 Robinson (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Robinson
Coach Ed Young Says - Robinson
#5 West Springfield (7-3) at #4 South County (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - South County
Coach Ed Young Says - South County
#6 West Potomac (6-4) at #3 Fairfax (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Fairfax
Coach Ed Young Says - Fairfax
#7 Justice (6-4) at #2 Lake Braddock (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Lake Braddock
Coach Ed Young Says - Lake Braddock
Region 6D:
#8 George Marshall (5-5) at #1 James Madison (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - James Madison
Coach Ed Young Says - James Madison
#5 South Lakes (5-5) at #4 Yorktown (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Yorktown
Coach Ed Young Says - Yorktown
#6 Wakefield (5-4) at #3 Westfield (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Westfield
Coach Ed Young Says - Westfield
#7 Chantilly (5-5) at #2 Centreville (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Centreville
Coach Ed Young Says - Centreville
Region 5C:
#8 J.R. Tucker (4-4) at #1 Highland Springs (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Highland Springs
Coach Ed Young Says - Highland Springs
#5 L.C. Bird (5-3) at #4 Douglas Freeman (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Douglas Freeman
Coach Ed Young Says - L.C. Bird
#6 Glen Allen (4-5) at #3 Hermitage (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Hermitage (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Hermitage
#7 Mills Godwin (4-6) at #2 Midlothian (6-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Mills Godwin
Coach Ed Young Says - Midlothian
Region 5D:
#8 Independence (7-3) at #1 Stone Bridge (10-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Stone Bridge
Coach Ed Young Says - Stone Bridge
#5 Albemarle (8-2) at #4 Riverbend (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Riverbend
Coach Ed Young Says - Riverbend
#6 Woodgrove (7-2) at #3 Mountain View (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Mountain View
Coach Ed Young Says - Mountain View
#7 Patrick Henry-Roanoke (7-3) at #2 Massaponax (7-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Massaponax
Coach Ed Young Says - Massaponax
Region 4B:
#8 Atlee (6-4) at #1 Dinwiddie (8-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Dinwiddie
Coach Ed Young Says - Dinwiddie
#5 Patrick Henry-Ashland (8-2) at #4 Matoaca (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Patrick Henry-Ashland
Coach Ed Young Says - Matoaca
#6 Powhatan (7-3) at #3 Varina (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Varina
Coach Ed Young Says - Varina
#7 Chancellor (5-4) at #2 King George (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - King George
Coach Ed Young Says - King George
Region 4C:
Northwestern #4 Sherando (5-5) at Dulles #1 Broad Run (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Broad Run
Coach Ed Young Says - Broad Run
DD #3 Loudoun County (8-2) at NW #2 Handley (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Loudoun County
Coach Ed Young Says - Handley
DD #4 Tuscarora (8-2) at NW #1 Kettle Run (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Tuscarora
Coach Ed Young Says - Tuscarora
NW #3 James Wood (7-3) at DD #2 Heritage-Leesburg (8-2)
Matt Hatfield Says - Heritage-Leesburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Heritage-Leesburg
Region 4D:
#8 Amherst (4-5) at #1 Salem (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Salem
Coach Ed Young Says - Salem
#5 Louisa (8-2) at #4 E.C. Glass (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - E.C. Glass
Coach Ed Young Says - E.C. Glass
#6 Halifax County (7-2) at #3 Western Albemarle (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Western Albemarle
Coach Ed Young Says - Western Albemarle
#7 Orange County (6-4) at #2 GW-Danville (7-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - GW-Danville
Coach Ed Young Says - GW-Danville
Region 3B:
#8 Armstrong (2-7) at #1 Meridian (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Meridian
Coach Ed Young Says - Meridian
#5 Culpeper (4-6) at #4 Goochland (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Goochland
Coach Ed Young Says - Goochland
#6 Skyline (3-6) at #3 James Monroe (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - James Monroe
Coach Ed Young Says - James Monroe
#7 Warren County (3-7) at #2 Brentsville District (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Brentsville District
Coach Ed Young Says - Brentsville District
Region 3C:
#8 Wilson Memorial (5-5) at #1 Liberty Christian (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Liberty Christian
Coach Ed Young Says - Liberty Christian
#5 Broadway (6-4) at #4 Turner Ashby (6-4) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Turner Ashby
Coach Ed Young Says - Broadway
#6 Rockbridge County (5-5) at #3 Brookville (6-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Brookville
Coach Ed Young Says - Rockbridge County
#7 Waynesboro (5-5) at #2 Heritage-Lynchburg (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Heritage-Lynchburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Heritage-Lynchburg
Region 3D:
#8 Staunton River (4-5) at #1 Christiansburg (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Christiansburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Christiansburg
#5 Lord Botetourt (6-3) at #4 Hidden Valley (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Lord Botetourt
Coach Ed Young Says - Lord Botetourt
#6 Magna Vista (5-5) at #3 Bassett (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Magna Vista
Coach Ed Young Says - Bassett
#7 Northside (4-6) at #1 Abingdon (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Abingdon
Coach Ed Young Says - Abingdon
Region 2A:
#8 Randolph-Henry (5-4) at #1 Nottoway (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Nottoway
Coach Ed Young Says - Nottoway
#5 Thomas Jefferson-Richmond (6-3) at #4 Amelia (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Thomas Jefferson-Richmond
Coach Ed Young Says - Thomas Jefferson-Richmond
#7 Greensville (5-3) at #2 King William (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - King William
Coach Ed Young Says - King William
Region 2B:
#8 Madison County (3-7) at #1 Central-Wise (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Central-Wise
Coach Ed Young Says - Central-Wise
#5 Buckingham (6-2) at #4 Strasburg (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Strasburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Strasburg
#6 East Rockingham (4-5) at #3 Clarke County (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Clarke County
Coach Ed Young Says - Clarke County
#7 Luray (4-5) at #2 Stuarts Draft (7-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Stuarts Draft
Coach Ed Young Says - Stuarts Draft
Region 2C:
#8 Patrick County (2-7) at #1 Glenvar (9-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Glenvar
Coach Ed Young Says - Glenvar
#5 Martinsville (4-5) at #4 James River-Buchanan (5-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - James River-Buchanan
Coach Ed Young Says - James River-Buchanan
#6 Floyd County (6-4) at #3 Radford (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Radford
Coach Ed Young Says - Radford
#7 Gretna (5-5) at #2 Appomattox (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Appomattox
Coach Ed Young Says - Appomattox
Region 2D:
Mountain 7 #4 Lee (4-6) at Southwest #1 Graham (9-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Graham
Coach Ed Young Says - Graham
SW #3 Virginia High (8-2) at M7 #2 Union (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Union (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Union
SW #4 Tazewell (5-5) at M7 # 1 Central-Wise (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Central-Wise
Coach Ed Young Says - Central-Wise
M7 #3 Ridgeview (7-3) at SW #2 Richlands (4-5) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Ridgeview
Coach Ed Young Says - Ridgeview
Region 1A:
#8 Rappahannock (4-5) at #1 Essex (5-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Essex
Coach Ed Young Says - Essex
#5 West Point (6-3) at #4 Northampton (8-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - West Point
Coach Ed Young Says - Northampton
#6 Colonial Beach (5-4) at #3 King & Queen (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - King & Queen
Coach Ed Young Says - King & Queen
#7 Northumberland (6-2) at #2 Washington & Lee (5-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Northumberland
Coach Ed Young Says - Washington & Lee
Region 1B:
#5 William Campbell (4-4) at #4 Sussex Central (6-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Sussex Central
Coach Ed Young Says - Sussex Central
#6 Surry (5-5) at #3 Central-Lunenburg (7-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Central-Lunenburg
Coach Ed Young Says - Central-Lunenburg
Region 1C:
#8 Grayson County (5-5) at #1 Galax (7-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Galax
Coach Ed Young Says - Galax
#6 Narrows (5-5) at #3 Parry McCluer (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Narrows
Coach Ed Young Says - Parry McCluer
#7 Eastern Montgomery (5-5) at #2 Giles (6-2) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Giles
Coach Ed Young Says - Giles
Region 1D:
#8 Honaker (5-5) at #1 Holston (10-0) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Holston
Coach Ed Young Says - Holston
#5 Grundy (5-4) at #4 Chilhowie (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Grundy (OT)
Coach Ed Young Says - Grundy
#6 Twin Valley (7-3) at #3 Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (7-3) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Patrick Henry-Glade Spring
Coach Ed Young Says - Patrick Henry-Glade Spring
#7 Eastside (5-4) at #2 Twin Springs (8-1) . . .
Matt Hatfield Says - Twin Springs
Coach Ed Young Says - Twin Springs
