Time now for Predictions across the Commonwealth on some key games in VA, plus around Tidewater as VaPreps Publisher Matthew Hatfield matches wits with his ESPN Radio 94.1 counterpart, Coach Ed Young. A quick review of Thursday's action...
Hatfield got the better of Young again on Thursday night, thanks to Poquoson's triumph over Tabb.
Hatfield Thursday Total - 3-0 (100%)
Hatfield's 2022 Season Total - 99-23 (81.1%)
Hatfield's Tidewater Season Total - 59-9 (86.8%)
Coach Ed Young's Thursday Total - 1-1 (50%)
Coach Young's 2022 Season Total - 55-14 (79.7%)
Coach Young's Tidewater Season Total - 55-13 (81.8%)
... Let's jump to some quick hitters on games outside of Tidewater.
VA vs. WEST VA:
Highland Springs (3-0) at Martinsburg, WV (3-0) . . . Last year, it was Martinsburg edging the Springers, 26-25, in a hard-fought tussle on Richmond soil. Quarterback Ezra Bagent completed 13 of 17 passes for 269 yards and five touchdowns in Martinsburg's 56-20 win over Sherando a week ago, which came not long after a 40-7 rout of Class 4 heavyweight Salem. The Springers have a fine QB of their own in Khristian Martin, and given his performance in their earlier out-of-state showdown with Chambers of North Carolina, he and his teammates are up for the task of representing the '804' again on the road. Better line play from the Springers along with the steady passing attack and a defense that has playmakers at each level can be enough against one of the powerhouses from West Virginia. But don't expect it to be easy.
Hatfield Says - Highland Springs 24-16
Other Key Matchups Around VA for 9/16/22:
E.C. Glass (3-0) at Heritage-Lynchburg (2-1) . . . It's the always anticipated Jug Bowl, which Heritage has taken 12 of the past 13 meetings. That included a 49-42 roller-coaster game last year. This time, George White and the Hilltoppers might have just enough in the tank to get it done.
Hatfield Says - E.C. Glass 40-34
Radford (3-0) at Galax (3-0) . . . Been paying attention to what this Landen Clark guy is doing for Radford? Yeah, completing all 10 of your passes in the first half with 5 TD's is not too bad.
Hatfield Says - Radford 35-20
Graham (3-0) at Union (3-0) . . . These two have played classics for years, and this one shouldn't disappoint. Ty'Drez Clements for Graham and Reyshawn Anderson of Union are both capable of rushing for over 200 yards. The better defense may go to the G-Men and be enough to decide it, though.
Hatfield Says - Graham 23-17
Clarke County (2-0) at Central-Woodstock (3-0) . . . We're not sure regulation will be enough to decide this one between Region 2B, Bull Run District contenders.
Hatfield Says - Central-Woodstock 28-21 (OT)
Appomattox (1-2) at Lord Botetourt (2-1) . . . After snapping the Riverheads streak, Lord Botetourt takes on a five-time State Champ in Appomattox that badly needs a win.
Hatfield Says - Lord Botetourt 26-18
Rustburg (3-0) at Liberty Christian (3-0) . . . Gideon Davidson is arguably the best sophomore running back in Virginia and this is a spot where he should continue to show that in impressive style.
Hatfield Says - Liberty Christian 42-21
South County (2-0) at Westfield (2-1) . . . This used to be THE game up in Northern Virginia at the Class 6 level, and while Westfield isn't what they once were, Kyle Simmons' Bulldogs are trying to make the hard trek back and a win in this spot would catapult them in a big way towards accomplishing that goal.
Hatfield Says - South County 27-16
Robinson (3-0) at Chantilly (2-0) . . . Don't look now, but the winner here figures to move into the Top Ten in Class 6 by next week.
Hatfield Says - Robinson 30-22
L.C. Bird (2-0) at Midlothian (2-0) . . . Is this the time that Midlothian conquers Bird for the first time since 1986? It might be if Chase Chambers and Drew Kelsi have anything to say about it...
Hatfield Says - Midlothian 27-21
Broad Run (1-1) at Loudoun County (2-0) . . . Even though Broad Run has the best prospect on the field in Penn State recruit Alex Birchmeier, don't expect Loudoun County to be intimidated. The Captains plan to get rowdy behind the home faithful.
Hatfield Says - Loudoun County 20-14
Stone Bridge (2-1) at Colonial Forge (1-1) . . . Want to announce you're back as a state contender? This is a chance for Colonial Forge against a Stone Bridge team coming off a humbling 36-13 loss to Freedom from last Thursday. You know Charlotte commit Zeke Wimbush and the rest of the Bulldogs want to take out of their frustration on the Eagles in this spot.
Hatfield Says - Stone Bridge 28-17
Northumberland (2-0) at King & Queen (3-0) . . . Major star power on the field with Tennessee recruit Cam Seldon leading the visiting Indians against a lethal offensive backfield of K&Q with Malik Holmes and Kam Berry. The scoreboard operator should be tired by night's end.
Hatfield Says - King & Queen 42-36
TIDEWATER GAME OF THE WEEK:
Lafayette (1-1) at York (2-0) . . . Suddenly, the York Falcons became an air-it-out team with the way Nathan Wagner threw the ball in a 25-13 win over Poquoson. On the season, he’s completed 9 of 13 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns, most of which came in the first half against the Bull Islanders. Lafayette saw a dynamic couple of receivers from King George in their 27-13 loss to the Foxes, but Andy Linn’s Rams are ready to defend the pass game and top Falcons WR Brian Burks (4Rec. 154Yds. 2 TD’s) because they have a lockdown defender on the outside in Navy commit Jaylen Pretlow.
Pretlow has more than 400 all-purpose yards and is a major weapon on special teams, so York kicks the ball in his direction at their own risk. DeMarcus Lawrence (33Att. 218Yds. 3 TD’s) is well on his way to eclipsing his 834 yards and 9 TD’s from a season ago behind an o-line that includes four seniors, anchored by Todd Neville and Colby Quinn. Two All-Region Second Team performers from a season ago in senior d-lineman Jamison Battle and LB Shamarius Whitby will be key in the Falcons trying to slow down Lafayette’s persistent ground game.
Doug Pereira’s Falcons want to establish Zacchaeux Maxfield on the ground. Maxfield isn’t exactly the type of dominant ball carrier that Jordin Lennon, now at Norfolk State, was, but he has been effective through two wins with 213 yards and a pair of scores on 32 attempts. The Lafayette defense with a quartet of junior linebackers in Peter Cook, James Spencer, Nazeer Wolmart and Tripp Hassel will be out to make it a long night for him, forcing York to go to the air exclusively on third-and-long situations.
Whoever controls the line of scrimmage will hold the upper hand in what is expected to be a tight, nip-and-tuck kind of game where the ground attacks certainly are going to dictate the flow, but the occasional play-action pass could serve as a momentum-changer.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lafayette 20-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Lafayette 28-27
FRIDAY 9/16/22: More in Tidewater Predictions Here
Bayside (1-2) at Landstown (3-0) . . . Robert Jackson’s Eagles erased a 25-14 fourth quarter deficit at Tallwood to beat the Lions, 29-25, last Friday. Meanwhile, the Marlins coughed up a 7-0 first half in a 21-7 loss to Cox, where the Falcons broke the fourth quarter tie with a pair of touchdowns that came within 59 seconds of each other.
Matt Hatfield Says – Bayside 20-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Landstown 24-18
Ocean Lakes (0-3) at Cox (2-1) . . . Although Ocean Lakes has won five straight in this series and hasn’t lost to Cox since 2016, the Dolphins are flirting with their first ever 0-4 start (that is of course not counting the 2009 campaign when they officially started 0-6 because of wins they later forfeited).
Matt Hatfield Says – Cox 31-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Cox 26-21
Green Run (3-0) at First Colonial (1-1) . . . While the Patriots are feeling pretty good about themselves after a 40-21 win over Princess Anne, the Stallions figure to make it a long night for the host team.
Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 60-12
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 44-14
Princess Anne (0-3) at Kempsville (2-1) . . . Since a 27-14 loss at Green Run in the opener, the Chiefs have responded strongly by outscoring Kellam and Ocean Lakes by a combined 94-2.
Matt Hatfield Says – Kempsville 49-7
Coach Ed Young Says – Kempsville 40-12
Tallwood (0-2) at Salem-VB (2-0) . . . It’s the coaching debut of Mark Hall, former Green Run standout and UVA defensive end / linebacker as he takes over for Marcus Johnson-Williams, who departed to become the Athletic Director at Denbigh.
Matt Hatfield Says – Salem-VB 28-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Salem-VB 30-13
Booker T. Washington (2-1) at Churchland (1-1) . . . A receiver last year, Egypt Nelson has moved to quarterback this season and the Bookers have seen some solid results with him completing 16 of 23 passes for 266 yards and a couple of scores. Can the Bookers run the ball well enough to keep the Churchland defense honest, though?
Matt Hatfield Says – Churchland 34-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Churchland 24-22
Granby (0-2) at Maury (0-1) . . . Don’t be surprised to see the Commodores hit for 50-plus points for the fifth straight time in this series.
Matt Hatfield Says – Maury 62-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Maury 50-0
Lake Taylor (2-0) at Norview (1-2) . . . Since coming up with key interceptions in a 20-6 triumph over Grassfield to open the season, the Pilots of Norview have been unable to come up with the answers defensively in allowing 80 points to Woodside and Holmes (NC) in losses.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lake Taylor 44-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Lake Taylor 30-18
Manor (0-3) at Norcom (2-1) . . . Outside of Javion Whitfield rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening loss to Lakeland where they led 10-9 at the half, the Manor Mustangs have had very little to get excited about offensively. They’ve only put up 23 points through three contests, and they take on a Norcom defense that has shown marked improvement since getting trounced by Lake Taylor in the opener, responding with wins over Warhill and Hopewell on the road.
Matt Hatfield Says – Norcom 27-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Norcom 30-18
Grassfield (0-3) at Western Branch (3-0) . . . Up front, the Western Branch d-line is fully capable of collapsing the pocket with its size and strength as well.
Matt Hatfield Says – Western Branch 41-9
Coach Ed Young Says – Western Branch 33-6
Great Bridge (1-1) at King’s Fork (2-0) . . . Six different Bulldogs players have recorded a sack through two shutout wins over Smithfield and Indian River. So much for missing fierce pass rushers Kyree Moyston, Tavias Higgs and Bravion Campbell!
Matt Hatfield Says – King’s Fork 46-6
Coach Ed Young Says – King’s Fork 40-0
Smithfield (1-1) at Lakeland (1-2) . . . Christopher Dennis found the end zone five times as Smithfield got to celebrate its first victory under Coach Tracey Parker last week, defeating 51-7 to recover from the shutout loss at the hands of King’s Fork from the week before.
Matt Hatfield Says – Smithfield 27-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Smithfield 21-20
Warwick (2-1) at Denbigh (0-3) . . . Outscored 173-0 through three games, it has been tough sledding to say the least for Denbigh, which has scored only 20 points in its past 13 contests dating back to last season.
Matt Hatfield Says – Warwick 48-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Warwick 45-0
Kecoughtan (1-1) at Gloucester (0-3) . . . For Gloucester to get its first touchdown of the season, they’re going to have to figure out a way to block Kecoughtan defenders David Anderson and A.J. Sims, who combined for six sacks in a 28-15 triumph over Heritage.
Matt Hatfield Says – Kecoughtan 27-7
Coach Ed Young Says – Kecoughtan 24-8
Menchville (2-1) at Hampton (1-2) . . . A 27-game winning streak in this series for the Hampton Crabbers could be in jeopardy.
Matt Hatfield Says – Menchville 21-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Menchville 18-12
Grafton (1-1) at Jamestown (0-3) . . . Thus far, Jamestown has been outscored 113-7 and two of those losses to Essex and Nottoway are against schools from the Class 2 and Class 1 level.
Matt Hatfield Says – Grafton 26-18
Coach Ed Young Says – Grafton 28-26
Warhill (1-2) at New Kent (2-0) . . . The last 3-0 New Kent start occurred in 2001 when they opened 6-0, highlighted by shutouts of Lancaster, Grafton and York to kick off their run to the playoffs.
Matt Hatfield Says – Warhill 21-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Warhill 17-14
SATURDAY 9/17/22:
Bethel (1-2) at Phoebus (2-0) . . . Bethel re-grouped from an 0-2 start that included a 41-0 shutout loss at the hands of Warwick by blanking Gloucester 34-0 to give Head Coach David Porter his first victory. Given that Phoebus hasn’t lost to Bethel since 1996 and the Phantoms outscored their first two foes, Newport News schools Menchville and Warwick, by a combined total of 88-0, we’re not expecting a colossal stunner in this spot.
Matt Hatfield Says – Phoebus 40-3
Coach Ed Young Says – Phoebus 42-6
Woodside (2-0) at Heritage-NN (2-1) . . . Danny Dodson might downplay his Wolverines thumping Hampton 43-0, but the play of their linemen with Christian Greenlaw, Mustapha Coley, Iziah Emery and Jamiyah Mandell on the defensive front was superb.
Matt Hatfield Says – Woodside 38-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Woodside 34-18
West Point (2-1) at Bruton (2-1) . . . Both previous meetings were won by West Point; 39-0 in 2019 and 37-7 last year. Will third time be the charm for Bruton?
Matt Hatfield Says – Bruton 23-19
Coach Ed Young Says – Bruton 22-20
Hatfield got the better of Young again on Thursday night, thanks to Poquoson's triumph over Tabb.
Hatfield Thursday Total - 3-0 (100%)
Hatfield's 2022 Season Total - 99-23 (81.1%)
Hatfield's Tidewater Season Total - 59-9 (86.8%)
Coach Ed Young's Thursday Total - 1-1 (50%)
Coach Young's 2022 Season Total - 55-14 (79.7%)
Coach Young's Tidewater Season Total - 55-13 (81.8%)
... Let's jump to some quick hitters on games outside of Tidewater.
VA vs. WEST VA:
Highland Springs (3-0) at Martinsburg, WV (3-0) . . . Last year, it was Martinsburg edging the Springers, 26-25, in a hard-fought tussle on Richmond soil. Quarterback Ezra Bagent completed 13 of 17 passes for 269 yards and five touchdowns in Martinsburg's 56-20 win over Sherando a week ago, which came not long after a 40-7 rout of Class 4 heavyweight Salem. The Springers have a fine QB of their own in Khristian Martin, and given his performance in their earlier out-of-state showdown with Chambers of North Carolina, he and his teammates are up for the task of representing the '804' again on the road. Better line play from the Springers along with the steady passing attack and a defense that has playmakers at each level can be enough against one of the powerhouses from West Virginia. But don't expect it to be easy.
Hatfield Says - Highland Springs 24-16
Other Key Matchups Around VA for 9/16/22:
E.C. Glass (3-0) at Heritage-Lynchburg (2-1) . . . It's the always anticipated Jug Bowl, which Heritage has taken 12 of the past 13 meetings. That included a 49-42 roller-coaster game last year. This time, George White and the Hilltoppers might have just enough in the tank to get it done.
Hatfield Says - E.C. Glass 40-34
Radford (3-0) at Galax (3-0) . . . Been paying attention to what this Landen Clark guy is doing for Radford? Yeah, completing all 10 of your passes in the first half with 5 TD's is not too bad.
Hatfield Says - Radford 35-20
Graham (3-0) at Union (3-0) . . . These two have played classics for years, and this one shouldn't disappoint. Ty'Drez Clements for Graham and Reyshawn Anderson of Union are both capable of rushing for over 200 yards. The better defense may go to the G-Men and be enough to decide it, though.
Hatfield Says - Graham 23-17
Clarke County (2-0) at Central-Woodstock (3-0) . . . We're not sure regulation will be enough to decide this one between Region 2B, Bull Run District contenders.
Hatfield Says - Central-Woodstock 28-21 (OT)
Appomattox (1-2) at Lord Botetourt (2-1) . . . After snapping the Riverheads streak, Lord Botetourt takes on a five-time State Champ in Appomattox that badly needs a win.
Hatfield Says - Lord Botetourt 26-18
Rustburg (3-0) at Liberty Christian (3-0) . . . Gideon Davidson is arguably the best sophomore running back in Virginia and this is a spot where he should continue to show that in impressive style.
Hatfield Says - Liberty Christian 42-21
South County (2-0) at Westfield (2-1) . . . This used to be THE game up in Northern Virginia at the Class 6 level, and while Westfield isn't what they once were, Kyle Simmons' Bulldogs are trying to make the hard trek back and a win in this spot would catapult them in a big way towards accomplishing that goal.
Hatfield Says - South County 27-16
Robinson (3-0) at Chantilly (2-0) . . . Don't look now, but the winner here figures to move into the Top Ten in Class 6 by next week.
Hatfield Says - Robinson 30-22
L.C. Bird (2-0) at Midlothian (2-0) . . . Is this the time that Midlothian conquers Bird for the first time since 1986? It might be if Chase Chambers and Drew Kelsi have anything to say about it...
Hatfield Says - Midlothian 27-21
Broad Run (1-1) at Loudoun County (2-0) . . . Even though Broad Run has the best prospect on the field in Penn State recruit Alex Birchmeier, don't expect Loudoun County to be intimidated. The Captains plan to get rowdy behind the home faithful.
Hatfield Says - Loudoun County 20-14
Stone Bridge (2-1) at Colonial Forge (1-1) . . . Want to announce you're back as a state contender? This is a chance for Colonial Forge against a Stone Bridge team coming off a humbling 36-13 loss to Freedom from last Thursday. You know Charlotte commit Zeke Wimbush and the rest of the Bulldogs want to take out of their frustration on the Eagles in this spot.
Hatfield Says - Stone Bridge 28-17
Northumberland (2-0) at King & Queen (3-0) . . . Major star power on the field with Tennessee recruit Cam Seldon leading the visiting Indians against a lethal offensive backfield of K&Q with Malik Holmes and Kam Berry. The scoreboard operator should be tired by night's end.
Hatfield Says - King & Queen 42-36
TIDEWATER GAME OF THE WEEK:
Lafayette (1-1) at York (2-0) . . . Suddenly, the York Falcons became an air-it-out team with the way Nathan Wagner threw the ball in a 25-13 win over Poquoson. On the season, he’s completed 9 of 13 passes for 256 yards and three touchdowns, most of which came in the first half against the Bull Islanders. Lafayette saw a dynamic couple of receivers from King George in their 27-13 loss to the Foxes, but Andy Linn’s Rams are ready to defend the pass game and top Falcons WR Brian Burks (4Rec. 154Yds. 2 TD’s) because they have a lockdown defender on the outside in Navy commit Jaylen Pretlow.
Pretlow has more than 400 all-purpose yards and is a major weapon on special teams, so York kicks the ball in his direction at their own risk. DeMarcus Lawrence (33Att. 218Yds. 3 TD’s) is well on his way to eclipsing his 834 yards and 9 TD’s from a season ago behind an o-line that includes four seniors, anchored by Todd Neville and Colby Quinn. Two All-Region Second Team performers from a season ago in senior d-lineman Jamison Battle and LB Shamarius Whitby will be key in the Falcons trying to slow down Lafayette’s persistent ground game.
Doug Pereira’s Falcons want to establish Zacchaeux Maxfield on the ground. Maxfield isn’t exactly the type of dominant ball carrier that Jordin Lennon, now at Norfolk State, was, but he has been effective through two wins with 213 yards and a pair of scores on 32 attempts. The Lafayette defense with a quartet of junior linebackers in Peter Cook, James Spencer, Nazeer Wolmart and Tripp Hassel will be out to make it a long night for him, forcing York to go to the air exclusively on third-and-long situations.
Whoever controls the line of scrimmage will hold the upper hand in what is expected to be a tight, nip-and-tuck kind of game where the ground attacks certainly are going to dictate the flow, but the occasional play-action pass could serve as a momentum-changer.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lafayette 20-13
Coach Ed Young Says – Lafayette 28-27
FRIDAY 9/16/22: More in Tidewater Predictions Here
Bayside (1-2) at Landstown (3-0) . . . Robert Jackson’s Eagles erased a 25-14 fourth quarter deficit at Tallwood to beat the Lions, 29-25, last Friday. Meanwhile, the Marlins coughed up a 7-0 first half in a 21-7 loss to Cox, where the Falcons broke the fourth quarter tie with a pair of touchdowns that came within 59 seconds of each other.
Matt Hatfield Says – Bayside 20-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Landstown 24-18
Ocean Lakes (0-3) at Cox (2-1) . . . Although Ocean Lakes has won five straight in this series and hasn’t lost to Cox since 2016, the Dolphins are flirting with their first ever 0-4 start (that is of course not counting the 2009 campaign when they officially started 0-6 because of wins they later forfeited).
Matt Hatfield Says – Cox 31-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Cox 26-21
Green Run (3-0) at First Colonial (1-1) . . . While the Patriots are feeling pretty good about themselves after a 40-21 win over Princess Anne, the Stallions figure to make it a long night for the host team.
Matt Hatfield Says – Green Run 60-12
Coach Ed Young Says – Green Run 44-14
Princess Anne (0-3) at Kempsville (2-1) . . . Since a 27-14 loss at Green Run in the opener, the Chiefs have responded strongly by outscoring Kellam and Ocean Lakes by a combined 94-2.
Matt Hatfield Says – Kempsville 49-7
Coach Ed Young Says – Kempsville 40-12
Tallwood (0-2) at Salem-VB (2-0) . . . It’s the coaching debut of Mark Hall, former Green Run standout and UVA defensive end / linebacker as he takes over for Marcus Johnson-Williams, who departed to become the Athletic Director at Denbigh.
Matt Hatfield Says – Salem-VB 28-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Salem-VB 30-13
Booker T. Washington (2-1) at Churchland (1-1) . . . A receiver last year, Egypt Nelson has moved to quarterback this season and the Bookers have seen some solid results with him completing 16 of 23 passes for 266 yards and a couple of scores. Can the Bookers run the ball well enough to keep the Churchland defense honest, though?
Matt Hatfield Says – Churchland 34-20
Coach Ed Young Says – Churchland 24-22
Granby (0-2) at Maury (0-1) . . . Don’t be surprised to see the Commodores hit for 50-plus points for the fifth straight time in this series.
Matt Hatfield Says – Maury 62-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Maury 50-0
Lake Taylor (2-0) at Norview (1-2) . . . Since coming up with key interceptions in a 20-6 triumph over Grassfield to open the season, the Pilots of Norview have been unable to come up with the answers defensively in allowing 80 points to Woodside and Holmes (NC) in losses.
Matt Hatfield Says – Lake Taylor 44-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Lake Taylor 30-18
Manor (0-3) at Norcom (2-1) . . . Outside of Javion Whitfield rushing for 100 yards and a touchdown in the season-opening loss to Lakeland where they led 10-9 at the half, the Manor Mustangs have had very little to get excited about offensively. They’ve only put up 23 points through three contests, and they take on a Norcom defense that has shown marked improvement since getting trounced by Lake Taylor in the opener, responding with wins over Warhill and Hopewell on the road.
Matt Hatfield Says – Norcom 27-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Norcom 30-18
Grassfield (0-3) at Western Branch (3-0) . . . Up front, the Western Branch d-line is fully capable of collapsing the pocket with its size and strength as well.
Matt Hatfield Says – Western Branch 41-9
Coach Ed Young Says – Western Branch 33-6
Great Bridge (1-1) at King’s Fork (2-0) . . . Six different Bulldogs players have recorded a sack through two shutout wins over Smithfield and Indian River. So much for missing fierce pass rushers Kyree Moyston, Tavias Higgs and Bravion Campbell!
Matt Hatfield Says – King’s Fork 46-6
Coach Ed Young Says – King’s Fork 40-0
Smithfield (1-1) at Lakeland (1-2) . . . Christopher Dennis found the end zone five times as Smithfield got to celebrate its first victory under Coach Tracey Parker last week, defeating 51-7 to recover from the shutout loss at the hands of King’s Fork from the week before.
Matt Hatfield Says – Smithfield 27-21
Coach Ed Young Says – Smithfield 21-20
Warwick (2-1) at Denbigh (0-3) . . . Outscored 173-0 through three games, it has been tough sledding to say the least for Denbigh, which has scored only 20 points in its past 13 contests dating back to last season.
Matt Hatfield Says – Warwick 48-6
Coach Ed Young Says – Warwick 45-0
Kecoughtan (1-1) at Gloucester (0-3) . . . For Gloucester to get its first touchdown of the season, they’re going to have to figure out a way to block Kecoughtan defenders David Anderson and A.J. Sims, who combined for six sacks in a 28-15 triumph over Heritage.
Matt Hatfield Says – Kecoughtan 27-7
Coach Ed Young Says – Kecoughtan 24-8
Menchville (2-1) at Hampton (1-2) . . . A 27-game winning streak in this series for the Hampton Crabbers could be in jeopardy.
Matt Hatfield Says – Menchville 21-14
Coach Ed Young Says – Menchville 18-12
Grafton (1-1) at Jamestown (0-3) . . . Thus far, Jamestown has been outscored 113-7 and two of those losses to Essex and Nottoway are against schools from the Class 2 and Class 1 level.
Matt Hatfield Says – Grafton 26-18
Coach Ed Young Says – Grafton 28-26
Warhill (1-2) at New Kent (2-0) . . . The last 3-0 New Kent start occurred in 2001 when they opened 6-0, highlighted by shutouts of Lancaster, Grafton and York to kick off their run to the playoffs.
Matt Hatfield Says – Warhill 21-10
Coach Ed Young Says – Warhill 17-14
SATURDAY 9/17/22:
Bethel (1-2) at Phoebus (2-0) . . . Bethel re-grouped from an 0-2 start that included a 41-0 shutout loss at the hands of Warwick by blanking Gloucester 34-0 to give Head Coach David Porter his first victory. Given that Phoebus hasn’t lost to Bethel since 1996 and the Phantoms outscored their first two foes, Newport News schools Menchville and Warwick, by a combined total of 88-0, we’re not expecting a colossal stunner in this spot.
Matt Hatfield Says – Phoebus 40-3
Coach Ed Young Says – Phoebus 42-6
Woodside (2-0) at Heritage-NN (2-1) . . . Danny Dodson might downplay his Wolverines thumping Hampton 43-0, but the play of their linemen with Christian Greenlaw, Mustapha Coley, Iziah Emery and Jamiyah Mandell on the defensive front was superb.
Matt Hatfield Says – Woodside 38-16
Coach Ed Young Says – Woodside 34-18
West Point (2-1) at Bruton (2-1) . . . Both previous meetings were won by West Point; 39-0 in 2019 and 37-7 last year. Will third time be the charm for Bruton?
Matt Hatfield Says – Bruton 23-19
Coach Ed Young Says – Bruton 22-20
