Week 11 Preview

 Having a hard time believing that we are already at the last week of the football season. Regardless it is where we are a lot of fates are already decided but their are still teams in the 540 that will have huge games involving their post-season fate.

       INTRIGUING MATCH-UPS

    #8 Orange County (7-2) at Western Albemarle (5-4)

There are more than a few reasons why tonight is a big match-up for the Hornets. First a win would get them to 8-2 which would be the best record for the Hornets since 2005. Secondly and probably most importantly, a win would mean locking up a home playoff game in the first round, the last time that happened for the Hornets? 2000. This is a Hornets team that has taken their lumps this season against 2 of their better opponents [Louisa, and Albemarle]. However this test against Western Albemarle should be a more even contest. The sophomore QB Jeremiah Wharton appears to be improving on a week by week basis and his offensive line led by 2 way starter Chase Rollins has improved right alongside him. It will take a complete performance, however with so much on the line tonight for this program expect the Hornets to come out with a little added motivation tonight.

                   

#3 Riverbend (8-1) at #6 Mountain View (8-1)  

At the very beginning of the year, I predicted that this game would be for the Commonwealth district championship. And while it is not quite that cut and dry (Forge will claim a share of the title if MV wins and they beat Ponax). This is as big of a game if not even bigger than I anticipated. First of all if Mountain View wins this game they will cinch at least a share of the Commonwealth district crown if Forge were to get upset by Massaponax then the Wildcats would be all alone at the top. For Riverbend it's a little more simple, a win and they are all alone as the Commonwealth District champs a loss and they'll either have to share the crown with Forge and MV or they''ll sit in second place. But this game has even more meaning to it than that. The winner of this game will also lock up the number 2 seed in region 5D. The loser will fall to either the 3 seed or even the 4 seed. Oh and if one gets the 2 and the other the 3 it will set up a second round match-up between these two squads in 2 weeks if each can avoid an upset in round 1. So let's set the stage for this clash of Commonwealth District titans. First the Bears have looked like a new team since getting thumped 74-0 on the road against Freedom. Since that game they've shutout 3 opponents including their last 2. Their offense hasn't lit up the scoreboard but they really haven't had to the way the methodically take yards from a defense is just as demoralizing as any 70 yard TD pass. The Bears philosophy is the same it's been since Head Coach Nathan Yates took over in 2019, efficient hard nosed offense and physical defense. The results? a season better than the last each year, from 3-7 to 4-2 to 9-3 and now the Bears sit at 8-1 with a chance to clinch sole possession of the Commonwealth district crown for the first time in program history. On the other side of this match-up is our Pre-Season favorites Mountain View. Since their loss to Colonial Forge a few weeks a go this is a team that has had to look in the mirror and find their mistakes if they want to accomplish the goals that many believe they can. It is all still in front of them but there is no more time for tune-ups, they'll have to be ready now. And in case you forgot this is not a mediocre football team. Only Massaponax has scored more than one Touchdown against the Wildcats starting defense. And we don't really need to go into the detail of just how quickly the Wildcat offense can put points on the board do we? Expect this game to be a grinder one that will come down to the end with both teams performing at a high level, and hopefully we can watch it all over again in 2 weeks.

OTHER GAMES

* Projected Winners in bold

Courtland (4-5) at #1 King George (9-0) 

(Foxes look to win their 28th straight regular season game against a Cougars team that will look to limit the Foxes opportunities on offense)

Goochland (3-6) at #2 Louisa (9-0)

(Louisa looks to close out a stellar regular honoring their stellar senior class tonight and lock up the 2 seed in region 4D) 

Sherando (6-3) at #4 Kettle Run (9-0)  

(Kettle Run's record breaking offense looks to continue to ring up points, this time on Senior night against Sherando) 

Massaponax (3-6) at #5 Colonial Forge (5-4)

(Eagles will try to avoid looking ahead of a Ponax team fresh off their best performance of the season) 

James Monroe (2-7) at Chancellor (0-9)  

(The Yellow Jackets will look to secure their 3rd win and maybe better seeding in the playoffs while Chancellor hopes to avoid their first 0-10 season since their inagural 1988 season) 

Liberty (3-6) at Fauquier (0-9)

(The Eagles are 30-8 all time against Fauquier and they haven't loss an official "Bird Bowl" match-up since 2007, they'll look to continue that dominance in this rivalry tonigh) 

Brooke Point (3-6) at North Stafford (1-8)

(The Black-Hawks don't control their own destiny but their playoff hopes are very much alive they'll need to beat a young North Stafford team in order to have any shot at the playoffs) 

Spotsylvania (4-5) at Caroline (4-5)

(Unfortunately due to being in arguably the toughest region in the state the Knights won't make the playoffs, but they do have the opportunity to clinch a season of .500 or better for the 5th straight year.)