Bo Revell (12) and Battlefield are running away from the competition at 6-0. However, the Bobcats have a meeting with Osbourn on Friday night in a critical Cedar Ridge District match-up (Photo by Mike Kurec).
Football
LAKE TAYLOR at MAURY, Thursday, 7 p.m.: An opening game loss to Battlefield didn’t look bad when it first occurred. But it’s safe to say that now, with the Bobcats at the top of the Division 6 VHSL ratings, it looks a whole lot better. It’s also quite possible that the Titans were spurred by this defeat, now that they’ve won their last five. And those wins have been in dominating fashion. Lake Taylor has put up 28 or more points in each of those victories and has held opponents to no more than 13. Maury sits at 4-2 and, according to ratings, in the playoffs if the season were to end now. Not a bad turnaround for a team that was 4-6 last year. The Commodores defense has been nothing short of stellar. They have pitched three shutouts, but are coming off a 34-6 loss to I.C. Norcom.
HANDLEY at SHERANDO, Friday, 7 p.m.: In a match-up that can go a long way to determining the Northwestern District, the winner can take control. The Warriors’ only loss came in a three-point setback to Loudoun County. They recovered to top Jefferson County, where their dynamic quarterback duo – Corey Rice and Jalen Brisco – combined for nearly 250 yards passing. However, most of Sherando’s wins haven’t been easy. Three of its five wins have come by four points or less. The Judges face their toughest test of the season. Despite having numerous players limited by injuries, they defeated Kettle Run. Less ailments will mean a better chance for wide receiver David Carter (5 TD's in 2009) to beat the highly-touted Warriors.
The Maury Commodores are 4-2 and hosting a hot Lake Taylor Titans club this weekend (Photo courtesy of WAVY 10 News).
OSBOURN at BATTLEFIELD, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Cedar Run District supremacy is up for grabs, and the victor could stay at the top for the remainder of the regular season. It’ll be a classic battle between the irresistible force and the immovable object. Battlefield’s defense – tops in the league – rarely yields to anyone. In fact, they held a potent Lake Taylor team to just a single touchdown. Osbourn – which puts up more than 32 points per contest – looks to make each encounter a track meet. The two clubs met twice in 2008. The Bobcats won a 17-14 match in the regular season, but the Eagles got even thanks to a 22-20 triumph. Those two results alone show that it’s likely for this grudge match to be just as tight.
MADISON at STONE BRIDGE, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Of the four remaining games on Stone Bridge’s schedule, this is the one that may be the toughest and may be the one that can derail the team’s hopes for a perfect regular season. The Bulldogs most recently topped Fairfax 28-20 in a game that was easier than the score indicated. Their shutouts against Thomas Jefferson and Marshall were impressive, but those two clubs have a combined 0-12 record. The Warhawks are 3-3, but are right in the thick of the playoff race. That’s because they’ve played – and lost to – some stiff competition. The Bulldogs are just the latest in a rough slate. Madison will need an improvement from tailback Tevin Thomas, who ran for more than 100 yards in each of the first two games.
HIDDEN VALLEY at CHRISTIANSBURG, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: They’ll be no shortage of rushing in this one. The Blue Demons totaled 260 yards on the ground against Pulaski County, ultimately winning 26-19. David Williams can single-handedly carry the Titans of Hidden Valley. In a 24-6 win over Blacksburg last weekend, the senior running back gained 276 yards by himself. That gives him more than 1,400 in just six contests. One advantage Christiansburg has is on the defensive side, especially in its friendly confines. The Demons have limited opponents to just one touchdown in their 2009 home games.
RIVERBEND at BROOKE POINT, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: If the Brooke Point Black Hawks could develop selective amnesia, they would try their best to forget about Friday night’s 54-7 defeat against Massaponax. The Panthers scored all their points in the first half. On just seven attempts, running back Najee Harris ran for 198 yards. He found the end zone from 46, 43 and 26. Brooke Point’s only score came in the third quarter with the game well out of reach. This week, it’s unbeaten Riverbend – all alone at the top of the Commonwealth District. Black Hawks quarterback Gary Pisall, the league’s top passer, and the entire team will try to rebound in a big way. To do so, they’ll have to limit another great rushing attack. The Bears use many different ball carriers such as Kirkland Nelms. He can also play defense, like he did last week when he picked off two Albemarle passes.
MANCHESTER at CLOVER HILL, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: It was an opportunity lost for the Lancers of Manchester when they fell to James River. A district title is now a long shot with that setback. Even a playoff spot is up in the air, but they can certainly march back into contention beginning with a victory against a Clover Hill club that’s won three straight. That win – the Cavaliers’ only one against a team with a winning record – came against James River. However, unlike its opponent on Friday, Clover Hill sits in prime position to reach the postseason. Manchester’s key on offense will be quarterback Steven White, who passed for 137 yards on 12 completions last Friday.
Volleyball
BLACKSBURG at CAVE SPRING, Oct. 22, 7:15 p.m.: The River Ridge District competition continues to be fierce, as well as competitive. That is certainly true at the top. Hidden Valley, Cave Spring and Blacksburg are the power players. Two will face-off next Thursday. The Knights took down mighty Titans in four sets and took control of first place in this match-up of league unbeatens. The Bruins are currently 11-4 overall and 3-2 in district play. Most recently, they rallied from a one-set deficit to beat Christiansburg in the full five sets. Katy Kipps had 12 kills and five blocks, while Lindsey Henderson tallied 42 assists.
Field Hockey
MARSHALL at FAIRFAX, Friday, 7:30 p.m.: Can the Rebels get back to a district tournament top seed – much like last year? There would only be two differences with this edition, compared to the last. First, Fairfax was No. 1 as a member of the Concorde District in the previous season. This time, the Rebels are in the Liberty. Secondly, they closed 2008 with an 11-game winning streak. This time, the Rebels have already suffered a recent setback to Westfield, 1-0. Head coach Amber Beaudoin and her club hosts Marshall for what could be a right to be the head of the Concorde class. The Statesmen fell to Madison by a goal before they shut out both Langley and South Lakes.
Golf
GROUP AAA TOURNAMENT, Monday-Tuesday: Moss Clark’s latest triumph couldn’t have been more emotional. Just one week after the passing of his father, a man who introduced Moss to the game and taught him up until his final days, he won the Eastern Region championship last week by two strokes. That automatically qualified him for next Monday’s state tournament at the Waterfront Country Club in Moneta – hosted by Franklin County High School. Other players vying for the individual crown include Chantilly’s Ji Soo Park, winner of the Northern Region tournament, and more than 20 additional players who got in by virtue of their performance at the four regional championships in Group AA. As far as the team competition is concerned, Westfield and Cox are two of the heavy favorites.
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