Although some teams have only played four games because they have already had their bye week, most of the Shenandoah District teams are at the exact halfway point of their season. There are still three teams unbeaten in league play but that will change this week when two of them meet head-on.
In addition to those three teams that are unbeaten in district play, there are some teams with only one district loss and even the ones with two cannot be mathematically counted out for the district title because of the way they will keep beating up on each other. It will be a big surprise if anyone goes the distance without another loss.
But of course the playoffs are the really important part, and we probably need another week or two before we can start seriously discussing those. As always at the end of the season, we will have teams eligible for advancement in the Class 1, 2, and 3 playoffs. If this year is like most, as many as five or even six of our teams may qualify.
For now, let's focus on this upcoming first Friday night in October, which at this point is looking promising weather-wise. As usual we will have four district games on tap, with Riverheads being the team sitting out this week. Here is the line-up for this week's games..........
ALLEGHANY AT STUARTS DRAFT: I am starting with this one because it comes first alphabetically, but it is also the biggest game of the week. Each team is unbeaten in district play but that will certainly have to change. Now of course everybody knows that the Cougars will win this game......that much is guaranteed. But the question is......which set of Cougars will it be? The Stuarts Draft brand is already 3-0 in district play, although they needed some last-second magic to win at Riverheads a couple of weeks ago. Alleghany is only 2-0 in league play and since they hide out there in the mountains, we valley folks are still just not quite sure how good they may be. Based on the fact that they just barely squeaked by Staunton earlier, I have to go with the Draft in this one, but it could easily go the other way.
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY AT BUFFALO GAP: They have still not won a game, but if you read between the lines, the Wildcats are taking baby steps toward improving. They came within a touchdown of Staunton and scored 21 Friday against Stuarts Draft. Granted both of those were home games, so traveling to Buffalo Gap this week will be a Bison of a different color. However, even the Gap showed signs of being human after all Friday night when they allowed Fort Defiance to score 21 on them, which was three times more than Riverheads and Wilson could manage put together. But I am sure things will return to normal in front of the home folks so a Bison win is a given in this one, and quite possibly a shut-out.
FORT DEFIANCE AT WILSON: This is the only all-Augusta game of the week but it should be a good one. I believe this is annually some sort of fund-raising event, but even if not, the rivalry aspect will make it a must-win game for each team. The Hornets are a surprising, if not downright shocking, 0-2 in the district and according to one local sportswriter, even if they run the table the rest of the way, the depth of Region 3-C may keep them out of the playoffs. But that is cart before horse. The Indians as just mentioned have been putting points on the board in most of their games but Wilson still looks like the better team in this one.
STAUNTON AT WAYNESBORO: This one will be a different kind of rivalry, one for city bragging rights. Although Staunton gave Alleghany a real challenge, I am still not sold on them and I expect them to slide down the ladder the rest of the way. Waynesboro had a big win at home over Rockbridge, the same team that Staunton just sneaked by. This is a tough one to call..........Waynesboro has the home field, but Staunton had a bye last week and should be better-rested. Just on a hunch, I will go with the visiting Storm to win this one.........after all we can't have an all-home-team weekend. The Shenandoah doesn't allow that sort of thing!
In addition to those three teams that are unbeaten in district play, there are some teams with only one district loss and even the ones with two cannot be mathematically counted out for the district title because of the way they will keep beating up on each other. It will be a big surprise if anyone goes the distance without another loss.
But of course the playoffs are the really important part, and we probably need another week or two before we can start seriously discussing those. As always at the end of the season, we will have teams eligible for advancement in the Class 1, 2, and 3 playoffs. If this year is like most, as many as five or even six of our teams may qualify.
For now, let's focus on this upcoming first Friday night in October, which at this point is looking promising weather-wise. As usual we will have four district games on tap, with Riverheads being the team sitting out this week. Here is the line-up for this week's games..........
ALLEGHANY AT STUARTS DRAFT: I am starting with this one because it comes first alphabetically, but it is also the biggest game of the week. Each team is unbeaten in district play but that will certainly have to change. Now of course everybody knows that the Cougars will win this game......that much is guaranteed. But the question is......which set of Cougars will it be? The Stuarts Draft brand is already 3-0 in district play, although they needed some last-second magic to win at Riverheads a couple of weeks ago. Alleghany is only 2-0 in league play and since they hide out there in the mountains, we valley folks are still just not quite sure how good they may be. Based on the fact that they just barely squeaked by Staunton earlier, I have to go with the Draft in this one, but it could easily go the other way.
ROCKBRIDGE COUNTY AT BUFFALO GAP: They have still not won a game, but if you read between the lines, the Wildcats are taking baby steps toward improving. They came within a touchdown of Staunton and scored 21 Friday against Stuarts Draft. Granted both of those were home games, so traveling to Buffalo Gap this week will be a Bison of a different color. However, even the Gap showed signs of being human after all Friday night when they allowed Fort Defiance to score 21 on them, which was three times more than Riverheads and Wilson could manage put together. But I am sure things will return to normal in front of the home folks so a Bison win is a given in this one, and quite possibly a shut-out.
FORT DEFIANCE AT WILSON: This is the only all-Augusta game of the week but it should be a good one. I believe this is annually some sort of fund-raising event, but even if not, the rivalry aspect will make it a must-win game for each team. The Hornets are a surprising, if not downright shocking, 0-2 in the district and according to one local sportswriter, even if they run the table the rest of the way, the depth of Region 3-C may keep them out of the playoffs. But that is cart before horse. The Indians as just mentioned have been putting points on the board in most of their games but Wilson still looks like the better team in this one.
STAUNTON AT WAYNESBORO: This one will be a different kind of rivalry, one for city bragging rights. Although Staunton gave Alleghany a real challenge, I am still not sold on them and I expect them to slide down the ladder the rest of the way. Waynesboro had a big win at home over Rockbridge, the same team that Staunton just sneaked by. This is a tough one to call..........Waynesboro has the home field, but Staunton had a bye last week and should be better-rested. Just on a hunch, I will go with the visiting Storm to win this one.........after all we can't have an all-home-team weekend. The Shenandoah doesn't allow that sort of thing!
