GAMEDAYNRV POWER POLL: Week 4
Northside's Ryan Keith has help lead the Vikings into the Honorable Mention section of this week's Power Poll with a No. 13 ranking.
Photo by David Grimes
Christiansburg's Keith Johnson will have his work cut out for him this week, as the Blue Demons will take on Basset, who is ranked No. 5 in the state Group AA poll this week.
Photo by Jon Fleming
Wow it is hard to believe that the high school football season is nearly at its halfway point in the season and it is still early September. Now I could go into a rant on how the football season is entirely too long in its current 12 week format (go to one off week instead of two), but I would rather talk about the thrilling weekend of high school football that was played last Friday.
We saw a top 10 matchup that again came down to the wire, another team nearly pull off an upset on a top three team in all of Group AA, and finally another team go for a win with a two point conversion and get it two days before the Denver Broncos pulled off the same feat against San Diego.
1 - William Fleming Colonels (4-0)
Last Week - Ranked #1 Win 40-6 @ Heritage
This Week -- Off. Next Game 9/26 vs. #3 Salem (2-1)
Coach Rob Senseney's Colonels went to Lynchburg and had no trouble dispatching Group AA Heritage in City Stadium last Friday night. The Colonels now get a week off to rest up before what will be the best game in the Roanoke Valley next Friday when Salem comes to Merrill C. Gainer Field. Salem defeated Fleming last year 27-14 in Salem Stadium and the Colonels are chomping at the bit for a little revenge in two weeks.
2 - Pulaski County Cougars (3-0)
Last Week - Ranked #2 Win 40-14 vs. Franklin County
This Week -- @ Jefferson Forest (3-0)
The Cougars continue to roll on as they defeated their second straight former Roanoke Valley District foe in Group AA Franklin County. Now comes a big road test down Route 122 in Forest. Last season's game was the Nubian Peak show as the Virginia Tech recruit scored three touchdowns that all covered at least 58 years in a 24-17 win over the Cavaliers in the Cougar Den. This game should be a tight one and will tell us quite a big about both teams in if the Cougars are ready to challenge Salem for the River Ridge District crown and if the Cavs can solidify the third spot in the Seminole behind Brookville and Amherst.
3 - Salem Spartans (2-1)
Last Week - Ranked #3 Win 24-21 @ #7 William Byrd
This Week - vs. Northside (2-2)
You heard it here first that the Salem, William Byrd game would be a thriller and it certainly was as the Spartans held off a late Terrier rally to take a big three point road win. Coach Stephen Magenbauer ran his record at his alma mater to an amazing 52-4 and has never lost two straight games since taking over for Willis White in 2004. Up next is a game Northside team, but the Spartans should handle their former Roanoke Valley and Blue Ridge District rivals easily.
4 - Floyd County Buffaloes (3-0)
Last Week - Ranked #4 Win 40-39 (OT) @ George Wythe
This Week -- @ Fort Chiswell (2-1)
Mike Shanahan must have a contact at Floyd County because the Buffs were on the road and went for the win with a two point conversion attempt in overtime and succeeded as Floyd County pulled off the 40-39 win over 2007 Group A, Division 2 Semifinalist George Wythe down in Wytheville. Senior quarterback Luke Harris continues to shine for Coach Winfred Beale in the 2008 campaign. Next up is a trip to Fort Chiswell, where the Pioneers have doubled their win total from last year's one victory. Floyd should not have much trouble as they blew out Fort Chiswell 51-14 last year.
5 - Blacksburg Bruins (3-0)
Last Week - Ranked #6 Win 28-13 vs. Liberty
This Week - Off. Next Game 9-26 @ Lord Botetourt (1-3)
The Bruins continue to surprise everyone as they took a nice out of district win over Liberty that was not as close as the final scored indicated. Senior quarterback Trey Gresh continues to close in on the school's career passing record as he now lacks about 900 yards to set the record. There is a little bit of unsettling news involving Gresh at a Virginia Tech game last Saturday that caused him to get cited for underage possession of alcohol at his own family's tailgate. We will see how this alleged incident affects him and the Bruins and if any disciplinary action will come of this. But as of now the Bruins get a week off to deal with this and to prepare for a Lord Botetourt team that is already down 11 starters due to injury. The Bruins blew the Cavs out 41-10 last year and that could be the case again if LB is not healthy by then.
6 - Christiansburg Blue Demons (2-0)
Last Week - Ranked #5 Off
This Week -- @ Bassett (4-0)
The Blue Demons have been preparing for Bassett for the past week and they look to make up for blowing a late nine point fourth quarter lead at home against the Bengals last season that ended in a 38-34 setback. The big play hurt Christiansburg in this game as Bassett scored on three plays over 80 yards. Coach Tim Cromer must contain Bengal superstar QB Boo Woods, who ran for over 200 yards on the Blue Demons last year. This loss last year cost the Blue Demons a playoff spot and this upcoming game should again be a thrilling one that would give Christiansburg a huge momentum boost going into River Ridge District play if they can pull off the road win.
7 - Radford Bobcats (3-0)
Last Week - Ranked #8 Win 42-0 vs. Grayson County
This Week - Off. Next Game 9-26 vs. Rural Retreat (1-3)
Coach Matthew Saunders continues to keep the 'Cats riding high as the winning streak reached seven games with a shutout over the 2007 Mountain Empire District Champion Grayson County Blue Devils. Dontae Carter has stepped in nicely to fill the rather large shoes of the graduated Charvis Claytor. Radford gets a week off this Friday to regroup and face Rural Retreat in two weeks. This game could be just as ugly as the Grayson County game. The Bobcats need to come out of that game healthy as October starts out with two huge road games against Christiansburg and Giles that will go a long way to determining the postseason fate of Radford.
8 - William Byrd Terriers (2-1)
Last Week - Ranked #7 Loss 24-21 vs. #3 Salem
This Week -- @ Brookville (4-0)
Things do not get any easier for the Terriers as they now travel to Lynchburg to face the top team in Group AA, the Brookville Bees, after the heartbreaking three point loss to Salem in Bob Patterson Stadium last Friday night. The Bees have three very highly recruited Division 1-A prospects led by all-everything quarterback in 6'6" Logan Thomas. If the Terriers have any designs on duplicating last season's 56-32 win over the Bees they need to contain Thomas and keep him off the field as much as possible.
9 - Cave Spring Knights (2-1)
Last Week - Ranked #10 Off
This Week -- @ Patrick Henry (0-3)
The Knights took last Friday night off and they get back in the action in yet another former Roanoke Valley District battle with Patrick Henry. The Knights have been somewhat of a surprise for the first few weeks with two wins, albeit over very weak opposition in Alleghany and Staunton River. Cave Spring needs to pick up this win over the Patriots as their next six games they will be decided underdogs in all of them
10 - Glenvar Highlanders (2-0)
Last Week - Ranked #11 Win 41-12 vs. Rural Retreat
This Week - vs. Covington (0-3)
Glenvar is much improved this season as they blew out the Indians last week on the Road down in Fort Chiswell. The Highlanders now continue their trek through their former district, the Pioneer, when Covington comes to visit. This game was close last season as Glenvar pulled off the 22-14 win. Expect this game to not be close at all.
Honorable Mention
11 - Hidden Valley Titans (1-2) - Déjà vu all over again for the Titans as they lose a heartbreaker to Bassett for the second straight season 10-7 over the Bengals. The Titans now host Rustburg this week at Bogle Field.
12 - Giles Spartans (1-2) -- Congratulations to Coach Williams on his first win as a head coach over rival Narrows 31-6 last week. Holding onto the ball is still an issue for Giles with 14 fumbles in three games. This week is a revenge game as the Spartans face George Wythe, who knocked Giles out of the playoffs last year in the Region C, Division 2 Final.
13 - Northside Vikings (2-2) - The Vikings have equaled their win total of last season already. But win number three would be a major upset as they visit Salem this week.
14 - Narrows Green Wave (2-1) - The Green Wave lost a little momentum in last week's blowout loss to Giles. But the Mountain Empire District is so weak this season that Narrows is not out of the playoff picture at all. Narrows hosts Twin Valley as they look for their third win of the year.
15 - Eastern Montgomery Mustangs (2-1) - The Mustangs took Craig County down in a shutout win last Friday. Now Coach Mark Poston takes his troops to Bastian to face MED favorite Bland County. East Mont took a tough home loss last season 22-19 and they will definitely need this game to have a good shot to get into the Region C, Division 1 playoff race.
