WEEK 1 RECAP 2025

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North Stafford (0-1): 13 vs Battlefield (1-0): 14

North Stafford came into Prince William County ready to prove themselves, and for three quarters they flat out controlled Battlefield. The Wolverines jumped out to a 13–0 lead thanks to explosive plays from their two stars, Kenaz and Chase Sullivan (no relation). Kenaz broke things open with a punt return touchdown, electrifying the visiting sideline, and later Chase scrambled from the red zone and punched it in for another score. Meanwhile, Battlefield was reeling not only from North’s physical play but also after star quarterback and Richmond commit Calum O’Shea left the game with an apparent injury. Though he attempted to return, O’Shea was clearly not himself and exited for good late in the second half.

That opened the door for backup quarterback Ethan Stowell, who entered under intense pressure and instantly became the story of the night. Down two scores, Stowell first engineered a long drive into the red zone and capped it off with a perfectly timed middle screen to Brandon Murray, who slipped through traffic and sprinted into the end zone to cut the deficit to 13–7. From there, the atmosphere shifted Battlefield’s sideline came alive, and North suddenly found themselves fighting to hang on instead of dictating the tempo.

The final drive was the stuff of early-season drama. With under a minute left and facing 3rd and 10, Stowell fired a desperation ball that wideout Keaton Ramey somehow snagged with a spectacular one-handed grab to move the chains. Just plays later, with under 10 seconds left, North was flagged for pass interference in the back of the end zone, giving Battlefield one last shot. On the very next snap, Stowell hit Ramey again, this time on a clean whip route at the goal line to tie the game. The extra point sailed through, sealing an improbable 14–13 comeback win for Battlefield. For North Stafford, it’s a brutal reminder of how quickly momentum can flip, but the Wolverines will have little time to dwell they head to Osbourn next week, who just dropped a wild 42–35 game to Colgan.

Colonial Forge 34, South County 14

Colonial Forge entered the season with plenty of hype, and on opening night, they wasted no time reminding folks why. The Eagles jumped all over South County early, controlling the game on both sides of the ball and racing out to a commanding 34–0 lead before pulling their starters in the third quarter. Running back Torie Martin set the tone on the ground, piling up over 110 rushing yards and finding the end zone once, while quarterback Brock Brimhall looked every bit the steady leader, completing 19 of 30 passes for 139 yards and three touchdowns. Special teams even got in on the action as Jeremiah Wise returned a punt for a touchdown, putting an exclamation point on a dominant first half.

By the time Forge’s starters checked out midway through the third, the outcome was already decided. The Eagles were efficient, disciplined, and explosive three traits that made South County look like they had no answers all night. Whether it was Brimhall carving up the secondary or Martin breaking tackles in the run game, Forge imposed its will and did so with confidence. That kind of balance on offense and suffocating defense gave them every reason to rest their starters with the game in hand, a luxury very few programs get in Week 1.

South County did manage to tack on two touchdowns late against Forge’s backups, avoiding a shutout but never truly threatening the Eagles’ dominance. For Colonial Forge, the focus is clear: this is a team with championship aspirations, and Friday was a glimpse of just how dangerous they can be when all three phases are firing. With their sights set on bigger challenges ahead, the Eagles showed they’re not just hype they’re hunting for trophies. Forge will host Patriot next week

Mountain View 28, Gainesville 0

If there was one score across the region that made people stop and check twice, it was what went down in Stafford Friday night. Mountain View, a program that stumbled to a 3–7 finish last fall and saw its 14-year playoff streak snapped, didn’t just beat Gainesville they shut them out, 28–0. Gainesville, fresh off an 8–3 season and boasting high-level talent like Hampton commit Isaiah Britt-Dougan and massive 6’6, 320-pound lineman Reed Hobbs, never got going offensively as the Wildcats controlled the game from start to finish.

The story was balance and physicality. Junior running back Darnell Crockett found the end zone twice on the ground, his bigger backfield partner Amari Collier powered in for another, and in a twist, junior quarterback Gus Sigler earned the start. He made the most of it, tossing a touchdown strike to Chris Gordon on his opening drive. With each possession, Mountain View’s confidence grew, and their defense smothered the Cardinals, limiting them to just one real scoring threat the entire game.

For a program trying to reclaim its reputation as one of the 540’s most consistent contenders, this was the kind of statement win that gets noticed far beyond district lines. Mountain View not only showed growth but also sent a warning shot to the rest of Northern Virginia: they’re back in the conversation. The challenge only gets tougher next week when Battlefield owners of a 44-game regular-season win streak comes to Stafford. If the Wildcats can duplicate this performance, it won’t just shake up the Commonwealth District, it’ll have the whole region talking.

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OTHER GAMES

*Winners in bold

Chancellor (0-1): 7 at #2 Riverbend (1-0): 68

(The Bears showef off their high powered offense and depth early. Chancellor will look to regroup next week against Fluvanna, hoping to tighten up on both sides of the ball after a tough opener.)

#4 Louisa (1-0): 42 at Mills Goodwin (0-1): 26

(Louisa pulled out a 42–26 win over Mills Godwin behind big games from Savion Hiter and Dyzier Carter. The Lions now turn their attention to a tough test against Courtland next week.)

#6 Kettle Run (1-0): 35 at Liberty (0-1): 0

(Kettle Run dominated Liberty 35–0, with QB Dycen Tapscott nearly perfect, throwing three touchdowns and leading a complete team performance.)

#7 Brooke Point (1-0): 65 at King George (0-1): 0

(Brooke Point made a statement, highlighted by a strong performance from QB Malachi Redfearn)

JR Tucker (0-1): 12 at #8 Caroline (1-0): 83

(Caroline crushed JR Tucker, showing off a high-powered offense that looks ready to make noise all season.)

Fluvanna (0-1): 8 at #9 Spotsylvania (1-0): 28

(Spotsy handled Fluvanna behind strong games from Blake Morris and Braylon Puller, setting the tone early in the season.)

Massaponax (0-1): 6 at #10 Courtland (1-0): 35

(Courtland dominated Massaponax 35–6, asserting control on both sides of the ball from start to finish.)

Fauquier (0-1): 62 at Manasas Park (0-1): 0

(Fauquier steamrolled Manassas Park 62–0, putting up a dominant offensive display while keeping the opposition off the scoreboard)

Westmoreland (0-1): 7 at James Monroe (1-0): 47

(James Monroe rolled past Westmoreland 47–7 at home, showcasing a balanced offense and stifling defense.)

Handley (1-0): 23 at Eastern View (0-1): 9

(Eastern View fell to Handley, struggling to find offensive rhythm against a tough defensive front.)

Culpeper (1-0): 34 at Western Albemarle (0-1): 7

(Culpeper cruised to a 34–7 road win over Western Albemarle, controlling the game on both sides of the ball.)

Powhatan (1-0): 20 at Orange (0-1): 8

(Powhatan secured a 20-8 road victory over Orange County.)