WEEK 3 PREVIEW

Week 2 has provided a little bit of clarity, Week 3 will have some games that will be "gut check games" for teams

9/13/20243 min read

----------------------------------------------------------------

#2 Courtland (2-0) at North Stafford (0-1):

---

This matchup holds a lot of weight, particularly for a Wolverines team that has worked hard to turn their fortunes around. Courtland comes into the game after a convincing 37-20 win over Louisa, where they leaned heavily on their ground attack, racking up 237 rushing yards, led by Marcus LaRue’s standout performance. Meanwhile, North Stafford put up a solid effort against a strong Dinwiddie team led by (QB) Harry Dalton III, but couldn’t quite get over the hump, dropping their 13th consecutive game with a 35-25 loss. When these two teams met last season, North Stafford had their moments but ultimately fell short, 28-13. Fast forward to this season, and the stakes are even higher for the Wolverines as they seek their first victory since 2022. A win over the second-ranked Cougars could be exactly the spark they need. To pull it off, players like WR Ricky Adkins, RB Micah Brown, and QB Chase Sullivan will need to step up in a big way. For Courtland, QB Chieftan Watson threw for two touchdowns last week, with Christian Olivell and Laquann Chew finding the end zone as well, making them a dangerous opponent on both sides of the ball.

Prediction:

Courtland 24 North Stafford 9

#1o Riverbend (1-1) at #6 King George (1-1):

Friday’s matchup between #10 Riverbend (1-1) and #6 King George (1-1) on paper, looks like it will be an exciting one. Riverbend is coming off a tough road loss to Forest Park, where they came up short 27-20 in a close contest. King George, on the other hand, looked strong early against Hampton, jumping out to a commanding 41-13 lead before holding on for a 41-33 victory, thanks to a clutch defensive stop inside their own 20. Last season, King George was in full control, cruising to a 37-13 win behind standout performances from Jack Pearson, Chanz Wiggins, and Mekhai White. This year, Dylan Koch has been leading the charge for the Foxes, tossing 3 TDs last week, while weapons like Charles Johnson and Ky’mani Carpenter have shown just how explosive this offense can be. For Riverbend, they’ll need JoJo Thomas to step up in a big way if they want to keep pace with King George’s firepower. If the Bears can find a way to consistently put points on the board, this one could go down to the wire. Expect a high-scoring affair with both teams pushing each other to the limit.

Prediction:

Riverbend 24 King George 38

#9 Massaponax (1-1) at Louisa (0-2)

As #9 Massaponax (1-1) travels to take on Louisa (0-2), the stakes are high for both teams. Massaponax is coming off a narrow 17-14 defeat at Glen Allen, where they fell just short in a tight game for the second season in a row. Meanwhile, Louisa, despite welcoming back star players RB Savion Hiter and WR Dyzier Carter, struggled against Courtland and lost 37-20. Looking back to last season, Massaponax had a strong showing against Louisa, securing a 33-14 victory. This year, Louisa faces a critical juncture. They haven’t started 0-2 since 2015, and an 0-3 start would be their first since 2007. With another week of practice, Hiter and Carter should be more in sync, potentially revitalizing the Lions' offense. The big question will be whether Louisa's defense can adjust to Massaponax’s revamped offensive strategy. If the Lions can tighten up on defense and find their offensive rhythm, they’ll have a chance to turn their season around. Expect a battle as Louisa looks to recover and Massaponax aims to bounce back from their recent setback.

Massaponax 35 Louisa 30

---