WC meets Riverheads for 7th time in 8 years

It’s become a postseason classic, a tradition as predictable as the Dallas Cowboys and Detroit Lions playing football on Thanksgiving Day.

William Campbell and Riverheads will face off in the Division 1, Region B playoffs for the seventh time in the past eight seasons Friday night at 7 in Naruna, with the perennial Dogwood and Shenandoah district powers dueling for the right to move on.

“They’ve definitely been a familiar foe,” William Campbell coach Brad Bradley said.

The two seasons this decade the two teams didn’t meet, the Gladiators (in 2000) and Generals (in 2002) went on to capture their first Group A, Division 1, state titles. In 2005 and 2006, respectively, William Campbell and Riverheads defeated one another before claiming their second state crowns.

The Generals and Gladiators have had their share of shootouts — such as Riverheads’ 35-31 triumph in 2006 — and blowouts — like William Campbell’s 47-14 rout last fall.

“We’re excited,” said Bradley, who says it’s a brand new season and anticipates a matchup more like the one two years ago than last fall. “(Riverheads) coach (Robert) Casto does a tremendous job. They don’t do a whole lot of fancy stuff (but) they don’t put the ball on the ground. We’re going to have to force them to make errors.

“I definitely think it’s going to be a physical battle, man against man,” he added. “It’s a matter of who’s going to push who?”

He said the Generals know what to expect from the Gladiators, who run primarily out of a Wing-T formation.

“What you see is what you get with Riverheads,” Bradley said. “(Casto) reps it and reps it and they don’t make a lot of mistakes. They’re a very disciplined football team.

“It’s old-time football,” he added. “They’re going to line up and go at you and see if you can stop it and when you least expect it, they’re going to throw the football. We’re going to have to be aggressive on defense. I feel our defense is up for the challenge.”

The Gladiators (7-3) feature depth and experience in the backfield with running back Cory Sandidge, fullback Demetrius Younger and a wingback Montana Puffenbarger all viable options. The Generals (9-1), counter with quarterback Baron Adams, who has rushed for more than 1,000 yards and 19 touchdowns thrown for nearly 1,000 yards and 20 TDs. His top receivers are Terrence Younger and Stanley Peerman, who is also a rushing threat along with fullbacks Donald Byrd and Timmy Wright.

Riverheads’ only losses came against Clarke County, which Appomattox travels to play in a Division 2, Region B semifinal tonight, Buffalo Gap, which beat William Campbell in last year’s Region B final and went on to take the Group A state championship, and Stuarts Draft, which lost to Brookville in the Division 3, Region III final last fall.

William Campbell’s only setback came in a season-opener against Thomasville, a Group 2A power in North Carolina.