Friday's high school football preview caps

Non-district

Amherst at Charlottesville

KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Amherst 0-1, 0-1 Seminole; Charlottesville went 2-8, 0-5 in Jefferson District play last year.

LAST WEEK: Amherst lost to Brookville 24-21; Charlottesville did not play.

LAST YEAR: Amherst beat Charlottesville 56-0 in the Black Knights’ season-opener.

FACTS: The Lancers saw their 26-game winning streak come to an end last Friday at home, and look to rebound on the road tonight. They got an 80-yard rushing effort from Jamal Glover and 70-yards each from Mario Vaughan and QB Anthony Rose — who had two of the Lancers’ three lost fumbles — and a fumble recovery and interception from DB Chris McDaniel, who will be tested again tonight. The Black Knights, led by talented senior QB Kevin Leatherwood, are under the direction of a new coach, former Smithfield coach Chris Fraser, who has implemented a spread attack.

Rockbridge at Jefferson Forest

KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Rockbridge went 4-6, 2-2 in the Southern Valley District last season; Jefferson Forest 1-0, 1-0 Seminole.

LAST WEEK: JF beat Staunton River 44-17; Rockbridge did not play.

LAST SEASON: JF beat Rockbridge 7-6.

FACTS: Forest got 197 yards rushing and four TDs from RB Desmond Goode in its opener against Bedford County rival Staunton River, with former Golden Eagles coach Dave Rocco sharing the same sideline as JF’s Don Rice in his debut as defensive coordinator. Rice, who formerly coached at Waynesboro, is familiar with the Wildcats, who made the Group AA, Division 3, state championship game in 2006, but lost their last five games last fall after starting out 4-1. They return LT Caleb Farris (6-4, 292), who did not allow a single sack last fall, NG Dylan Walsh (6-2, 250), the Southern Valley District player of the year after recording 14 tackles for loss and FB/MLB Stephen Strowbridge, who’s back from a suspension. “They’ve got some pretty big kids,” Rice said, noting Strowbridge is a “pretty tough inside runner and a good blocker when they’re passing the ball.”

Halifax County at Rustburg

KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Halifax 0-1, 0-0 Western Valley District; Rustburg 0-1, 0-1 Seminole District.

LAST WEEK: Rustburg lost to Heritage 12-7; Halifax lost to Petersburg 29-6.

LAST SEASON: Halifax beat Rustburg 28-7.

FACTS: The Red Devils had Heritage on the ropes in last week’s opener, leading 7-6 at halftime on QB Tevin Cobbs’ 49-yard TD pass to E.J. Sparrow. But they managed just 38 yards of offense after halftime in a new offense put in by former Amherst defensive coordinator Jon Berlin. Halifax, a Group AAA team that went 3-2 in the Western Valley last year, won’t be a pushover, but Rustburg may match up well physically the Comets on the front lines.

Staunton River at Cave Spring

KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Staunton River 0-1, 0-1 Seminole; Cave Spring 1-0, 0-0 River Ridge.

LAST WEEK: Staunton River lost to Jefferson Forest 44-17; Cave Spring beat Alleghany 28-20.

FACTS: The Golden Eagles suffered a lopsided loss to JF last week in its first game under new coach Rick Witt. They look to take wing this week under Cody Jones, a dual-threat QB with great speed. Cave Spring only returns three offensive and four defensive starters from a team that went 2-8 last season, losing its last six games by a combined 224-49 count.

Tunstall at Brookville

KICKOFF: 7:30 p.m.

RECORDS: Tunstall 1-0, 0-0 Piedmont; Brookville 1-0, 1-0 Seminole.

LAST WEEK: Tunstall defeated Dan River 17-6; Brookville defeated Amherst 24-21.

FACTS: The Trojans got a 43-yard run from Justin Williams in the first quarter and a 4-yard run from Tae Gunter to hold off Dan River last week. The Bees’ knocked off the two-time defending Group AA, Division 4, champion Lancers in Amherst. The big play for Brookville came on DE Zack McCray’s 70-yard fumble return just before the end of the first half.

Magna Vista vs. Heritage

WHERE: City Stadium

KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

RECORDS: Magna Vista 0-1, 0-0 Piedmont; Heritage 1-0, 1-0 Seminole.

LAST WEEK: Heritage defeated Rustburg 12-7; Magna Vista lost to William Fleming 28-7.

FACTS: The inexperienced Pioneers were beset by penalties (13) and fumbles (5) last week against the Red Devils but rallied with a fourth-quarter touchdown run by James Carter to escape Rustburg with a victory. The Warriors managed just 133 yards of total offense against the Colonels last week, while William Fleming rolled up 254 yards rushing against Magna Vista.

LCA at Dan River

KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

RECORDS: LCA went 13-0 and defeated Bishop Ireton 35-14 in the VIS Division I state championship last year; Dan River 0-1, 0-0 Dogwood.

LAST WEEK: LCA did not play; Dan River lost to Tunstall 17-6.

FACTS: The Wildcats’ offense was led last week by quarterback Kevin Eldridge who scored Dan River’s only touchdown on an 11-yard run. The Bulldogs’ high-flying offense will be led by junior quarterback Mike Rocco and senior wide receiver Pat Kelly. LCA defeated the Wildcats 41-7 last year. Dan River is coached by Ferrell Edmunds, the former NFL tight end in his first year at the helm.

Parry McCluer at Altavista

KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

RECORDS: Altavista went 2-8 last season, 0-6 in Dogwood District play; Parry McCluer went 3-7, 1-3 in the Pioneer A District.

LAST WEEK: Altavista did not play.

LAST SEASON: Altavista beat Parry McCluer 56-27.

FACTS: The Colonels and Fighting Blues have split the last four season-opening meetings, with last year’s win in Buena Vista the most decisive. Altavista is more comfortable in its I-formation and 5-3 defensive scheme implemented by second-year coach Mike Scharnus last season and hopes to send another early message that it has some offensive firepower, sparked by RB Jamison Robinson, who rushed for 1,100 yards last season.

Buckingham at Appomattox

KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

RECORDS: Buckingham went 5-5 last season, 3-2 in James River District; Appomattox finished 8-3, 4-2 in Dogwood District.

LAST YEAR: Appomattox beat Buckingham 26-13 in season-opener at Buckingham.

FACTS: These two former Dogwood District rivals kick off their seasons in what should be a balanced battle. Buckingham won five of its last seven games after losing its first three to finish second to Goochland in the James River District standings. Like Appomattox, it returns the majority of its skill position players, led by RB Aaron Orange, who rushed for 980 yards and 11 TDs last year, and WR/DB D.J. Jones, who had eight interceptions, but are depleted on the offensive and defensive lines. The Raiders, debuting a new offense orchestrated by former Amherst offensive line coach Ben Martin, feature QB Kenny Scott, who missed the second half of last season with a back injury, and new receiver Michael St. John, who starred with Scott on the basketball court last winter.

William Campbell at Sussex Central

KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

RECORDS: William Campbell 0-1, 0-0 Dogwood District after going 9-3 and 5-1 last fall; Sussex Central finished 4-6, 1-3 in the Tri-Rivers District.

LAST WEEK: William Campbell lost to Thomasville (N.C.) 28-14; Sussex Central did not play.

LAST YEAR: William Campbell beat Sussex Central 34-0 in the season-opener for both teams.

FACTS: The Generals and Tigers split state semifinal matchups in 2002 and 2003 en route to Group A, Division 1, titles, respectively. But William Campbell has dominated the past two meetings, winning 60-6 in 2005, the year it won its second state crown, and 48-16 in 2006. The Generals struggled on offense last week with Brandon “BeBe” Adams filling in at QB for his older brother Baron, who’s likely to start tonight after sitting out with an ankle sprain.

Nelson County at Madison County

KICKOFF: 7 p.m.

RECORDS: Nelson County went 5-5, 3-3 in Dogwood District play last year; Madison County went 5-5, 4-1 in Bull Run District play.

LAST YEAR: Nelson County won 28-24 in season-opener for both teams.

FACTS: The Governors hope to match their experienced offensive line against the Mountaineers, who return the majority of their skill players, including junior TE Dylan Shifflette (21 catches, 350 yards last fall) and RB Logan Terrell (620 yards rushing, 179 yards receiving in 2007). Nelson will unleash a stable of new running backs, led by juniors Trey Barnett, Tim Williams and Dan Vanison and sophomores Trevor Martin and Quincy Murphy, with M.J. Wells taking the snaps.