JF in playoffs for first time since 1999

It’s been nearly 10 years since Jefferson Forest’s football team qualified for postseason play.

Tonight at 7:30, the Cavaliers (7-3), seeded third in the Region III, Division 4 playoffs, host Rockbridge, a team they beat 40-6 on Aug. 29 at home.

“We’ve, for a couple years, been knocking at the door,” JF coach Don Rice said. “To be a three seed and have a home-field advantage, the kids are excited.”

The Wildcats (6-4) are not the same team the Cavaliers faced in Rockbridge’s season-opener.

“We beat them and beat them pretty good, (but) they went on to beat five straight teams, including Harrisonburg,” Rice said. “It’s a whole new ballgame. We beat them by one point at their place last year and I’m sure they’re coming back over the mountain wanting to get a big win.”

The winner travels next week to Turner Ashby, which clinched the second seed and first-round bye by two-tenths of a point over the Cavaliers. Top-seeded Amherst will host the winner between Harrisonburg and William Byrd in the other semifinal.

Forest readied itself for regional play with a tough schedule in and out of the Seminole District. It posted big wins over Rockbridge, E.C. Glass and Bassett, suffering losses to Amherst, Brookville and Pulaski County.

“We’ve played the top three teams in the state of Virginia,” Rice said of Brookville, Pulaski County and Amherst. “We’ve prepared ourselves all year because of the teams we’ve played.”

The Cavs have found a recipe for success, with a run-oriented attack and hard-hitting defense.

Senior middle linebacker Tyler Rosser set the tone for the Cavaliers’ first win over Rockbridge with a crushing tackle on wide receiver JaQwan Biggs after he took a handoff in the backfield from quarterback Tyler Staton.

“That was the key to the game last time,” Rice said. “Tyler Rosser delivered a big hit and that carried through to the rest of the team.

“Our defense is all geared around our linebackers,” he added. “We have a very sound team defense (but) Rosser in the middle is key.”

The Cavaliers ran for 275 yards in that game, led by Desmond Goode, the area’s second-leading rusher, while quarterback Hunter Hannell threw for another 159.

“If we can rush for 300 yards and throw for 100 yards, we shouldn’t lose a game and every time we’ve done that, we haven’t lost a game,” Rice said. “Every week, we try to establish the run, let the run set up the pass. If they’re giving it to us, we’ll throw it a lot more.”

He said JF’s offensive line has grown rapidly under Mike Watts.

“That’s been a pleasant surprise,” he said. “They’ve come into their own as a unit. Coach Watts has done a good job with them as far as being tight. If you mess with one of them, you mess with all of them.”

With all of JF’s offensive and defensive linemen one-way players, it often gives them an advantage in the fourth quarter.

Rice is more concerned about getting out to another good start.

“What we’ve got to watch out for is giving up a big play, giving them any kind of momentum early,” he said.