Like major colleges, area high schools have piled up lots of big games early this football season.
A week after defending state champions Maury and Oscar Smith ventured beyond Virginia’s borders and lost to powerhouse opponents, they face stern road challenges in-state. Class 5 state champ Maury is at Class 4 runnerup Varina, while Class 6 defending champ Oscar Smith invades Todd Stadium to face Warwick.
As they do, King’s Fork, harboring Class 5 state championship ambitions, hosts Wise of Upper Marlboro, one of Maryland’s best programs for almost two decades.
The battle between Williamsburg-area rivals Warhill and Class 4 state contender Lafayette, the past two Bay Rivers District champions, will have Wanner Stadium hopping.
Maury, ranked No. 1 in the 757Teamz Top 15, looks to rebound from a 24-20 loss North Carolina powerhouse Cardinal Gibbons of Raleigh, a game undecided until a Commodores’ pass was intercepted in the end zone in the final seconds. The defeat was Maury’s first in 31 games. Varina is ranked No. 1 in the Richmond area after losing to Phoebus in the Class 4 state final a year ago, and opened with an impressive 41-14 win over William Fleming, a region finalist in Class 5 last year.
Oscar Smith looks to bounce back from a 17-0 loss to D.C.-power Gonzaga — the Tigers’ first shutout defeat in an opener since a 9-0 loss to Warwick 26 years ago. Warwick displayed similar defensive prowess in a 3-0 loss on Saturday to highly touted North Carolina school Mallard Creek. A taller order for Delaware recruit Christian Corbin, a defensive lineman, and the Warwick defense will be slowing Oscar Smith’s passing attack led by quarterback Lonnie Andrews III (29 TD passes a year ago) and WR Travis Johnson, a Michigan recruit.
Wise reached the Maryland 4A state championship game last season, no surprise for a team whose ’23 state title was its sixth in 16 seasons. Eric Wedge III (1,992 yards passing, 27 touchdowns last year), was quarterback on both teams so Wise should be tough through the air. Class 5 Region B finalist King’s Fork is primed for a big season after adding Bruton transfer WR Anthony Henderson (903 yards receiving, 10 TDs last year) to a talented group led by Virginia Tech commit LB Joshua Anderson.
Lafayette, a ’23 Class 3 state finalist, wrested the Bay Rivers title back from Warhill last year after losing it to the Lions’ late rally two years ago. Both were stellar last week. Lafayette beat Smithfield 40-14 behind touchdown runs of 75 and 42 yards by Josh Simpson, as Warhill bested Grafton 35-7 sparked by Elijah White’s 60-yard interception return for a TD.
Thursday’s games
New Kent at No. 13 Poquoson (Poquoson Middle), 7 p.m.
Larry: Poquoson 26-16. Marty: Poquoson 28-8.
Gloucester vs. Jamestown at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry Rubama: Jamestown 27-20. Marty O’Brien: Jamestown 21-13.
Kecoughtan vs. Meadowbrook at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Meadowbrook 34-14. Marty: Meadowbrook 14-10.
Norcom at Petersburg, 7 p.m.
Larry: Petersburg 27-14. Marty: Norcom 20-14.
Friday’s games
757Teamz Top 15
No. 1 Maury (0-1) at Varina (1-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Maury 26-20. Marty: Maury 17-16.
No. 2 Oscar Smith (0-1) vs. No. 6 Warwick (0-1) at Todd Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Oscar Smith 28-20. Marty: Oscar Smith 20-7.
Kellam (1-0) at No. 4 Green Run (1-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Green Run 34-20. Marty: Green Run 35-14.
Wise-Maryland (11-2 in 2024) at No. 5 King’s Fork (11-2 in 2024), 7 p.m.
Larry: Wise 34-14. Marty : Wise 28-27.
Menchville (0-1) at No. 8 Nansemond River (0-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Nansemond River 41-13. Marty: Nansemond River 38-7.
Warhill (1-0) vs. No.10 Lafayette (1-0) at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Lafayette 27-20. Marty: Lafayette 21-7.
No. 11 Hampton (9-4 in 2024) at Lake Taylor (1-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Lake Taylor 26-23. Marty: Hampton 35-21.
Princess Anne (0-1) at No. 12 Kempsville (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Kempsville 41-12. Marty: Kempsville 50-14.
No. 14 Cox (1-0) at Bayside (1-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Bayside 26-24. Marty: Bayside 21-20.
No. 15 Western Branch (1-0) at Catholic (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Western Branch 33-14. Marty: Western Branch 34-7.
Bay Rivers District
Grafton (0-1) vs. York (0-1) at Bailey Field, 7 p.m.
Larry: Grafton 14-7. Marty: York 13-10.
Tabb (1-0) at Bruton (9-3 in 2024), 7 p.m.
Larry: Tabb 20-12. Marty: Tabb 28-21.
Beach District
Ocean Lakes (5-6 in 2024) at First Colonial (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Ocean Lakes 31-14. Marty: Ocean Lakes 42-7.
Tallwood (0-1) at Landstown (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Landstown 27-26. Marty: Landstown 35-27.
Nondistrict
Bethel (1-0) at Churchland (1-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Churchland 27-26. Marty: Bethel 27-20.
Dinwiddie (1-0) at Granby (1-0) at Powhatan Stadium, 7 p.m.
Larry: Dinwiddie 34-20. Marty: Dinwiddie 34-6.
Heritage (0-1) at Booker T. Washington (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Booker T. Washington 16-13. Marty: Booker T. Washington 26-6.
Hickory at Manor (1-0), 7 p.m.
Larry: Manor 26-20. Marty: Hickory 18-14.
Sussex Central (0-1) at Lakeland (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Sussex Central 13-12. Marty: Sussex Center 28-7.
Woodside (0-0) at Grassfield (0-1), 7 p.m.
Larry: Grassfield 23-20. Marty: Woodside 14-13
Saturday’s games
Nondistrict
Norview (1-0) vs. Denbigh (0-1) at Todd Stadium, noon
Larry: Denbigh 26-20. Marty: Norview 28-13.
Private Schools
Greenbrier Christian at Broadwater Academy, 1 p.m.
How they fared
Larry Rubama: 17-6 last week, 17-6 (73.9%)
Marty O’Brien: 20-3 last week, 20-3 (87.0%)
