Wednesday, October 31, 2012

Wednesday Post-Season Schedule of Games!

CENTRAL REGION FIELD HOCKEY TOURNAMENT:

Quarterfinals (at River City SportsQuest, all games at 5:30pm)

Hanover vs. Maggie Walker Governors School
Lee-Davis vs. Douglas Freeman
Cosby vs. Prince George
Thomas Dale vs. Midlothian


COLONIAL DISTRICT VOLLEYBALL FIRST ROUND:

BOYS: #3 Patrick Henry vs. #6 MWGS, 7:30pm at Douglas Freeman
GIRLS: #4 MWGS vs. #5 Patrick Henry, 6pm at Mills Godwin

Capital District Boys and Girls Volleyball Tournaments begin with semifinals on Thursday!

Monday, October 29, 2012

Division 5 Playoff Standings (Pre-Week 9).....

Well, now that we've apparently ruined the Lee-Davis student body's evening after tweeting what we believe are the latest VHSL Division 5 Rider Point standings, let's go into an explanation.

You might want to take two Advil first, to ward off the eventual headache....:)

First, the Division 5 Standings (with last week's standing in parenthesis...)

1) Hanover           26.875 (#1, down 0.411)
2) Hopewell          26.750 (#2, up 1.036)
3) Lee-Davis        26.625 (#3T, up 2.483)
4) Dinwiddie         25.500 (#3T, up 1.358)
5) Atlee                24.750 (#6, up 1.321)
6) Midlothian        24.286 (#5, up 0.786)

With John Marshall's fourth straight loss last week to Deep Run, combined with their very weak strength of schedule, they have virtually no chance of making the playoffs, especially with four of the six teams ahead of them playing head-to-head in the next two weeks, guaranteeing two teams a victory, bettering their playoff position.

This week, rather than announce "winners" and "losers", we're going to break down every team, how they got their points, and what they need to do in early November to be able to play in mid-November and beyond....

HANOVER:  (215 points in 8 games--144 for six wins, 24 for two losses, 47 bonus points based on opponent victories...)

Due to the loss to Lee-Davis in Mechanicsville Friday night, the Hawks, now 6-2, have come back to the pack in the point standings.  To clinch the top seed, they needed to win two of their last three.  Now, they probably have to win out to get a semi-final game at home, but even that is a little up in the air (especially if Hopewell knocks off Dinwiddie).  Bottom line, if Hanover can top Varina Friday, they're in, as they will be prohibitive favorites against Glen Allen November 9th.  A 7-3 finish will "likely" get the Hawks in.

That said, Friday night's loss exposed, what I believe, is Hanover's biggest concern heading into November. Through no fault of their own, due to first the Rogers freak injury and subsequent surgery, then the injury to Knizner, the Hawks have little offensive rhythm and synergy.  After eight games, a team normally has, for better or worse, a synergy to it in all three phases.  But, with Knizner and Rogers sharing QB duties for three games (that was the game plan entering the season, nothing wrong with that), then Knizner in and Rogers hurt, then Knizner hurt and neither in for most of the Henrico game (good thing they played a defense-less team that night, winning 66-37), thus throwing Travis Barton into the mix, then Rogers returning in a non-QB role until this past Friday....you get the idea.

The lack of continuity showed Friday, with Barton's struggles with snaps in the second quarter leading to Rogers going into the shotgun, but with neither player having a real chance to establish a multi-game rhythm, it was hard to establish the offense.  It showed the most in Hanover's final six drives, each of which landed them in the red zone, but they could only hit the end zone once.

This point needs to be made clear: Lee-Davis' defense is to be credited with winning that game, providing much of the reason why Hanover struggled offensively.

Hanover's defense is also to be credited, holding the Confederates to ten points, Chris Simpson nearly 50 yards below his rushing average.  Their task this Friday, stopping the Varina offense, who has scored 166 points in the last three weeks.  Varina put 27 on Lee-Davis in week four.

HOPEWELL: (214 points in 8 games--120 for five Group AAA wins, 20 for one Group AA win, 24 for two losses, 50 bonus points based on opponent victories...)

The other 6-2 team in Division 5, and the surprise one at that, the Blue Devils benefit from their early season win over a 6-2 Cosby team and by the fact that their two losses are to Meadowbrook (7-1) and, yes, Lee-Davis (5-3).  Hopewell loses four important points with their non-district victory over Brunswick, a Group AA school, only getting 20 points for defeating a school one classification lower rather than 24 for a win over a Group AAA school.  Had Hopewell defeated all Group AAA opponents?  They'd be #1 right now.

They now face, easily, their biggest test of the season, when they host Dinwiddie (5-3) this Friday.  A Blue Devil win at home would prove beyond doubt that Hopewell is for real.  They have scored 74 points the past two weeks, and Dinwiddie is proving to be more of an offensive team than defensive.  Granted, the Generals held Varina to 14 points in their week one, 14-7 loss to the Blue Devils, but in week one, sometimes offenses are not on track.

All that to say Hopewell has 20 seniors, a disciplined coach in Ricky Irby, capable playmakers, especially Reggie Butler.  A win over Dinwiddie catapults Hopewell to the #1 seed, period.  They would, then be a victory over rival Prince George away from home-field advantage, and going to Hopewell in late November is no picnic.  Just ask the 1983 and 2002 Patrick Henry Patriots....

LEE-DAVIS (213 points in 8 games--120 for five wins, 36 for three losses, 57 bonus points based on opponent victories...)

Okay, Confederates, here's the lowdown on why two teams you've defeated...ON THE FIELD...are ahead of you in VHSL rider points....which of course exposes some of the lunacy of this entire system, but that's another thread for another day.....

It is very, very difficult to outpoint a team, especially in your own district (similar schedules for 7 of 10 weeks), if they have a one-win advantage over you.  When you earn 24 points for a victory, but only 12 for a loss, 2 for every win by opponents you defeat, but 1 for every win by opponents you lose to, any disadvantage in the W-L columns is tough to overcome.  In spite of all that, the Confederates are only two points behind Hanover, one behind Hopewell.  Had Lee-Davis defeated Highland Springs, they'd be in the catbird seat, no doubt about it.

Having said all that, here's the good news.  Lee-Davis is in better shape, schedule-wise, than the teams ahead of them.  Hopewell plays a surging Dinwiddie, who endured a brutal schedule, which we'll discuss shortly, to get back into the playoff race, Hanover has Varina, but Lee-Davis gets a home date with Armstrong.  The Confederates will be heavily favored and should take the next five days and only worry about two things: Sandy and the Wildcats.

Then all that stands in the way of a definite trip to the playoffs is a win over Atlee November 9th.  It would be sweet revenge if the Confederates could win at Atlee to clinch a post-season berth, a win that could also end Atlee's season, who, of course, ended Lee-Davis' season in that double-overtime classic in the 2011 Central Region Division 5 Semifinals.

This year, though, 6-4 may not get it done.  Lee-Davis and Dinwiddie both know that.  Because Midlothian looms, and they may have a say in who gets in and who does not if they win their last two....

DINWIDDIE (204 points in 8 games--120 for five victories, 36 for three losses, 48 bonus points based on opponent victories...)

The Generals have moved from #8 in the standings to #4 in three weeks and were actually tied for third with Lee-Davis last week, falling behind the Confederates thanks to their Hanover win. As mentioned earlier, the Generals now must travel to Hopewell to give the Blue Devils their sternest test since a week four loss to Meadowbrook.  With Dinwiddie finishing the season at home against Petersburg, a win over Hopewell should just about clinch a post-season berth, as they will be prohibitively favored in their rivalry game week 10.  Most of the key players on this squad are juniors, and they have become battle tested very quickly this year, playing (and losing to) Varina, Highland Springs and Meadowbrook, teams with a combined record of 22-2 to this point.

Most "experts" placed Dinwiddie as the team most likely to prevent Hanover from repeating as Regional Champions.  Lee-Davis is certainly in the conversation now after Friday night, and Hopewell could prove it belongs with a win over these Generals.  Needless to say this will be the most important matchup between Dinwiddie and Hopewell since the 2000 Region Finals, won by Dinwiddie 28-7. Dinwiddie has won the last six matchups, Hopewell the five before that (2001-05).

ATLEE (198 points in 8 games--120 for five victories, 36 for three losses, 42 bonus points based on opponent victories...)

Boy that Freeman loss hurts. A win for Atlee at home back in week three over the Rebels would have given them 16 more points than they have now, and would be tied for second in the standings, putting Dinwiddie on the outside looking in.  But that's all water under the bridge.

Of the six teams remaining in the playoff hunt, the Raiders easily have the toughest final two hurdles. First, they must travel to Highland Springs.  The good news?  Highland Springs has defeated their other two county brethren in the Capital on the last play of the game at home.  The bad news?  The Springers will enter the game knowing a win guarantees them either a share of the Capital District title or at least the chance to play for it, and a Division 6 playoff berth, when they travel to Varina November 9th.

Bottom line?  The Springers should be ready.  It will be over two weeks since the incident that resulted in the Friday arrest of former All-Metro linebacker Marcus Logan-Baker, so distractions should be a non-factor.  They simply have too much to play for, too.  Bad news for Atlee, who still is trying to find solutions to their very porous offense. Giving up 33 points to Glen Allen and 24 to Armstrong the past two weeks doesn't give us confidence that they will stop the Springers.

But to make the playoffs a second straight year under Roscoe Johnson, they need to find a way.  A loss to Highland Springs and a win over Lee-Davis simply may be too little, too late.  They could use a rivalry upset in the Tri-Cities, either Prince George over Hopewell or Petersburg over Dinwiddie, both week 10 games on November 9th.

MIDLOTHIAN: (170 points in 7 games--96 for four Group AAA victories, 20 for one Group AA victory, 24 for two losses, 30 bonus points based on opponent victories, their game with Benedictine does not count)

For the Trojans, they are at a disadvantage for scheduling both a Group AA opponent (Powhatan, who they defeated) AND a private school (Benedictine, who they lost to).  It also doesn't help that the Dominion District is down this year, with not one but two winless teams (George Wythe and Huguenot).  They just finished a six-game homestand and finish on the road at Monacan and Manchester.  The Chiefs are 4-5, looking for a .500 season when they face the Trojans this Friday in the Monacan season finale, then Midlothian travels to rival Manchester, who will enjoy yet another winning season but their 34th consecutive non-playoff season.  The Lancers will likely be pumped to beat an arch-rival at home, especially if it helps prevent said rival from post-season play.  And it may come down to a combination of results from Midlothian/Manchester and Lee-Davis/Atlee come November 9th....

OUR GUT FEELING: The most likely scenario is that the four teams currently occupying the top four positions will stay there, meaning Hanover, Hopewell, Lee-Davis and Dinwiddie will move on and Midlothian and Atlee will not. The mystery then would be seeding; who gets the home games November 16th?  If the season ended today, Dinwiddie would travel to Hanover and Lee-Davis would return to Hopewell, where they won in week two.

But one unexpected result (an Atlee win over Highland Springs, for example) changes everything.  What if Midlothian and Atlee win out, meaning Lee-Davis ends at 6-4?  There's PLENTY to be determined....on the field, as it should be.

Friday, October 26, 2012

Defense Rules Night as Lee-Davis Tops Hanover....

With six, count them, six red zone opportunities in a row from late in the second quarter to late in the fourth, Hanover expects to score more than six total points.

But tonight, that's exactly what happened.

A bad snap before halftime ended a drive at the Lee-Davis 1.  An early second half drive ended when Sam Rogers stepped out of bounds at the 16 before releasing a pass.

In the end, Rogers found the end zone once with 5:29 left in the game to cut a 10-0 Lee-Davis lead to four.  They opted to go for two rather than kick the extra point, and, Lee-Davis' defense on special teams came up big, stopping L.J. Jones, forcing Hanover to play for the touchdown in their subsequent final drive.

While Rogers rushed for 65 yards and passed for 41 in his first game back at quarterback since finger surgery and L.J. Jones scampered for 153 yards, the Hawks were stopped when it mattered most, and Lee-Davis picked up a huge win for their Division 5 playoff hopes, 10-6 over Hanover on a rainy night in Mechanicsville.

The rain began 10 minutes before kickoff, catching many by surprise with its intensity, not a downpour, but not the "sprinkle" that was forecast.  It affected ball control throughout the game, especially in the first half, where Hanover backup QB Travis Barton, who got the start ahead of Rogers, had trouble handling shotgun snaps on multiple occasions.

Incredibly, for as many times as snaps and other plays were muffed, there were no turnovers in the game.  Lee-Davis was flagged just once, on a holding penalty that Hanover declined in order to get the football back on downs in the second half.

Chris Simpson "only" ran 28 times for 127 yards.  Coach Zac Hayden's decision early in the fourth quarter to begin a drive with Deshaun Rogers at quarterback instead of Brandon Sulser proved masterful, as the subsequent drive ended in Lee-Davis' only touchdown of the night, a 22-yard run around left end by Jordon Prentiss on a misdirection handoff.

Lee-Davis (3-2, 5-3) hosts Senior Night next Friday against Armstrong and take a giant step closer to clinching a Division 5 playoff berth with the victory.

Hanover (3-2, 6-2) will likely stay at #1 in Division 5 VHSL rider points, but its margin will be trimmed by Hopewell, Lee-Davis and Dinwiddie, all who won tonight.  Now the Hawks must regroup and hit the road to face Varina next Friday.

OTHER COUNTY GAMES:

Atlee went back and forth with Armstrong, surprisingly, for most of the first half before pulling away behind four more Morris Jackson rushing touchdowns, defeating the Wildcats 51-24 to move to 3-2, 5-3.  The Raiders face an almost must win situation next week when they travel to Highland Springs to battle the unbeaten Springers.

ATLEE AT HIGHLAND SPRINGS is our Game of the Week next Friday, 6:30pm on WHAN Radio!

Patrick Henry dominated J.R. Tucker to celebrate Homecoming 2012 with a 41-7 Colonial District victory.  The Patriots move to 3-2 in the Colonial, 3-5 overall, and welcomes Mills Godwin for Senior Night next Friday before going to Hermitage in two weeks for their season finale.  Hermitage defeated Mills Godwin tonight 46-10.

LISTEN LIVE to Hanover/Lee-Davis!!

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to the Hanover County High School Football Game of the Week: Hanover at Lee-Davis, beginning tonight at 6:30pm!

Rob Witham brings you all the action, brought to you exclusively by:

--SW Vending Corporation
--Crown Limousine Service
--Sheehy Ford
--Ben Rogers of Hometown Realty
--Bon Secours Memorial Regional Medical Center
--EVB, Community Banking Since 1910
--Cheek & Shockley RV Sales and Service
--Cavalier International

FOOTBALL FRIDAY!

Here's the schedule for Friday afternoon, Friday night and Saturday!

(Note: Bold and underlined teams in Division 5 Playoff Race)


Collegiate (4-3) at Norfolk Academy (5-3) (3:15pm on WHAN Radio)
Fork Union (7-2) at Benedictine (7-1), 4pm (winner clinches playoff berth)
Douglas Freeman (2-2, 4-3) at Thomas Jefferson (0-4, 1-6), 4:30pm

GAME OF THE WEEK: Hanover (3-1, 6-1) at Lee-Davis (2-2, 4-3), 6:30pm on WHAN Radio, 102.9 FM, 1430 AM or online on the link at the top of this page!!

Armstrong (0-4, 2-5) at Atlee (2-2, 4-3)
Varina (4-0, 6-1) at Glen Allen (1-3, 2-5)
Highland Springs (4-0, 7-0) at Henrico (0-4, 0-7)
J.R. Tucker (1-3, 2-5) at Patrick Henry (2-2, 2-5) (Homecoming)
John Marshall (1-3, 4-3) at Deep Run (3-1, 4-3)
Mills Godwin (3-1, 5-2) at Hermitage (4-0, 7-0) (home opener!)
Meadowbrook (4-0, 6-1) at Thomas Dale (2-2, 3-4)
Matoaca (2-2, 3-4) at Dinwiddie (3-1, 4-3)
Colonial Heights (0-4, 0-7) at Prince George (0-4, 2-5), 7:30
Petersburg (2-3, 3-5) at Hopewell (3-1, 5-2), 7:30
Monacan (4-2, 4-4) at L.C. Bird (6-0, 7-0), 7:30
Clover Hill (1-4, 1-6) at Midlothian (3-2, 4-3), 7:30
Huguenot (0-5, 0-7) at Manchester (3-2, 4-3), 7:30
George Wythe (0-5, 0-7) at James River (2-3, 2-5), 7:30
Chancellor at Caroline, 7:30
Louisa at Charlottesville, 7:30
New Kent at Smithfield
West Point at King William
Powhatan at Monticello, 7:30
Roanoke Catholic at Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot
Trinity Episcopal at Nansemond-Suffolk Academy
NOTE: Cosby has a bye this week!

Saturday 10/27:
Woodberry Forest at St. Christopher’s (5-3), 1pm

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Lee-Davis Captures Capital District Field Hockey Title....

Capital District Player of the Year Cameron Gibson scored the lone goal of the game in the first half, and stellar defense in the second half paced Lee-Davis to a 1-0 win over Hanover to claim their first Capital District Field Hockey Tournament Championship since 2009.

Madison Doss was credited with the assist on the Gibson goal.

Lee-Davis finishes their run through the district at 12-1 and advance to the Central Region Quarterfinals, where they will play the Colonial #2 seed, Douglas Freeman, who upset #1 Maggie Walker Governors School 2-1 in overtime in tonight's Colonial Tournament final.

Hanover finishes 9-5 in district play, and, as the #2 seed in the Capital, will face Maggie Walker Governors School in Monday's quarterfinal round.

Games are supposed to be played Monday at 5:30 at River City Sportsquest, subject, of course, to weather conditions....

Wednesday, October 24, 2012

FIELD HOCKEY PLAYOFFS, VOLLEYBALL ACTION....

Tuesday night was LOADED with action!

FIELD HOCKEY: Lee-Davis and Hanover advanced to the finals of the Capital District Tournament Tuesday night at River City SportsQuest in Chesterfield. Lee-Davis, the regular season champion, defeated fourth-seeded Atlee 2-0, thanks to back-to-back goals within a two-minute period late in the first half by Lauren Wolfgang and Cameron Gibson.

The Raiders, who started the season 6-0, finished 10-7 and a game short of reaching the Central Region Tournament next week.

The Confederates will face #2 Hanover, who needed double overtime to advance past #3 Henrico 1-0, as Miana Sebra scored the night's lone goal 6:37 into the second extra period.  Lee-Davis defeated Hanover twice in the regular season, 2-1 in September and 3-2 on strokes after playing to a scoreless tie just last week on October 17th.  The championship game begins at 7pm Thursday.

In the Colonial District, Brooke Flexon tallied the lone goal and Patrick Henry avenged two regular season losses to Mills Godwin by eliminating the Eagles in the tournament's first round, 1-0.  The Patriots, now 9-8 on the season, advance to the semifinals against #1 seeded Maggie Walker Governors School Wednesday at 5:30 at SportsQuest.

VOLLEYBALL: All three Capital District county teams were winners in three sets Tuesday night, continuing their march towards post-season play.

Atlee swept Henrico to remain unbeaten in the district with one game to play, while Lee-Davis swept Glen Allen to ensure themselves the #2 seed in next week's district tournament. Hanover swept Varina and will likely be the #4 seed behind Glen Allen.

The Raiders last hurdle to an undefeated regular season in the Capital is a trip to Hanover Thursday night at 7pm. Atlee has only lost two games this season, both in the Tournament of Champions in Roanoke two weekends ago.

Monday, October 22, 2012

Division 5 Playoff Watch: Week 8 Preview!!

Hanover stays on top, while Hopewell continues a steady climb into home field position in the semis, while John Marshall's hopes take a huge hit and Midlothian treads water.....

DIVISION 5 PLAYOFF STANDINGS: (last week's ranking in parenthesis)

1) Hanover                                    27.286  (#1, up 0.95 points)
2) Hopewell                                   25.714 (#3, up 1.88 points)
3T) Lee-Davis                               24.142 (#2, up 0.142 points)
      Dinwiddie                                24.142 (#6, up 1.142 points)
5) Midlothian                                 23.500 (#4T, up 0.333 points)
6) Atlee                                         23.429 (#7, up 1.596 points)
7) John Marshall                            22.714 (#4T, down 0.452 points)
8) Monacan                                   21.125 (not rated last week)
9) Glen Allen                                 20.667 (#8, down 0.5333 points)
10) Patrick Henry                          20.000 (not rated last week)

**--Please note with this week's standings list we are including the top ten teams, whether they have playoff aspirations or not, in light of Patrick Henry's stronger than expected rider point showing and to keep track of Glen Allen.

WEEK 7 WINNERS:

DINWIDDIE (4-3): In two short weeks, the Generals, who were expected to compete for home-field in the Division 5 Playoffs in most preseason prognostications, have jumped from #8 to tied for #3, in the playoff top four, raising their VHSL rating points by 3.142, a big accomplishment considering a win over winless Colonial Heights helped them as little as humanly possible.  What does help them are all the victories that teams which dotted their early season schedule continue to get, i.e.--Varina, Highland Springs, Meadowbrook.....the last legitimate bump in the Generals road to Week 11 is a Week 9 trip to Hopewell, a team ahead of them in the current standings.  If Hopewell can defeat them, it should give them a home game on November 16th, while Dinwiddie could compete for one with a win at Hopewell.  The fly in the ointment for both of them looking to grab that #2 seed resides in Mechanicsville....

LEE-DAVIS (4-3): It's a rare feat to lose on the field but win in the "overall scheme of things", but I believe this is the case for Coach Zac Hayden's hard-working crew, who quieted the naysayers by going triple overtime at Highland Springs before falling 19-16, holding the high-powered Springers to 13 points in regulation, and 6 of them came on a punt return.  For the Springers offense, it is most alarming with Varina looming on the horizon.  Although the game goes into the loss column and dropped Lee-Davis from #2 to a tie for #3 in the playoff standings, the accomplishment of slugging toe-to-toe with an unbeaten Highland Springs team on the road through three overtimes must give the CFeds inner confidence for the rest of their schedule, which remains daunting.  It begins Friday when they welcome Hanover to Mechanicsville Turnpike.  Twitter trash talk is already in full swing between the two schools, as personnel questions continue to swirl with the Hawks, while Lee-Davis seems to be healthy, if not banged up from their most recent Friday night battle.

WEEK 7 LOSERS:

JOHN MARSHALL (4-3): The Justices are in a free fall.  Two weeks ago they were ranked #2 with 24.2 VHSL rider points.  Fast forward to now and they are in the #7 slot, down nearly 1.5 rider points in the past two weeks. Not holding serve at home against Mills Godwin in Week 5 is turning out to be a turning point in their season, as it was followed by the 62-0 pasting they took at the hands of Hermitage, which included some players being ejected and thus ineligible to play this past Friday at Douglas Freeman.  This was a game where John Marshall was ahead by six and by five, and only down once by a point until Freeman's miracle touchdown pass with two seconds remaining to get the 13-12 win and possibly place a dagger in the Justice's hearts.  This has to be an extremely frustrating development for a program that has turned it around, unlike its city brethren, to have a .500 record or better three of the last five seasons, including a 7-3 mark last year that almost secured them a post-season berth.  Sadly now they must win out to match 7-3, and, with better seasons by Midlothian and Hopewell this year, it looks like, again, 7-3 won't get it done.  They finish at Deep Run, at Tucker, then at Thomas Jefferson,

MIDLOTHIAN (4-2): Their loss to Benedictine may sting them personally and help them discover some glaring issues that must be addressed before their final playoff push, but it will never count in the eyes of the VHSL Rider Point kings, and that will probably end up being a blessing in disguise.  The reason for the "losing" declaration, though, is a failed chance in scheduling to at least beat another VHSL opponent to gain some rider points.  How quirky is the Rider Point System?  Midlothian's game didn't count and they STILL GAINED 1/3 of one point thanks to other team results, but they slid out of that 4th place tie for the final berth in the post-season and are now in fifth.....with the #1 offense in the Central Region, Atlee, breathing down their necks.  The Trojans' final three games are not gimmes.  Their Senior Night this Friday against Clover Hill should be a win, but after that are trips to Monacan (who had they not lost their top 2 quarterbacks to injury so early in the year may, too, have had a say in this playoff race) and to Manchester for a Week 10 rivalry game.  Again, the question will loom, would a Lancer victory over Midlothian spoil the Trojans' playoff hopes?  Is that enough motivation for a Manchester team playing out the string, with no hopes of post-season at all?

JUST KEPT SWIMMING:

HANOVER (6-1): The last time a field general kept the condition of his army this close to the vest in Central Virginia was probably in 1864.  No one could get definitive word from Coach Josh Just as to the condition of the shoulder of senior quarterback/punter Andrew Knizner.  He did not play in Friday's 40-0 win over Armstrong, and that was the extent of details coming from Chamberlayne Road.  There's really no way to know whether Knizner will return to action at any point in 2012, and that is probably why the information flow is non-existent.  He could be in a position that if Hanover advances to a certain point in the playoffs, he would be cleared to play....maybe.  But a small setback in rehab and recovery could change it all.  Have we seen the last of #11 on the football field for the Hawks?  We simply don't know.  What we DO know is Travis Barton took the load at QB in the Armstrong game, relying on L.J. Jones' ground game (wouldn't you?) while enjoying the gift of two defensive touchdowns by, who else, Sam Rogers, on interception returns.  The cast over his healing finger on his throwing hand is SO huge, it looked like, on TV, one of his interception returns had a football in his left arm and a swaddling baby in his right....very surreal.

L.J. Jones will be the focal point of Hanover's hopes offensively when they come to Lee-Davis on Friday.  He will have to match the performance of Confederates star tailback Chris Simpson, as field position and time of possession are going to be major, major keys in the game, as well as turnovers.  For Lee-Davis to ensure a playoff berth and have hope for home-field in the semis, they must defeat either Hanover Friday or Atlee in two weeks.  If the Hawks can survive Lee-Davis, they then must travel to Varina, a team that, frankly, pounded them in 2011.  Realistically, the Hawks are hoping for 8-2, the top seed, and a healthy #10 OR #11 available to go under center come playoff time.

ATLEE (4-3):  The Raiders ended their two-game losing streak, as Morris Jackson broke loose again for a six touchdown performance against Glen Allen to give him 25 rushing TD's on the season, and close to 1,500 yards in rushing.  Kenner Berry and Chad Jacob continued to shine, but, again, the Atlee defense disappointed.  They allowed 33 points to a team that only earned seven on their home field against Lee-Davis a week earlier.  Atlee gets Armstrong this Friday at home to help them get to 5-3 with two huge games in early November.  First, they must travel to Highland Springs November 2nd.  Now, in Atlee's favor, the Raiders do have the weapons to score more points on the Springers than either Hanover (21) or Lee-Davis (16) did.  The huge question is, can their defense stop L.J. Johnson and company?  The Springers only scored 24 on Hanover, 19 on Lee-Davis.  If Atlee could at least keep Highland Springs in the 20s, they have a chance.  If the Raiders enter Week 10 at home against Lee-Davis at 5-4, it's a possible "play-in" game scenario, especially if Lee-Davis is also 5-4.  The good news for the Raiders is, in VHSL Rider Points,  they gained 1.596 points with their Glen Allen victory and other factors, bumping their position from #7 to #6.  They are in a position to extend their season, but only if they do it on the field.  If they have to rely on help, they'll likely find little.....

DIVISION 5 PLAYOFF WATCH: WEEK 8 GAME SCHEDULE:

--Hanover (6-1) at Lee-Davis (4-3) (to be heard LIVE on WHAN, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM and on the internet/on smartphones via HanoverCountySports.org)

--Armstrong (2-5) at Atlee (4-3)
--Matoaca (3-4) at Dinwiddie (4-3)
--John Marshall (4-3) at Deep Run (4-3)
--Clover Hill (1-6) at Midlothian (4-3 (4-2 in VHSL standings)
--Petersburg (3-5) at Hopewell (5-2)

GAME TO WATCH: Hanover/Lee-Davis, without a doubt. Lee-Davis will have home-field advantage, will know they can play with and defeat Hanover, simply by comparing the two teams' performances against Highland Springs.  It will be more than the running game (L-D's Chris Simpson vs. Hanover's L.J. Jones), so other players will have to step up (Hanover's Donte Haynesworth and Lee-Davis' Deshaun Rogers come to mind....).  Turnovers?  Huge.  Special teams scoring?  Could make the difference.

A Hanover win almost guarantees a home regional semifinal and possibly, even if they lost to Varina, the number one seed.  If Lee-Davis can win, they again vault into home-field consideration, setting off a wild scramble in the final two weeks of the regular season in not only WHO makes the playoffs, but WHO plays WHERE come November 16th!

Buckle up, fans.  :)


Monday's Schedule: Volleyball Night!

BOYS VOLLEYBALL:

Henrico at Atlee, 6pm
Mills Godwin at Patrick Henry, 6:45pm (we will LIVE TWEET from this game: @hanoversports)
Lee-Davis at Hermitage, 7pm
Hanover at Highland Springs, 7pm

GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:

Patrick Henry at Mills Godwin, 6:45pm
Highland Springs at Hanover, 7pm

Friday, October 19, 2012

FOOTBALL FRIDAY: Week Seven!

Lee-Davis lost a classic, while Patrick Henry, Atlee and Hanover rolled to home victories......

PH 64, TJ 7: Tyler Phelps threw three second quarter touchdown passes to Khalil Mock in the second quarter as Patrick Henry rolled to a 64-7 win over Thomas Jefferson in Ashland tonight.  The Patriots (2-2, 2-5) recovered two Viking fumbles in the first two minutes of the game, scoring off both turnovers on Otis Harris touchdown runs.  Harris rushed for 150 yards.

ATLEE 56, GLEN ALLEN 33:  Another big night for Kenner Berry and the Atlee offense as the Raiders roll over the Jaguars to improve to 2-2 in the Capital, 4-3 overall, as they try to keep pace in the Division 5 playoff race, entering the night in 7th place in VHSL rider points.

HANOVER 40, ARMSTRONG 0: Sam Rogers would take not one, but two interceptions in for defensive touchdowns as the Hawks improved to 3-1 in the Capital, 6-1 overall heading into a Division 5, Capital District, AND county showdown in Mechanicsville next Friday at Lee-Davis......

HIGHLAND SPRINGS 19, LEE-DAVIS 16 (3 overtimes): What a game!  The Confederates, on the road, take an early 7-0 lead, but fell behind on a 3rd quarter Highland Springs punt return 13-7 before Brandon Sulser found Jordon Prentiss in the end zone for the tying touchdown.  Stephen Hall's extra point was blocked, forcing overtime.  Neither team scored in the first two overtimes, as Lee-Davis went for the win on fourth down at the end of the second overtime and failed to reach the end zone on a Prentiss run up the middle.  In the third overtime, Hall connected on a field goal for a 16-13 lead, but, on the game's final play, D.J. Johnson's, whose eight-yard touchdown run at the end of regulation ripped the heart out of Hanover three weeks ago, snuck in off right tackle, breaking the plane and securing the 19-16 victory.  Highland Springs stays unbeaten at 4-0, 7-0, and will go to winless Henrico next week before hosting high-scoring Atlee in two weeks (a game to be heard on WHAN Radio and here at HanoverCountySports.org on November 2nd.....)

Meanwhile, Lee-Davis (2-2, 4-3) comes home next Friday to battle Hanover in the Game of the Week on WHAN Radio (102.9 FM/1430 AM) and here at HanoverCountySports.org!


Monday, October 15, 2012

Division 5 Playoff Watch: Week 7 Preview!

Hanover's win solidifies their number one position in the Division 5 playoff standings, while John Marshall, Midlothian, and Atlee must bounce back after big losses last Friday night.

DIVISION 5 PLAYOFF STANDINGS: (last week's standings in parenthesis)

1) Hanover                                     26.333   (1)
2) Lee-Davis                                  24.0       (5)
3) Hopewell                                   23.833   (4)
4T) John Marshall and Midlothian   23.166   (2 and 3)
6) Dinwiddie                                  23.0       (8)
7) Atlee                                         21.833   (6T)
8) Glen Allen                                 21.2        (6T)

WEEK SIX WINNERS:

Lee-Davis: The easier-than-expected 31-7 win over Glen Allen was a must win, but came on a night where no less than four of the teams they're fighting against for playoff position lost.  Moving from outside the playoffs to home-field advantage in the Regional Semis has to give the Confederates more positive momentum.  A 1.6 point gain overall, but the rest of the way is brutal, beginning this Friday at Highland Springs.  Home dates follow with #1 Hanover and Armstrong, then they finish at Atlee, a place where they came, as Lee-Davis head coach Zac Hayden noted this summer, "three plays short" of winning a regional semifinal last November.  The Confederates/Raiders showdown November 9th could be a play-in game.

Dinwiddie: The Generals weren't sure what Thomas Dale team to expect last Friday in Chester.  It ended up being one playing for more than just pride, but Dinwiddie did what playoff teams do, win the must-win game. Their remaining schedule includes an intriguing trip to Hopewell November 2nd, but with wins against Colonial Heights, Matoaca and Petersburg expected, even a loss to Hopewell may not be enough to derail the Generals drive to the playoffs.  One big reason?  Those extra rider points Dinwiddie will get from playing the likes of Varina and Highland Springs in September.

Hopewell: The win over winless Colonial Heights was expected, but moving up to 3rd in playoff positioning, leap-frogging two of their closest competitors, John Marshall and Midlothian, makes it a good week.  What would have made it a great week?  Had they beaten Lee-Davis at home back in week two, they'd likely be in that #2 position.  By the way, Hopewell's last home playoff game?  A 14-13 win over Henrico on November 20, 2004.

WEEK SIX LOSERS:

Atlee: They were faced with a monster task, even at home, facing Varina.  For the second straight year, they gave up over 50 points to the Blue Devils.  Now 3-3, the Raiders welcome Glen Allen Friday in what should be a bounce back win for the Raiders, followed by a home date with Armstrong.  Their only road trip is week nine at vaunted Highland Springs, then it's back to the Rage Cage to host Lee-Davis in their all-important week ten matchup.  That upset loss to Douglas Freeman in week 3 is looming bigger and bigger all the time.  But note, they only lost 1/6 of a rider point.

John Marshall: We list Atlee before John Marshall, not because of what has been, but more due to what will be.  The Justices' road down the stretch is much more favorable now that they can put their 62-0 disaster at the hands of Hermitage behind them.  It IS conceivable for this team to get back on track and win at least three of their last four, all on the road (Freeman, Deep Run, Tucker, Thomas Jefferson).  We believe, though, that due to the weakness of their schedule (Colonial District plus Huguenot, Armstrong and Prince George in non-district play), Jayem probably has to win the rest of their games to absolutely insure an 11th game this year.  Their 7-3 finish last year wasn't good enough, and this year's playoff race has more horses in it.  The Hermitage game cost them over one rider point.

Midlothian: Remember last year before week 10 when the Central Region collectively looked at the VHSL rider point sheet and realized, "Midlothian's got a shot!"?  Well, that's why we've followed the Trojans from day one this season in our "group of seven" we've discussed on the Game of the Week on WHAN Radio. This week's 33-6 loss to L.C. Bird was tough, but they lost all of .034 rider points.  They share the same overall record as John Marshall (4-2), and their schedule down the stretch is, well, intriguing.  They finish a long homestand with Benedictine this Friday (a game which won't exist in the world of VHSL rider points), followed by Senior Night against disappointing Clover Hill.  In early November, they hit the road at Monacan, then at Manchester.  They should be, in VHSL-speak, 6-2 going to Manchester, a team that saw their slim playoff hopes slip away with the loss last week to Cosby.  Will they be playing out the string, or would the Lancers get some satisfaction in taking the Trojans out of the playoff picture?  It may come down to this: November 9th, Lee-Davis, Atlee, Hopewell, and John Marshall fans may all suddenly have a soft spot in their heart for those Lancers.

JUST KEPT SWIMMING:

Hanover:  It wasn't exactly easy, in fact, it was a three-hour emotional rollercoaster.  But the expected win did materialize, even if it wasn't in the way Hawk fans imagined it.  L.J. Jones went berserk, Sam Rogers returned in the nick of time, and Travis Barton held steady once Andrew Knizner went out with injury.  Their last two home games are Armstrong this Friday and Glen Allen on finale night.  In between are trips to Lee-Davis and Varina.  The Hawks probably have enough already laid away in the VHSL bank that, if they happened to lose to both Lee-Davis and Varina, they would probably still enter the post-season at 7-3.  The Hawks, now, are playing for home field advantage.  Three wins in the last four weeks should do that, as an 8-2 Hanover record would most certainly outpoint an 8-2 finish by John Marshall, Hopewell or Midlothian.  With Lee-Davis at Highland Springs this week, chances for the Confederates finishing 8-2 are marginal, but if they did, it would include a win over Hanover.  Just keep that in the back of your mind.

By the way, to tell Hanover fans and all readers, the "Just Kept Swimming" category is meant as a compliment, not a detriment.  It means a team did what they needed to do and expected to do, holding steady in their current position.  They even increased their rider point lead over second place from 2 to 2 1/3.

DIVISION 5 PLAYOFF WATCH GAMES--WEEK SEVEN:

Armstrong at Hanover
Lee-Davis at Highland Springs
Hopewell at Matoaca
John Marshall at Douglas Freeman
Midlothian at Benedictine (game will not count in VHSL rider points)
Dinwiddie at Colonial Heights
Glen Allen at Atlee

GAME TO WATCH: Lee-Davis at Highland Springs...a Confederate upset could turn the Division 5 home field picture upside down....

UPSET ALERT: Hopewell at Matoaca....Matoaca is not playing poorly, and, with rivalry games with Petersburg, Dinwiddie and at Prince George looming, will this young Blue Devil squad end up in a "trap game" situation that could put their post-season hopes at risk?





Field Hockey Results

Maggie Walker Governors School ended Patrick Henry's five-game winning streak with a 7-0 shutout win in wet Ashland Monday afternoon.  The Patriots move to 5-6 in the Colonial, 8-7 overall while the Green Dragons roll along at 11-1, 14-1.

The Atlee at Henrico game, scheduled for Monday at 6pm, was postponed to Tuesday at the same time.

Friday, October 12, 2012

FOOTBALL FRIDAY!! LISTEN LIVE!!

CLICK HERE to listen to the Hanover County High School Football Game of the Week as Lee-Davis battles Glen Allen!  Broadcast begins at 6:30 with kickoff at 7pm!  The game is also available in Metro Richmond on WHAN, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM!

WEEK SIX SCHEDULE: (all games at 7pm unless otherwise noted)

St. Anne's Belfield (0-6) at Collegiate (3-2), 3:45pm on WHAN, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM!

Lee-Davis (1-1, 3-2) at Glen Allen (1-1, 2-3)
Deep Run (2-0, 3-2) at Patrick Henry (1-1, 1-4)
Varina (2-0, 4-1) at Atlee (1-1, 3-2)

J.R. Tucker (1-1, 2-3) at Douglas Freeman (0-2, 2-3)
Hermitage (2-0, 5-0) at John Marshall (1-1, 4-1), 7:30pm at Hovey Field
Thomas Jefferson (0-2, 1-4) at Mills Godwin (1-1, 3-2)
Colonial Heights (0-2, 0-5) at Hopewell (1-1, 3-2)
Dinwiddie (1-1, 2-3) at Thomas Dale (1-1, 2-3)
Petersburg (2-1, 3-3) at Matoaca (1-1, 2-3)
Prince George (0-2, 2-3) at Meadowbrook (2-0, 4-1)
L.C. Bird (4-0, 5-0) at Midlothian (3-1, 4-1), 7:30pm
Manchester (3-1, 3-2) at Cosby (3-1, 4-2), 7:30pm
Clover Hill (1-2, 1-4) at James River (1-2, 1-4), 7:30pm
Huguenot (0-2, 0-5) at Monacan (2-2, 2-4), 7:30pm
Greensville (1-5) at George Wythe (0-5), 7:30pm
Courtland at Caroline, 7:30pm
Fluvanna at Powhatan, 7:30pm
King & Queen at West Point
New Kent at York
Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot at Fuqua
Trinity Episcopal at Maret, 4PM

SATURDAY:

Benedictine (5-1) at Bishop Ireton (0-6), 1pm
St. Christopher's (3-3) at Pope John Paul the Great (1-5), 1pm


Thursday, October 11, 2012

Thursday Scores!

Field Hockey: Glen Allen 1, Atlee 0

JV Football:
Patrick Henry 20, Deep Run 3
Hanover 13, Henrico 0
Glen Allen 6, Lee-Davis 0
Varina 22, Atlee 13

Girls Volleyball:
Lee-Davis 3, Henrico 0


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Tuesday Results/Wednesday Slate of Action!

TUESDAY'S SCORES:

Field Hockey: Patrick Henry 7, Hermitage 1 (PH has won four in a row!)

Boys Volleyball: Atlee 3, Lee-Davis 0
                         Hanover 3, Highland Springs 0
                        Patrick Henry at John Marshall, cancelled

Girls Volleyball: Atlee 3, Lee-Davis 0 (Atlee is unbeaten, 8-0 in Capital, 15-0 overall)
                         Hanover 3, Highland Springs 0
                        Patrick Henry at John Marshall, cancelled

WEDNESDAY'S SLATE:

Cross Country: Patrick Henry vs. Hermitage and Godwin at Tuckahoe Little League Park, 4:30pm
                       Lee-Davis vs. Glen Allen, Highland Springs, & Varina at Pole Green Park, 5pm

Field Hockey: Patrick Henry at J.R. Tucker, 5:30pm
                      Highland Springs at Hanover, 6pm
                      Glen Allen at Lee-Davis, 6pm

Boys Volleyball: Colonial Heights at Patrick Henry, 6:45pm




Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Division 5 Football Playoff Standings After Week 5

1) Hanover-----26.2
2) John Marshall-----24.2
3) Midlothian-----23.2
4) Hopewell-----22.6
5) Lee-Davis------22.4
6) Atlee and Glen Allen (tie)-----22.0
8) Dinwiddie-----21.0

A few notes:

Hanover certainly controls their destiny, and with really only two tough games in their last five (at Varina, at Lee-Davis), 8-2 would probably clinch top seed, while 7-3 would probably mean playoffs, but no certainty on seeding.

Both Atlee and Lee-Davis have work to do. Lee-Davis suddenly realizes a win over Glen Allen is a necessity Friday night on the road to keep the momentum up for playoff hopes, with the Jaguars just four-tenths of a point behind them in the race.  Glen Allen's VHSL schedule is only nine games, as the loss to Fredericksburg Christian, a private school, doesn't count.

Neither will Midlothian's game on October 19th against Benedictine. An upset over L.C. Bird at home this week would not only help them in gaining a top two playoff seed, it would suddenly catapult them into Dominion District title talk.  But, first things first, they have to knock off the Skyhawk juggernaut.

John Marshall has to face #1 Hermitage in the Willie Lanier Classic at Hovey Field on the campus of Virginia Union Friday night.  If they fall, as expected, then expect the gap in points between #2 and #6 to tighten rather significantly.  This would probably put JM into a position where, to assure a playoff berth, they'd better win out (all road games against Deep Run, Freeman, Tucker, and Thomas Jefferson).  Last year, they finished 7-3 and missed the playoffs.  They certainly don't want that to happen two years in a row.

Finally, expect Dinwiddie's rise in the point standings to begin this week, even though they have to face an embarrassed Thomas Dale on the road. The Generals should win this game, BUT, the Knights are ultra-talented, very disappointed in their 2-3 record thus far, and, if they can light the fuse, they could take their frustrations out on Dinwiddie, severely damaging the playoff hopes of the team thought to be, in September, the biggest threat to Hanover's hope to repeat as Division 5 Regional Champions.

Sunday, October 07, 2012

Saturday Score, Division 5 Playoff Update

In the Colonial District Saturday, a big day for Mills Godwin's quarterback Dane Forlines as the Eagles handed John Marshall their first loss of 2012, 28-6.  Forlines threw three touchdown passes and added another score on special teams with a punt return.

The lone John Marshall score was on a kickoff return by John Thompson.  The Justices offense failed to score for the first time this season.

DIVISION 5 PLAYOFF CONTENDERS:

The following seven teams are on our radar as teams most likely to earn a Division 5 Wild Card playoff berth.  Hanover and Dinwiddie, the two teams most thought to have a chance at winning their respective districts, have already lost one district game each, and would need outside help to win the Capital or Central, thus getting an automatic berth.  That would shift a wild card berth to Division 6, though it is likely that all four Division 6 playoff berths will be clinched by teams winning their districts.

The teams are listed in order by our belief in their realistic chances of making the playoffs:

1) HANOVER:
        ---4-1 overall, 1-1 in the Capital after barely escaping 35-32 over Atlee at home Friday night.  They should get Sam Rogers and Brennan Gary back from injury soon.  Their next two weeks are against Henrico and Armstrong, with their next stiff test on the road in week eight at Lee-Davis October 26th.  Then they must travel to Varina before finishing at home with Glen Allen, where they'll be heavily favored.  The biggest issue for the Hawks in the second half is, simply, to win the games they're supposed to win to ensure a high playoff seed, and MORE importantly, stay healthy.  They overcame the injury bug through creative solutions to get to the State Semis last season.  They'd rather not have to get creative by force again this year, wanting all hands on deck for this, the final run of this celebrated football class of 2013 from Hawk Nation.

2) DINWIDDIE:
        ---2-3 overall, 1-1 in the Central after falling at home to Meadowbrook 41-27.  The Generals have faced a brutal first half schedule, losing to Varina by 7, Highland Springs by 2, and now to the Monarchs, putting them at a disadvantage in the Central District race.  The road gets easier for the young Generals in the second half, playing at a disappointing Thomas Dale, at winless Colonial Heights, home to Matoaca, at Hopewell in what will be a key game in the playoff race, and finishing at home against Petersburg.  A 6-4 or 7-3 record, combined with all the extra VHSL rider points they'll rack up from playing Varina and Highland Springs, who may finish the season a combined 18-2, should get the Generals a return trip to the postseason, though maybe without the home-field advantage they've enjoyed in some past seasons.

3) MIDLOTHIAN:
        ---4-1 overall, 3-1 in the Dominion after coming from behind to clip James River 20-10.  Their lone first half loss was to Cosby.  They continue a six-game homestand this week when Dominion favorite L.C. Bird comes to face the Trojans, in what will likely be the last legitimate chance for a team to hand the Skyhawks a Dominion District loss, though having to come from behind to defeat James River doesn't bode well for a battle with L.C. Bird, who seemingly has won the Dominion District since 1956, even though the school didn't open until 1978.  But, back to Midlothian.  After Bird, the Trojans play Benedictine and Clover Hill at home before finishing on the road at Monacan and Manchester.  The Benedictine game will not count in the VHSL playoff race, so, if they come into week 10 at 6-2 (not counting Benedictine), a win over Manchester may clinch a playoff berth, while a loss could endanger their chances, depending upon the fortunes of the next four teams.....

4) ATLEE:
        ---3-2 overall, 1-1 in the Capital.  They've gained a ton of yards, scored a ton of points, given up a ton of points and had their hearts broken twice, losing two games in the final seconds by a combined four points.  That stretch included four road games, so they'll enjoy four home games in the final five weeks, the only road trip in week 9 November 2nd to Highland Springs.  They tangle with Varina this week, a team that embarrassed them in 2011, 54-11, but afterwards they face Glen Allen and Armstrong at home, at Highland Springs, and finish welcoming Lee-Davis, another week 10 game that may decide playoff participants.  I mentioned during our radio coverage of Atlee/Hanover this weekend that if the Atlee defense can show serious improvement in the second half of the season while keeping the pedal down on offense, the Raiders could make serious noise in the D-5 playoff race.

5) LEE-DAVIS:
        ---3-2 overall, 1-1 in the Capital.  The no-nonsense, blue collar Confederates, too, have had a tough first half schedule, beginning with Hermitage, then a comeback win at Hopewell, holding off Patrick Henry at the Tomato Bowl, then losing convincingly to Varina before Friday's homecoming win against Henrico.  Their second half sees them going to Glen Allen, then to Highland Springs, before back-to-back home games with Hanover and Armstrong before going to Atlee for their traditional week 10 showdown.  To finish 6-4 like they did in 2011, they must beat Glen Allen, Armstrong, and one of the big three left on their schedule: Highland Springs, Hanover, or Atlee.  Last year, it was the upset of Atlee in the season finale that clinched a playoff berth.  Which game will decide their fortunes this year?  And will that game even involve them?  One important note: the Confederates week two win over Hopewell may come back to haunt the Blue Devils...

6) HOPEWELL:
        ---3-2 overall, 1-1 in the Central. The Blue Devils dug a hole early letting their lead against Lee-Davis at home September 14th slip away, but regained their confidence in a big way this past Friday, traveling to Thomas Dale and pulling the last-second upset, 14-7.  The second half of their schedule is favorable, hosting winless Colonial Heights this week, then to Matoaca, back home for Petersburg and a week 9 showdown with Dinwiddie, suddenly a winnable game for Hopewell, then finishing at traditional rival Prince George.  A 7-3 record isn't out of the question, though if week 10 at Prince George is a "win and you're in" situation, the Royals would love nothing more than make sure their arch rivals sit on the playoff bench with them.  A 6-4 finish may not be enough, especially since Lee-Davis gets more points from Hopewell wins than Hopewell gets for Lee-Davis wins.  Head-to-head matchups do not determine playoff spots, but can certainly affect them.

7) JOHN MARSHALL:
        ---4-1 overall, 1-1 in the Colonial. Before Saturday, John Marshall would have been listed in either the #3 or #4 position here.  But after their disappointing home performance against Mills Godwin, suddenly questions are raised about the Justices.  Their wins so far don't produce many VHSL rider points (Huguenot, Armstrong, Prince George, Patrick Henry).  Still to come are Hermitage at VUU's Hovey Field Friday night in the first Willie Lanier Classic, then trips to Douglas Freeman, Deep Run, J.R. Tucker, then their city showdown in week 10 at Thomas Jefferson, a rare home game for the Vikings.  Having almost lost to PH and then the Godwin loss, suddenly we question how many wins the Justices can muster in their last five games.  We think anything is conceivable from 4-1 to 1-4.  They should beat Thomas Jefferson, and they won't beat Hermitage.  An 8-2 record would probably get them into the playoffs.  Last year, a 7-3 record couldn't outpoint a 6-4 Lee-Davis team.  Yes, this year, the Colonial District grabbed a couple of key head-to-head non-district wins over Capital teams (J.R. Tucker over Henrico, Douglas Freeman over Atlee) which could make that similar scenario much closer this season.  The Justices have to hope Lee-Davis finishes 5-5.

Saturday, October 06, 2012

Hanover wins a classic, relive it Saturday!

A back and forth titanic struggle between arch rivals Hanover and Atlee came down, as it should, to the game's final play.

Last season, the kicking and punting of Joseph Pulisic was instrumental in Atlee's 24-14 win over Hanover, a signature victory in the tenure of head coach Roscoe Johnson.

A year later, special teams came back to haunt the Raiders.  Multiple two-point conversion tries failed, and, with three seconds left, Chandler Crescentini pushed a 26-yard field goal attempt to send the game into overtime wide right, and the Hanover Hawks survived 35-32 over Atlee.

The Hawks (1-1, 4-1) were again without Sam Rogers, recovering from finger surgery last week.  The Raiders (1-1, 3-2) fell just short of a second straight regular season win over Hanover.

Both teams are and will be in the thick of the Division 5 playoff race over the next five weeks.

REMINDER: You can relive this classic by listening to the special delayed broadcast of Atlee/Hanover Saturday at 12Noon on WHAN Radio, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM.  After the game, stay tuned for a special LIVE postgame show, where Rob Witham, the voice of Hanover County High School Football, will break down the first half of the season, and the Division 5 playoff race and we get set for the homestretch of the regular season!

OTHER SCORES!

Patrick Henry 45, Douglas Freeman 28 (BIG road win, Patriots' first victory of 2012!)
Lee-Davis 42, Henrico 12 (homecoming romp as the Confederates move to 3-2!)

Friday, October 05, 2012

FOOTBALL FRIDAY! Listen LIVE to Atlee/Hanover Tonight!

CLICK HERE to listen to tonight's showdown between Atlee (1-0, 3-1) and Hanover (0-1, 3-1) LIVE from Hanover High School!

NOTE: Tonight's broadcast will start at a special time of 6:45PM.  Due to Randolph-Macon Football, the game will not be heard live on WHAN Radio, but a special rebroadcast of the game WILL air Saturday at 12 Noon on WHAN, 102.9 FM and 1430 AM in Metro Richmond!

OTHER WEEK FIVE GAMES (games start at 7pm unless otherwise noted):

Collegiate (3-1) at Woodberry Forest (2-2), 3:15pm on WHAN Radio

Henrico (0-1, 0-4) at Lee-Davis (0-1, 2-2), homecoming in Mechanicsville!
Patrick Henry (0-1, 0-4) at Douglas Freeman (0-1, 2-2)
Glen Allen (1-0, 2-2) at Highland Springs (1-0, 4-0)
Hermitage (1-0, 4-0) at J.R. Tucker (1-0, 2-2), 7:30pm
Thomas Jefferson (0-1, 1-3) at Deep Run (1-0, 2-2)
Matoaca (0-1, 1-3) at Colonial Heights (0-1, 0-4)
Hopewell (0-1, 2-2) at Thomas Dale (2-0, 2-2)
Meadowbrook (1-0, 3-1) at Dinwiddie (1-0, 2-2)
Prince George (0-1, 2-2) at Petersburg (1-1, 2-3)
Cosby (3-0, 4-1) at L.C. Bird (3-0, 4-0), 7:30pm
James River (1-1, 1-3) at Midlothian (2-1, 3-1), 7:30pm
Manchester (1-1, 2-2) at Clover Hill (1-1, 1-3), 7:30pm
George Wythe (0-3, 0-4) at Monacan (1-2, 1-4), 7:30pm
Powhatan (0-0, 3-2) at Western Albemarle (1-0, 5-0)
Nottoway (1-1, 2-3) at Goochland (2-0, 3-2)
Northampton (0-4) at King William (4-1)
Caroline at James Monroe
Fork Union Military Academy (5-1) at St. Christopher's (3-2), 4pm
Paul VI (3-2) at Benedictine (4-1), 4:30pm

SATURDAY:
Mills Godwin (1-0, 2-2) at John Marshall (1-0, 4-0), 1pm
Trinity Episcopal (3-2) at Bishop Sullivan (3-2), 12:30pm

Bye: Huguenot (0-3, 0-5)

Thursday, October 04, 2012

Thursday Night Volleyball and JV Football!

The Atlee Raiders boys volleyball team remained unbeaten in the Capital District with a hard-fought 3-0 win over second-place Glen Allen. Game scores were 25-15, 25-20, 25-22.  The second game saw the Jaguars (5-2, 10-5) in the lead most of the way, as the Raiders didn't go out in front until grabbing a 16-15 advantage.

Atlee (7-0, 12-2) was led by Justin Luu's 21 digs, while Matt Rohr had 11 kills, 3 aces and 8 digs. The Raiders host Hanover on Monday night at 7pm.

In the Colonial District, Mills Godwin held off Patrick Henry in four sets, 25-18, 25-19, 16-25, 25-22. The Patriots, now 7-3 in the Colonial (as is Godwin), 9-3 overall, was led by Scott Brigham with 22 kills, 10 digs and 4 aces.  Patrick Henry is next set to face John Marshall on the road Monday afternoon.

Highland Springs defeated Lee-Davis in four sets Thursday night, 26-24, 21-25, 25-19, 25-15 to up their record to 4-2 in the Capital, 5-5 overall.  Lee-Davis fell to 3-5 in the Capital, 6-6 overall, and next must face Atlee, at Lee-Davis, on Monday.

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Atlee's unbeaten girls volleyball team rolled on with a 3-0 sweep at Glen Allen, 25-16, 25-15, 25-13, to advance to 7-0 in the Capital District, and 14-0 overall. The rematch with #2 Lee-Davis will be held this Tuesday night at Atlee at 7pm.

Mills Godwin stayed unbeaten in the Colonial by virtue of a 3-0 sweep of Patrick Henry Thursday, 25-16, 25-9, 25-15.  Ellen Davidson had 16 digs for the Patriots, who are now 4-5 in the Colonial, 4-8 overall.  Mills Godwin is 10-0, 15-1.

Hanover disposed of Henrico in Capital District play in a three-game sweep, with scores of 25-23, 25-11, 25-12. Kendall Pully led the Hawks with 18 assists, 2 digs, 2 kills and an ace, while Rebecca Hoover had 9 aces plus 12 digs.  Hanover advances to 4-3 in the Capital District, 8-5 overall.

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JV FOOTBALL:

Douglas Freeman scored 36 points in the first half en route to a 43-0 shutout win over Patrick Henry in Ashland Thursday night.

Meanwhile the Hanover Hawks took the lead for good on a touchdown with less than seven minutes remaining, then the defense sealed a win with two interceptions, one returned for a touchdown, as Hanover beat rival Atlee on the road, 26-14.

Dwayne Holmes intercepted Atlee's first pass after taking possession after the lead change, and the Hawks drove to the Atlee 12.  Their drive stalled, but they took precious time off the clock, as Atlee took over at their own 12 with one timeout and only two minutes to play.  Faced with a fourth down with 1:10 to go, the Raider pass was tipped and intercepted by Kevin Sesson who returned the ball all the way for the insurance score.


Wednesday, October 03, 2012

Hanover Survives Atlee in Field Hockey....

A quick start, a long time of defense, and a second wind.

That was the winning formula for Hanover at home Wednesday evening as they defeated Atlee in field hockey.

A 2-2 tie was not settled in overtime, and Hanover won 2-1 on strokes.

The Hawks scored both their goals within the first ten minutes of regulation, holding a 2-0 lead at halftime.  But the Raiders (7-2, 9-3) came out with a much higher level of energy and intensity, scoring early in the second half, then tying the game in the final 10 minutes, forcing extra time.

It was the Hawks with the surge in overtime, spending most of the period in their offensive zone, but unable to score the winning goal.

The Hanover win gives Lee-Davis an advantage in the Capital District regular season title race with two weeks left in the schedule.

Tuesday, October 02, 2012

Tuesday Events!

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PLEASE DO!

We break news, post scores, and schedule changes on our Facebook and Twitter pages, then give you scores and details right here on our web site.

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And, go to Facebook and search "HanoverCountySports.org" to "like" our page and be in the know!

Other Monday Scores....

Central Region Golf Tournament, Day One (Jefferson/Lakeside CC):

Team Standings (after day 1):
1) Matoaca 306
2T) Mills Godwin 308
2T) James River 308
4) Deep Run 309
5) Thomas Dale 313

Weather permitting, day two tees off at 8am at Stonehenge Country Club in Midlothian.  The Lee-Davis and Atlee teams will tee off in the 8am hour.  The leaders (Matoaca, Godwin, James River, Deep Run) tee off in the 9am hour.  Other individuals attempting to qualify for the state tournament next weekend will tee off in the 10am hour.

Stonehenge Country Club is in Midlothian.  Take Midlothian Pike west past Huguenot, then turn left on Farnham Road.

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GIRLS VOLLEYBALL:

Glen Allen defeats Hanover 3 sets to 1 (25-16, 34-36, 25-18, 25-17)

Mary Dustin had 8 kills, 5 aces, and 4 digs for the Hawks, joined by her teammate Rebecca Hoover with 2 aces and 14 digs, plus Katie Wolfram contributed with 4 kills, 3 digs, and 3 blocks.  Lauren Wells led Glen Allen with 15 digs, 29 assists, and 4 aces.

Hanover is now 3-2 in the Capital, 7-5 overall, while Glen Allen falls to 4-2 in the Capital 10-5 overall. Hanover next must battle the unbeaten Atlee Raiders on the home Tuesday night in a 7pm game.

Monday, October 01, 2012

Atlee Senior Day Goes Well in Field Hockey!

Due to the absence of lights, the Atlee field hockey team have to play their final home game a little earlier in the season than they'd like.  But, tied atop the Capital District going into the homestretch of the season, this veteran squad knows exactly what it has to do.

Seniors Ally Ritchie and Paige Brazee each scored 90 seconds apart early on, as the Raiders took a 2-0 advantage over Highland Springs.  Atlee added a third goal before halftime off the stick of fellow senior Hayley Smith.

Head Coach Alyssa Farling did take opportunities to give players time at different positions, as, down the road, one never knows who may be pushed into a sudden, important role on the team.

Highland Springs never quit, and, with less than two minutes left, Jasmine Cousins got the lone goal for the Springers. Sarah Scaplehorn and Lauren Maimone tallied second half goals for Atlee for the 5-1 final.

Numa Rehmeni and Lexa Roland split goaltending duties during the match.  Combined they faced five Highland Springs shots on goal and had three save.  Meanwhile, Highland Springs senior goalkeeper Alisha Banks had 16 saves.

Now the Raiders, still tied for first in the Capital District with Lee-Davis, have to hope to win their final five and have the Confederates lose one.  Otherwise, a tie in the standings at season's end would force a one-game playoff for the regular season crown and the top berth in the Field Hockey tournament.

Atlee is currently 7-1 in the Capital District, 9-2 overall.  They next battle Hanover at Hanover Wednesday at 6pm, followed by a date at Glen Allen next Monday, October 8th.