Football playoffs begin for 5 Henrico high schools
November means playoffs. High school football teams throughout Henrico County are gearing up for the final push towards the ultimate goal: a state title.
This year, Henrico has four teams in contention for the state title in Class 5, and another in Class 4. Here is a breakdown of the key matchups and story lines worth watching for this week around the county.
Class 5, Region C: The odyssey Continues for Springers, Panthers, Jaguars, and Mavericks
Highland Springs-James River
Last week Highland Springs secured its eighth win of the season and top seed for playoffs, and Head Coach Loren Johnson tallied his 200th career victory. Ever the perennial favorite, the Springers have found themselves yet again right where they want to be. Their win secured home field advantage against No. 8 seed James River High School Nov. 13.
The Springers righted themselves after a 21-7 Week 2 loss to a talented Huguenot offense, winning six in a row. Their late season perfection was interrupted only by a barnstorming Class 4 Varina program two weeks ago, 18-14. But both of those losses were to teams in different classifications, meaning that the Springers won't see either again.
For Johnson and the Springer faithful-last week’s win signals that the stars seem well aligned to make another deep playoff run. If the Springers survive their matchup against James River this week, they will look forward to the winner of the No. 5 Glen Allen vs. No. 4 Hermitage game (also Nov. 13) to determine their opponent for the semi-finals game.
Takeaway: Can the Springers continue to dominate on both sides of the ball down the stretch?
Hermitage-Glen Allen
Questions circled around the Panthers' depth chart and available talent this season. The great variable? Four-year lettermen, but a first year quarterback starter in Myles Brooks. Would Brooks – a product of a multiyear program rebuilding – be able to keep his team competitive down the stretch?
The Panthers have played with pride and ended the regular season with a two-game win streak heading into the postseason. They stand at 7-3, with wins over Matoaca, Henrico, Deep Run, Godwin, Glen Allen, and Douglas Freeman. Their only losses? Trinity, Highland Springs, and Varina – three schools with an established pipeline of talent on both sides of the ball.
Brooks helped pulled through and the Panthers took care of the ball. Last week, he was 6 for 10 passing for 92 yards and two touchdowns, helped in no small part by senior running back Jahson Allums, who notched three touchdowns of his own on 11 carries for a total of 202 yards against Thomas Jefferson.
The week prior, Brooks helped his team rebound from a 25-17 loss against Highland Springs to defeat Freeman, 21-7. Friday's playoffs game will be as a rematch from the regular season for the Panthers, who defeated Glen Allen 41-7 in Week 7.
Should the Panthers prevail, they’ll face the winner of the Highland Springs-James River matchup in a semifinal game.
Takeaway: Can the Panthers keep it going?
Class 4, Region A: A tempest awaits the Blue Devils
Varina-Spotyslvania
The Blue Devils stand in a field of their own entering this post season; they’ve been on an odyssey, and Blue Devils fans have been in the thick of it.
Varina has played teams from Roanoke, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Greensboro N.C, and even three of the four Hanover County high schools. Varina fans survived overtime thrillers, nail biters, and even a tie forced upon them at the hands of Mother Nature herself.
Week in and week out, the Blue Devils have answered the call. Head Coach Marcus Lewis has run his offense with poise and purpose, and under his leadership the Devils have continued to thrive.
Their gifts? Quickness and depth. The Blue Devils have a stable full of running backs, receiver talent, and dual threat quarterbacks composed enough to still pose a threat downfield when plays break down.
Varina’s 8-1-1 record places it as the No. 2 seed in Region 4A behind an unbeaten Louisa County, which finished its season with a perfect 10-0 record and is lined up to face two teams in the playoffs that it's already beaten this season.
For Varina, it’s Louisa County that emerges as the only true contender on the other side of the bracket. On the Blue Devils' side is a first-round matchup with No. 6 seed Spotsylvania, likely followed one with No. 3 seed Huguenot (which like Varina has a win over Highland Springs this season).
Takeaway: Can the Blue Devils weather the eye of the storm?
