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Parry McCluer (5-2) at Altavista (7-0)
WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Altavista High School in Altavista LAST YEAR: The Blues suffered a 48-8 loss to Altavista in their homecoming game. The Colonels racked up 389 total yards of offense, while their suffocating defense held PM to just 71 yards. Altavista’s Ladainian Stone led all players with 138 rushing yards on 13 carries and scored two touchdowns, while teammate Rosser Farmer ran the ball eight times for 119 yards and scored three TDs. Quarterback Jordan Pippin rushed for 90 yards and a TD on 15 totes. Stone and Farmer each scored a TD in the first quarter to put Altavista in control early. The Blues’ only TD came later in the quarter when JJ Jones ran it 36 yards into the end zone, and Jackson Brockenbrough then made a two-point conversion to cut Altavista’s lead to 12-8. After a scoreless second quarter, the Colonels pulled away with five rushing TDs in the second half. Jones led PM with 30 yards on eight carries, while Brockenbrough rushed for 27 yards on 14 totes, and quarterback Nathan Glass completed 4-of-14 passes for 35 yards.
THE SCOOP: This nondistrict game will allow the Blues to test themselves against an undefeated opponent. PM is coming off a 37-6 win at Craig County last Friday, while Altavista beat Gretna 28-14. To compete against the Colonels, the Blues will need to move their offense effectively and contain Stone, now a senior. Farmer and Pippin have graduated, but sophomore quarterback Cooper Brooks has been solid.
THE NEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK: We see the Blues getting scoring from Brockenbrough and on passes from Glass, but Altavista’s offense, which has scored more than 50 points three times this season, will be tough to stop. The Blues will fight hard, but we see Altavista dealing them a 37-30 loss.
Spotswood (5-3) at Rockbridge County (1-6)
WHEN: 7 p.m. on Friday WHERE: Prasnicki-Ross Field at Veterans Stadium in Lexington. Tickets are $7.
LAST YEAR: In their most lopsided defeat of the season, the Wildcats suffered a 64-6 road loss to Spotswood. Quarterback Elliott Brown threw four touchdown passes, three in the first quarter, to help the Trailblazers take a 50-0 halftime lead. The Blazers added two TDs in the second half, and the Wildcats scored their lone TD in the fourth quarter when lineman Brady Edwards recovered a Spotswood fumble to set up quarterback Jayden Layman for an 18yard touchdown pass to Simon Emore. Spotswood racked up 379 total yards of offense, with 202 passing yards from Brown and 177 rushing yards from nine different players. Spotswood held the Wildcats to 157 total yards – 47 passing yards and 110 rushing yards. The Blazers went on to win the district title over Turner Ashby.
THE SCOOP: The Wildcats are coming off their first win in nearly two years, a 26-17 road victory over Harrisonburg on Oct. 11 to snap a 17-game losing streak and improve to 1-2 in the district. With a bye last week, the Wildcats had some extra time to recover and prepare for this game. Spotswood is 3-1 in the district, suffering a 17-10 loss to Broadway on Oct. 4. Last Friday, the Blazers dealt Harrisonburg a 34-7 loss. Brown, now a senior, passed for 147 yards and three TDs. In their homecoming game, the Wildcats will have their hands full trying to stop the Blazers, who are battling for a berth in the Region 3C playoffs.
THE NEWS-GAZETTE’S PICK: We see the Wildcats carrying some of the momentum from their win two weeks ago, but Spotswood has too many weapons to contend with and will deal RC a 28-14 loss.
