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What will this weekend’s Virginia High School League football playoffs bring to the surface?
Maybe go back on the calendar to Oct. 9-10 for a hint.
Five of the 24 region finals this week are rematches from that weekend: James Madison at Westfield in Class 6, Loudoun Valley at Loudoun County in Class 4, Ridgeview at Union in Class 2, and Rye Cove at Eastside and George Wythe at Grayson County in Class 1.
Seven other region finals also are rematches of 2024 games: Woodbridge at North Stafford (6B), Lake Braddock at West Springfield (6C), Hermitage at Highland Springs (5C), Skyline at Kettle Run (3B), Liberty Christian at Heritage-Lynchburg (3C), Rappahannock at Essex (1A) and Buffalo Gap at Riverheads (1B).
Three games will kick off Friday afternoon, with 14 scheduled Friday night and seven on Saturday afternoon.
VHSL FOOTBALL REGION FINALS
CLASS 6
REGION 6A
No. 2 Thomas Dale (10-1) at No. 1 Oscar Smith (10-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Thomas Dale (Chester); Oscar Smith (Chesapeake)
Coaches: Thomas Dale (Kevin Tucker); Oscar Smith (Chris Smith)
How they got here: Thomas Dale had a first-round bye and defeated Manchester 27-21; Oscar Smith had a first-round bye and defeated L.C. Bird 50-0.
Series history: Oscar Smith leads 3-1-0
Last meeting: Oscar Smith won 49-3 in the region final in the 2021 spring season.
Playoff history: Thomas Dale won the Division 6 state title in 2009, was a runner-up in 2001 and 1992. Oscar Smith owns five Class 6 state titles (2024, 2021, 2020, 2011, 2008), and the Tigers had five state runner-up finishes from 2013-2019.
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REGION 6B
No. 4 Woodbridge (11-1) at No. 3 North Stafford (9-3)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
School locations: Woodbridge (Woodbridge); North Stafford (Stafford)
Coaches: Woodbridge (Jimmy Longerbeam); North Stafford (Marquez Hall)
How they got here: Woodbridge defeated Patriot 41-21 and No. 1 Colonial Forge 35-34; North Stafford defeated Independence 52-14 and No. 2 Battlefield 21-6.
Series history: Woodbridge leads 11-7.
Last meeting: North Stafford won 42-35 on Sept. 19.
Playoff history: Woodbridge has two state runner-up finishes: 2007 in Division 6 and 1974 in Group AAA. North Stafford placed second in Class 5 in 2004 and reached Class 5 state semifinals in 2015 and 2018.
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REGION 6C
No. 3 Lake Braddock (9-3) at No. 1 West Springfield (10-2)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
School locations: Lake Braddock (Burke); West Springfield (Springfield)
Coaches: Lake Braddock (Mike Dougherty); West Springfield (Anthony Parker)
How they got here: Lake Braddock defeated Mount Vernon 34-13 and No. 2 South County 33-24; West Springfield defeated West Potomac 48-13 and Fairfax 28-7
Series history: Lake Braddock leads 35-19
Last meeting: West Springfield won 34-31 on Nov. 7.
Playoff history: Lake Braddock reached the Class 6 state final in 2009, losing to Thomas Dale, and made state semifinals in 2023 and 2024. West Springfield made the Group AAA championship game in 1980, falling to Hampton.
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REGION 6D
James Madison (8-4) at Westfield (9-3)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
School locations: James Madison (Vienna); Westfield (Chantilly)
Coaches: James Madison (Justin Counts); Westfield (Scott Vossler)
How they got here: James Madison defeated George Marshall 42-31 and Centreville 35-34; Westfield defeated Washington-Liberty 56-28 and South Lakes 31-21.
Series history: James Madison leads 7-6.
Last meeting: Westfield won 17-16 on Oct. 10.
Playoff history: James Madison has made three of the last four Class 6 finals, including a 21-20 loss to Oscar Smith in 2024. Westfield is the only school to win three consecutive state titles in the VHSL’s highest division (2015-17).
CLASS 5
REGION 5A
No. 3 Indian River (10-2) at No. 1 Green Run (12-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Indian River (Chesapeake); Green Run (Virginia Beach)
Coaches: Indian River (Glenwood Ferebee); Green Run (Brandon Williams)
How they got here: Green Run defeated Deep Creek 36-14 and Salem-Virginia Beach 28-7; Indian River defeated Kempsville 47-14 and No. 2 Frank Cox 42-3.
Series history: Indian River leads 4-2.
Last meeting: Green Run won 22-19 in the 2024 region semifinal.
Playoff history: Indian River won the Division 5 title in 1995 with state semifinal berths in 1993, 2015 and 2023. Green Run made state semifinals in 2021 and 2024, losing to Maury on both occasions.
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REGION 5B
No. 2 Maury (11-1) at No. 1 King’s Fork (11-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Maury (Norfolk); King’s Fork (Suffolk)
Coaches: Maury (Dyrri McCain); King’s Fork (Anthony Joffrion)
How they got here: Maury defeated Woodside 64-6 and Warwick 42-10; King’s Fork defeated Granby 38-6 and Bethel 45-28
Series history: Maury leads 1-0.
Last meeting: Maury won 38-14 in the 2024 region final.
Playoff history: Maury was the Group AAA runner-up in 1972, long before beginning a run of six Class 5 finals appearances from 2019-24, with championships in ’19, ’23 and ’24 capped by a 46-0 win over Briar Woods. King’s Fork was a 2021 Class 5 semifinalist and was a region finalist five other times, including back-to-back losses to Maury in 2023-24.
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REGION 5C
No. 5 Hermitage (10-2) at No. 2 Highland Springs (9-3)
Friday, 2:30 p.m.
School locations: Hermitage (Richmond); Highland Springs (Highland Springs)
Coaches: Hermitage (Timothy Jean-Pierre); Highland Springs (Loren Johnson)
How they got here: Hermitage defeated No. 4 Midlothian 26-14 and No. 1 Patrick Henry-Roanoke 38-7; Highland Springs defeated Glen Allen 28-9 and William Fleming 37-7
Series history: Highland Springs leads 37-35-5.
Last meeting: Highland Springs won 31-28 on Oct. 24.
Playoff history: Hermitage was the Division 6 runner-up to Battlefield in 2010 and was a state semifinalist in 1984 and 2007. Highland Springs has played in eight state finals, winning Class 5 titles in 2015, ’16, ’17, ’18 and ’22. The Springers were the Class 6 runner-up in 2023 and Group AAA runner-up in 1978.
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REGION 5D
No. 2 Riverbend (11-0) at No. 1 Stone Bridge (10-1)
Friday, 1 p.m.
School locations: Riverbend (Fredericksburg); Stone Bridge (Ashburn)
Coaches: Riverbend (Ed Webb); Stone Bridge (Kedrick Golston)
How they got here: Riverbend had a first-round bye and defeated Potomac Falls 56-0; Stone Bridge had a first-round bye and defeated John Champe, 41-0.
Series history: Stone Bridge leads 2-1.
Last meeting: Riverbend won 35-21 in the 2024 region semifinal.
Playoff history: Riverbend has won a playoff game each of the past eight years but has advanced to only one previous region final, losing to Briar Woods 32-15 in 2024.
CLASS 4
REGION 4A
No. 4 Phoebus (8-3) at No. 2 Lafayette (11-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Phoebus (Hampton); Lafayette (Williamsburg)
Coaches: Phoebus (Jeremy Blunt); Lafayette (Andy Linn)
How they got here: Phoebus defeated Churchland 26-21 and No. 1 Hampton 47-35; Lafayette defeated Denbigh 40-0 and Smithfield 35-6.
Series history: Phoebus leads 13-8-1.
Last meeting: Phoebus won 29-18 in the region first round in the 2021 spring season.
Playoff history: Phoebus has 11 VHSL championships: seven in Class 5 (2001-02, 2006, 2008-11), two in Class 4 (2023-24) and two in Class 3 (2021-22). Phoebus has a string of four championships and 21 wins. Lafayette was the last team to defeat Phoebus in the postseason, a 29-18 decision in 2018 in Class 4. Lafayette has state titles in 2001 over Pulaski County and 2021 over Lord Botetourt (spring). Lafayette also placed second in 1973 to Patrick Henry-Roanoke in Group AAA, to Salem in 1998 in Division 4, to Heritage-Lynchburg in 2002 in Division 4 and to Liberty Christian in 2023 in Class 3.
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REGION 4B
No. 4 Varina (10-2) at No. 3 Huguenot (11-1)
Saturday, 1:30 p.m.
School locations: Varina (Richmond); Huguenot (Richmond)
Coaches: Varina (Marcus Lewis); Huguenot (Charles Scott)
How they got here: Varina defeated Courtland 47-6 and No. 1 Dinwiddie 34-0; Huguenot defeated Spotsylvania 52-10 and No. 2 Louisa County 34-11.
Series history: Varina leads 5-1.
Last meeting: Varina won 26-0 in the 2024 region semifinal.
Playoff history: Varina won the 2021 Class 4 title 28-21 over Broad Run. Varina was the Class 6 runner-up in 1998 and 1999 and lost 23-6 to Phoebus in the 2024 Class 4 final. Huguenot’s lone trip to the state final was a 22-7 loss to E.C. Glass in Division 5 in 1988.
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REGION 4C
No. 2 Loudoun Valley (10-1) at No. 1 Loudoun County (10-1)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
School locations: Loudoun Valley (Purcellville); Loudoun County (Leesburg)
Coaches: Loudoun Valley (David Bishop); Loudoun County (Matt Reidenbaugh)
How they got here: Loudoun Valley had a first-round bye and defeated Woodgrove 31-21; Loudoun County had a first-round bye and defeated Heritage-Leesburg 14-13.
Series history: Loudoun Valley leads 34-31.
Last meeting: Loudoun County won 31-7 on Oct. 10.
Playoff history: Neither school has advanced to a state championship game. Loudoun County made a Class 4 state semifinal in 2022 and region finals in 1985 and 2012. Loudoun Valley reached the Division 3 state semifinals in 2013, losing 29-14 to Northside.
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REGION 4D
No. 3 Jefferson Forest (10-2) at No. 1 George Washington (11-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Jefferson Forest (Forest); George Washington (Danville)
Coaches: Jefferson Forest (J.T. Crews); George Washington (Nick Anderson)
How they got here: Jefferson Forest defeated E.C. Glass 33-7 and No. 2 John Handley 14-10; George Washington defeated Blacksburg 44-7 and Sherando 41-21.
Series history: Series tied 2-2.
Last meeting: Jefferson Forest won 20-13 in 2023.
Playoff history: Jefferson Forest won back-to-back Class 3 state titles in 1992 and 1993 after reaching the final in ’91. JF lost to Southampton in the 1979 Group AA final. George Washington won its lone state title with a 58-15 victory over Lake Taylor in Class AAA in 1982.
CLASS 3
REGION 3A
No. 2 Petersburg (9-3) at No. 1 Lake Taylor (10-2)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Petersburg (Petersburg); Lake Taylor (Norfolk)
Coaches: Petersburg (Jerome Mathis); Lake Taylor (Hank Sawyer)
How they got here: Petersburg defeated York 40-7 and Hopewell 20-7; Lake Taylor defeated Colonial Heights 49-6 and I.C. Norcom 20-7.
Series history: First meeting.
Playoff history: Petersburg, primarily known for basketball, reached its only state final in 1979 when they defeated Patrick Henry-Roanoke 14-6 for the title. Lake Taylor owns state titles in 2012 (Class 5), and 2014 and 2019 (Class 4) with runner-up finishes in 2015, 2018 and 2021 (spring). Lake Taylor’s last state final was a 28-20 home loss to Salem.
REGION 3B
No. 3 Skyline (9-3) at No. 1 Kettle Run (11-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Skyline (Front Royal); Kettle Run (Nokesville)
Coaches: Skyline (Heath Gilbert); Kettle Run (Delmar Christian)
How they got here: Skyline defeated Meridian 22-8 and Culpeper County 14-13; Kettle Run defeated Warren County 63-0 and Brentsville 35-12.
Series history: Kettle Run leads 11-1.
Last meeting: Kettle Run won 36-0 on Sept. 12.
Playoff history: Skyline owns just six postseason victories in its 19-year history and is making its first appearance in a region final. Kettle Run reached a region final in its fourth year as a school in 2011. Kettle Run lost to Dinwiddie 65-20 in the Class 4 state final in 2022 and fell to Liberty Christian 42-6 in the Class 3 final in 2024.
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REGION 3C
Friday, 7 p.m.
No. 6 Liberty Christian (9-2) at No. 1 Heritage (11-1)
School locations: Liberty Christian (Lynchburg); Heritage (Lynchburg)
Coaches: Liberty Christian (Frank Rocco); Heritage (Brad Bradley)
How they got here: Liberty Christian defeated Broadway 14-12 and Wilson Memorial 22-3; Heritage defeated Western Albemarle 49-10 and Turner Ashby 35-14.
Series history: Series tied 6-6.
Last meeting: Heritage won 35-33 on Oct. 31.
Playoff history: Liberty Christian won seven VISAA state titles in the private-school ranks. Since joining the VHSL, LCA had a Class 3 state runner-up showing in 2021 before sweeping the last two Class 3 state titles, including a 42-6 win over Kettle Run in 2024. Heritage has four state runner-up finishes (1997, 2012, 2017 and 2022). Heritage defeated Lafayette for the 2002 Division 4 crown and Phoebus in 2018 in Class 3.
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REGION 3D
No. 2 Lord Botetourt (9-3) at No. 1 Magna Vista (11-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Lord Botetourt (Daleville); Magna Vista (Ridgeway)
Coaches: Lord Botetourt (Jamie Harless); Magna Vista (Joe Favero)
How they got here: Lord Botetourt defeated Cave Spring 42-7 and William Byrd 35-21; Magna Vista defeated Abingdon 56-10 and Carroll County 64-28.
Series history: Lord Botetourt leads 2-1.
Last meeting: Lord Botetourt won 36-19 in the 2024 region semifinal.
Playoff history: Lord Botetourt has won at least eight games in each of the last 11 seasons with Class 3 runner-up efforts in 2015, 2019 and 2021 (spring). Magna Vista won back-to-back Class 3 state titles over Lafayette (25-19) and Lord Botetourt (47-21) in 2014 and ’15. Magna Vista lost 31-7 to William Byrd in the 2023 region final.
CLASS 2
REGION 2A
Friday, 7 p.m.
No. 2 Poquoson (11-1) at No. 1 Armstrong (12-0)
School locations: Poquoson (Poquoson); Armstrong (Richmond)
Coaches: Poquoson (Elliott Duty); Armstrong (Jeremy Pruitt)
How they got here: Poquoson defeated Greensville County 44-6 and Southampton 42-6; Armstrong defeated Nottoway 49-8 and Thomas Jefferson-Richmond 42-14.
Series history: First meeting.
Playoff history: Poquoson won a Division 3 state title in 2010, 23-17 over Richlands. Poquoson has lost in the state semifinals each of the past three years. Armstrong lost opening-round games in each of its first eight playoff trips. Armstrong moved down to Class 2 this year after falling 35-34 to Kettle Run in a region semifinal in 2024.
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REGION 2B
No. 3 Stuarts Draft (9-3) at No. 1 Strasburg (10-1)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Stuarts Draft (Stuarts Draft); Strasburg (Strasburg)
Coaches: Stuarts Draft (Nathan Floyd); Strasburg (Tripp Lamb)
How they got here: Stuarts Draft defeated Madison County 56-18 and No. 2 Buckingham County 20-13; Strasburg earned a first-round bye and defeated Central-Woodstock 35-6.
Series history: Stuarts Draft leads 2-1.
Last meeting: Strasburg won 28-7 in the 2022 region semifinal.
Playoff history: Stuarts Draft reached back-to-back Class 2 state finals in 2019-20, losing to Appomattox County in both trips. Stuarts Draft fell to Richlands in a 2016 semifinal. Strasburg has lost all five of its state finals: to Parry McCluer (1987), Jonesville (1988), Appalachia (1992) and Bath County (1995) in Division 1 and to Graham 31-8 in Class 2 in 2024.
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REGION 2C
No. 2 Gretna (10-2) at No. 1 Glenvar (12-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Gretna (Gretna); Glenvar (Roanoke County)
Coaches: Gretna (Shaun Miller); Glenvar (Kevin Clifford)
How they got here: Gretna defeated Dan River 36-7 and Floyd County 56-55; Glenvar defeated Nelson County 50-0 and Radford 27-3.
Series history: Glenvar leads 2-0
Last meeting: Glenvar won 30-8 in the 2024 region final.
Playoff history: Gretna put its 44-game losing streak during the 1990s far back in the rearview mirror when it won Division 2 titles in 2003, ’04, ’07 and ’08. Gretna also won a state title in 2012, with a runner-up showing in 2010. Glenvar has 54 victories in the last five seasons, falling to Graham 28-24 in a 2024 semifinal. Glenvar’s crowning moment was a Class 2 championship in 2014 with a 20-14 overtime victory over Wilson Memorial.
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REGION 2D
No. 2 Ridgeview (11-1) at No. 1 Union (12-0)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
School locations: Ridgeview (Clintwood); Union (Big Stone Gap)
Coaches: Ridgeview (Ken Grant); Union (Brian Robinson, interim)
How they got here: Ridgeview defeated Richlands 42-14 and Lebanon 35-16; Union defeated Lee 40-7 and Graham 12-0
Series history: Union leads 9-2,
Last meeting: Union 42-21 on Oct. 9.
Playoff history: Ridgeview is in its 11th year after the consolidation of Clintwood and Haysi high schools. Ridgeview has lost to Graham twice (2021-22) and Union (2024) in recent region finals. Union, formed in 2011 by the consolidation of Powell Valley and Appalachia high schools, has advanced to two state semifinals against Clarke County in 2015 and Appomattox County in 2017. For the second week, it will be playing without its coach, who has been the subject of a well-publicized police search.
CLASS 1
REGION 1A
No. 3 Rappahannock (10-2) at No. 1 Essex (12-0)
Saturday, 1 p.m.
School locations: Rappahannock (Warsaw); Essex (Tappahannock)
Coaches: Rappahannock (Fulmer Burks); Essex (Todd Jones)
How they got here: Rappahannock defeated West Point by forfeit and No. 2 Northampton 43-8; Essex defeated Charles City by forfeit and Colonial Beach 43-8
Series history: Essex leads 53-20-1.
Last meeting: Essex won 22-0 on Oct. 18.
Playoff history: Rappahannock has made 24 playoff appearances with just 12 victories. Rappahannock reached state semifinals in 1988 and 1992. Essex has 11 seasons of double-figure wins in the last 13 years, capped by last year’s 22-0 victory over Grayson County in the Class 1 final. Essex defeated Radford for the 2009 title and lost state finals in 2003, ’12, ’13, ’14 and ’23. Essex also lost five consecutive state semifinals to Riverheads from 2018-22.
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REGION 1B
No. 5 Buffalo Gap (6-6) at No. 3 Riverheads (8-4)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Buffalo Gap (Swoope); Riverheads (Greenville)
Coaches: Buffalo Gap (Brad Wygant); Riverheads (Ray Norcross)
How they got here: Buffalo Gap defeated Luray 21-6 and No. 1 Altavista 52-29; Riverheads defeated Brunswick 42-6 and No. 2 Sussex Central 29-12.
Series history: Riverheads leads 46-20.
Last meeting: Riverheads won 29-15 on Sept. 19.
Playoff history: Buffalo Gap has reached one state final, defeating Clintwood in Division 1 in 2007. Buffalo Gap lost to Appomattox County in a 2015 semifinal. Riverheads, which has a 19-game win streak against Buffalo Gap, owns 10 state championships (2000, 2006, 2010 and 2016-22), setting a state record with seven consecutive state crowns. After spending the last two years in Class 2, Riverheads has not lost a Class 1 playoff game since falling 7-6 to Galax in 2015.
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REGION 1C
No. 5 George Wythe (8-4) at No. 3 Grayson County (8-4)
Friday, 3 p.m.
School locations: George Wythe (Wytheville); Grayson County (Independence)
Coaches: George Wythe (Brandon Harner); Grayson County (Stephen James)
How they got here: George Wythe defeated Auburn (39-20) and No. 1 Giles (27-8); Grayson County defeated Parry McCluer (42-7) and No. 2 Craig County (34-13).
Series history: George Wythe leads 15-5.
Last meeting: George Wythe won 28-26 on Oct. 10.
Playoff history: Using a 10-year rotation, George Wythe captured a Division 2 state title in 2002 and a Division 1 crown in 2012 before coming up short against Riverheads in 2022. Wythe was also a Group AA runner-up in 1983. George Wythe’s 2023 season ended with an 18-16 loss to Grayson County in the second round. Grayson reached the 2024 Class 1 state final, losing 22-0 to Essex.
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REGION 1D
No. 3 Rye Cove (9-3) at No. 1 Eastside (12-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
School locations: Rye Cove (Clinchport); Eastside (Coeburn)
Coaches: Rye Cove (Gary Collier); Eastside (Mike Rhodes)
How they got here: Rye Cove defeated Holston 61-14 and No. 2 Chilhowie; Eastside defeated Rural Retreat 50-29 and Honaker 46-8.
Series history: Eastside leads 11-5.
Last meeting: Eastside won 24-12 on Oct. 10.
Playoff history: Rye Cove has advanced beyond its region just twice, losing to Bath County in a 2000 Division 1 state semifinal and falling 40-34 to Grayson County in 2024. Eastside was formed in 2011 from the merger of Coeburn and St. Paul high schools in Wise County. Eastside owned one postseason victory before 2024, when it reached the region final before losing 26-20 to Cumberland District rival Rye Cove.