Indians look to advance

The Powhatan Indians football team is used to seeing postseason opponents from the Bay Rivers District.

Usually, it's Lafayette, although Grafton and Smithfield are on the list. The Indians' foe in tonight's Group AA, Region I, Division 4 semifinal is a new one: the Tabb (Yorktown) Tigers.

Two other Richmond-area teams have qualified for the Group A, Division 2 playoff semifinals. King William travels to Washington & Lee in Region A, and Goochland plays at Gretna in Region B.

Tabb (8-2) at Powhatan (9-1), 7:30 p.m.: The Indians have won three consecutive Region I titles. They won the state title in 2003 and were runners-up in 2005. They have rolled to nine victories in a row since losing their season opener to Louisa, despite a rash of injuries to starters and key players. Nearly everyone is back.

"We still have a few kinks here and there," coach Jim Woodson said. "We're getting them back and trying to fine tune and smooth out the chemistry."

The secondand third-team players who filled in have performed well, Woodson said.

Tabb hasn't been to the region playoffs since 1993, but the Tigers are one of two Bay Rivers District teams to win a state crown (1990). The other was Lafayette in 2001. Tabb also won the 1987 state championship behind the running of Terry Kirby, one of the commonwealth's premier all-time players. Kirby is VHSL's No. 2 ground gainer in history.

King William (6-4) at Washington & Lee (8-2), 7: For the second year in a row, King William earned a playoff spot with a surge in the second half of the season. This time it was for first-year coach Zach Just.

"We knew it would be a slow start with a brand-new system," Just said. "The players have improved every week. We have played our best football of the year the past three weeks, however, W&L is clearly the best team we have played since Essex in week two."

Just also has reminded the Cavaliers that they are the reigning region champions.

The Cavaliers and Eagles last played in the 2005 region final. W&L won, handing King William its only loss. The Eagles also eliminated KW in the 2004 playoffs.

Goochland (6-4) at Gretna (9-1), 7: These teams have become quite familiar with each other since this is the third year a row they have met in region play. Goochland beat the Hawks in the region final in 2006 and went on to win the state championship. Gretna halted the Bulldogs' 25-game winning streak in last year's region final, beat King William in the state semis and won the title over Gate City.

The Bulldogs were hit harder by graduation, but coach Joe Fowler still figured them to be a playoff team.

"We almost let it slip away," Fowler said. "The midseason loss to Prince Edward hurt us. . . . We've battled injuries all season on top of our youth."

The four teams that beat Goochland were 33-7 overall.

"The VHSL points system rewards you for playing a tough schedule, and we benefited from that," Fowler said.
Contact Arthur Utley at (804) 649-6559 or .