Early season showdowns continue

Early season football matchups featuring playoff-caliber teams continue this week with No.6 Thomas Dale traveling to No.1 Varina and No.2 Meadowbrook playing host to No.4 Hermitage.

This isn't the first time these teams have played each other.

"We want to play the best opponents," veteran Thomas Dale coach Vic Williams said. "It's a challenge for the preparation, for the kids and for the coaches. It's what we like to do. That's why we schedule these games."

The Knights play a brutal stretch of nondistrict games each year. They open with Manchester, then play L.C. Bird in the "Battle of Chester" and Varina in varying order.

For the first time since 2006, the Knights aren't going to start the season 0-3. They edged No.10 Manchester in overtime last week.

"It helps a little bit. It gives the kids a little confidence," said Williams, who has more than 200 victories as a coach. "We weren't satisfied with the way we played. We were sloppy. We can't have five fumbles [lost four] like [we did against] Manchester."

The top-ranked Blue Devils come into the game happy with a victory over No.5 Dinwiddie, one of Dale's Central District rivals, but they come in with a bunch of broken bones.

Trey Johnson, last year's leading rusher in the Central Region, played the first half against Dinwiddie but sat out the second half. He's sitting tonight. So is wide receiver Jerel Harrison, who ran back the opening kickoff for a TD last week and just committed to the University of Richmond.

Three of the Blue Devils' four starting linebackers, including Addonis Robinson, are hurting, too. Coach Stu Brown has to fill the holes.

Williams says of Varina, "You see a bunch of athletes, and when one goes down, somebody steps up. They can make some plays."

Dondrey Pegeas is a prime example. With Johnson out, Pegeas scored three touchdowns rushing and caught two TD passes.

There's been a coaching change at Meadowbrook since the Monarchs and Panthers last played. Troy Taylor, a former Meadowbrook assistant, replaced Bill Bowles, who retired. Taylor coached at Group A Amelia County last season, but as an assistant, he coached against the Panthers.

"They present more problems for us than we present for them," Taylor said. "They have a linebacker [Curtis Grant] who is one of the best players in Virginia. On offense, they have the Britt kid [Derek]. He's an electric player, and their quarterback [Brendan Riddick] reminds me of Jameel Sewell. He's an up-and-comer."

Taylor's first game back at Meadowbrook was an impressive road victory, sparked, to no one's surprise, by quarterback Andre Coble.

Recalling a quote from Lou Holtz, Taylor said that despite the difficult schedule, he's sleeping like a baby.

"I wake up every three hours crying."

Riddick threw for 196 yards and four touchdowns in Hermitage's opening victory over Lee-Davis. The quarterback is one of nine new starters on offense.

"I liked our team's composure and effort," Hermitage coach Patrick Kane said. "Brendan had a very good game for his first varsity start."

One thing the Panthers will not be doing is looking ahead. They play host to Varina next week.

Contact Arthur Utley at (804) 649-6559