With a wild Week 4 in the rearview mirror, Week 5 gives us a bit of a reprieve as far as enticing matchups that could shake shift the whole dynamic of high school football in Southwest Virginia.
Many of The Roanoke Times’ ranked teams have easier paths this week, but that merely allows for bubble teams and under-the-radar squads to get some attention and have their day making headlines. There are still a handful of games that could result in meaningful wins for the victors, and an upset or two could throw another twist into season.
Here are five games to watch in Week 5.
Liberty Christian (1-1) at Jefferson Forest (4-0)
Head-to-head record: LCA leads 4-2
The Bulldogs are still the Bulldogs, likely the Class 3 frontrunners again, but they aren’t as strong as they were the past couple years with Clemson running back Gideon Davidson. Their multi-season winning streak ended at the hands of an elite squad from Ohio, then they rebounded with a 50-14 win over Amherst County.
LCA also hasn’t played much football, only two games in the first four weeks. The Cavaliers have been demolishing opponents so far, beating foes by an average of 42-6, and are a squad with big expectation this season. They’ve lost four straight to their Seminole District rival and haven’t been close in those contests, but look for them to be more competitive this year in Forest.
James River (3-1) at Radford (2-1)
Head-to-head record: Radford leads 12-2
This is another game that hasn’t drawn much attention the last several seasons, but there’s reason to believe this matchup will be a good one in 2025. There’s plenty of storylines to go with it.
The Knights have lost eight straight to the Bobcats, dating back to 2018, and have scored just 41 combined points during that stretch, but the Buchanan squad has won at least three of its first four games for the first time since 2018. This has been accomplished under first-year head coach Jack Baker, a veteran head coach who started his coaching career with James River and has seemingly gotten the program back on track. This would be a signature win for him.
The Bobcats are learning how to win without quarterback Luke Gaither and running back JD Grubb, both expected returners who wound up transferring to private schools Liberty Christian and North Cross, respectively. They’ve also had to sit with a surprise loss to Giles in Week 2 for over 20 days after taking their open week in Week 3 and then getting a forfeited win from Galax last week.
Staunton River (3-1) at Magna Vista (4-0)
Head-to-head record: Magna Vista leads 4-3
Here’s a game to put on upset watch. The Warriors have averaged nearly 40 points per game with a versatile offense comprised of quarterback Simeon Moore and running back Ethan Dukes, but none of their first opponents currently carry a winning record. Franklin County was a good test last week, but Staunton River will be revealing.
The Golden Eagles liked to play spoiler last season, beating Magna Vista in their opener and topping undefeated William Fleming in their regular season finale. They’ve shown flashes on offense this season, coming off back-to-back 40-point showings on offense, but did give up 20 points to one-win Liberty and 21 points to one-win Pulaski.
Lord Botetourt (4-0) at GW-Danville (2-1)
Head-to-head record: LB leads 1-0
This will be toughest non-district opponent the Cavaliers will face this season. They’ve motored through Class 1’s Rye Cove and Altavista, and beaten fellow Class 3 foes Rustburg and Christiansburg handily, but now comes a Class 4 squad.
The Eagles are coming off back-to-back wins after an opening loss to a solid Reidsville squad from North Carolina. They beat Amherst County 28-14 and topped E.C. Glass 17-13. Those have emerged as weaker teams, but just 27 combined points allowed on defense is an impressive stat.
Blue Ridge (3-1) at North Cross (3-1)
Head-to-head record: North Cross leads 14-12
This game has several storylines attached to it. First and foremost, it comes as a rematch of the last two VISAA Division II state championship games, won by each team and most recently the Barons. Second, it’s an annual Blue Ridge Athletic Conference rivalry game that didn’t happen last year after the effects of Hurricane Helene canceled the contest. Third, North Cross gets to host this game in a rare under-the-lights bout at Salem High School.
The Raiders have put tough opponents on their schedule this season as they have state championship expectations once again. They’ve already played two VISAA Division I teams and came away 1-1 with an eight-point loss and a four-point win, and have slaughtered their two Division II teams by an average of 52 points. Blue Ridge has its three win by an average of eight points, against winless D-I Flint Hill and D-II’s Virginia Episcopal and Hargrave Military.
North Cross will be considered the Division II state championship frontrunner with a victory.
Additional games to watch
Twin Spring (3-1) at Craig County (3-0)
Chilhowie (3-1) at Northwood (3-0)
Rural Retreat (2-2) at George Wythe (2-2)
Contact Matt Case at mcase@roanoke.com
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