The Duke’s Preview: Warren County at James Wood

James Wood High School welcomes Warren County High School in tonight’s Dave’s Diversified Services High School Football Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and The River 95.3 app starting with the Tana Hoffman Pregame Show at 6:30 pm followed by the 7 pm kick-off.

Both teams are coming off big home losses and the Colonels will look to bounce back after a strong start while the Wildcats are still searching for their first win.

James Wood began their season 3-0 before last week’s 49-20 loss to Sherando.

In the Colonels three wins, the shotgun offense shined led by third year starter at QB Owen Neal and averaged over 41 ppg.

Neal has found success with any of his talented receiving corps led by Aidric Yurish (9 rec 272 yds 2 TDs), Xavier Price (7 rec 156 yds 1 TD), and Kaden McCullough (5 rec 118 yds 2 TDs).

The junior QB is not afraid to tuck it and run or call his own number as he has racked up 223 rushing yards and 6 rushing TDs on the ground.

Warren County’s Frank Nelson (17 tackles 1 INT) will need to bring his A game to contain Neal while the Cats DBs led by Nick Harlow at safety and Kaiden Clowser (1 INT) at corner will need to keep the Colonels deep threats in front of them.

The best defense may be a good offense to keep Neal off the field.

Warren County still has Blaise Skube leading the backfield and he is averaging 6.7 yards per carry in his senior campaign.

Warren County’s offense also features Harlow at WR where he has had multiple highlight reel catches this season and is second in the area behind Handley’s Will Yoder with 278 yards and 4 Touchdowns.

The James Wood defense will come out with a chip on its shoulder after giving up 49 points to Sherando last week and should feed off the energy of the Homecoming crowd.

Xander Manzo and Xavier Price patrol the backend with 2 INTs a piece while newcomers at LB Jackson Ledford (35 tackles) and Logan Lafollette (29 tackles 3 sacks) have stepped up after the graduation of Vincent Salvati.

James Wood should have too much fire power for Warren County to handle and big plays will eventually add up, Colonels win 41-13.

For a preview of all Week 5 matchups, a look back at Week 4, our Power 5 rankings, and Player of the Week, listen to the Sports Dogs Podcast here.

The Duke’s Preview: Warren County vs Strasburg

Strasburg High School (1-1) hosts Warren County High School (0-1) in the Dave’s Diversified Services Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and The River 95.3 app with the Tana Hoffman Pregame Show starting at 6:30 pm for the 7 pm kick-off.

Both team’s are itching to get back out on the field after an early bye week for the Wildcats and a tight loss to Broadway for the Rams.

Warren County’s Week 1 matchup against Rock Ridge came down to the final play with the opposing kicker draining a 40 yard field goal for the win.

The Wildcat’s offense looked improved in the loss compared to last season and included a 22 point 2nd quarter.

Warren County would not score after that quarter as the offense tapered off so sustaining that success will be key.

WR Nick Harlow stood out in the second quarter with two receiving touchdowns.

Harlow’s second score could have made an appearance on “You Got Mossed” after the Senior rose up over his defender for the contested catch.

Warren County’s offense appears to be a bit more advanced this season with more pre-snap movement and Wildcat formation opportunities for RB Blaise Skube.

Strasburg’s defense led by Sr linebacker Nathaniel Turner and an experienced defensive line will be up to the test and ready to get the taste of last week’s loss out of their mouth in front of the hometown fans.

The 28 point output by Broadway last weekend was not up to typical Strasburg standards as the Rams only opponent to eclipse that mark last season were the State Champions from Graham.

Strasburg seemed to make some good adjustments and allowed just one second half score while limiting star WR Uriah Rutan to just one catch.

The defensive front led by 2nd Team All State Sr. Jacob Stickley and one-man wrecking crew Sr. Hutson Conrad (6’4″ 250 lb.) appear to have the biggest advantage on the field when they go up against Warren County’s inexperienced offensive line.

The Wildcats have great potential, especially Soph OT Aiden Dunseath, but without a single senior, they will have to learn to play at the Varsity level on the fly.

The advantage on the trenches carries over to Strasburg’s offense as well thanks to experience including two All State selections (Britton and Gage Gutierrez).

Coach Josh Breeden’s defense will have to figure out the Strasburg T-formation but did have two weeks to prepare thanks to the bye week.

Leading the rushing attack is Quincy Williams who has over 300 rushing yards in just two games and was the Sports Dogs Podcast Week 1 Player of the Week.

Brady Knight continues to improve at the position after playing TE last season and wracked up 85 yards vs the Gobblers.

Chasing around those backs for Warren County is the Texan Tackling Machine Frank Nelson and Edge Nehemiah Carter.

Nelson looked very aggressive and physical against Rock Ridge while Carter’s versatility and athleticism shine to help him maintain the outside.

I look for both teams to come out fired up after losses and for Warren County to try some trickeration early in the game to try to get Strasburg on their heals.

The Rams have started a bit shaky in two straight weeks before settling down for strong second halves so the Wildcats will look to exploit that.

Strasburg should be able to use their experience and the homefield advantage to weather an early storm and get some momentum.

Coach Lamb and Co. will want to see 4 quarters of football from his squad for the first time this year and I think he will for a big Rams win, 36-14.

For a preview of all the area Week 3 games, a recap of Week 2, and more, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast here.

The Duke’s River Rivalry Preview: Skyline vs Warren County ft Heath Gilbert and Josh Breeden

Tonight’s Game of the Week features the River Rivalry matchup between Skyline (6-3) and Warren County (2-8) on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, and streaming on The River 95.3 app and theriver953.com with coverage starting at 6:30 pm for the 7 pm kick-off.

Skyline is soaring into the matchup with five straight wins, four of which were on the road.

The offense and defense are now firing on all cylinders after a slow start for Skyline.

The Hawks offense will take advantage of whatever the defense gives them with one of the most balanced attacks in the Valley.

Senior quarterback Nate Ballard has improved throughout the season and is the area’s leader in passing yards at 1,259 and passing touchdowns with 17.

If defenses drop back to key in on the pass, sophomore running back Zayden Burks will eat up yards on the ground and is one of just three area backs to go over 1,000 yards this season.

Burks and Ballard have been rolling lately with Burks coming off a career high 260 yard performance two weeks ago followed by a 191 yard outing on offense to go with two interceptions on defense against Brentsville.

Last week against the Tigers, Ballard racked up 216 yards and 4 touchdowns through the air.

Senior wide receiver Isiah Maxwell and junior tight end Marques Lockhart-Wright have proven to be reliable targets this season for Ballard combining for over 900 yards and 12 touchdowns (11 from Maxwell).

Defensively, the unit went on a 3 game stretch during the winning streak where they allowed a total of just 8 points and are coming off a 7 turnover showing against Brentsville.

The group will be tasked with slowing down Warren County’s talented backfield of Senior Gavin Dodson and Junior Blaise Skube.

The last time the Wildcats were our featured Game of the Week, Skube ran for over 100 yards against a stingy Handley defense.

Dodson put the Cats on his back last week during his Senior Night with three touchdowns including two in the 4th quarter to bring Warren County back and the game winning two point conversion.

The Wildcats defense is led by, yup, you guessed it, Gavin Dodson with 76 tackles and the sensational sophomore Frank Nelson with 68 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception.

In the secondary, freshman defensive back Kaiden Abell has stepped up after starting his season with the JV squad and has added 23 tackles and 2 interceptions in his short time on varsity.

Warren County has been forced to look for reinforcements after the already small roster dwindled down to just 16 players against Kettle Run.

Warren County’s small group has battled like the Spartans in 300 all season long, but Skyline may be the Persians emerging through the pass of Thermopylae.

Skyline’s explosive play potential with Burks, Maxwell, and Co. along with a fast and physical defense will be too much for the Cats to contain.

Skyline will hold on to the River Rivalry trophy for the second consecutive year and win their 6th straight against Warren County and tie the school record with 6 wins in a row to close out the regular season, 34-21.

To listen to my interview with coaches Josh Breeden and Heath Gilbert, click here.

For breakdowns of all the weekend’s games, a look back at last week, and much more, check out the latest Sports Dogs podcast here.

The Duke’s Preview: Warren Co vs Handley ft Coach Breeden

It’s Homecoming Week in Warren County where the Wildcats (1-5) host the Handley Judges (5-1) in the High School Football Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, and streaming at theriver953.com and the River app with coverage starting at 6:30 pm for the 7 pm kick-off.

Handley brings one of the most potent rushing attacks (303 yards per game) in the Valley to Front Royal on Friday night led by the due of running back Hassan Akanbi and quarterback Triston Darling.

Akanbi has been dynamic in the Judges backfield for some time now while Darling has taken the region by storm during his freshman season.

Both ballcarriers average over 13 yards per carry and have combined for 24 rushing touchdowns and nearly 1500 yards.

If defenses lock-in on the run, Darling can win through the air.

He is coming off his best passing game of his young career and was named the Sports Dogs Player of the Week after finishing 9/13 with 182 yds and 3 touchdowns through the air to go with his 116 yards and touchdown on the ground.

Warren County’s defense has been the strength of the team this season and has shown the ability to slow down some of the area’s top offenses.

Frank Nelson, a transfer from Texas, has shined at the linebacker position this season and looks more comfortable each game leading the defense as just a sophomore.

The Wildcat’s offense has struggled stringing together first downs which leaves the defense on the field longer than Coach Josh Breeden and Co. would like.

Breeden and his staff will look to open up the playbook a bit more this week to try to create some more ways to get his playmakers like Gavin Dodson, Michael Hooper, and Blaise Skube in space.

In the last three games, Skube has shown his big play potential with two touchdowns over 40 yards.

As many games due, this one will come down to the play in the trenches where Handley has a massive advantage in size and experience.

Handley’s offensive line is led by the Offutt brothers along the left side including senior Jaishaun (6’4″ 315 lbs) and junior Jaiquan (6’3″ 305 lbs).

Jaishaun committed to Division-I Wake Forest University before the season started and has accumulated nearly 20 D-I offers.

The combination of talented ballcarriers and an offensive line that could pass for a college team will be too much for the Wildcats and dampen the Homecoming celebration, Judges 56 – Wildcats 6.

To listen to my interview with Warren County Head Coach Josh Breeden, click here.

For the latest Sports Dogs podcast covering all of this week’s games and more, click here. 

The Duke’s Preview: Sherando vs Warren County ft Coach Rohrbaugh

The undefeated Sherando Warriors (5-0) march into Front Royal to take on the Warren County Wildcats (1-3) in tonight’s High School Football Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and The River 95.3 App.

Sherando is led by one of the area’s most dominant rushing attacks and a true dual-threat at QB, senior Micah Carlson.

Carlson leads the area in rushing touchdowns with nine and has totaled 452 yards on the ground while averaging 8.2 yards per carry.

Through the air, Carlson has completed a staggering 85% of his passes for 465 yards and three touchdowns.

He has a variety of weapons behind him in Mason McKee, Tali Burgess, and Ethan Golightly or at wide out in Aiden Leatch, Tucker LaFever, and Hayden LaFever.

All of their jobs are made easier by an experienced offensive line with four returning starters anchored by All District selections last year Jarrett See (6′, 240 lb.) at center and Parker Fredman (6’3″, 248 lb.) at tackle.

Defensively, the Warriors have opportunistic playmakers on the back end including the current interception leader in the area Reth Puller and last year’s leader in the category and All District selection Hayden LaFever.

Edge rusher Kaleb Nowlin is an emotional leader on the defensive side of the ball with a motor that never stops.

He finished with 9.5 sacks last year and is on his way to eclipsing that number this year with 5.5 already under his belt.

Warren County will have their hands full with the undefeated Warriors but will have the home crowd behind them and are riding some momentum after their first win.

Last week against Fauquier, the Wildcats continued their gameplan of hard-nosed defense and a strong running game to knock-off the Falcons 14-7.

Running back Blaise Skube played his best game of the season finishing with 132 yards on 18 carries and the game winning touchdown in the 4th quarter.

Skube hit a hole and ran it in from 59 yards out before heading back out for defense and helping the Wildcats to a win

Fans could see the relief for Coach Josh Breeden and his squad as they celebrated the first win sliding around in the mud on Fauquier’s home field.

Warren County’s defense has looked much improved this year and the Wildcats will play to the final whistle like they have nothing to lose.

Sherando has sputtered at the start of some games and may be looking ahead to a slate of games including local rivals in James Wood, Handley, and Millbrook or the looming matchup with the other Northwestern District unbeaten team, Kettle Run.

If Warren County can come up with a few early stops like they did against Clarke and Fauquier and the offense with Skube and Gavin Dodson finds their stride, they could catch Sherando in a “trap game.”

Sherando coach T.J. Rohrbaugh preaches going “1-0” each week and his team has responded with that mentality so far this season.

The Warriors have some advantages in personnel, especially in the trenches, that will be too much for the Wildcats to overcome.

Micah Carlson and his host of backs will have a great evening on the ground while Nowlin, Puller, and Co. wreak havoc on defense to give Sherando the win, 56-7.

To hear my interview with Sherando Head Coach T.J. Rohrbaugh, click here. 

For the latest Sports Dogs Podcast previewing all of the week’s matchups, click here.

The Duke’s Preview: Warren County vs Skyline featuring Coach Breeden and Gilbert

The annual Warren County (1-8) and Skyline (3-6) football game has even more on the line this year with the addition of The River Rivalry Trophy which will be presented to the winner on the field following the game.

The broadcast for the Game of the Week will begin at 6:40 pm with Randy Woodward and Ryan Rutherford on The River 95.3, 1450 WFTR, streaming at theriver953.com and the Tune In Radio App.

This rivalry has fired up both teams.

Warren County has nothing to lose as they sit outside the playoff picture.

Coach Josh Breeden emphasized to his team in practice this week the importance of this rivalry and trying to get the senior class their first win over Skyline.

The Wildcats hope to have P.J. Dellinger back at quarterback as he returns from injury, but the offense will rely on the backfield of Gavin Dodson and Blaise Skube.

Skube has looked strong lately with a 37-yard touchdown last week and a kickoff return for a touchdown the week prior, despite being bogged down by an injury earlier in the season.

Dodson has been steady for the Wildcats with his best game coming against one of the toughest defenses they have faced at Sherando.

Dodson finished that outing with 15 carries for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Last week, Warren County went to a “Wildcat” formation with both Dodson and Skube in the backfield and used a zone blocking scheme for their most successful drive against Meridian.

Last year, the Hawks contained the Warren County rushing game, holding the backfield to 72 yards on 28 carries.

This year, Skyline will rely on a defense that swarms to the ball carrier led by linebackers Marques Lockhart-Wright (73 tackles) and Andre Ford (71 tackles).

Offensively, the Hawks know their identity lies with the running game led by Aidan Vaught.

Vaught recently had one of the best games in state history against Meridian where he reached 452 rushing yards on 17.4 yards per carry with five touchdown.

In general, it has been a slower season for Vaught who certainly looks to end his regular season career at Skyline with a bang.

Vaught is back at his running back position this year, but last year as quarterback, he led the team with 112 rushing yards, 129 passing yards, and two rushing touchdowns against the Wildcats.

Skyline is currently in the playoffs, but Warren County would love to play spoiler of their cross-town rivals and put the first plaque on The River Rivalry Trophy.

Both teams will pull out all the stops and we may see a few exciting trick plays along the way.

Skyline has focused on accomplishing three goals this regular season:

  • Winning Homecoming
  • Winning Senior Night
  • Beating Warren County

They accomplished the first two and now look to check one more box before the playoffs.

Skyline will have more on the line tonight fighting for their playoff birth and a more experienced roster.

I predict that combination will help the Hawks secure the victory at Warren County and earn The River Rivalry Trophy in a thrilling 28-22 win.

Press play below for my interview with Skyline Head Coach Heath Gilbert and Warren County Head Coach Josh Breeden.

For more information on The River Rivalry Trophy, click here.

For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.