The Duke’s Championship Preview: Strasburg vs Glenvar

12/13/25, Salem, VA- Strasburg heads back to Salem to take on Glenvar in the VHSL Class 2 State Championship for the final Dave’s Diversified Service Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app with coverage starting at 10:45 am for the Tana Hoffman-Sager Realty pregame show, 11:30 am kick-off.

The Rams earned the school’s sixth shot at their first title after another great season led by a stellar offensive and defensive line.

Strasburg’s running backs Quincy Williams, Linkyn Bosworth, and Brady Knight have seen massive holes all season long behind an offensive line that returns nearly every piece from last year’s State Championship Runner-Up squad.

Hutson Conrad, Jacob Stickley, Gage Gutierrez, and Jacob Britton have been incredible all year, and after Tadeo Bunch was sidelined due to injury, Cooper Miller has filled the role seamlessly.

Like nearly every game this season, the Rams will have a distinct size advantage in the trenches.

Poquoson attempted to match Strasburg’s strength with 4-Star 6’6″ 280 lb tackle Carter Jones and a few other larger lineman, but the Rams still dominated and seemed to use their opponent’s accolades as fuel to the fire.

Jones made little impact in the stat sheet and Strasburg often used his own aggression against him to force him out of position.

Strasburg’s starting unit averages 6’2″ 257 lbs while Glenvar’s defensive line usually features just three down lineman with the most utilized players averaging 6’0″ 236 lbs.

For comparison, Division-III Shenandoah University’s OL last year averaged 6’0″ 254 lbs.

The Highlanders also only have one player listed over 235 lb (Ryan Harris 6’3″ 300 lb sophomore) while the Rams bring nine players over the same threshold.

Size isn’t everything though and what the Highlanders lack in brute force, they make up for with one of the best passing attacks in Virginia led by the VHSL record holder for passing touchdowns in a career.

Brody Dawyot will be the most talented passer Strasburg has seen this season or the last few combined.

The 6’5″ 225 lb 3-star athlete tallied 2,557 yards and 37 passing touchdowns this season to go with 754 rushing yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.

Believe it or not, those numbers are actually a step-back from his junior season which totaled 2,964 passing yards, 49 passing touchdowns, 701 rushing yards, and 12 rushing touchdowns.

Dawyot’s play on the other hand did not take a step-back as the decrease in stats is due to hardly having to play in the second half this season thanks to some huge leads for the Highlanders.

In a stark contrast from the Strasburg T-formation, Glenvar spreads out the opposition and boasts a talented receiving corps including Brody’s brother Tre, the school’s receptions record holder Cooper Mullins, and multisport stand out Cale Vaughan (Roanoke College baseball commit).

According to WR Jace Forster’s X account, the Highlanders will be without one of their top weapons as he self-reported his injury sustained in the win over Union.

Defensively, Brody Dawyot is a menace setting the edge where he racked up over 30 sacks and 30 TFL the last two seasons.

Joining him along the DL is Nick Wilson, the reigning Regional Defensive Player of the Year and a 1st Team All State selection in 2024.

The Highlanders linebacking corps boasts 1st Team All State LB Vaughan and highlight reel Rawlin Hanks.

Strasburg will need to account for Hanks every play after he racked up 91 tackles, 5 INTs (2 pick sixes), and 8 TFL in the regular season.

While a passing offense is considered a must at the collegiate and professional levels, running the ball and winning at the line of scrimmage is still the recipe in high school football.

Strasburg should be able to do both of those things against Glenvar and the Rams defensive line has the ability to get pressure on Dawyot.

The UNC-Charlotte commit hasn’t lost since the 2024 State Semifinals after Graham’s heavy pressure led to 3 interceptions before their matchup with Strasburg.

I look for the Rams to replicate that gameplan defensively to force some turnovers, win time of possession with the running game, and celebrate the first State Championship in Strasburg history, Rams 28 – Glenvar 20.

Check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast for more on the State Championship game, JMU’s CFP birth, and Regional Players of the Year selection.

The Duke’s Championship Preview: Strasburg vs Graham ft. Coach Lamb

Strasburg will travel to Salem Stadium for the VHSL Class 2 State Championship on Saturday at 5 pm to take on the Graham G-Men in the final High School Football Game of the Week for the 2024 season with coverage starting at 4:30 pm on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and The River 95.3 app.

Strasburg steamrolled through the first three rounds of the playoffs until meeting Poquoson in the State Semifinals.

Last week’s game came down to the slimmest of margins and resulted in a 14-13 Strasburg win.

In a contest that was extremely even in most statistical categories, Strasburg held a +3 advantage in turnover margin and all three of those came in crucial moments.

The Rams defense rallied inside their own 10 yard line to force a turnover in the game’s opening possession, and then later in the first half with the game tied 7-7, Takhi Coates came up with one of the most athletic interceptions you will see after breaking on the throw and laying our for the catch.

Takhi capped off the following drive with his second touchdown of the day.

The second half was a true chess match between Poquoson Head Coach Elliot Duty and Strasburg’s Tripp Lamb with neither defense budging until Poquoson QB and VMI baseball commit Eli Tyndall scored a rushing touchdown.

Tyndall’s touchdown was one of many questionable calls that went against Strasburg as the runner appeared short of the goal line.

While men lie, women lie, and numbers may lie… The ball doesn’t.

That led to a missed Poquoson PAT thanks to some great pressure from Strasburg’s kick-block unit, and the score sat at 14-13 Rams.

Strasburg’s defense played lights out with the slimmest of leads in the 4th quarter and Zach Britton tallied two massive sacks.

On Poquoson’s final drive of the game, a phantom first-down called after the ball was placed short of the sticks gave Poquoson a new set of downs.

In another moment of instant karma, Strasburg forced an interception on the following play after Brady Knight deflected a pass that was caught by Hunter Williams.

Strasburg secured a first down and advanced to the State Championship game for the first time since 1995.

Graham advanced to the State Championship game after another thrilling matchup, a 28-24 win over Glenvar.

Glenvar caught fire through the air thanks to their 6’5″ QB who threw three first half touchdowns, but then Graham’s defense adjusted and did not allow a touchdown in the second half.

Graham scored the game winning touchdown late in the 4th quarter to secure their 8th state championship appearance in school history.

The G-Men are led by a massive offensive and defensive line with talented skill players

Graham does not have the top-end D-1 talent like they have had in previous years, but still have plenty of players who will play at the next level.

Ty’Drez Clements (Virginia Tech) dominated the backfield against Central two years ago, but they now rely on a more balanced offensive approach including quarterback Dalton Roberts, running back Gabe Lilly, wide receivers Chris Edwards and Blake Graham.

Lilly has been the most used weapon in the offense this season with averaging roughly 8 yards per carry for 1,323 yards and 17 touchdowns.

He is also featured in a Wildcat role as Graham approaches the redzone and threw for a touchdown pass against Glenvar.

Chris Edwards is the reigning offensive District Player of the Year while Blake Graham has shown big play potential this season with four of his ten catches this playoff run going for touchdowns as well as kick return for touchdown against Glenvar.

Defensively, you will hear a lot of those same names with their most dynamic athletes playing both ways, but manning the middle of the defensive line is last year’s defensive District Player of the Year Omarri Hill.

“Big O” earned that nickname with all 6′ 275 pounds of him, but the most impressive part is how quickly he moves at his size.

Hill led Graham in these playoffs with 10 tackles for loss and 3 sacks in four games.

He can be a true a game-wrecker and against Lebanon in Week 8, Hill tallied 6 sacks in a single game.

Graham’s entire defense showcases size and speed at all three levels including 6’2″ 225lb linebacker leading tackler Yubrenal Isabelle.

Hill along with the many other seniors on this team have already tasted a championship in the win over Central, and are looking to cap their high school season with one more.

Strasburg will look to do something they have never done before after making four appearances under legendary coach Glenn Proctor.

This game will be a defensive battle as both teams will lean on their strengths which will amplify field position and turnover margin once again.

If Strasburg can win in those categories and time of possession, the Rams can hoist the hardware for the first time in school history.

Graham will overlook these boys from the Valley and by the time they adjust, it will be too late.

Rams win, 20-14, and arrive home to Strasburg with a hero’s welcome Saturday night!

To listen to my interview with Strasburg Head Coach Tripp Lamb, click here.

To hear the Sports Dogs discuss last week’s Strasburg and Sherando State Semifinals and the State Championship game, click here.Â