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.
