Ryan recognizes athletes from around the Shenandoah Valley who committed to play football at the collegiate level during last week’s National Signing Day. The solo Sports Dog also discusses some of the area’s top uncommitted prospects from this year’s senior class. Then Skyline High School’s Isiah Maxwell and Heath Gilbert reflect on his accomplishments during Skyline’s NSD event.
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.
UPDATE: Friday’s broadcast has been cancelled. Skyline and Kettle Run will play on Saturday at noon. The rescheduled game will not be broadcasted.
Skyline (1-2) welcomes Kettle Run (3-0) to Front Royal for Homecoming in Friday night’s 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 6:30 pm for the 7 pm kick-off.
The Hawks are flying high after their first win of the season last week over Millbrook, 23-14.
Skyline jumped out to an early lead thanks to an 81 yard running back pass from Zayden Burks to Isiah Maxwell for a touchdown.
Those two playmakers and a solid defensive effort helped Skyline to a 23-0 advantage heading into the 4th quarter.
Burks finished with 188 yards rushing to go with his touchdown pass and Maxwell led the game in receiving with 156 yards and two touchdowns.
Millbrook’s fourth quarter rally was stalled thanks to a time consuming Skyline drive (see what I did there) that resulted in no points but took nearly 10 minutes off the clock.
Skyline’s offense was their best defense by keeping a Millbrook offense that entered the game averaging 39.7 ppg off the field and limited the Pioneers to just three first half drives.
That will need to be the recipe against Kettle Run who boasts a high-flying offense with a strong passing game and an All-State running back.
Kettle Run knocked off Skyline in the regular season and playoffs last year by a combined score of 103-13.
The first game saw the Hawks keep it close early on with a 7-0 score through the first quarter before Kettle Run’s offense got hot and never cooled off.
Skyline’s lone score in that game came via a botched snap to the punter recovered for a touchdown.
In the playoff matchup, the Cougars were without All-State running back Colton Quaker so Haydyn Bell stepped up and simply scored a school record 5 touchdowns on his own.
Quaker, Bell, and All Region QB Jacob Mulhern return for the Cougars who appear to have picked up where they left off last season, averaging 42 ppg and allowing just 16.3 ppg.
Skyline must jump on Kettle Run early and Coach Heath Gilbert and Co. will need to dig into their bag of tricks once again to get things started like they did against Millbrook.
Another potential equalizer could be tonight’s field conditions as the area has received substantial rain this week.
A chance of rain remains in the forecast for the duration of tonight’s game so maintaining possession of the football and a solid running game will be amplified.
Skyline will carry some momentum into tonight’s game coming after the win and with the fanfare of Homecoming week so I do anticipate a closer matchup than recent years.
Kettle Run’s depth and veteran talent will help them take home the victory on the road, 47-17.
To listen to my chat with Skyline Head Coach Heath Gilbert, click here.
To hear the latest Sports Dogs Podcast looking back at last week’s games and ahead to tonight’s action, click here.
Skyline Head Football Coach Heath Gilbert chats with Ryan Rutherford ahead of the Hawk’s Homecoming matchup against Kettle Run. Tune into the broadcast starting at 6:30 pm for pregame coverage followed by the kick-off at 7 pm on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com, and the River 95.3 App.
Skyline hosts James Wood in their home opener for 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 95.3 app with coverage starting at 6:30 pm for a 7 pm kick off.
This will be James Wood’s second trip into Front Royal this year after knocking off Warren County 21-0 in week 1 thanks to some great defense and special teams.
Last week, the Colonels defeated Brentsville in a 16-15 thriller.
The defense once again held strong when it mattered most and senior defensive lineman Jordyn Sweetser secured his second fumble recovery of the season but this one he took to the house.
Special teams shine once again with a clutch kick by Aidan Bell to take the lead and then a host of Colonels bursting through the line to block Brentsville’s potential game winning kick.
James Wood sophomore quarterback Owen Neal has the ability to keep his team in any game and has shown tremendous arm talent in just his second year of high school action.
Against the Tigers, he connected with junior wide receiver Xander Manzo for two deep balls including a 91 yard touchdown strike.
Skyline has the team speed to contain players like Manzo and rip off a few big plays themselves.
Six different Hawks recorded explosive plays of over 20 yards in the week one battle against Strasburg.
Skyline fell behind two scores before halftime after two back-breaking personal foul penalties cleared the way for the Rams.
The Hawks made some adjustments after the half and first year varsity contributor Day’shawn Haley took the edge and scored from 32 yards out on the opening possession, but Strasburg squashed the rally with back-to-back touchdown drives.
After an early bye week, Skyline has had plenty of time to study James Wood’s film and work on the miscues of week 1, but James Wood’s defense combined with the talented arm of Neal make them a dangerous opponent for any team.
Both offenses have explosive potential, but James Wood’s defense appears to have an edge based on their performance over the first two weeks.
Linebacker Vincent Salvati already has 22 tackles and a sack through his first two games while Sweetser leads the area in sacks with five.
That defensive core will help the Colonels to improve to 3-0 for just the second time since 2009, 31-26.
To listen to my interview with Skyline Head Coach Heath Gilbert, click here.
To hear the latest Sports Dogs Podcast previewing all of the Week 3 matchups and looking back at week 2, click here.Â
Skyline High School Head Football Coach Heath Gilbert joins Ryan Rutherford ahead of the week 3 matchup between his 0-1 Hawks and 2-0 James Wood Colonels. Join Ryan and Randy for the High School Football Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com, and The River App at 6:30 for pregame coverage before the 7 pm kick-off.
Strasburg welcomes Skyline to Glenn Proctor Field Thursday night to kick-off The River 95.3 and Fox Sports Radio 1450’s coverage of high school football at 7 pm, with pregame coverage starting at 6:30 pm.
The Hawks and Rams have kicked off the last three seasons against each other with Strasburg taking away two wins and one game cancelled due to threats on the event.
Last year’s contest was tight throughout before Strasburg took the 18-16 victory.
Skyline’s offensive production came almost exclusively from Aidan Vaught, who is now at Ferrum.
Vaught added 20 and 44 yard touchdown runs on his way to 133 rushing yards.
Strasburg battled back from trailing twice to secure the victory on a 23 yard touchdown pass from Brayden Hough to Griffin Carter in the 4th quarter to take an 18-14 lead.
Skyline and Vaught had an opportunity to retake the game from Strasburg at the 10 yard line late in the 4th quarter, but the back fumbled in a mass of Ram defenders.
This year’s matchup will feature some new stars and a new head coach on the sideline in Strasburg’s Tripp Lamb.
Lamb previously led the defense and was a member of Mark Roller’s staff for 16 years before taking over.
The Rams hope to pick up where they left off with the T-formation and hardnosed defense.
Strasburg returns QB Brayden Hough under center in the run-heavy offense.
He completed 37/72 passes last year for 468 yards and 10 touchdowns to 4 interceptions along with 185 yards and 6 touchdowns on the ground.
Hough will have plenty of options to hand it off behind him including the speedy Sr. Riley Walker and Sr. Takhi Coates.
Coates has returned to Strasburg after a year at Battlefield.
During his sophomore season, he accumulated 1,039 yards and 9 touchdowns.
Hough and the running back group will all benefit from Strasburg’s continuity at offensive line including 4 of 5 starters from last season.
Defensively, the Rams will have to replace the production of their leading tackler Colby Shaw and will need members of the linebacker room to fill that void.
Across the defensive front, Strasburg returns 6’4″ 225 lb. Jr. Hutson Conrad who led the team in sacks with six as a sophomore.
On the other sideline, Skyline starts the season with a limited but talented core of players.
The Hawks lose star running back Vaught to graduation but bring back Zayden Burks who was electric towards the end of his freshman season on the gridiron and the basketball court.
Burks ended the season with two touchdowns and an ankle breaking spin move in The River Rivalry game against Warren County and earned the Player of the Game nomination.
Sr. Nate Ballard takes over at QB after last year’s starter Nick Mrad has transferred out of the area.
Ballard has waited his time and is one of the leaders in the locker room.
He will have some talented weapons to throw it to including Isiah Maxwell and Marques Lockhart-Wright.
Isiah Maxwell can go up to get any ball over his defender and Marques Lockhart-Wright’s strength, size, and speed are a mismatch for any defense.
Skyline also welcomes back Sr. Roger Williams, Jr. Barrett Stephens, and Soph. Adrian Schmitz who have all shined along the offensive line.
Due to the smaller roster for Skyline, the Hawks will have plenty of players playing both ways.
Lockhart-Wright wreaks havoc from his linebacker spot in addition to receiver and his linebacking counterpart Andre Ford led the team with 84 tacklers last season.
While watching Skyline’s scrimmages, Maxwell seems to have improved defensively and looks more natural in the defensive backfield.
6’2″ Sr. DB Brandon Baldwin also shined during Skyline’s preseason scrimmages and looks to carry that momentum over to the regular season.
I look for tonight’s game to stay close like last year’s contest, but Strasburg’s depth and power run game could wear down the undermanned Hawks, who already are experiencing injuries, during a hot and humid August day.
The Duke predicts Strasburg will pull away in the second half and utilize a few big plays from Takhi Coates and Riley Walker to secure the victory, 34-20.
To listen to Ryan’s chat with Strasburg’s Head Coach Tripp Lamb, click here.
Skyline, the reigning Regional Champions, host Meridian, the current leaders for the Region, tonight in our High School Basketball Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and the Tune In Radio App.
Skyline has dominated the area the last few seasons taking home back-to-back Regional titles, but Meridian has asserted themselves as the front runners for the hardware this season.
The Mustangs have already knocked off Skyline once, boast the best record in the Region at 17-1, and can claim the Northwestern District regular season championship with a win this week against Skyline or Manassas Park.
Meridian is led by the sophomore sensation Daylen Martino at point guard and returning All-District selection Grant Greiner, but usually have a relatively balanced scoring approach.
Martino and Greiner are coming off 16 point performances to lead the Mustangs over Heritage Friday night.
The Mustangs like to employ an aggressive, full-court trap defense which will challenge Skyline’s primary ball handlers.
Senior guard Colby Wood has held up well to pressure in the past and often finds one of his athletic swingmen like Isiah Maxwell or Ahsan Abdul-Qasim to throw it down in transition.
Meridian has great size around the roster but Skyline’s Dwayne Tucker should have an advantage in the paint.
The junior forward is second in the area for points per game with 16.8 and rebounds per game at 7.5.
Skyline will need to play their most complete game of the season and focus on minimizing turnovers against the Meridian pressure to come up away with a win.
Meridian has essentially locked up the district title with struggling Manassas Park awaiting them later this week and could find themselves in a let down spot for a game that doesn’t have a lot of meaning to them.
Skyline will use the boost of the home crowd after ending a tough four game road trip and a steady dose of Tucker to come away with a tight win, 70-67.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
Skyline (3-2) hosts Brentsville (0-4) at 7:30 tonight in the High School Basketball Game of the Week on Fox Sports Radio 1450 WFTR, theriver953.com, and the Tune In Radio App.
The Hawks are not off to the start that they had hoped, already accumulating more losses this season through five games than all of last season.
But the season is young, and Skyline’s losses have came against very strong competition.
The 55-53 opening night loss on the road to a Class 4 Sherando team expected to have a great year is nothing to hang your head about and the other loss in the Handley Showcase was to a powerhouse Spotswood program.
Tonight is a classic “get right game” opportunity for the Hawks as they have dominated Brentsville in recent history.
Skyline has graduated some key pieces to those teams like Zack Diggs and Elias Carter but return some star familiar faces in Colby Wood, Dwayne Tucker, Andre Ford, and Sebastian Banks.
Coach Chunn is also excited about some new additions like the ultra athletic Ahsan Abdul-Qasim, standout wide reciever Isiah Maxwell, and Day’Shawn Haley, who has already played key minutes this season.
They were both members of Skyline’s JV team that went undefeated last season.
In last year’s varsity matchups with Brentsville, the Hawks dominated both outings 80-48 and 91-53.
Dwayne Tucker had 14 points in the first of the two games and is off to a hot start again this season.
In Skyline’s season opener against Sherando, Tucker scored a game high 23 points and in their most recent win against Clarke County, he totaled 22 points and 12 rebounds.
Brentsville has struggled this season but is coming off their closest game of the season, falling by two to Culpepper.
The Tigers allowed a concerning performance to freshman guard Makel Minor of James Monroe as he reached 51 points, including eight-three pointers.
Colby Wood’s three point shooting or Dwayne Tucker’s inside dominance could provide an impressive stat line by the end of tonight.
I predict Skyline to roll to a convincing win and calm the concerns of some fans in the area, 87-53.
For more news from across the Shenandoah Valley, click here.
