The Duke’s Preview: Strasburg vs Warren County

9/11/26, Front Royal, VA- Warren County (1-0) welcomes Strasburg (2-0) to town for tonight’s Hike Kidz Foundation Game of the Week c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill with coverage starting at 6:30 pm on The River 95.3, Fox Sports 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

The Wildcats will enter the contest off a Bye Week and plenty of time to prepare for an angry Rams squad coming off a loss.

Warren County is 1-0 after a season opening thrashing of Rock Ridge, 58-12.

Senior QB Bryce Bergmann led the way with 4 TD passes, 3 of those to senior WR Troy DeHaven.

But now the Wildcat offense will face a much tougher opponent in Strasburg.

The Rams defense actually shutout Broadway in the 8-7 loss with the Gobblers only touchdown coming in the form of a late pick-six.

Strasburg will now look to rally this season like they did last year after an early loss to Broadway before turning things around and winning the school’s first State Championship.

In last year’s matchup vs Warren County, Quincy Williams was sidelined due to injury, but this go round he is expected to be at full strength.

Williams is coming off a 177 yard, 4 TD performance against Skyline followed by a 131 yard, 1 TD game last week.

With a healthy season and a few playoff games, the Strasburg career rushing record of 5,307 yards set by Frankie Shoemaker (stat via Until It Was Ours by Ryan Sonner) could be within reach.

Warren County’s defense led by the Texan Tackling Machine LB Frank Nelson and two-way standout Kaiden Clowser, scoop and score vs Rock Ridge, will need to contain Williams and read their keys against Strasburg’s T-Formation to keep this game within reach.

Strasburg has dominated this rivalry in recent years, but Warren County is hoping to have a turned a new leaf with Coach Breeden now establishing his culture and coming off what he claims is the program’s best offseason since his arrival.

We will see tonight how much ground the Wildcats have made up, but the Rams still seem to be a program farther along and they will be seeing red after experiencing another heartbreaking loss to Broadway.

Warren County will be able to connect on a few explosive plays, but Strasburg will dictate the pace of the game and win at the line of scrimmage.

Rams out pace the Cats, 34-22.

For a preview of all the Week 3 matchups and a look back at Week 2, listen to the latest Sports Dogs Podcast HERE.

Sports Dogs Podcast: High School Football Week 1 recap, Week 2 preview

In this episode, The Sports Dogs are barking a day early due to the shortened week for many schools.

Check out the episode HERE featuring:

  • Week 1 recaps including:
    • Strasburg vs Skyline in the first Game of the Week
    • Big wins by Sherando, James Wood, and Handley
    • A heartbreaker for the Pioneers
  • Week 2 previews of:
    • Game of the Week-Millbrook vs Heritage
    • Rematches of Broadway vs Strasburg and Loudoun County vs Sherando
    • Handley’s new game change and more..
  • The first Player of the Week nominees including Millbrook’s Carter Kinley and James Wood’s Jackson Ledford
  • an updated Power Five rankings
  • and more…

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

The Duke’s Preview: Skyline @ Strasburg

8/28/26 Strasburg, VA– Skyline makes the short trip to Strasburg for the first High School Football Game of the Week brought to you by the Hike Kidz Foundation c/o Brickhouse Bar and Grill with coverage starting at 6:30 for the Tana Hoffman Pregame Show then the 7 pm kick-off on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

Strasburg ended a program long State Championship drought last season and will now look to prove this is the start of a dynasty, not the book after a Cinderella story.

The Rams return Class 2 Offensive Player of the Year RB Quincy Williams (2,000+ yards, 27 Touchdowns) and 2x All State selection Gage Gutierrez along the offensive line but will look to replace some key players including QB Brayden Hough, RBs Brady Knight and Linkyn Bosworth, and other key pieces along the offensive line.

OT Cooper Miller filled in during the playoff run due to injury and played will during crucial games for the Rams while many other younger players like Brady Knight’s brother Tyler Knight were able to get varsity playing time thanks to lopsided scores down the stretch.

TEs Carson Duckworth and Alexander Mudd love to block and will provide senior leadership on the ends of the OL.

The defensive side of the ball contains more question marks as the Rams will graduate four Class 2 All State Defensive selections including Brady Knight, Nathaniel Turner, Jacob Britton, and Defensive Player of the Year Hutson Conrad.

Quincy Williams will make impact plays on the defense as well and provides good versatility thanks to his speed and physicality.

James Trainor and Pablo Mora Hernandez will be looked to on the backend after strong junior campaigns and playoff runs.

Skyline is still searching for the school’s first football State Title but did claim the program’s first Region Runner-Up after falling short to Kettle Run in last year’s playoffs.

The Hawks also bring back an All-State level running back in Zayden Burks.

Burks led  Virginia with an astounding 2,897 yards and 28 touchdowns and could realistically surpass those numbers this season.

If Burks can reach that total this year, he would have the second most career rushing yards in VHSL history and he is just 1,236 yards away from 6,000 career yards and ranking in the top 27 in state history.

Skyline returns a strong offensive line including four seniors Tytus Drake, Ryan Held, Adrian Schmitz, and Christian Boone who take pride in opening lanes for their RB and protecting first year starter QB Brentley Grindle.

Grindle’s raw talent, athleticism, and performance as JV QB last year made the decision easy for the Hawks coaching staff and the sophomore has impressed his teammates with his play and leadership in 7-on-7 tournaments and training camp.

Grindle has already formed a good connection with Jr TE Brady Lupton (6’4″ 230 lb) and WRs Caydin Jenkins and Lane Kenney.

Defensively, the Hawks will have many of those OL playing both ways with Lupton and Drake ready to wreak havoc again along the defensive line.

Skyline will need to figure out life without All State LB Andre Ford and the Hawks other leading tackler, Marques Lockhart-Wright (TE at Virginia University of Lynchburg).

With that duo now graduated, Burks could enter the rarified air of 100-plus tackles to go with 2,000-plus rushing yards this season.

Skyline’s defensive backfield of Kenney, Jenkins, and Isiah Grady should be a strong unit again this season.

Now to the matchups, Skyline’s new LB unit without Ford and Lockhart-Wright will be tested in Game 1 against Strasburg’s unique T-Formation.

The Hawks have started the last few season against the Rams so it is not an entirely new concept, but it is still difficult to prepare for, especially at the game speed of the Rams.

Skyline’s new QB Brently Grindle will also get to experience a Varsity defense for the first time and it as a Rams unit that allowed just 12.5 ppg last season.

The Hawks rebuttal to these perceived disadvantages can be pretty simple… we have a hulk… or Zayden Burks.

Burks has game breaking potential every time he touches the ball, even when he is a defenses #1 priority.

Skyline would have an advantage in the defensive backfield against a new starter at QB for Strasburg but the Rams would be completely fine without passing the entire game which would negate that potential edge.

Both team’s offensive and defensive lines should dominate all year long and I would say that category is a push in this matchup.

With two teams who enter the season with high expectations, it may truly come down to who can minimize mistakes and based on the youth at key positions for the Hawks, that could be an issue.

Look for the Rams to come out with some extra energy early as it will be their first time back on Glenn Proctor Field since hoisting the State Title, but this is a motivated Skyline team that would take pride in raining on the Rams return to their homefield.

This game will come down to the final possession, but based on recent history of the Rams undefeated record on the field vs the Hawks since COVID and the momentum from the hometown crowd behind them, it will be tough to unseat the champions in Week 1.

Williams and Burks put on a show with ZB2K slightly outgaining QW1 in yardage, but with the Rams taking the edge on the scoreboard, Strasburg 28-Skyline 22.

For a preview of all the Week 1 matchups, check out the latest Sports Dogs Podcast HERE.

Strasburg State Championship game highlights

Strasburg High School defeated Glenvar in the VHSL Class 2 State Championship game Saturday, 49-27, at Salem Stadium.

The win marked the Rams first football state title in school history after going winless in the first 5 tries including last season.

Coach Tripp Lamb’s team was led all year by a ferocious offensive and defensive line.

The trenches helped Strasburg to a win by tallying over 300 yards rushing and pressuring Glenvar’s quarterback Brody Dawyot, the all time passing touchdown record holder in Virginia.

Listen back to the big win with highlights from the State Championship broadcast team AKA The Sports Dogs by clicking here.

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

Sports Dogs: Strasburg State Championship game highlights

Look back at Strasburg’s Class 2 State Championship win over Glenvar with the Sports Dogs highlights! Coach Tripp Lamb leads the Rams to the first state title in program history, 49-27.

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 Playoff Preview: Strasburg vs Poquoson

12/5/25, Poquoson, VA- Strasburg heads back to the Tidewater to take on Poquoson for the VHSL State Semifinal Saturday at 2 pm with coverage of the Dave’s Diversified Services Game of the Week starting at 1:15 pm for an extended edition of the Tana Hoffman Pregame Show on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, TheRiver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

This game is a rematch of last year’s State Semifinal which saw Strasburg hold on for a 14-13 win.

The Rams took a 14-7 lead into halftime after Takhi Coates’ 2nd first half touchdown and interception.

Then held off a late Poquoson surge thanks to a Brady Knight tipped pass into the arms of Hunter Williams.

While both teams have a few personnel changes like the graduation of Takhi Coates for Strasburg and Quarterback Eli Tyndall for Poquoson, the nucleus and identity of these teams remains unchanged.

Both the Region 2A and 2B champions build their teams along the trenches and pride themselves on dominating the line of scrimmage.

Strasburg returns every starter from last year’s State Runner-Up offensive line.

Three of the five earned All Region Selections earlier this week (1st Team: Jacob Britton and Gage Gutierrez, 2nd Team: Jacob Stickley).

Along the defensive front, the Rams boast the Region 2B Defensive Player of the Year and game-wrecker Hutson Conrad.

Gutierrez and Britton joined Conrad to make up 75% of the 1st Team All Region selections for the position.

Poquoson echoes those accolades and may have a checkmate with OL/DL 4-star prospect Carter Jones.

Jones (6’6″ 285 lbs) is considered one of the top OL in Virginia and has offers from powerhouse programs like Alabama, Georgia, Clemson, and 32 others.

He most recently took an in-person visit to Texas and left with an offer.

Joining Jones along the jumbo o-line are center Preston Bundy (6’3″ 290 lbs) and RT Gavin Coffman (6’3″ 285 lbs) and two smaller guards in Brayden Agnese and Grayson Powell.

The guards smaller size is by design as their speed makes a huge impact on pulling plays which are prevalent in the Flexbone offense.

What Agnese lacks in D-1 size, he makes up for with his play and outshined Jones for Regional Defensive Player tallying 18 tackles for loss and 4 sacks in regular season play.

Austin Conley is also a force for the Bull Islander defense and earned 1st Team All Region All-Purpose and Linebacker.

Like Strasburg, Poquoson relies on many two-way players, and Conley delivers home-run plays for the offense as well.

In the Regional Semifinal, he led the way with 154 yards and 4 touchdowns on just 9 carries.

Cody Little does the hard-nosed running between the tackles (like Strasburg’s Linkyn Bosworth) and went over 1,000 yards and 15 touchdowns this year.

While Little and Conley are a talented duo, Strasburg will once again have the best running back on the field in Quincy Williams.

Williams has been lethal behind the Rams line and can turn any run into a big play with his vision, strength, and acceleration.

He should be rested after he played less than two quarters against Stuarts Draft yet still totaled 200 yards and three touchdowns on just five carries.

For Strasburg to win this game on the road in a hostile environment, they will need to play clean football and leave no doubt.

As we saw last year, the Rams can not put the game into the hands of the chain gang, an official, or play looking for calls that may never come.

Coach Lamb and Co. will have to do it on their own.

In previous Duke’s Previews, I haven’t needed to mention QB Brayden Hough, but the senior may need to do more in this game than he’s ever been asked to do in his playing career.

Teams have seen success passing against the Bull Islanders including Armstrong in the Regional Championship game.

Armstrong’s QB Anthony Hasom passed for over 300 yards and two touchdowns to lead Poquoson until a late 4th quarter touchdown provided the game winning score.

Strasburg won’t abandon its identity and start airing it out every play, but the Rams may take a few more shots to Harper Sherman or Williams out of the backfield.

If the Rams can execute a few play action passes, eliminate turnovers while forcing one (or more), and maintain composure when plays go the other way, they will be playing in Salem next week.

Strasburg goes down to Poquoson and knocks off the Bull Islanders in a defensive slugfest, 13-7.

Check out the Sports Dogs Podcast for more on the State Semifinal matchup and a look back at the Regional Championship games for Strasburg and Skyline.

The Duke’s Preview: Clarke County @ Strasburg

Clarke County travels to Strasburg in tonight’s 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 coverage starting at 6:30 pm for the 7 pm kick-off.

Clarke County finally found their way into the win column on Homecoming with a classic performance by a squad coached by Casey Childs.

In the 34-8 victory, the Eagles did not punt or pass the entire game as Grady Ferrell led the way with 197 yards and 2 TDs.

The young Eagles had a long journey to the first win of 2025 and will look to carry that momentum into Strasburg to take on an experienced Rams squad.

After a one score loss to 7-1 Broadway, Strasburg has averaged 40.8 points per game and allowed just 8.8 points per game with a shutout.

The Rams are using the same combo that brought them to Salem last season: winning at the line of scrimmage, a strong running game, and swarming defense.

Leading the backfield is Quincy Williams, who is coming off nearly 200 total yards and 3 TDs against Luray last week.

Williams was one of the few offensive standouts in last year’s bash between unbeatens.

The game was ultimately decided by a Rams missed PAT, but Coach Lamb and Co. would rally from that loss for six straight wins and a trip to the State Championship game while Clarke County continued an undefeated regular season before falling in the first round of the playoffs.

Strasburg will look for revenge against their Bull Run rival after falling to the Eagles in Feltner Stadium and looking up to a Clarke County student section full of “I hate Strasburg” shirts.

Maybe the memory of that loss will prompt the Strasburg seniors to ask Coach Lamb for one more drive when up big in the second half.

This game appears to be all Rams on paper and I am predicting another big Strasburg win, 49-12.

For a preview of all the Week 9 matchups, a Week 8 recap, Power 5 rankings, and more, click 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.