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 River Rivalry Preview: Skyline vs Warren County

The River Rivalry resumes tonight when Warren County hosts Skyline 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.

Skyline has claimed the first two River Rivalry trophies and leads the All-Time series vs Warren County 14-7.

The Wildcats last win came in 2018 and was the final of four game winning streak.

Just like any other great rivalry, you can throw out the record books when these teams take the field and upsets can emerge when least expected.

Warren County has shown improvement over last year’s squad and displayed great perseverance when bouncing back from a five game losing streak to start the season to win there next two in a row to get back in play-off positioning.

While equaling last year’s win total, the Wildcats have already out scored the 2024 iteration and allowed 161 less points.

Injuries have started to accumulate for Warren County in the later stages of this season and former leading rusher Blaise Skube is no longer on the roster.

Junior QB Bryce Bergmann has looked solid and recently eclipsed the 1,000 yard mark on the season with over half of those going to SR WR Nick Harlow (45 rec 552 yds 7 TDs).

Warren County’s offense must string together drives and prepare to answer Skyline, which has averaged 43.2 points per game during its six-game win streak.

The Hawks AND THE STATE OF VIRGINIA are led by Jr Running Back Zayden Burks.

Burks currently sits at 1,894 yards rushing and should easily surpass the current leading rusher for The Commonwealth, Anton Carter.

Carter currently sits at 1,932 yards but Nottoway High School’s regular season is over.

With the single season school record behind him, the next milestone for Burks is the 2,000 yard mark which was last seen in Warren County by Wildcat Alum H.B. Banjoman.

Like Burks, Banjoman’s squad was also led by Heath Gilbert, Skyline’s current head coach.

Reaching the 2,000 yard threshold would be another feather in the cap for the future All-State back but an even bigger source of pride for one of the best offensive lines in Skyline history led by seniors Barrett Stephens and Isaiah Caton.

Injuries have pushed Warren County’s LB Frank Nelson to take more snaps at running back, so fatigue for the team’s leading tackler could lead to an even bigger day for Burks.

Skyline’s defense is also led by the linebacker position in the duo of Andre Ford and Marques Lockhart-Wright.

Both basketball standouts fly around the field forcing turnovers, tackles for loss, and delivering punishing blows while eliminating offensive mismatches due to their size and speed.

In addition to The River Rivalry Trophy, these teams are playing for crucial playoff positioning.

Skyline is clinging to the #2 seed which would provide a couple home playoff games and keep them away from reigning State Runner-Ups Kettle Run a little longer.

Warren County is fighting for the chance to play Kettle Run as the #8 seed and gain valuable playoff experience for a young roster.

When these teams take the field, don’t be surprised to see some early trick plays as both coaches dig a little deeper in the playbook for the final week of the regular season.

As the dust settles, I anticipate the Hawks will pull away thanks to a few huge runs from Zayden Burks as he eclipses 2,000 yards and leads the way for his third straight River Rivalry win, 46-12.

For a preview of all of the regular season finale matchups, listen to the latest Sports Dogs Podcast here. 

The Duke’s Hoops Preview: Skyline vs Warren County

Tonight’s High School Basketball Game of the Week features cross-town rivals Warren County (0-2) and Skyline (2-1) on Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and The River 95.3 app with coverage starting at 7:15 pm for the 7:30 pm tip.

Skyline will look to regroup after a surprising 56-42 loss to Fauquier on Wednesday.

Fauquier has improved recently and closed out last season winning 6 of their last 8 while winning their first three games this season, but with all of the returning talent at Skyline, this was a game the Hawks should have won.

In Skyline’s season opener against Millbrook, the Hawks claimed a win but did not look as fluid offensively or defensively as recent years.

Dwayne Tucker faced early foul trouble which may have forced the defense out of their traditionally aggressive nature, but with Skyline’s depth, they were able to maintain a lead for the majority of the game.

The Hawks showed their trademark defense against Clarke County in the second win of the season and forced 23 turnovers to end Clarke County’s 12 game home win streak.

Skyline will need to bring their A game against Warren County tonight as the Wildcats have battled in their first two games under Coach Mario Gill.

Coach Gill brings with him local coaching experience as an assistant at Sherando under Garland Williams and at Frederick Community College.

As a player, he was a first team All-State selection in Oregon and played in Junior College and Division II University of Alaska- Anchorage.

While the Cats enter winless, they have competed and kept themselves in ball games through their first two outings.

Key returners include sophomore Bryce Bergmann and junior Ethan Bare, who both look to have taken another step forward this offseason.

The duo will likely take turns leading Warren County in scoring and that has been the case so far with Bare contributing 21 points and 13 rebounds in game 1 while Bergmann scored 17 in game 2.

I predict Skyline will have a “get-right game” against Warren County in front of a packed Andrew Keller Court to get back to their winning ways, 86-65.

Warren County may be able to hang with Skyline early, but the Hawks will pull away late and throwdown a few dunks along the way.

Check back on Saturday for The Duke’s State Championship Preview as Strasburg takes on Graham in Salem!

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: SHS Coach Gilbert and WCHS Coach Breeden

The Duke chats with Skyline and Warren County head coaches Heath Gilbert and Josh Breeden ahead of the River Rivalry game 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 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: Sherando HC T.J. Rohrbaugh

Ryan chats with Sherando Head Football Coach T.J. Rohrbaugh ahead of the Warriors’ trip to Front Royal to take on Warren County 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 Duke’s Preview: Warren Co vs Clarke Co ft Coach Casey Childs

Tonight’s High School Game of the Week will see Warren County (0-2) host Clarke County (3-0) with coverage starting at 6:30 pm for the 7 pm kick-off on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450,  theriver953.com, and The River 95.3 app.

Warren County will need to do something they have struggled to do this year and that is start fast.

The Wildcats have found themselves trailing early and forced to dig out of a hole in both of their games so far.

Against James Wood, Warren County gave up an early touchdown after surrendering a blocked punt before ultimately falling 21-0.

The following week at Millbrook, the Wildcats gave up a 60 yard touchdown to Kyler Jackson on the opening play from scrimmage and did not get on the board offensively until the game was decided.

Warren County’s backfield of Gavin Dodson and Blaise Skube have shown the ability to break any run, but they will need the inexperienced offensive line to deliver at least a sliver of daylight for them.

Clarke County coasted to a win over Rock Ridge and then faced a few perennial playoff contenders in King William and Buffalo Gap.

Both opponents play physical brands of football and Clarke County rose to the occasion both evenings.

In the 28-20 victory over King William, the Eagles dominated the turnover battle after forcing four and not allowing one.

Last week against Buffalo Gap, Clarke County scored each possession with the exception of a turnover into the endzone and saw explosive plays from Wilson Taylor (11 carries, 230 yards) and Wyatt Palmer (9 carries 95 yards).

Last year against Warren County, Clarke County saw similar results after scoring on each possession of the first half to take a 34-0 lead.

Clarke County Head Coach Casey Childs takes every opponent seriously regardless of record and will look to attack Warren County as he does any opponent with a relentless run game and physical defense.

That recipe has caused nightmares for Warren County with the last two games going Clarke County’s way by identical scores of 40-7.

The Wildcats haven’t defeated the Eagles since 2011 and I do not think that trend changes tonight.

Clarke County could simply be too much for Warren County as the Wildcats continue to try to build the program into something that Clarke County has already established.

Eagles win big on the road, 40-13.

To listen to my interview with Clarke County’s Coach Childs, click here. 

To hear about all of the weekend’s games, look back at last week and the Player of the Week, and updated the Power 5 rankings, listen to the Sports Dogs Podcast here. 

The Dukes Preview: Coach Casey Childs

Clarke County Head Coach Casey Childs speaks with Ryan Rutherford ahead of the Eagle’s trip to Warren County for week 4 of the High School Football Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com and The River App.

The Duke’s Preview: Warren County vs Millbrook ft Coach Josh Breeden

Millbrook hosts Warren County in tonight’s Game of the Week on The River 95.3, Fox Sports Radio 1450, theriver953.com, and the River App with coverage starting at 6:30 pm for a 7 pm kick-off.

The Pioneers are coming off a dominant 40-0 win over Harrisonburg and did so without star running back Kyler Jackson.

Jackson torched the Wildcats defense for 146 yards and two touchdowns in last season’s 44-12 win.

If Jackson is unable to go, the Pioneers have a committee of backs who performed well against Harrisonburg including Julius Brown (14 carries, 69 yards, two touchdowns), Elijah Brown (3 carries, 49 yards, TD), Rome Johnson (7 carries, 22 yards, TD).

Millbrook benefitted from a short field frequently and saw a special teams touchdown from kick returner Cameron Clark, while Warren County’s special teams struggled last week against James Wood and often set up the defense with their backs against the wall.

The Wildcats had a punt blocked and two tackles for loss during punts that helped James Wood secure the 21-0 victory.

Warren County’s offense never got going under quarterback Bryce Bergmann and attempted a switch to Gavin Dodson as the primary ball handler later in the game to some success.

It may not matter who is taking snaps, if the Wildcat’s inexperienced offensive line including five new starters does not adjust quickly.

Warren County’s defense must stop the single wing offense for the first of two outings over the next three weeks.

Millbrook and Warren County’s opponent after the bye week, Clarke County, both run versions of the offense.

Second year Wildcat’s Head Coach Josh Breeden has some experience in the offense under former coach Jerry Sarchet in Warren County three years ago.

Coach Breeden made some adjustments in practice this week, and Warren County will battle to keep things close but may simply be outmatched by the Class 4 school with nearly twice the roster depth.

Millbrook should run their way to another victory over Warren County and may not even attempt a pass in the process if Coach Josh Haymore has his way.

I predict a Millbrook victory full of revving motorcycles behind the endzone, 42-12.

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