Plenty to play for

Eastern View High School shouldn’t lack for motivation heading into Friday night’s football finale against visiting Spotsylvania.

The Cyclones haven’t been mathematically eliminated from regional playoff contention and will take on a pair of former teammates in the Knights’ Cody Jenkins and Kyle Schubert. Jenkins, Spotsy’s starting quarterback, and Schubert, its kicker, transferred earlier in the fall after suiting up for Eastern View in the season opener.

But perhaps the biggest motivating factor for EVHS (5-4, 3-3 Battlefield District) on Friday is the plum opportunity to finish with a winning record for the second year in a row, a rare feat for a school that has only been in existence that long.

“I’m proud of the fact that we are getting a chance to play for that again,” Eastern View coach Greg Hatfield said. “I don’t think there are a lot of schools that have done that. We were fortunate to get some experienced players last year that helped with the opening of the school, but it’s been well documented that we’re an inexperienced team this year. We’ve concentrated on trying to build this program from the bottom up.”

Unlike many newer schools in the area, such as Battlefield and Kettle Run, Eastern View had a senior class in its first year and the Cyclones finished 7-3 in their debut season. But this year’s EVHS squad has been led mostly by underclassmen.

The Cyclones have also had success at all levels. The varsity and JV squads have played a combined 38 games since the school opened, winning 27 and losing 10, with one tie in a JV game.

As far as making the playoffs this season, it’s technically possible, but several upsets would have to take place for that to happen.

“We need a lot of Division 3 teams to beat Division 4 teams,” Hatfield said.

For the Cyclones moving forward in building the program means beating playoff caliber teams and making the postseason themselves.

“I think we got a great indication of where we were this year,” Hatfield said. “The next step for us is that we want to compete for a Battlefield District title.”

PLAYING SPOILER: Culpeper County High School won’t be heading to the regional playoffs, but have an opportunity to have an impact on the postseason.

The Blue Devils play host to the Chancellor Chargers, who after beating James Monroe and Courtland in the past two weeks could clinch the Battlefield District title and a spot in the Division 4 playoffs with a victory.

But Culpeper (3-6, 3-3) could shake it all up with an upset on Friday, which also happens to be senior night at Broman Field for 19 Blue Devils playing their final high school game.

GAME OF THE DECADE: It’s hard to imagine there has been a more anticipated regular season game in Madison County since the Mountaineers made a run to the state championship in 1999.

Friday night Clarke County, the last team to beat Madison, visits Dean Field in a battle of unbeatens in the Bull Run District. The Mountaineers and Eagles both come into the game with 9-0 records and are both 3-0 in the district.

In the latest Associated Press Virginia high school football poll Clarke County was ranked No. 1 in Group A, while Madison checked in at No. 5.

Though both teams are heading to the playoffs, there is still plenty on the line between these heated rivals. The winner will be the Bull Run champion, a title the Mountaineers missed out on last year after falling at Clarke County. For Madison a victory would lock up the No. 1 seed in Region B’s Division 1 playoff and give the Mountaineers a home game in the first round.

TOUGH SCHEDULE: Orange County wrapped up its season last week at 4-6 after a 20-18 loss to Charlottesville. Injuries to key players such as Amir Waller and a difficult schedule might have been the main culprits for a rare losing season in Orange.

The Hornets played five teams that have either clinched a playoff spot or will likely be in after this week — Chancellor, James Monroe, Goochland, Louisa and Western Albemarle — and Orange was competitive with a few of those playoff teams. The Hornets suffered a 10-point loss to Goochland and fell 14-0 to James Monroe in a defensive struggle.

But the heartbreaker of the year for Orange was a 19-16 overtime loss to archrival Louisa, who travels to Bealeton this Friday for a regional quarterfinal game against Liberty.

Friday’s big games
Battle of unbeatens
Clarke Co. at Madison Co.
Postseason opener
Louisa at Liberty
Winning season on the line
Spotsylvania at Eastern View
Senior night spoiler?
Chancellor at Culpeper