With most teams at midseason or beyond, here’s a look at the top players, biggest surprises and top teams in each district.
Bay Rivers District
Midseason Player of the Year: Jordin Lennon’s injury led to a dismal (1-3) spring for the Falcons, but he’s back and has run for 1,055 yards and 17 touchdowns in six games, as well as leading the Falcons in sacks and tackles for loss. It took a fourth-quarter rally for Lafayette to hand the Falcons (5-1) their only loss of the fall.
Surprise team: Bruton (3-3) — a program many thought would not survive on the 11-man level not too long ago — has three victories for the first time since 2014. Trey Corbin has been the catalyst for first-year coach Barrington Morrison, with team-leading numbers in five games (the Panthers have a forfeit victory) of 634 rushing yards, six touchdowns, 25 tackles and two sacks.
District race: The Nov. 5 game between No. 5 Lafayette (5-0, 5-0 district) and No. 9 Warhill (6-0, 5-0) could be a battle of unbeatens for the district title, with Warhill looking for its first win in 17 games against the Rams. But the Lions will have to get past York (5-1, 4-1) on Oct. 29 for that to happen. To defend its Class 2 Region A title, Poquoson (3-2) will again have to win multiple road games.
Beach District
Midseason Player of the Year: Green Run QB Xavier Davis leads Hampton Roads in passing, completing 86 of 123 passes for 1,573 yards and 23 TDs with no interceptions. So he gets the nod for the unbeaten Stallions. Teammate Tayon Holloway (30 receptions, 531 yards, 10 TDs) is a threat to score anytime he touches the ball at wide receiver or returner, while Kempsville RB NaiQuan Washington-Pearce has rushed for 771 yards and nine TDs.
Surprise teams: Kempsville, which hasn’t had a winning record since 2009, has emerged as one of the top teams in the district with a 4-1 record. On the other end is Landstown. Since the school opened in 2001, the Eagles have never started 0-5 or lost more than five in a row. But that’s where they are. Now they’re just trying to avoid a winless season.
District race: Green Run (6-0) can go a long way toward clinching its first district title since 1995 with a victory over Bayside. The Marlins (4-1) are the only one-loss team left in the district. The Stallions finish against Princess Anne, Cox and Landstown, who have a combined record of 4-10.
Eastern District
Midseason Player of the Year: Maury QB Saquan Miles could be the Newcomer of the Year, too. The Salem transfer has kept the Commodores rolling with more than 1,000 all-purpose yards and 17 TDs. Elsewhere, Churchland QB Brandyn Hillman has accounted for 932 all-purpose yards and 11 TDs to lead the Truckers to a 4-2 record.
Surprise teams: Wilson changed its name to Manor this season, and the change has brought the Mustangs good fortunes. As Wilson, the program hadn’t had a winning season since 2004 or made the postseason since 1991. New coach Jelani Fair has the Mustangs thinking playoffs. Either way, it’s been a great turnaround. On the other end, Lake Taylor snapped a two-game losing streak with a win over Mills Godwin last week to improve to 3-3. The Titans haven’t had a losing record since 2004, and coach Hank Sawyer will make sure that won’t happen as they try to make a push for the postseason.
District race: Maury is three victories away from winning at least a share of a third consecutive district title. The Commodores face Manor (3-2), Booker T. Washington (4-1) and Norview (3-3) in their final three games.
Peninsula District
Midseason Player of the Year: With 11 touchdowns among his 12 receptions — not to mention a key interception against Hampton on Saturday — Phoebus wide receiver/cornerback Kymari Gray gets the edge over Phantoms teammate and QB Mark Wagner, who has thrown for 853 yards and 15 touchdowns in five games.
Surprise teams: Hampton was picked to finish second and, barring a major upset, will do so. But the 14-7 loss to Phoebus — on a late goal-line stand by the Phantoms — shows the gap between the top two is smaller than expected. Woodside (4-1) is rebuilding, but doing so more successfully than it appeared likely when it lost its opener 32-6 to Hampton.
District race: Phoebus (6-0, 5-0) will win a fifth consecutive district title and — even it loses to Class 6 power Oscar Smith on Nov. 5 — go into the Class 3 Region A playoffs as the favorite in a field that includes defending state champion Lafayette. Hampton (5-1, 4-1) is poised to go into the Class 4 Region A playoffs as a top-three seed with hopes of reaching the state semifinals. Woodside leads a group of five PD teams that should make the Class 5 Region A playoffs, but none is expected to knock off favorite Maury.
Southeastern District
Midseason Player of the Year: Oscar Smith RB Kevon King is the front-runner after rushing for 604 yards and 13 TDs for the top-ranked Tigers. Also, Western Branch RB Shimique Blizzard has rushed for 680 yards and nine TDs this season, and Lakeland RB Damarion Jordan has rushed for 850 yards and 10 TDs.
Surprise teams: Western Branch hasn’t had a winning season since 2016 and hasn’t won a playoff game since 2013. The Bruins (6-1) have already clinched a winning record. Soon they’ll try for a postseason win. Grassfield is riding its longest losing streak in program history, and the Grizzlies are off to their worst start since an 0-10 inaugural season.
District race: The Southeastern District title could be decided Friday when King’s Fork travels to Oscar Smith. Both teams are unbeaten in the district. The Bulldogs are one of three teams in the district to beat the Tigers since 2004. Hickory (2006) and Indian River (2018) are the others. The Tigers have won at least a share of 15 of the past 16 district titles.
Larry Rubama, 757-446-2273, larry.rubama@pilotonline.com Follow @LHRubama on Twitter.
757Teamz Top 15
Team, record (first-place votes), total points and last week’s rankings are included.
1. Oscar Smith, 4-1 (7), 105; Last week: 1
This week: vs. King’s Fork, 7 p.m. Friday
2. Phoebus, 6-0, 98; Last week: 2
This week: vs. Kecoughtan at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m. Friday
3. Green Run, 6-0, 91; Last week: 3
This week: at Bayside, 7 p.m. Friday
4. Maury, 3-1, 84; Last week: 4
This week: vs. Manor at Powhatan Field, 7 p.m. Friday
5. Lafayette, 5-0, 75; Last week: 5
This week: at King William, 7 p.m. Friday
6. King’s Fork, 5-0, 71; Last week: 6
This week: at Oscar Smith, 7 p.m. Friday
7. Kempsville, 4-1, 58; Last week: 12
This week: Idle.
8. Hampton, 5-1, 53; Last week: 7
This week: vs. Denbigh at Darling Stadium, 7 p.m. Thursday
9. Warhill, 6-0, 41; Last week: 10
This week: vs. Poquoson at Wanner Stadium, 7 p.m. Thursday
10. Western Branch, 6-1, 43; Last week: 14
This week: at Hickory, 7 p.m. Friday
11. Deep Creek, 4-2, 36; Last week: 9
This week: at Nansemond River, 7 p.m. Friday
12. Ocean Lakes, 4-2, 31; Last week: 8
This week: vs. Salem, 7 p.m. Friday
13. Churchland, 4-2, 15; Last week: 11
This week: vs. Lake Taylor, 7 p.m. Friday
14. Booker T. Washington, 4-1, 13; Last week: 15
This week: vs. Norcom, 7 p.m. Friday
15. Cox, 4-2, 9; Last week: unranked
This week: vs. Princess Anne, 7 p.m. Friday
Dropped out: Indian River (2-2).
Also receiving votes: Indian River 7, York 4, Bayside 1.
Staffers Sonny Dearth, Jami Frankenberry, Greg Giesen, Ray Nimmo, Marty O’Brien, Larry Rubama and Sian Wilkerson voted in the poll.
