After a wild offseason, it's kickoff week for area high school football teams
There is no doubt that the 2026 high school football offseason was one of the most consequential ever, with impacts that will be felt all season. But not now. Week one of the 2026 season is here, and it deserves our full attention.
Each week, we’ll tell the stories of student-athletes, both on and off the field, from the biggest headlines to the untold stories that make Fridays in the autumn so special.
We begin with our debut Super 12 High School Football Poll. Sixteen teams were under consideration, showing the depth of programs in the area, as more than half of the region’s teams have legitimate playoff aspirations.
VIEW THE FIRST SUPER 12 POLL OF THE SEASON HERE!
Region previews:
Class 6, Region A is, again, Oscar Smith’s to lose. However, their starting quarterback is out for the season due to injury, thrusting a freshman, Justice Culler, into the spotlight.
Remember the name Wyatt Jessup, the returning starter for Thomas Dale, who lost to the Tigers in last year’s region final. Coach Kevin Tucker returns a plethora of talent, but their defense will be hard pressed to replicate last year’s performance. Preston Bradley is a star in the making after missing half of last season due to injury. Expect to see him on both sides of the ball.
L.C. Bird returns most of their starters with a new head coach in Gerard Johnson. Perhaps the team most affected by graduation is Manchester, who will need new talent to step up early to establish the Lancers in the region race, while J.R. Tucker continues to search for its footing in the state’s highest classification.
Highland Springs is certainly the favorite in Class 5, Region C, as the Springers look to return to Championship Saturday but, this time, bring the trophy home. Dashaun Chisem arrives from Meadowbrook, where he completed sixty percent of his passes in 2025 for 2,354 yards.
Legendary coach Loren Johnson and his staff poured over film from their championship loss to Maury, eyeing needs to fix in their quest for a sixth title.
Hermitage will again be nipping on the Springers’ heels. The Panthers fell by eight points to Highland Springs in the region final last season, but must replace the backfield prowess of Avery Curtis. Myles Brooks steps in as the new signal caller, but the success of Hermitage this season may hinge more on their defense.
We’ll have a better grip on last year’s top seed, Patrick Henry-Roanoke, as well as William Fleming, after their opening week games which include Fleming visiting Varina.
The region’s dark horse is Midlothian, who are becoming postseason regulars but are still seeking a playoff win in this decade.
There are new coaches across the region: Pete Gallagher at Mills Godwin, George Earle at Deep Run, and Jacob Hodges at Glen Allen, which returns Luke Perini at quarterback. Across the river, Billy Rudd moves from Meadowbrook to Matoaca, while Quinn Tobias steps up from coordinator to take over the Monarchs. Bryan Jennings takes the helm at James River.
Don’t forget about Douglas Freeman, a perennial playoff hopeful, and Prince George, where Tom Hall, in his third season, draws closer to making the Royals the powerhouse he knows they could be.
The region to watch, again, this year is Class 4, Region B. Defending state champion Varina has an embarrassment of riches as Kaleb Wyche begins his final season under center. The Blue Devils also benefited from the offseason’s biggest transfer, former Dinwiddie standout Zion Boisseau, who joins the Blue Devils after verbally committing to the University of Richmond.
But nipping at their heels is Huguenot, who made big summer headlines when junior quarterback Charles Scott, Jr. committed to the University of Alabama. Undoubtedly a top national prospect, Scott will have South Carolina commit Iveon Lewis (1,046 receiving yards, 12 TD’s in 2025) back for one more year. The Falcons have talent across both lines, and are primed for their best shot at the program’s first state title – they lost the 1988 Group AAA final.
Dinwiddie certainly took a hit when Boisseau left for Varina after a 39-touchdown campaign last year. But if anyone can reload with talent, it’s Generals head coach Billy Mills, who has 179 wins at Dinwiddie, 213 in his legendary career. Jordyn Williams will impact both sides of the ball, while Victor Pacheco, a very reliable kicker, could be the difference in close games.
With Louisa regrouping after the losses of Savion Hiter (Michigan) and Dyzier Carter (Rutgers), two teams look to jump into the top four of the region. Caroline has sneaky good talent, beginning with sophomore Rashawn Rollins under center.
Hanover will turn to Joel Nicholson at quarterback for head coach Sam Rogers, who always gets the most out of his players. The senior was first team all-region in basketball last winter and has undergone a rigorous offseason to prepare.
Atlee, Patrick Henry, and Mechanicsville will fight Hanover for county supremacy as all three teams look to return to the postseason. Do not overlook Henrico who, under new head coach Rashaad Harris, will begin a rebuild after going winless a season ago.
Outside of the RVA, Spotsylvania looks to build on their 2025 turnaround, while Eastern View and King George each look to return to former glory.
Class 3, Region A belongs to Lake Taylor until someone can prove them wrong. Jerome Mathis’ Petersburg Crimson Wave gave them plenty before falling 40-26 on Black Friday in the region championship, and will certainly be back for more.
Hopewell may have a tough opener hosting Highland Springs, but that, combined with the always difficult Central District schedule, should benefit coach Ricky Irby’s Blue Devils. Circle October 23rd now. That’s when Hopewell travels to face the Wave.
New Kent has something to prove, too. Head Coach Scott Girolmo and his returning Trojans look to erase the heartbreak of losing a home playoff game last season, return to the playoffs, and advance. Dylan Bowman, who was the Class 3 Player of The Year for New Kent’s state title baseball team, will hurl the pigskin for the Trojans.
Colonial Heights begins the year with two tough road trips, at Dinwiddie and at Caroline. The growth they can muster from that stretch could bode well for them as the season progresses to improve on last year’s 1-10 mark.
Over in Class 3, Region B, Goochland yearns for a return to glory days, but second year head coach Chase Phillips says a real culture build, showing players that it’s not just a cliché, is as important to him as the x’s and o’s this season.
Armstrong and Thomas Jefferson will, again, try to snare the Class 2, Region A crown. Standing in their way is four-time defending region champion Poquoson, who eliminated the Wildcats 19-14 in the 2025 region final.
Armstrong can run you off the field with Shadarus Pickett returning and Brennan Ball, who transferred from Mechanicsville after a stellar junior campaign.
Meanwhile, the Vikings, who lost in the region semifinal to Armstrong, need fine tuning, as four of their five losses last season were one-score affairs. Corey Brown, formerly of Cosby, takes over at quarterback behind a very experienced line. If the defense can gel, it may be TeeJay’s year. But do not forget about King William, who are always tough and remember their loss to the Vikings in last year’s region quarterfinal.
In VISAA Division I, it’s Benedictine versus the field as they seek a fourth consecutive state championship. Ralphie Pucinelli returns to the Cadets after a stint at Glen Allen at quarterback. Sean Boyd and Damari Hawkins anchor a stingy defense up front with Malachi Mingo and Isaac Cuevas charged with halting opposing pass attacks in the secondary.
Trinity Episcopal, St. Christopher’s and Collegiate will all be competitive, but will have to find a way to knock the Cadets off their perch if they want championship glory.
Week 1 games to watch
Midlothian at L.C. Bird: The Johnson administration debuts at Dutchman Field with the Whitehead brothers anchoring the lines. The Trojans would love a repeat of last year’s 19-0 triumph over the Skyhawks.
Douglas Freeman at Atlee: The Mavericks and Raiders always enter Week 1 with playoff aspirations. Douglas Freeman has won their opener five straight seasons, the last three versus the Raiders, who seek their first season opening triumph since 2021.
Highland Springs at Hopewell: On paper, this looks like a “W” for the Springers as it was when these two played a year ago. But Merner Field is not the easiest place to play, and the Blue Devils will be hungry.
Under the radar
Glen Allen at Prince George: This is, perhaps, the most consequential week one matchup outside of L.C. Bird vs Midlothian. Two Class 5, Region C teams looking to make a statement and gain an early upper hand in the region standings. Jaguar QB Perini versus Royals RB Lawrence Hewlett will be fascinating to watch.
They said it, coaches' edition
We asked area coaches to reflect on the biggest lessons they’ve personally learned during this crazy offseason, and there were some eye opening answers.
“You can never take leadership or preparation for granted. We lost a lot of senior leadership from last year’s team, and our playoff loss showed us that the margin for error is really small.” –Caroline head coach Terry Alexander
“When I took over in June of last year, we did not have adequate time to fully evaluate our athletes and their individual strengths. Having a full offseason has allowed us to better evaluate and adjust our coaching, schemes and concepts to better fit our athletes.” –Monacan head coach Justin Akers
“Essentialism. Squeezing nine months into three months is not possible.” –Glen Allen head coach Jacob Hodges, who took over the program in May.
“Got to hate losing more than we love winning.” –Tom Hall, head coach of Prince George.
Next week, we’ll share an especially astute answer from an area coach on the new reality of the high school football landscape, especially when it comes to player movement, the rise of specialty academies in our region, and more.
Flags all over the field
September 1st is also opening night as girls flag football returns for its second full fall season in the City of Richmond, joined by returnee Varina and newcomer Highland Springs. Petersburg is slated to play three games with Henrico playing two in the nine-game schedule. Open High is the defending champion, having beaten previously undefeated John Marshall 12-6 in overtime in last year’s championship contest.
In Chesterfield County, the sport debuts on the club level in 2026, as the Washington Commanders continue their support of the growth of the game throughout Virginia.
With flag football set to be a much publicized part of the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles, it would behoove the Virginia High School League (VHSL) to get ahead of the curve and add girls flag football as an officially sponsored sport.
Our final play
Our goal continues to be the ability to feature not only top and key performances each week, but also hidden gems. We love to chronicle players who may play positions that do not produce many statistics but are difference makers, a second-teamer pressed into duty and rising up to meet the challenge, or a special teams player who saves the day.
We invite you to share your nominees for hidden gems with us anytime at robwitham1@gmail.com.
You’ll notice we did not discuss upcoming region realignments, the “t” word (transfer), or other big offseason news. We’ll tackle it all in the weeks to come. But, for this first week of the 2026 journey, it’s all about the student-athletes who are about to give fans another memorable season.
Week 1 Schedule:
THURSDAY AUGUST 27:
Highland Springs at Hopewell, 7pm
Douglas Freeman at Atlee, 7pm (LIVE Digital Coverage on X: @hanoversports/@henricosports)
Cosby at Thomas Dale, 7pm
Midlothian at LC Bird, 7pm
Manchester at Monacan, 7pm
Greensville at James River, 7pm
Essex at Sussex Central, 7pm
Lancaster at Charles City, 7pm
King George at Brooke Point, 7pm
Western Branch at Phoebus, 7pm
Lakeland at Windsor, 7pm
Tabb at Jamestown, 7pm
FRIDAY AUGUST 28:
Armstrong at Richmond School For The Arts (RHSA), 6pm, Midtown Green (former Washington NFL Training Center)
William Fleming at Varina, 7pm
Hermitage at Matoaca, 7pm
Deep Run at Mechanicsville, 7pm
Glen Allen at Prince George, 7pm
Meadowbrook at Clover Hill, 7pm
Petersburg at Henrico, 7pm
Bethel at Patrick Henry, 7pm
Caroline at J.R. Tucker, 7pm
Colonial Heights at Dinwiddie, 7pm
Thomas Jefferson at I.C. Norcom, 7pm
Collegiate at Albemarle, 7pm
Nottoway at Goochland, 7pm
Amelia at King William, 7pm
Mills Godwin at Louisa, 7:30pm
Orange at Powhatan, 7pm
Gloucester at New Kent, 7pm
Nandua at Rappahannock, 7pm
Surry at Middlesex, 7pm
West Point at Colonial Beach, 7pm
Northampton at Northumberland, 7pm
Charlottesville at Franklin, 7pm
James Monroe at Westmoreland, 7pm
Cumberland at King & Queen Central, 7pm
Western Albemarle at Culpeper, 7pm
Courtland at Massaponax, 7pm
Spotsylvania at Fluvanna, 7pm
Rappahannock County at Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot, 7pm
Monticello at William Monroe, 7pm
Riverbend at Chancellor, 7pm
Bassett at Franklin County, 7pm
Southern Alamance (NC) at PH-Roanoke, 7pm
Prince Edward at Chatham, 7pm
Nelson County at Randolph-Henry, 7pm
Central-Lunenburg at Altavista, 7pm
Buckingham at Madison County, 7pm
Mecklenburg at Brunswick, 7pm
Southampton at Grassfield, 7pm
Heritage-NN at Lake Taylor, 7pm
Kecoughtan at Booker T. Washington, 7pm
Landstown at Kellam, 7pm
York at Poquoson, 7pm
Skyline at Strasburg, 7pm
Liberty-Bealeton at Kettle Run, 7pm
Justice at Meridian, 7pm
Manassas Park at Fauquier, 7pm
Warren County at Rock Ridge, 7pm
Arcadia at Catholic, 7pm
SATURDAY AUGUST 29:
Menchville at John Marshall, 12pm
Blue Ridge at Benedictine, 1pm
Eastern View at John Handley, 1pm
Roanoke Catholic at Trinity Episcopal, 2pm
