We’re in the dog days of summer. Daily temperatures in the 90s, blistering humidity and excuses for everyone to find air conditioning. It also means that high school football is just around the corner.
Although teams have been honing their skills for some time, the official practice sessions begin the last week of July, leading up to the August 26th opening night for most of our “Big-11” squads.
Shorts, tee shirts and halter tops will be the style de jour to start the season, moving quickly to sweaters, jeans and even parkas by season’s end.
The Virginia High School League released its master schedule in July, so here’s a look at what to expect in 2016 for your favorite team. We also take a look at both of our private school teams in the Valley. Little doubt another exciting season is just around the corner. In 2015, eight of our eleven “Big-11” teams advanced to the playoffs.
Our only Group 5A entry, the Patrick Henry Patriots, get things started on August 26th with what has become a traditional season opener against 3A Hidden Valley. The only other 5A team PH faces in 2016 is in week-4 at home against Albemarle. There will be plenty of challenges, however, from the 4A ranks, including trips to Jefferson Forest and Salem, along with 4A home contests with Pulaski County and the cross-city battle for the Noel C. Taylor Cup against William Fleming in week-3.
Our three 4A teams, William Byrd, William, Fleming and Salem, all have interesting schedules for 2016.
Byrd faces the other two aforementioned 4A teams along with eight from the 3A ranks. The Terriers should become familiar with Dwight Bogle Stadium in Southwest Roanoke County, opening their season with back-to-back road games against Cave Spring and Hidden Valley on the artificial turf.
Fleming opens at home against perennial 4A powerhouse Jefferson Forest, then travels to 6A Franklin County before the week-3 matchup at PH. The Colonels play host to E.C. Glass in week-4 before closing out the final 6 games with Blue Ridge District opponents.
Defending 4A state champion Salem opens at home against Amherst County. After a bye week, the Spartans finish up the regular season with nine straight contests against opponents from either the River Ridge or Blue Ridge Districts.
Group 3A state runner-up Lord Botetourt opens at home in the traditional battle of Botetourt County versus James River. A home contest against Spotswood, road trips to 4A Bassett and 3A Fort Defiance are followed by six straight matchups against fellow Blue Ridge District teams.
Northside, looking to continue its success with a new head coach, has its hands full with an opening week trip to 4A Pulaski County before returning home to face Heritage and Hidden Valley in successive weeks. That’s followed by a trip to Salem before closing out the season with its six Blue Ridge foes.
It’s going to be tricky remembering the schedule quirks of 3A River Ridge members Cave Spring and Hidden Valley, both of whom share Bogle Stadium as their home field. Twice in 2016, both teams have home games on the same weekend. As a result, Hidden Valley takes on Christiansburg Friday, October 21st, with Cave Spring keeping the lights on the next night for a Saturday night matchup against Blacksburg.
The teams repeat the weekend shuffle the following week as Cave Spring entertains Salem on Friday night October 28th, with Hidden Valley hosting Pulaski County for a 7:00pm Saturday night kickoff. Along the way, Cave Spring will host Glenvar in week-3 and Hidden Valley will travel to Liberty in week-4 in the only matchups outside the River Ridge or Blue Ridge for both teams.
Our only 2A “Big-11” team, the Glenvar Highlanders, supplement their trip to 3A Cave Spring with four contests against 2A schools and five against 1A members, a commonplace mixture in the Three Rivers District. October 7th will be circled on the calendars of all Glenvar fans where, after a bye week, the Highlanders travel to Giles for the rivalry contest.
Both of the “Big-11” private school teams, North Cross and Roanoke Catholic, come off great seasons. And, no better way to get things started in week-1 when the two meet head-to-head in a Friday night game at Vinyard Field, their first meeting since 2009.
Catholic will venture outside the private schools when they take on Auburn and Craig County in 2016.
North Cross, normally a fixture with Saturday afternoon contests, plays five times on Friday night in 2016, including home games at Salem’s Spartan Stadium in weeks 2 and 3 when they entertain Virginia Episcopal and Blessed Sacrament-Huguenot. Including a week-4 trip to Nansemond-Suffolk, it means the Raiders will play their first four games at night, hopefully reducing the early season leg cramps promoted by those potential Saturday afternoon scorchers.
Keep track of the upcoming season with The Star’s weekly online coverage at our recently new and improved website at www.TheRoanokeStar.com.
Bill Turner
