If Week 1 of the high school football season in Southwest Virginia provided enough surprises, star-studded performances and blockbuster tilts, Week 2 doubled down on that.
Friday night gave us more of the same, to no one’s objection, as Timesland teams pulled off upsets, put opponents on notice and benefited from dazzling — and in some cases Herculean — individual performances.
Here’s what we learned from Week 2 of the high school football season.
Rocky Mount is ready to roar
Franklin County was in pandemonium this weekend after taking down juggernaut Salem 31-21 at Salem Stadium. It was the first win for the Eagles over the Spartans since 2011 and just their second in the series since 1981, having lost 10 straight.
It’s a huge turning point for Franklin County, a program that has struggled in recent years to compete with its neighboring larger-class foes. Winston Davenport is hitting his stride as a third-year starter at quarterback with Quincy Pruett emerging as his top target, and Rashaun Hughey providing solid run support.
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The Eagles have their work cut out for them the rest of the season. They face Patrick Henry next week, and also take on Magna Vista, Liberty Christian and the gauntlet of the Blue Ridge District. But they’ve shown they can compete with just about anybody. Perhaps their tilts with William Fleming, William Byrd or Lord Botetourt will be closer than initially expected.
2-0 is significant for certain squads
Winning your season opener is obviously big, but starting 2-0 is massive and several teams are sitting with that mark for the first time in a while.
Franklin County, as mentioned above, is 2-0 for the first time since 2011, excluding the spring 2021 season. Craig County, as it aims to compete with the likes of Narrows and Bath County in the Pioneer District, is 2-0 for the first time since 2010, having made just three playoff appearances since then, and Blacksburg is 2-0 for the first time since 2018.
Magna Vista is no stranger to 2-0 starts, but this year’s is significant as it hasn’t allowed a single point in its first two games, outscoring opponents 75-0 so far. It’s just the second time in program history the Warriors have done that, the first coming in 1991.
Giles could be a giant again
The Spartans beat Radford, a solid Class 2 squad, for the first time since 2017, having lost their previous five meetings. They put up 34 points behind a prolific 206-yard, four-touchdown single-wing performance by Jalen Miller.
It gave Sam Wright his first win as head coach of Giles, and it could be the spark the program needed as it searches for its first winning season in four years. Think about this: Giles earned a 13-point win over Radford, which barely held on to beat George Wythe last week. GW was the preseason favorite to win the Mountain Empire District, but now Giles could challenge that.
None of the Spartans’ remaining opponents are unbeaten on the young season, and four opponents — Grundy, Tazewell, Fort Chiswell and Galax — have yet to win. Giles’ regular-season finale against George Wythe in Pearisburg could determine the district champion.
QB Jordan reaches another level
When things are good, running an offense can go smoothly and quarterbacks can rack up yards and touchdowns alike. When things aren’t good, it takes a different type of signal-caller to manage that adversity.
Des Jordan was phenomenal in doing just that. The Alleghany offense struggled through three quarters against Brookville — plagued by turnovers, untimely penalties and an inability to move the chains — and he battled severe cramping almost all night. But between needing to be helped off the field and missing plays, Jordan kept returning to the huddle and kept competing as the Cougars pulled off a 13-point, fourth-quarter comeback.
The Division I recruit ran the ball himself 18 times, collecting 125 yards and a touchdown. He was an efficient 12-of-14 passing for 119 yards and two touchdowns, hitting Sarge Persinger in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with 1:36 remaining.
Defense is the best offense for PH
Patrick Henry’s Dashe Lee (left) blocks a pass in front of E.C. Glass’ Naszeir Woolfolk on Friday night at Lynchburg City Stadium.
Patrick Henry came through with an unexpected win over E.C. Glass in Lynchburg on Friday night to move to 2-0. The Patriots won 13-10, using a defense that has showed out through two weeks.
PH beat out-of-state opponent Southern Alamance in North Carolina in Week 1 via 27-0 shutout. The Patriots are far from perfect on offense, averaging just 20 points right now, but with a defense that has allowed just one touchdown in eight quarters, that’s a promising positive to hang their hats on.
The next few weeks will determine how good that defense is. Patrick Henry next faces Franklin County, a team that picks up most of its yards through the air, then battles crosstown rival William Fleming, a squad that just rushed for 335 yards and five touchdowns.
