FOOTBALL PREVIEW

Published 12:16 pm Thursday, September 1, 2016

ALTAVISTA (1-0) at PRINCE Edward (1-0)

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Last season: Altavista 45, Prince Edward 12

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Game notes: The mindset is simple following the Eagles’ 62-7 season-opening win.

“The guys came up with the goal that they want to go 1-0 each week,” Prince Edward Head Coach James Ford said.

The Eagles are still banged up in front and will not yet get anyone back from injury this week.

Prince Edward will face a good Colonels team that has a big running back.

“They will pound the ball at you with decent speed on the edges to make sure that you’re not packing the box,” Ford said. “Their quarterback is really athletic.”

CENTRAL DISCIPLES (2-0) at Cumberland (0-1)

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Last season: Central 44, Cumberland 8

Game notes: The Dukes are hoping to recover from a disappointing season-opening loss, but a stomach virus has been ravaging the team.

“We’re getting ready to play the toughest team on our schedule, and we’re a little undermanned at the moment, so, hopefully, we all get healthy by Friday,” Cumberland Head Coach Edward Knapp said.

He said the Disciples are big, well-coached and like to run the ball straight at the opposition.

The Dukes aim to take care of the football and regain the defensive intensity they had been showing prior to last Friday.

FUQUA (0-0) at GREENBRIER CHR. (0-1)

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Last season: Fuqua 35, Greenbrier Chr. 7

Game notes: The Falcons will debut their new offense, which mixes old-school ideas with new.

“It’s going to help us spread the ball around a whole lot more than we’ve done in the past,” Fuqua Head Coach Ben Manis said, adding that it will remove some predictability due to its formations, alignments and play-calls.

Though not fully healthy, the Falcons will take on a Greenbrier team that Manis said is fairly good on the edge and the perimeter, especially its mobile and accurate quarterback, but soft up the middle where Fuqua is strong.

CHATHAM (0-0) at Buckingham (0-1)

Kickoff: 7 p.m.

Last season: Buckingham 43, Chatham 7

Game notes: It is a difficult time for the undermanned Knights, which has been fielding 15 people in practice.

Buckingham Head Coach Joshua Wallace said the focus is “all about just trying to regain our footing and get through the tough times right now for us.”

In their home opener, the Knights take on a Chatham team looking to start its season with a victory under the leadership of a new, young head coach.

“Chatham’s always got a gritty bunch of kids,” Wallace said. “They’re going to be tough. … They’ve scrimmaged some good teams.”