Marty Gordon
NRVsports@mainstreetnewspapers.com
The postseason is in play for Radford, Blacksburg and Auburn as we prepare for the final Friday night of the season.
Radford and Auburn seem to be a lock, but Blacksburg’s fate could be held by county-rival Christiansburg who hosts Salem.
Blacksburg is in the eighth spot of the Region 4D with 22.33 points, while Salem is ninth with 22.11. A Salem win would probably place them in the playoffs, and Blacksburg out.
Handley leads the 4D ranks with George Washington second. Jefferson Forest is third.
Christiansburg is out of the top 10, thus meaning they will be spending the 2025 playoffs at home. Last week’s loss moved Cave into the eighth spot and dropped Christiansburg to 11th.
Magna Vista leads the 3D with 26.22 points with Lord Botetourt second. Northside is third and William Byrd fourth. Carroll County remains a lock at number five.
In 1C, Giles now leads with 20.50 points. Craig County dropped to second but is only fraction out of the top spot with 20.44 points. Grayson is third and George Wythe fourth. Narrows moved up to fifth. Auburn is in eighth and will not have the originally scheduled game this Friday after Galax cancelled their remaining season.
Glenvar leads 2C with Floyd second and Radford third. Appomattox is fourth.
Player of week: Radford’s Peyton Dobbins threw 17 for 26 for 286 yards in a 44-21 win over Floyd. He had two touchdowns and rushed for 122 yards and two more touchdowns.
Area Top Five: 1) Glenvar, 2) Lord Botetourt, 3) Floyd, 4) Craig County, 5) Radford.
This week’s schedule:
Salem (4-5) at Christiansburg (2-7)
Salem is coming off a 54-7 victory over Hidden Valley. Jordan McCadden ran for 166 yards and scored three times. Tanner Overstreet threw two touchdown passes.
Cave Spring tallied 278 yards on the ground Friday night in a 28-7 win over Christiansburg. The Cave Spring defense limited Christiansburg to 55 yards on the ground and 79 through the air.
Christiansburg’s lone score came late in the game on a Jeremiah Barnes 16-yard pass to Isaiah Cotto. Barnes finished 11 of 22 through the air. Sean McMurray had 36 yards on the ground on 11 carries.
Prediction: Salem 40, Christiansburg 10
Patrick Henry (9-0) at Blacksburg (5-4)
PH shutout Pulaski 56-0 as Cameron Hairston-Taylor caught seven passes for 182 yards and two touchdowns. He also returned a punt for another score. Jake Painter was 12 of 16 from the air for 237 yards and two touchdowns, and Damirion Perdue added 150 yards on six carries with two scores.
Prediction: PH 44, Blacksburg 7.
Radford (5-4) at Martinsville (1-8)
Radford took down Floyd 44-21 this past week. QB Peyton Dobbins total over 400 yards of offense. Colton Garner-Rollins had six catches for 77 yards and an interception on defense.
Martinsville lost to Carroll County.
Prediction: Radford 38, Martinsville 12.
Parry McCluer (5-4) at Eastern Montgomery (1-8)
Parry McCluer’s Jacob Shafer scored three touchdowns and rushed for 116 yards on 20 carries. Parker Snider added 105 yards on 14 carries.
Prediction: Eastern Montgomery 24, Parry McCluer 21.
