Loudoun County, Va. — As high school football gets underway in Loudoun County, a few local teams have already started to stand out among the crowd. In a two-district county, we wanted a way to put things into perspective. Enter: the LoCo Top 5.
Of course, if you’re into hard numbers, check out the full VHSL Region 5C and VHSL Region 4C standings.
[adrotate group=”4″]1. Broad Run (7-1) ?1
Through eight games, Broad Run has allowed just 32 total points – two of those coming by way of forfeit following a clerical error prior to their season opener. To put that into perspective, 11 of the other 13 varsity football teams in Loudoun County have allowed more than 32 points in a SINGLE GAME at some point this season. The Spartans, however, still have two regular season tests ahead of them as they travel to three-time state champion Briar Woods on October 26 before their biggest match up of the season against Stone Bridge on November 2.
2. Stone Bridge (7-1) ?1
Following a loss to Tuscarora on October 19, Stone Bridge is at risk of falling short of the regular season district title for the first time since 2002. The Bulldogs have been dominant for the better part of two decades, but the Huskies rattled their cage in Week 9, and No. 1 Broad Run still stands between them and the Potomac District title. Led by senior quarterback Mason Tatum and senior running back Nick Mell, the Stone Bridge offense is crafty and athletic, scoring nearly 45 points per game in 2018. Look for the Bulldogs to roll through Freedom before their short trip across town to Broad Run for the Battle of the Burn on November 2.
3. Tuscarora (6-2) —
Tuscarora flat out beat Stone Bridge. In a rematch of the 2017 VHSL Region 5C championship, the Huskies dominated all three phases of the game to upset the Bulldogs, 24-14, on October 19. Coming into the game, Stone Bridge was averaging more than 49 points per game and had not scored less than 42 points in a game all season; Tuscarora held the Bulldogs to just 14 points. In the last 392 days, the Bulldogs surrendered more than 22 points just twice: both times at the hands of the Huskies. With starting quarterback Justin Allen back, Tuscarora will be a force to be reckoned with down the home stretch.
4. Loudoun County (7-0) —
After posting back-to-back-to-back shutouts, Loudoun County finally allowed Dominion to score a touchdown on the final play of the game in a 33-8 blowout of the Titans on October 19. Led defensively by junior defensive back Joseph Groves, junior linebackers Noah Lokey and Lucas McAllister, senior defensive back Derek McCandless and senior lineman Kyle Towne, the Raiders are allowing less than nine points per game in 2018. And if you eliminate their early season battle against Millbrook, they’re allowing less than six per game. Sitting atop the VHSL Region 4C standings, Loudoun County has its biggest test of the season when the Raiders travel to Purcellville on October 26 to battle No. 5 Woodgrove.
5. Woodgrove (5-2) —
Woodgrove might be the team most equipped to climb up this list before the season ends, but they’ll have to get through No. 4 Loudoun County if they want to do that. The Wolverines’ high-powered offense is averaging almost 40 points per game since Week 4, despite scoring just 27 points against Heritage on October 19. Woodgrove has cruised past each of its three Dulles District opponents this season, and if the Wolverines can escape Loudoun County on October 26, they will be in a prime spot to claim the regular season district title.
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