Goochland (0-0) versus Amelia (0-0), 7 p.m. Friday at Fluvanna
The Basics: Due to field conditions at Amelia, this one gets moved up a day and moved to Fluvanna County where the Bulldogs will square off with a long-time James River District rival in a year where they won’t face a number of them. Several James River schools have opted out leaving Goochland searching for unfamiliar opponents, but they’ll have some comfort level in this one. The Bulldogs return several key offensive weapons including quarterback C.J. Towles, wideout Kam Holman and running back Connor Popielarz and that should give Goochland an early leg up in a shortened season. We saw what having a seasoned signal-caller did for both Monticello and Louisa earlier this week as both made big plays for their squads, and Towles is a capable, exciting playmaker who found some serious chemistry with Holman last time Goochland was on the field. That was all the way back in December of 2019, but you an expect that Towles and Holman have been making sure that connection is there. They’ll face an Amelia team that went 6-6 a year ago and made the playoffs but that absorbed a 35-0 blowout from the Bulldogs in that process. Look for the Bulldogs to be in control early with some dynamic plays from those returning offensive skill players.
Key Matchup: Goochland’s offensive line takes on Amelia’s front seven. The Bulldogs have perhaps the most holes at offensive line, where they graduated several key players, but Ayden Doczi’s return to the fold gives the Bulldogs someone to build around. Whether the Bulldogs want to set Towles loose in the passing game or lean on the ground game, as always it starts up front. That group’s development will be key to Goochland’s success this year.
Who to watch: Goochland’s De’Andre Robinson. Robinson has the ability to set fire to an offensive gameplan. He’s extremely difficult to block and strong when blockers do get to him. If Robinson plays at the form he reached late in 2019, he’s a defensive difference-maker and that’ll be a huge boost for the Bulldogs as they look to a lot of new faces in other spots on that unit, including replacing region defensive player of the year Devin McCray.
The line: Goochland by 14. The Bulldogs’ have to figure out the offensive line, but enough new faces step up in this one.
