The latest Top Tens feature fewer changes from Week 1 to Week 2 than from the preseason edition, believe it or not.
There were five new teams to the rankings a week ago with Indian River, Eastern View, Abingdon, Tazewell and Patrick Henry-Glade Spring. Two of those squads suffered defeats with Abingdon getting beaten by Christiansburg, while Tazewell fell to Graham, which ascends to the top spot in Class 2.
Graham vaults to the top by virtue of Rustburg - one of four new teams to the Top Ten rankings in Class 3 - knocking off Appomattox 27-20 in their first victory for the Battle of the Lantern since 2006. It secures a 2-0 start for the Red Devils for the first time in ten years as well.
Most everything went according to form outside of that surprise. That sets the stage for a couple of really intriguing matchups across the board statewide.
Perhaps the biggest regular season game all year, at least until Highland Springs and Varina square off in a potential finale of unbeatens before the playoffs, will take in Woodbridge on Thursday night when the high-powered Freedom Eagles play host to a Stone Bridge team riding a 26-game winning streak.
That 26-game winning streak for the Bulldogs is second longest in the state, behind reigning six-time State Champ Riverheads, which has won 52 in a row as they gear up to host Class 3 contender Lord Botetourt, a 70-0 winner over Blacksburg a week ago. Botetourt lost to Riverheads last year, 62-38. A win for Riverheads would give them the VHSL record all by themselves, which they currently share with Phoebus, for most consecutive victories at 53.
Two other games we'll be following closely involving ranked teams against one another feature Thomas Dale at Hermitage in the Richmond area, while Indian River plays host to reigning Region 4A Champ King's Fork in a Southeastern District clash. Also not to be forgotten about at the lower level is King William, the defending Class 2 State Champs, hosting Essex in a matchup of two squads looking to get back to the State Playoffs.
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Note - This list was published prior to games on Thursday, September 8, 2022
Honorable Mention:
Robinson (2-0)
West Potomac (2-0)
Chantilly (1-0)
West Springfield (2-0)
Landstown (2-0)
Franklin County (1-1)
Honorable Mention:
Salem-Virginia Beach (2-0)
Massaponax (1-0)
Woodside (1-0)
Honorable Mention:
Kettle Run (2-0)
Warwick (2-0)
Matoaca (2-0)
Honorable Mention:
Brentsville District (2-0)
Christiansburg (2-0)
Cave Spring (2-0)
Honorable Mention:
Poquoson (2-0)
Randolph-Henry (2-0)
Prince Edward (2-0)
Honorable Mention:
Westmoreland (1-0)
Sussex Central (1-1)
Matthew Hatfield serves as Publisher for VirginiaPreps.com, part of the Rivals.com Network, and is a regular contributor to Cavs Corner and the ACC Sports Journal. Check out Hatfield’s Twitter page for more sports related updates, and you can also read his work in the Suffolk News Herald. To contact Matthew, please e-mail hatfieldsports2k4@yahoo.com, and don’t forget to listen to him from 10 AM to Noon on 757 Saturday Sports Talk on ESPN Radio 94.1.
