The 2019 Virginia High School League Football season commences on Thursday night, August 29th and there are a host of matchups worth following across the Northern Virginia area.

We take a closer look at five of them and offer up predictions on those as well as five more below...

Tuscarora and Broad Run – both playing Class 4 this year – will be meeting for the 10th time since 2013, with four of those meetings in the postseason. Though the series has been fairly even (Broad Run 6, Tuscarora 4), the Spartans won both games last season by double digits, including the November 16 matchup that saw the Huskies eliminated from the playoffs.

Broad Run showed signs of absolute dominance last season; they had a five-game stretch in the middle of the season in which they outscored their opponents 206-3. Leading the charge for the Spartans is QB Mitch Griffis (6-0, 187), who is playing in his final season for his father and Head Coach Matt Griffis before joining the Demon Deacons of Wake Forest next year. Receiver Romy Miner is a threat they want to maximize in the passing game.

Griffis will need to take advantage of his dual-threat capabilities against the Tuscarora defense fueled by junior DE Matei Fitz (6-2, 255). Fitz compiled an impressive 14 sacks in his junior campaign. Brandon Wheelbarger's Huskies will also count on siblings Ethan Gick, the projected starting QB, and TE/DE Noah Gick to make plays.

Forecast: These schools have played some very close games over the last few seasons and this game may very well be another classic. Look for Tuscarora to pull off a close upset, 24-21.

This game could easily rival Tuscarora-Broad Run as the Game of the Week as a pair of ruthless defenses square off in an inter-conference slugfest.

The South County Stallions defense is anchored by senior DL/TE Zion Dayne (6-3, 240), a Yale commit and son of Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne. He will be joined by an additional 5 returning from last season's squad, which allowed only 177 total points last year – the fewest during Gerry Pannoni's tenure as Head Coach.

The Vikings are looking to rebound from just missing the playoffs last year, despite a 6-0 start to the season. Their versatile defense will be without senior LB Antoine Sampah (6-2, 210). The future LSU Tiger and top-rated linebacker in the country will likely be out of action until mid-September, but coach Gary Wortham, Sr. has plenty of talent – especially on the defensive side – to carry the Vikings until then.

Efficient play out of the quarterback position will be critical for both sides in what has the makings to be a low-scoring battle. Woodbridge's offensive line, headed up by Penn State commit Reuben Adams Jr., could dictate the tone of this contest.

Forecast: Points should come at a premium in this clash. I expect Woodbridge to walk away with a narrow 17-14 victory.

The Mighty Bookers of Booker T. Washington (Norfolk, VA) will make the three and one-half hour trip north to square off against the Knights of John Champe in Aldie.

The Booker T. Washington secondary will have their hands full against 3-star senior WR Tyler Savage (6-3, 190), whose size and athleticism creates mismatches across the field.

Meanwhile, B.T. Washington Jjnior RB/DB Rodney Hammond (5-10, 170), who is entertaining offers from several ACC and Big Ten schools, will bear the burden of the Bookers' offense with starting QB Larry Parker, Jr. (6-2, 180) likely to be sidelined with an injury.

Forecast: John Champe has an opportunity to pick off a wounded opponent and could come away with a comfortable victory. Final score: 35-14, Knights over Bookers.

Jon Shields debuts as Head Coach of the Centreville Wildcats after spending time as the defensive coordinator at arch-rival Westfield. Meanwhile, Stone Bridge is eager to get the season underway as one of the favorites to vie for the Class 5 title. The Bulldogs have played nine of the past 14 State Finals.

While Coach Shields hopes to bring the same approach to Centreville that Westfield used last year – holding opponents to around 10 points per game – he'll have his work cut out for him this week against Mickey Thompson's Bulldogs, who are chock full of talent on both sides of the ball.

With just four returning starters on defense in FS Nick Anderson, CB Carrington Nickens-Yzer, WLB Kalin Jean and DT Jonny Heslep, Centreville might find it hard to contain an attack as explosive as Stone Bridge. Long gainers may be in store all night for WR Tai Felton and RB Jared Cole, a UMass pledge.

Forecast: Odds are Stone Bridge will simply be bringing too much talent to the table for Centreville in this season opener between 'Cats and 'Dogs. Look for a 37-24 victory for the Bulldogs.

Scott Girolmo begins his tenure as Battlefield's head coach against perennial powerhouse Westfield.

Coach Girolmo is no stranger to big games; he led then-Class 2 R.E. Lee – Staunton to the State Championship game just two years ago. Nonetheless, he takes over a Battlefield squad that was 0-4 against teams with 5 or more victories last season. With an unclear quarterback situation going into camp as two sophomores were battling it out for the starting job, the Bobcats will depend heavily on their front seven defensively, headed up by senior lineman JoJo Sarpong.

Westfield is looking to rebound after missing the State Final for the first time since 2014 as they were knocked out of the playoffs by Freedom High School from Woodbridge. Pro-style senior QB Noah Kim (6-2, 185) suffered a broken leg in that game, but the Hokie commit is healthy and ready to lead the Bulldogs deep into December once again. This is a game where many of the Northern Virginia fans get introduced to some of Kim's new playmakers as RB Eugene Asante and WR Taylor Morin graduated on to UNC and Wake Forest, respectively.

Forecast: Westfield should handle this game comfortably and will likely pick up a 28-3 victory.

West Potomac @ Lake Braddock
Forecast: Lake Braddock 47-24

Hayfield @ Freedom
Forecast: Freedom 34-24

James Madison @ George Marshall
Forecast: Madison 27-20

Woodgrove @ Loudoun Valley
Forecast: Woodgrove 27-6

Dominion @ Potomac Falls
Forecast: Potomac Falls 27-13