Suffolk teams seek strong finish
Published 9:37 pm Thursday, November 1, 2018
- Lakeland High School hopes to finish out the season strong at home against Great Bridge High School. (Sarah Murphy Photo)
Suffolk teams want to finish strong in the last game of the regular season this Friday.
Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (7-2) vs. Roanoke Catholic School (7-0)
NSA will finish its regular season finale off with another undefeated team. It will also be the final home game of the regular season, which will be welcomed by the NSA community as senior night.
“It’s a special night for those guys,” Coach Mike Biehl said of his seniors. “It could potentially be the last time this group plays on the field together. We want to finish the season on a positive note and get a win for them.”
Roanoke Catholic is a dynamic offensive team. They have not scored fewer than 40 points in any game they have played this season. NSA is going to have to be at its best defensively.
“They come at you,” Biehl said. “It’s going to be a tough task to stop, but we have some good players too. We have to stay in our gaps and be disciplined, and when we get the ball on offense, we have to make the most of it.”
Biehl mentioned he is very close with this senior group because of the time he has spent with them. Most of the seniors on the team have been with Biehl for three years. He wants them to go out and have fun but also realize that senior night comes with a new chapter.
NSA will be at home against Roanoke Catholic at 7 p.m. Friday.
King’s Fork High School (5-4) at Oscar Smith High School (8-1)
The Bulldogs will be going into a tough Oscar Smith environment in which the Tigers will be looking to take down the Bulldogs. Last year, King’s Fork defeated Oscar Smith, ending the Tigers’ streak of 90-plus straight wins in the Southeastern District.
King’s Fork will also be looking to get back on track after losing three straight games. Last year’s game was for the district title. This year, the circumstances are a bit different.
“We have had a good week of practice,” Coach Scottie Littles said. “We have a chance to compete against a good opponent. Right now, we haven’t had the greatest regular season, but it’s a chance to play against a really good opponent before the playoffs.”
King’s Fork will be at Oscar Smith at 7 p.m. Friday.
Nansemond River High School (6-3) at Grassfield High School (4-5)
Nansemond River will finish out the regular season on the road, at Grassfield in search its seventh win of the season. The Warriors are currently on a three-game win streak, which is the longest among all of the Suffolk teams at the moment.
It is the second game of the week for the Warriors, who defeated Great Bridge High School Monday in a rescheduled game.
“We have to keep continuing to play our style of football,” Coach Justin Conyers said. “We have to continue to run the ball efficiently. We want not to make mental mistakes and be where we are supposed to be.”
Nansemond River had at least three touchdowns go for 80-plus yards on Monday. They have the speed to break one open at any time. Either way it goes, by the weekend, Conyers will have completed his first winning season as the Nansemond River coach.
Nansemond River will be at Grassfield night at 6:30 p.m. Friday.
Lakeland High School (2-7) vs. Great Bridge High School (1-8)
Lakeland will try for its third win of the season when the Cavaliers host Great Bridge for senior night. The Cavs are in need of a win to keep their playoff hopes alive, even if it is just a small hope. A win and possible help from other teams could help Lakeland get in. However, Coach Kevin Knight and the Cavs are looking to finish the season strong, no matter the outcome.
“It’s a big opportunity for us this week on top of senior night,” Knight said. “At the end of the day, it’s football and we have another opportunity to finish strong.”
Knight has a special relationship with this senior class, because they were freshmen in his first year as head coach. He spoke with his seniors earlier this week and let them know to play this game like it was their last, as it very well could be.
“To coach them guys again Friday is going to mean a lot,” Knight said. “We’ve experienced a lot together, so to be able to watch the growth and be out there with them again will be special.”
Lakeland will be at home against Great Bridge at 7 p.m. Friday.