The Shadow
Basketball, wrestling and swim practices began all over the commonwealth on Monday.
But for 190 schools in six classifications, there’s still more football to be played.
The Virginia High School League announced official first round pairings on Sunday and, as expected, Covington was named as the No. 4 seed in
Class 1, Region C and will host a first round game against No. 5 Auburn Friday night at 7 p.m. at Casey Field.
How close was the battle for home field advantage for this first round game? One rating point.
Covington had a total of 175 points on the VHSL rating scale, compared to 174 for Auburn.
The Cougars (6-4) enter the game on a four-game winning streak, while the Eagles (5-5) lost two of their last three.
Covington High School Athletic Director Charity Hale announced Sunday that gates will open at 5:30 p.m. on Friday night and tickets will be $8.
Only Virginia High School League passes are accepted for playoff games. No Cougar athletic passes will be honored.
Covington head coach Chris Jones is coaching in the postseason for the 13th time in his 19-year career and has a 16-10 mark that includes state championships at Bath County (2001) and Heritage (2002).
Auburn is led by head coach Cam Akers.
Akers is in his fourth season in Riner and is looking for his first postseason win in three tries.
The Eagles’ signature victory was a 28-21 week three win over Floyd County, who is the No. 5 seed in the Class 2, Region C playoffs.
Covington and Auburn had three common opponents — Narrows, Craig County and Eastern Montgomery.
Auburn lost to Narrows 14-0 and beat both Craig County (56-6) and East Mont (44-0).
The Cougars were 42-14 losers at Narrows and won games over the Rockets (47-12) and the Mustangs (46-8).
Other first round match-ups in Class 1, Region C Friday night will send No. 8 Eastern Montgomery to No. 1 Galax, No. 7 Grayson County to No. 2 Narrows and No. 6 Parry McCluer to No. 3 George Wythe.
Playoff Notes
• A total of 17 teams enter the postseason with unbeaten records:
Class 6: Freedom-Woodbridge (Region B), South County (Region C), Westfield (Region D);
Class 5: Salem-Virginia Beach (Region A), Maury (Region A), Highland Springs (Region B), Deep Run (Region B);
Class 4: Louisa County (Region B), Broad Run (Region C), Liberty-Bealton (Region C);
Class 3: Hopewell (Region A), York (Region A), Spotswood (Region C), Lord Botetourt (Region D);
Class 2: None
Class 1: Riverheads (Region B), Narrows (Region C), Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (Region D).
• Three teams qualified for the playoffs with 1-9 records — Rappahannock County (Class 1, Region B), Robert E. Lee-Springfield (Class 5, Region C) and Brooke Point (Class 5, Region D).
West Virginia Pairings
In West Virginia, there are three classifications with 16 teams in each bracket.
Three teams of local interest have first round home games.
Pendleton County, who defeated Bath County 43-6 on September 20, is the No. 3 seed in Class A and will host No. 14 Moorefield (6-4).
The Wildcats’ only regular season loss of the year came at the hands of Moorefield on November 1 — 35-0.
Both Greenbrier County schools are playoff bound.
Greenbrier East is the No. 8 seed in Class AAA and will host No. 9 Spring Mills on Friday night, while Greenbrier West is the No. 4 seed in Class A and will play at home against Tygarts Valley on Saturday at 1:30 p.m.
VHSL First Round Games
Class 6, Region A
No. 8 Western Branch (4-6) at No. 1 Oscar Smith (9-1)
No. 7 Cosby (5-5) at No. 2 Ocean Lakes (7-3)
No. 6 Grassfield (5-5) at No. 3 Thomas Dale (7-3)
No. 5 Franklin County (6-4) at No. 4 Landstown (7-3)
Class 6, Region B
No. 8 John Champe (6-4) at No. 1 Freedom-Woodbridge (10-0)
No. 7 C.D. Hylton (5-5) at No. 2 Patriot (9-1)
No. 6 GarField (7-3) at No. 3 Colonial Forge (8-2)
No. 5 Stonewall Jackson-Manassas (8-2) at No. 4 Massaponax (8-2)
Class 6, Region C
No. 8 Falls Church (6-4) at No. 1 South County (10-0)
No. 7 Justice (6-4) at No. 2 Mount Vernon (9-1)
No. 6 James Robinson (5-5) at No. 3 Lake Braddock (8-2)
No. 5 T.C. Williams (7-3) at No. 4 West Springfield (6-4)
Class 6, Region D
No. 8 Wakefield (5-5) at No. 1 Westfield (10-0)
No. 7 Centreville (4-6) at No. 2 James Madison (7-3)
No. 6 George Marshall (6-4) at No. 3 Yorktown (9-1)
No. 5 South Lakes (6-4) at No. 4 Chantilly (8-2)
Class 5, Region A
No. 8 Frank W. Cox (6-4) at No. 1 Salem-Virginia Beach (10-0)
No. 7 Deep Creek (7-3) at No. 2 Maury (10-0)
No. 6 Nansemond River (8-2) at No. 3 Indian River (8-2)
No. 5 Woodside (9-1) at No. 4 Princess Anne (8-2)
Class 5, Region B
No. 8 Henrico (6-4) at No. 1 Highland Springs (10-0)
No. 7 Douglas S. Freeman (7-3) at No. 2 Manchester (9-1)
No. 6 Prince George (7-3) at No. 3 Deep Run (10-0)
No. 5 Clover Hill (8-2) at No. 4 Varina (8-2)
Class 5, Region C
No. 1 Stone Bridge (9-1), bye
No. 2 Woodgrove (6-4), bye
No. 6 Robert E. Lee-Springfield (1-9) at No. 3 Briar Woods (5-5)
No. 5 Potomac Falls (4-6) at No. 4 Riverside (6-4)
Class 5, Region D
No. 8 Stafford (2-8) at No. 1 Mountain View (8-2)
No. 7 Brooke Point (1-9) at No. 2 North Stafford (6-4)
No. 6 Albemarle (3-7) at No. 3 Patrick Henry-Roanoke (6-4)
No. 5 William Fleming (3-7) at No. 4 Harrisonburg (5-5)
Class 4, Region A
No. 8 Great Bridge (3-7) at No. 1 Lake Taylor (8-2)
No. 7 Menchville (4-6) at No. 2 Churchland (8-2)
No. 6 King’s Fork (3-7) at No. 3 Warhill (8-2)
No. 5 Warwick (6-4) at No. 4 Hampton (7-3)
Class 4, Region B
No. 8 King George (6-4) at No. 1 Louisa County (10-0)
No. 7 Dinwiddie (5-5) at No. 2 Monacan (8-2)
No. 6 Huguenot (6-4) at No. 3 Eastern View (9-1)
No. 5 Spotsylvania (7-3) at No. 4 Patrick Henry-Ashland (7-3)
Class 4, Region C
No. 4 NW Millbrook (7-3) at No. 1 Dulles Broad Run (10-0)
No. 4 Dulles Loudoun County (6-4) at No. 1 NW Liberty-Bealton (10-0)
No. 3 NW Sherando (7-3) at No. 2 Dulles Tuscarora (9-1)
No. 3 Dulles Loudoun Valley (6-4) at No. 2 NW John Handley (8-2)
Class 4, Region D
No. 8 Amherst County (2-8) at No. 1 Salem-Salem (9-1)
No. 7 Jefferson Forest (6-4) at No. 2 E.C. Glass (9-1)
No. 6 Blacksburg (6-4) at No. 3 Pulaski County (8-2)
No. 5 George Washington (7-3) at No. 4 Halifax County (7-3)
Class 3, Region A
No. 8 Southampton (6-4) at No. 1 Hopewell (10-0)
No. 7 Petersburg (5-5) at No. 2 York (10-0)
No. 6 Tabb (5-5) at No. 3 Phoebus (9-1)
No. 5 I.C. Norcom (6-4) at No. 4 Lafayette (9-1)
Class 3, Region B
No. 8 Warren County (2-8) at No. 1 Goochland (9-1)
No. 7 Central-Woodstock (4-6) at No. 2 James Monroe (7-3)
No. 6 George Mason (4-6) at No. 3 Brentsville District (7-4)
No. 5 Skyline (5-5) at No. 4 William Monroe (6-4)
Class 3, Region C
No. 8 Western Albemarle (4-6) at No. 1 Heritage-Lynchburg (9-1)
No. 7 Fluvanna County (5-5) at No. 2 Spotswood (10-0)
No. 6 Brookville (4-6) at No. 3 Rockbridge County (8-2)
No. 5 Turner Ashby (6-4) at No. 4 Liberty Christian (7-3)
Class 3, Region D
No. 8 William Byrd (7-3) at No. 1 Lord Botetourt (10-0)
No. 7 Abingdon (5-5) at No. 2 Northside (7-3)
No. 6 Bassett (6-4) at No. 3 Magna Vista (7-3)
No. 5 Christiansburg (5-5) at No. 4 Hidden Valley (6-4)
Class 2, Region A
No. 8 Brunswick (5-5) at No. 1 Thomas Jefferson-Richmond (8-2)
No. 7 Ameila County (6-4) at No. 2 King William (7-3)
No. 6 John Marshall (6-4) at No. 3 Poquoson (6-4)
No. 5 Nottoway (7-3) at No. 4 Greensville (7-3)
Class 2, Region B
No. 8 Buffalo Gap (6-4) at No. 1 Stuarts Draft (9-1)
No. 7 Page County (7-3) at No. 2 Buckingham County (9-1)
No. 6 East Rockingham (6-4) at No. 3 Clarke County (8-2)
No. 5 Strasburg (7-3) at No. 4 Luray (8-2)
Class 2, Region C
No. 8 Chatham (6-4) at No. 1 Appomattox County (8-2)
No. 7 Patrick County (5-5) at No. 2 Radford (8-2)
No. 6 Dan River (6-4) at No. 3 Gretna (7-3)
No. 5 Floyd County (6-4) at No. 4 Glenvar (6-4)
Class 2, Region D
No. 8 Marion (3-7) at No. 1 Ridgeview (8-2)
No. 7 Gate City (4-6) at No. 2 Union (8-2)
No. 6 Tazewell (7-3) at No. 3 Graham (8-2)
No. 5 Richlands (6-4) at No. 4 Central-Wise (8-2)
Class 1, Region A
No. 8 Mathews (2-8) at No. 1 Essex (9-1)
No. 7 Northumberland (5-5) at No. 2 Rappahannock (7-3)
No. 6 West Point (6-4) at No. 3 King & Queen (8-2)
No. 5 Colonial Beach (6-4) at No. 4 Washington & Lee (5-5)
Class 1, Region B
No. 8 Rappahannock County (1-9) at No. 1 Riverheads (10-0)
No. 7 Surry (2-8) at No. 2 Sussex Central (8-2)
No. 6 Altavista (3-7) at No. 3 William Campbell (5-5)
No. 5 Franklin (3-7) at No. 4 Central-Lunenburg (5-5)
Class 1, Region C
No. 8 Eastern Montgomery (2-8) at No. 1 Galax (8-1)
No. 7 Grayson County (3-7) at No. 2 Narrows (10-0)
No. 6 Parry McCluer (3-7) at No. 3 George Wythe-Wytheville (7-2)
No. 5 Auburn (5-5) at No. 4 Covington (6-4)
Class 1, Region D
No. 8 Honaker (5-5) at No. 1 Patrick Henry-Glade Spring (10-0)
No. 7 Castlewood (6-4) at No. 2 J.I. Burton (8-2)
No. 6 Thomas Walker (6-4) at No. 3 Chilhowie (8-2)
No. 5 Holston (6-4) at No. 4 Eastside (5-5)
WEST VIRGINIA First Round Games
Class AAA
No. 16 Preston (4-6) at No. 1 Martinsburg (10-0)
No. 15 Riverside (4-6) at No. 2 Cabell Midland (10-0)
No. 14 Hurricane (4-6) at No. 3 Spring Valley (9-1)
No. 13 South Charleston (4-6) at No. 4 Parkersburg South (9-1)
No. 12 Parkersburg (5-5) at No. 5 Musselman (8-2)
No. 11 Capital (5-5) at No. 6 Wheeling Park (8-2)
No. 10 Huntington (5-5) at No. 7 George Washington (7-3)
No. 9 Spring Mills (6-4) at No. 8 Greenbrier East (7-3)
Class AA
No. 16 Winfield (7-3) at No. 1 Fairmont Senior (10-0)
No. 15 Lewis County (7-3) at No. 2 Bridgeport (9-1)
No. 14 North Marion (7-3) at No. 3 Poca (10-0)
No. 13 Man (8-2) at No. 4 Bluefield (9-1)
No. 12 Liberty Harrison (8-2) at No. 5 Keyser (9-1)
No. 11 Wyoming East (8-2) at No. 6 Oak Glen (10-0)
No. 10 Mingo Central (8-2) at No. 7 Shady Spring (9-1)
No. 9 Nicholas County (8-2) at No. 8 Frankfort (8-2)
Class A
No. 16 Madonna (6-3-1) at No. 1 Doddridge County (10-0)
No. 15 South Harrison (6-4) at No. 2 Ritchie County (9-1)
No. 14 Moorefield (6-4) at No. 3 Pendleton County (9-1)
No. 13 Tygarts Valley (7-3) at No. 4 Greenbrier West (9-1)
No. 12 Tug Valley (6-3) at No. 5 Williamstown (8-2)
No. 11 Cameron (7-3) at No. 6 St. Mary’s (8-2)
No. 10 Wheeling Central (6-4) at No. 7 Tolsia (7-3)
No. 9 Midland Trail (6-4) at No. 8 East Hardy (7-3)
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Covington junior Shaun Smith Jr., runs for yardage Friday night in a win over Bath County. Smith has rushed for 1,566 yards this season and has 1,846 yards of total offense. The Cougars will host Auburn in a first round match-up in the Class 1, Region C playoffs Friday night at 7 p.m. at Casey Field. (Gavin Dressler Photo)
