Virginia football got its 2018 season underway last Saturday with a win over the Richmond Spiders. Many of the Cavaliers’ class of 2019 commitments, however, have played multiple regular season games for their respective high schools.
Quarterback commit Robert Harvey, Jr. has helped Edgewater (Orlando, FL) to a 2-0 star in 2018. The 5’10”, 185-pound signal caller tossed a 23-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter of last week’s game at Colonial High School. The score put Edgewater up 34-0 at the time, and ultimately Harvey, Jr. and company would cruise to a 38-14 victory.
The season opening victory was a historic one for Edgewater, which defeated rival Bishop Moore for the first time in 27 years. According to the Orlando Sentinel, Harvey, Jr. rushed for 162 yards and scored two touchdowns (1 pass, 1 rush) in the 24-20 victory. His 47-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave Edgewater the edge. Courtesy of Hudl, highlights of Harvey, Jr.’s performance against Bishop Moore are below.
With Harvey, Jr. being the most recent, Virginia boasts six class of 2019 commitments from the state of Florida. Two pledges hail from Dunbar (Fort Myers, FL) – running back/H-back prospect Seneca Milledge and defensive back prospect Major Williams.
Milledge, who is only 5’6” but has big-time speed, is responsible for his team’s two touchdowns this season. The senior had a 93-yard punt return for a touchdown in the team’s 37-10 loss to Charlotte on August 25, and he produced a rushing touchdown in a 12-6 overtime loss to Lehigh last week. No. 9 in orange scores around the 1:25 mark of the video below.
Greeneville (TN), the reigning Class 4A state champions, is off to a 3-0 start to the 2018 season. The Greene Devils include Virginia-bound Dorien Goddard, a 6’3”, 220-pound wide receiver.
Goddard opened his senior season with a 7-reception, 155-yard, 2-touchdown (52, 63 yards) performance in a 43-3 win over Dobyns-Bennett. He had 85 yards in a 42-0 victory over Morristown West before hauling in four catches for 82 yards and a touchdown in a 69-0 blowout win over Union County last week.
Goddard became the school’s all-time leading receiver in the win over Union County. Greeneville head coach Caine Ballard said the following about Goddard’s accomplishment in this article by the Greeneville Sun: “That is great for Dorien. He’s a great kid and a great worker. He breaks a record of one of my favorite all-time players in Joe Watson. Joe had so much heart and toughness. Joe actually drove in from Nashville, because he wanted to see it happen. I think that shows what kind of guy he is. Those two guys at the top of that list are two really good guys.”
If you’re looking for do-it-all players in Virginia’s 2019 Class, look no further than Blacksburg (VA) senior Tiquest Terry. In the first two games of 2018, the 5’9”, 175-pound Terry has an 86-yard kickoff return for a touchdown, touchdown runs of 77 and 20 yards, touchdown receptions of 57 and 56 yards, a blocked field, and according to the Roanoke Times he threw a “key” block in last week’s 45-28 win over Lord Botetourt.
“Other than being the punter and the kicker, which I’m sure he could do, he’s playing defense for us, he’s returning punts and kickoffs, he’s played quarterback in the past,” Blacksburg first-year head coach Eddie Sloss told the Roanoke Times in this article. “He’s such a special dynamic player. It’s really fun to watch him play.”
Blacksburg opened 2018 with a 50-7 defeat of Giles.
You’ve read about top performances from some of Virginia’s offensive recruits. So how about some defense?
Northwestern (Rock Hill, S.C.) senior cornerback Fentrell Cypress is the Tri-County Coaches Association 5A Defensive Player of the Week for his performance in a 35-24 loss to Dorman last week. According to the Herald Online, the speedy Cypress had six tackles, four pass breakups, and returned an interception 51 yards for a touchdown (see highlight below). Northwestern is 0-3 to start the year.
Cypress wasn’t the only Cavalier commit with a Pick-6 last week. Stonewall Jackson (Manassas, VA) linebacker/safety Chayce Chalmers joined in the fun, too, returning an interception 60 yards for a touchdown. The score put Stonewall Jackson on top of Freedom (Woodbridge, VA), 7-0; however, Chalmers and company would drop a 34-19 decision to fall to 0-2 on the year.
Walnut Hills (Cincinnati, OH) senior defensive lineman Jowon Briggs has lived up to his 4-star billing through two games in 2018. According to Cincinnati.com, the Virginia-bound senior has 20 tackles in two games, including a 9-tackle effort in a 40-6 win over Aiken last week.
Walnut Hills is 1-1 heading into a tough matchup this week versus St. Xavier.
