James Wood will host Culpeper County and Sherando will travel to Shenandoah Junction, West Virginia, to play Jefferson for 7 p.m. high school football games on Friday, with each Frederick County squad looking to stay undefeated.
The Colonels are holding their Hall of Fame game on Friday at Kelican Stadium.
Culpeper County (2-0) at James Wood (2-0)
Culpeper County’s most lopsided defeat of 2025 came against James Wood. The Blue Devils went 8-4 and lost in the Region 3B semifinals to Skyline (14-13), and the first defeat of their season was 24-6 to the Colonels in Week 3.
James Wood had a 285-224 yard edge and held Culpeper scoreless on its last five possessions after the Blue Devils cut their deficit to 7-6.
Many of the James Wood players who played a key role in last year’s win return. A 42-yard interception return by Dane Tews set up a 3-yard jet sweep TD run by Xavier Price (three catches, 68 yards, 27-yard TD) with 3:54 left in the second quarter for a 17-6 lead. James Wood rushed for 127 yards on 33 attempts (109 yards on 22 attempts in the second half) and Owen Neal was 7 of 12 for 158 yards, two TDs and one interception. Aidric Yurish had an 11-yard TD catch.
Culpeper has opened with wins over Western Albemarle (12-7) and Eastern View (21-6).
James Wood coach Todd Wilson noted that with the Blue Devils running some single-wing formations, they have several players who act as quarterback and running back, and they have players at wing back and blocking back who carry the ball. The Colonels held Clarke County and its single-wing attack to 95 yards (80 rushing) in a 63-7 win to open the season.
Culpeper County’s backfield includes senior Grant Soderholm, who had TD runs of 1 and 7 yards against Eastern View and has 108 rushing yards total. Senior Richie Cannon had an 18-yard TD run against the Cyclones and has 79 total rushing yards. Senior Caleb Jenkins (95 yards rushing), sophomore quarterback Ryan Hoehna (one TD pass) and sophomore Landon Kautz (58 receiving yards) also highlight the Blue Devil attack.
James Wood’s defense features the area’s leading tackler in junior linebacker Jackson Ledford, who had a 41-yard interception return for a touchdown in last week’s 77-0 win at Dominion that set a single-game school record for scoring. Linebackers Anthony Salvati (15) and Logon Lafollette (12) also have double-digit tackles, and defensive lineman Heston LaRue has 11 tackles, including 7.5 for a loss. James Wood held the Titans to 26 yards last week.
The Colonels are averaging 70 points and 499.5 yards per game behind Neal (23 of 30, 542 yards, eight TDs, one interception; 12 carries, 147 yards, four TDs); Ledford (10 carries, 127 yards, three TDs); Price (six catches, 213 yards, four TDs); Yurish (six catches, 124 yards, three TDs); and Jackson Lang (seven catches, 117 yards).
For the Blue Devils, the linebacker Cannon has 11 tackles. Fellow senior linebacker Malachi Brock has 10.
Sherando (2-0) at Jefferson (0-2)
Just like last year, Jefferson is off to a rough start. The Cougars have been blown out by fellow West Virginia schools Spring Mills (49-19) and Morgantown (42-0), the defending Class AAAA champions.
The 2025 Cougars started off 0-4 before ripping off eight wins in a row. Morgantown beat the Cougars 52-21 in the state semifinals after defeating them 45-7 in the regular season.
Jefferson lost 16 seniors from last year’s team, which lost 14-0 to Sherando in Week 3 following a scoreless first half. In that contest, Jaylen Tasco-Murray ran for 129 yards and a 28-yard touchdown on 26 carries and Jacob Henry ran for 152 yards on 16 carries to help the Warriors gain 338 yards (291 rushing). The Warriors had five sacks and held the Cougars to 137 yards.
The Cougars are using two quarterbacks in senior Harrison Garrett (8 of 21 for 127 yards and a rushing TD against Spring Mills) and Braylon Holmes (2 of 7 for 56 yards and seven carries for 45 yards and a TD against Spring Mills).
Jefferson also features Anderson Roberts (16-yard rushing TD against Spring Mills) and freshman Tyson Kern at running back. Carson Oehlerkling had five catches for 59 yards against Spring Mills.
Sherando is coming off an impressive 48-21 win over Loudoun County in which the Warriors outgained the Captains 513-293.
Sherando is allowing 232.5 yards per game. The Warriors’ defense includes linebackers Chase Dibert (11 tackles), Pete Carter (10 tackles) and Wyatt Grimm (9.5 tackles) and defensive end Evan Combs, who has four tackles for loss among his six tackles.
Sherando had 334 yards on the ground against Loudoun County, with Tasco-Murray running for 202 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. He has 274 yards and four TDs on 34 carries for the season, and he’ll take on a Cougars defense that gave up almost 400 yards against Spring Mills.
The Warriors (435 yards, 44.5 points per game) are also led by wide receivers Reth Puller (six catches for 218 yards and three TDs) and Colt Crittenden (187 total yards and three total TDs) and quarterbacks Noah Taylor (161 yards and one TD passing, 12 carries for 63 yards and three TDs rushing) and Duncan Hensler (173 yards and three TDs passing, 50 yards rushing).
— Contact Robert Niedzwiecki at rniedzwiecki@winchesterstar.com