Twin Valley in Bland County

Twin Valley in Bland County, 6 p.m

Last meeting: Twin Valley 16, Bland County 14 (September 29, 2023 in Keen Mountain, Virginia)

In this matchup, two of the smallest football schools in the Virginia High School League will meet and one of them will celebrate a rare victory. … Twin Valley (0-5) has lost 10 straight games since narrowly defeating Bland last season. … Bland County (1-4) is coming off a 36-12 win this season against the Jenkins Cavaliers of Kentucky, who have since folded their program. The Bears have not beaten a VHSL opponent since defeating Rye Cove in 2021. … The weather has thrown a wrench into the schedule and this will be Twin Valley’s third game in a week. The Panthers also host Thomas Walker on Friday. “Play all the games [close together] is hard,” Twin Valley coach Tommy Crigger said. “But we can’t control Mother Nature and you have to play when you can.” … Twin Valley’s losses were all one-sided, but Brayden White, Jaylon Presley and AJ Presley provided bright spots for the Panthers. “Those three have really stepped up for us and play hard for us,” Crigger said. “They pass the ball on both sides and are the reason we play in games.”… Tazewell graduate Harris Hart is in his second season as Bland’s head coach. He led the Bears to their last playoff victory, a 64-57 first-round victory over Patrick Henry in 2015, when current Oakland Athletics pitching prospect Jake Watters was the quarterback. … This should be a close game.

Forecast: Twin Valley 18, Bland County 14