GW Danville’s football schedule changes; Playing Franklin Co. only once in 2009

The George Washington High football schedule will have a dramatically different look in 2009.

Four new teams are on the slate, including Person County. GW is 12-5 all-time against the Roxboro, N.C., school, with the last meeting coming in 2004.

Meanwhile, three opponents from 2008 won’t be back: Varina, Matoaca and Parkland (N.C.). Also, the Eagles will face Western Valley District rival Franklin County once instead of twice.

“I don’t know that it could be much more challenging than it’s been the last couple years,” GW coach Dan Newell said Tuesday, “especially with Matoaca, and with Parkland and all the points they score.”

The 2009 campaign gets under way on Friday, Aug. 28, when the Eagles host Durham Hillside. It will be the first game between the two schools since 1982. GW leads the all-time series 5-0.

GW will face three North Carolina opponents this year: Person County, Hillside and West Forsyth, which is located in Clemmons, southeast of Winston-Salem.

“That’s certainly on purpose,” Newell said, explaining that the Eagles won’t lose VHSL seeding points for playing larger North Carolina schools that are similar in enrollment to Group AAA schools in Virginia. “We don’t get penalized, and it’s an even playing field.”

E.C. Glass is dropping to Group AA this season and moving into the Seminole District. Still, Newell felt it was important to continue a rivalry that dates back nearly a century. GW and Glass have met 90 times through the years, with the Hilltoppers holding a 48-34-6 advantage in the series. This year’s game will be on Sept. 11 in Danville.

The Eagles’ longest road trip will take them to Amherst County on Sept. 18. They will also head to Roanoke twice, playing Patrick Henry Oct. 9 and closing out the regular season at William Fleming on Nov. 6.

Two opponents are on the schedule for the first time ever: West Forsyth and Battlefield, which is located in Prince William County. Newell isn’t sure what to expect from either one.

“It’s kind of like starting over with some of these new schools,” he said. “It takes a couple games against an opponent before you figure out what they’re going to do. We don’t know much about their players or their coaches.”

The same might be said of Patrick Henry and Franklin County, both of whom have new coaching staffs. They will remain in what is now a five-team Western Valley District, along with GW, Halifax County and William Fleming.

The Eagles will have their Shrine Game against E.C. Glass, their homecoming on Oct. 16 against Halifax County and their senior night on Oct. 30 against Franklin County.

2009 George Washington Eagles football schedule
Aug. 28 Durham Hillside 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 4 at Person County 7 p.m.
Sept. 11 E.C. Glass 7:30 p.m.
Sept. 18 at Amherst County 7 p.m.
Sept. 25 at West Forsyth 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 2 Battlefield 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 9 at Patrick Henry* 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 16 Halifax County* 7:30 p.m.
Oct. 23 OPEN
Oct. 30 Franklin County* 7:30 p.m.
Nov. 6 at William Fleming* 7:30 p.m.
* — denotes Western Valley District game