Christiansburg and Salem: the rematch

Scott Leamon takes a look at some of tonight's region finals. Can Christiansburg come up with a win after a triple overtime lost to Salem earlier this year?

By: Matt Dooley | WSLS
Published: November 27, 2009

Good afternoon here from the newsroom which will be transformed into region finale central tonight.

We'll start with the Region IV, division 4 title game--- Christiansburg (9-3) visits 11-0 Salem.
It’s a rematch of one of the best games of the year a few weeks ago when the Spartans won at Christiansburg in multiple overtimes.

We've talked before about the Spartans difficulties stopping the kind of run-first motion offense the Blue Demons like to run, the Demons hit them for some big plays in the first game.
But Salem plays well at home, where only two teams have even scored on them this year.
The Blue Demons are known to give up some big plays this season. The winner is likely to be the one with the least amount of self inflicted wounds. Edge has to go to the Spartans on their home field. The winner of this game will travel to either Amherst or Harrisonburg next week.

Harrisonburg, as usual, will be bringing a prolific running back to Amherst county tonight, but no one's touched the Lancers so far. In division three, 9-2 Northside meets 10-1 Liberty in Bedford.

Amherst county is the only team that's beaten the Minutemen this season. The Vikings have proven extremely difficult to run on, (ask Brookville last week). Liberty might have to do some things tonight in order to win they wouldn't normally like to do. But Liberty runs a scheme that Northside isn’t familiar with. Northside needs big plays tonight in the run game that, with the exception of Dustin Phelps last week, frankly looked a little bit flat. 7 o'clock kick. This game could go either way. The winner gets the winner of, perennial division three power Richlands and surprise favorite Cave Spring.

This is a big rapid for the knights to navigate. Richlands is arguably more talented, and might have more depth. But this is a Cave Spring team that's won just as much on heart this season as talent. They'll need it tonight because this one's going to be a tough one, 7:30 kick.

A quick look at division two. We'll have a camera at that Radford-Fort Chiswell game in a very frosty Max Meadows tonight. The winner is on the road next week to either Gate City or Lebanon.

Watch at eleven for all the highlights, and follow along on fridayfootball.com.