There are few schools in Virginia High School Football that can claim to be as dominant at their level than Riverheads High School, as long as that Level was the smallest in VHSL classification. Whatever the name, Group A, Group A Division 1, Class 1A, or Class 1 Riverheads was the dominant powerhouse among Virginia’s small schools. But twice, Riverheads has been forced to move up a class. The Staunton based school’s enrollment hovers right around the cut line most of the time between the smallest classification (Class 1) and the next highest (Class 2). Two seasons ago, the school’s enrollment pushed Riverheads back up to Class 2 much to the delight of Class 1 schools across the state.
What’s the difference you ask? It’s enormous. As a part of the smallest classification in the State, Riverheads won State Championships in 2000, 2006, and 2010. The real dominance began in 2016, however, when Riverheads won the first of 7 consecutive small school championships. They also missed out on a 2015 championship by virtue of a missed two point conversion against Galax in 2015, losing 7-6 or it would have been 8 in a row.
The larger classification has not been so kind to the Gladiators. Riverheads failed to make the Championship game in their first run which was then known as Class 2A. They found the first season in their latest run in Class 2 more favorable making it to the 2023 Class 2 state championship game where they lost to Radford. Last year, however was a very un-Riverheads like season in Class 2. They still won 9 games, but lost 3 times and were eliminated in the regionals soundly by Strasburg 35-7, their earliest exit since 2014.
For 2025, Riverheads is back in Class 1 where there is no love lost between Riverheads and the rest of Class 1. The administrators and coaches of the other Class 1 schools would just as soon see Riverheads in Class 2. The Gladiators know they are the best in class most years and aren’t going to ever apologize for that.
There’s certainly nothing fancy about the way Riverheads plays football. They employ a double wing offense where the quarterback on about 85% of the plays pitches the ball to a running back and then assumes the role of a blocker. Opponents know exactly what they are going to do and most of the time can’t stop it. When opponents do get a chance, they will exercise some payback. During Bath County’s dominant run in the early 2000s, Bath Coach Will Fields ran up the score on Riverheads in a regular season game. When asked about it after the games, Fields just smiled and said they’ll do it to us next year.
Head Coach Ray Norcross enters his 4th season at the Gladiators Head Coach having followed the retired Robert Casto as head coach after Riverheads 2021 championship. All Norcross did was win a State championship in his first year as the head coach. Over the last decade it has become an annual pilgrimage for a Red Wave to come down I-81 to Salem Stadium for the state championship game. Now that they are back in Class 1 don’t take any bets that won’t be the case again come December 13th.
Riverheads Gladiators
Shenandoah District
2024 Record: 9-3 overall; 4-2 Shenandoah District
Playoffs: Lost in the Region 1B playoffs to Strasburg 35-7
Points Scored/Average: 315 (26.3)
Points Allowed/Average: 229 (19.1)
Head Coach: Ray Norcross - 4th season overall; 4th season at Riverheads
Career Record: 34-6
Record at Riverheads: 34-6
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - vs. Smith Mountain Lake Christian
September 5 - at Altavista
September 12 - at Stuarts Draft*
September 19 - vs. Buffalo Gap*
September 26 - at Wilson Memorial*
October 3 - Open date
October 10 - vs. Fort Defiance*
October 17 - at Rockbridge County*
October 24 - vs. Alleghany*
October 31 - at Staunton*
November 7 - vs. Waynesboro*
*Shenandoah District Game
Notable: Looking for a big early season game, try September 5 when the Gladiators travel to defending region champion Altavista.
Altavista Raiders
Dogwood District
2024 Record: 12-1 overall; 6-0 Dogwood District Champions
Playoffs: Lost in the Class 1 State Semi-finals to Essex 30-8
Point Scored/Average: 589 (45.3)
Points Allowed/Average: 151 (11.6)
Head Coach: Matthew Deloach - 3rd season overall; 3rd season at Altavista
Career Record: 22-5
Record at Altavista: 22-5
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Central-Lunenburg
September 5 - vs. Riverheads
September 12 - at Lord Botetourt
September 19 - Open date
September 26 - vs. Nelson County*
October 3 - at Dan River*
October 10 - vs. Chatham*
October 17 - at Appomattox*
October 24 - Open date
October 31 - vs. William Campbell*
November 7 - at Gretna*
*Dogwood District game
William Campbell Generals
Dogwood District
2024 Record: 1-10 overall; 0-6 Dogwood District
Playoffs: Lost in the first round of Region 1B playoffs to Brunswick 33-12
Points Scored/Average: 173 (15.7)
Points Allowed/Average: 448 (40.7)
Head Coach: Danny Brogan - 10th season overall; 10th season at William Campbell
Career Record: 41-54
Record at William Campbell: 41-54
2025 Schedule
August 29 - at Liberty
September 5 - vs. Cumberland
September 12 - vs. Buckingham County
September 19 - at Randolph-Henry
September 26 - vs. Gretna*
October 3 - at Nelson County*
October 10 - vs. Dan River
October 17 - at Chatham*
October 24 - vs. Appomattox*
October 31 - at Altavista*
November 7 - Open date
*Dogwood District game
Buffalo Gap Bison
Shenandoah District
2024 Record: 6-7 overall; 1-5 Shenandoah District
Playoffs: Lost in the Region 1B championship game to Altavista 32-20
Points Scored/Average: 442 (36.3)
Points Allowed/Average: 315 (24.2)
Head Coach: Brad Wygant - 7th season overall; 7th season at Buffalo Gap
Career Record: 33-35
Record at Buffalo Gap: 33-35
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Broadway
September 5 - vs. Bath County
September 12 - vs. Wilson Memorial*
September 19 - at Riverheads*
September 26 - vs. Fort Defiance*
October 3 - at Rockbridge County*
October 10 - vs. Alleghany*
October 17 - at Staunton*
October 24 - vs. Waynesboro*
October 31 - at Stuarts Draft*
November 7 - Open date
*Shenandoah District game
Brunswick Bulldogs
Tri-Rivers District
2024 Record: 7-5 overall; 4-2 Tri-Rivers District
Playoffs: Lost in Region 1B Semi-finals to Buffalo Gap 65-30
Points Scored/Average: 269 (22.4)
Points Allowed/Average: 292 (24.3)
Head Coach: Darrell Owens - 8th season
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Mecklenburg County
September 5 - at Essex
September 12 - vs. Central-Luneburg
September 19 - vs. Nottoway
September 26 - vs. Surry County*
October 3 - at Windsor*
October 9 - vs. Southampton* (Thursday)
October 17 - at Franklin*
October 24 - Open date
October 31 - vs. Sussex Central*
November 7 - at Greensville County*
*Tri-Rivers District game
Franklin Broncos
Tri-Rivers District
2024 Record: 3-8 overall; 2-4 Tri-Rivers District
Playoffs: Lost in first round of the Region 1B playoffs to Buffalo Gap 44-6
Points Scored/Average: 164 (14.9)
Points Allowed/Average: 353 (28.4)
Head Coach:
2025 Schedule:
August 28 - at John Marshall (Thursday)
September 5 - vs. Amelia County
September 12 - at Colonial Beach
September 19 - vs. Essex
September 26 - at Windsor*
October 3 - Open date
October 10 - at Surry County*
October 17 - vs. Brunswick*
October 24 - at Sussex Central*
October 31 - vs. Greenville County*
November 7 - vs. Southampton*
*Tri-Rivers District game
Surry County Cougars
Tri-Rivers District
2024 Record: 2-9 overall; 2-4 Tri-Rivers District
Playoffs: Lost in first round of Region 1B playoffs to Sussex Central 34-28
Points Scored/Average: 204 (18.5)
Points Allowed/Average: 292 (26.5)
Head Coach: Zach Orlando
2025 Schedule:
August 28 - vs. Middlesex (Thursday)
September 5 - at Lancaster
September 12 - at Northampton
September 19 - at Charles City County
September 26 - at Brunswick*
October 3 - at Greenville County*
October 10 - at Franklin*
October 17 - at Windsor*
October 24 - at Southampton*
October 31 - Open date
November 7 - at Sussex Central*
*Tri-Rivers District game
Sussex Central Tigers
Tri-Rivers District
2024 Record: 6-6 overall; 1-4 Tri-Rivers District
Playoffs: Lost in the Region 1B semi-finals to Altavista 64-8
Points Scored/Average: 264 (22.0)
Points Allowed/Average: 276 (23.0)
Head Coach: Jalen Augcomfar
2025 Schedule:
August 28 - at Essex (Thursday)
September 5 - at Lakeland
September 12 - at Mathews
September 19 - vs. Colonial Beach
September 25 - vs. Greensville County*
October 3 - vs. Southampton*
October 10 - vs. Windsor*
October 17 - Open date
October 24 - vs. Franklin*
October 31 - at Brunswick*
November 7 - at Surry County*
*Tri-Rivers District Game
Cumberland Dukes
James River District
2024 Record: Season Cancelled
Head Coach: Joshua Fleenor
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - at Mathews
September 5 - at William Campbell
September 11 - vs. Randolph-Henry* (Thursday)
September 19 - vs. Nelson County
September 26 - at Charles City County
October 3 - vs. Nottoway*
October 10 - at Central-Lunenburg*
October 17 - vs. Prince Edward County*
October 23 - at Amelia County* (Thursday)
October 31 - Open date
November 7 - at Buckingham County*
*James River District game
Luray Bulldogs
Bull Run District
2024 Record: 2-8 overall; 1-4 Bull Run District
Playoffs: None
Points Scored/Average: 204 (20.4)
Points Allowed/Average: 310 (31.0)
Head Coach: Lynn Hamilton - 3rd season
2025 Schedule:
August 29 - vs. East Rockingham
September 5 - at Stuarts Draft
September 12 - vs. William Monroe
September 19 - at Rock Ridge
September 26 - vs. Parry McCluer
October 3 - Open date
October 10 - vs. Madison County*
October 17 - at Strasburg*
October 24 - at Central-Woodstock*
October 31 - vs. Clarke County*
November 7 - at Page County*
*Bull Run District game