OUR VIEW: Cyclones look to have the gridiron edge

Staff Editorial
Published: September 1, 2008

» SUMMARY: Schedule and experience should help Eastern View to a successful football season.

For decades the question this time of year has been just how many games will the Culpeper County High School Blue Devils win in football?

Now there’s a new variation on that question: Who will win more games, the Devils or Eastern View?

If last Friday is any indication, the answer is easy. The Cyclones dominated CCHS in the inaugural Cannonball Classic, a scrimmage that didn’t count in the standings. But one scrimmage does not a season make. Maybe it was an off day for the Devils and maybe Eastern View was extra fired up for its first contest in Cyclone Stadium. But there are other reasons to expect EVHS to have a more successful season than its cross-town rivals.

The Cyclones have experience on their side with seniors such as Stevie Strother and Blake Smith making the move to Eastern View after staring at CCHS. Quarterback Cody Whitlock also got playing time for the Blue Devils last year and seems to do well in coach Greg Hatfield’s offense.

Eastern View also plays an easier schedule than Culpeper. The Blue Devils are stuck playing in the Group AAA Cedar Run District for one more year. The Cyclones were forced to fill their schedule with AA and A opponents. Madison County and Caroline have talent this year, but they don’t have the depth that the big schools in northern Virginia bring to the Cedar Run.

It will be interesting to see how the two teams can do in a town where there used to be just one, but if we had to bet, our money is on the Cyclones.