The Biggest Games of the Year

Sept. 8

Good Counsel at Robinson, 7:30 p.m.

After Robinson won at then-No. 1 Good Counsel, 21-6, last year, the visiting Rams fans showered the Falcons with cries of "Overrated!" Good Counsel has a chance to redeem itself in Fairfax.

Sept. 9

Gonzaga at Georgetown Prep, 1 p.m.

Teams have split two games in the Jesuit Gridiron Classic, the recently revived series that had been dormant since 1988.

Sept. 15

Oakton at Stone Bridge, 7:30 p.m.

Eventual Virginia AAA Division 6 champion Oakton held eventual Division 5 state runner-up Stone Bridge to its lowest point total of the season with a 28-6 win last year.

Sept. 22

Dunbar at Ballou, 7 p.m.

Both DCIAA teams are loaded with top college recruits, and this could be a Turkey Bowl preview. Ballou carried a 6-0 lead into the second quarter last year but lost, 44-12.

Sept. 29

Gwynn Park at Friendly, 6:30 p.m.

Eventual Maryland 3A champion Gwynn Park needed overtime to edge the Patriots, 13-12, last year en route to a 14-0 season. The game was scoreless headed into the fourth quarter.

Oct. 6

River Hill at Long Reach, 7 p.m.

River Hill clings to a 6-5 series edge in the rivalry between neighboring Howard County schools after losing, 15-14, last season on a two-point conversion run in the final minute. The Hawks had come into the game with a 7-0 record.

Oct. 19

Middletown at Urbana, 7 p.m.

These should be two of the better teams in the 22-school Monocacy Valley Athletic League, with quarterbacks Kevin Linehan of Middletown and Kevin Ray of Urbana. Urbana won, 14-0, last year.

Oct. 20

Coolidge at Dunbar, 8 p.m.

ESPNU made plans to broadcast this game before several Coolidge players transferred, yet the show will go on in prime time. Last year, Coolidge handed the Crimson Tide its first DCIAA regular season loss in eight years.

Sherwood at Damascus, 6:30 p.m.

Sherwood's only losses last season were to Damascus, once in the regular season and again in the Maryland 4A state title game. The Swarmin' Hornets, meantime, finished 14-0.

Oct. 27

Hylton at Woodbridge, 7:30 p.m.

Hylton holds a comfortable lead in the Prince William County series, but no team has won more games (seven) against the Bulldogs.

Massaponax at Brooke Point, 7:30 p.m.

These could turn out to be the top two teams in the Virginia AAA Commonwealth District, which has qualified teams for the Division 5 state championship in four of the past seven years.

Nov. 3

DeMatha at Good Counsel, 7 p.m.

DeMatha has won the past three games in this Washington Catholic Athletic Conference series by one point, including in each of the past two league title games.

Manassas Park at George Mason, 7:30 p.m.

Defending Virginia A runner-up Manassas Park has won eight straight in the series, but it has not been easy; last year the Cougars needed a late-game 97-yard drive to pull out a 21-14 win.

Severn vs. St. Mary's-Annapolis at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, 7 p.m.

Severn has won four of the past five games in the Anne Arundel County private school rivalry, including 20-17 last year on a fourth-quarter touchdown pass.

Nov. 4

Gwynn Park at Potomac (Md.), 2:30 p.m.

Defending Maryland 3A champion Gwynn Park meets two-time defending 2A state champ Potomac. Gwynn Park won, 20-7, last year by forcing four turnovers.