Game of the Week Preview: Dinwiddie at Thomas Dale

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — Two fierce Central Division rivals, supporting 3-1 records, are set to clash in what promises to be an electrifying matchup in Week 6. As Class 6 Thomas Dale High School hosts Class 3’s Dinwiddie in a game that our viewers have voted as the “8 Sports Blitz Game of the Week.”

Thomas Dale Head Coach Kevin Tucker anticipates a great atmosphere for the game. “It’s one of the best atmospheres for high school football. This stadium will be packed. The town of Chester will be here; the county, as they call themselves, will be here. So I think you’ll see both sides of the stands filled up, so I think you’ll see an electric atmosphere,” he stated.

Last season, when these two teams met, Thomas Dale edged out a nail-biting 31-28 victory. Dinwiddie Head Coach Billy Mills has been reflecting on that close loss ever since. “I feel like if we don’t turn the ball over last year, we win that football game. So we’ve got to really fight to keep that from happening. Of course, I know that’s something that they really coach up hard out there, as do we, so we’ve got to really flip that script,” said Mills.

This year, however, Thomas Dale is a different team than last year’s squad. After suffering a tough setback earlier this year to Glen Allen, they bounced back with a strong performance against Prince George last week. Coach Tucker expressed his pride in his team’s resilience. “The kids are battle-tested, so to speak, and a little banged up. To go into Prince George against a very great offensive line that was big and physical, and to get pushed around a little bit and bend but not break, I was very proud of the boys. We are going to continue each week to try and go 1-0,” he said.

Adding to the intrigue of this matchup is the presence of Harry Dalton, arguably the best skill player in the state, who is committed to play for the University of Southern California. Coach Mills refers to Dalton as a game-changer. “He does things on the football field that are really special that I think we have gotten accustomed to. At some point, we are going to realize that that just doesn’t happen each year, so I’m just trying to enjoy this last year with him and try to help him enjoy it as well,” Mills remarked.

With both teams vying for a 4-1 record, fans can expect a thrilling showdown. Kickoff is set for 7:00 PM at Thomas Dale.

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