Strasburg Looks to Defend Home Turf Against Stonewall Jackson

The annual rivalry between Strasburg and Stonewall Jackson commences with numerous questions and high expectations.

Early season predictions place both the Rams and Generals in the Region B playoffs, while others debate who will claim the Shenandoah County championship. With many returning starters on both sides, many of these questions will begin to be answered on Friday night.

Last season, Strasburg ended a losing streak against Stonewall with a resounding 35-7 victory on the Generals’ home field. This victory provided sweet revenge for a team that had suffered three consecutive losses to their fierce rivals. Now, the Rams aim to settle a new score and defend their home turf. The last regular season loss suffered within Ram Stadium was at the hands of the Generals.

Offensively and defensively, Stonewall is led by the talented Josh Donald. In 2001, the intelligent quarterback was the Generals’ fourth-leading rusher, averaging only seven passing attempts per game.

Two other players have returned to strengthen the Generals’ backfield. Junior fullback Jake Jones and senior Tony Viola aim to continue the strong running performances they established last year.

On the defensive side, Donald seeks to surpass his impressive junior-year statistics. Playing cornerback, the senior recorded nine interceptions and tied for a team-high 55 tackles.

Stonewall faces a significant void to fill with the graduation of 6’5″, 235-pound defensive end James Johnson. Johnson led the team in tackles and sacks last season. His counterpart at the other end position will also need to be replaced.

Following a decisive victory last week, Strasburg hopes to exploit this loss with another strong rushing attack. The Rams amassed 229 yards on 39 carries against a senior-laden East Hardy defense.