Virginia high school football playoff brackets; Scores, Analysis, VHSL Updates

Follow the 2024 VHSL high school football playoffs live; in-game scores, finals and instant bracket updates

Top-ranked Maury looks to defend its Class 5A state championship when the VHSL state football playoffs get underway this week. / T.B. Visuals/Maury Football Instagram

The regular season is over and it’s time for postseason high school football in Virginia. 

The state public tournament begins Friday with region first round action. Four of the six state champions will try to defend their respective crowns. 

The championship games will be played Dec. 14. Liberty University will host the Class 6, 4 and 3 title matches. The Class 2 and 1 finals will be held at Salem (Va.) City Stadium. James Madison University will host the Class 5 title game.

>>2024 Virginia High School Football Brackets<<

Here is a preview of the Virginia high school football playoffs and brackets, with matchups and game times for every classification. To access the bracket for each classification, click on the hyperlinks below.

CLASS 6

2023 champion: Freedom

Region top seeds: Battlefield (B), Lake Braddock (C), Oscar Smith (A), and James Madison (D)

With Hayfield, arguably the favorite, excluded from the 2024 and 2025 playoffs for violating state athletic association rules, the championship picture is more interesting.

Oscar Smith, which last won the Class 6 crown in 2021, might be the favorite after going undefeated (10–0) during the regular season. James Madison (10-0) is in position after losing to Freedom in last year’s state semifinals. 

Battlefield (10-0), featuring Pittsburgh commit Cole Woodson, could be a state semifinal contender after losing to Freedom in last year’s state quarterfinals. 

Freedom (2-5) didn’t qualify for postseason play in 2024. Freedom won the 2023 and 2022 under Darryl Overton, who departed for Hayfield.

Hayfield went 9-1 during the regular season. The VHSL suspended Hayfield for 2024 and 2025 postseason for violating the league’s transfer rules.

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CLASS 5

Defending champion: Maury

Region top seeds: Green Run (A), Maury (B), William Fleming (C), Riverbend (D)

It’s Maury vs. the field. 

The Commodores (10-0), the No. 1 team in the state and defending 5A champs, have been unstoppable with Power 4 commits Kendall Daniels (South Carolina), Lebron Bond (Indiana), Ari Watford (Clemson) and Carlton Smith (Maryland), along with veteran quarterback Au’tori Newkirk. 

The Norfolk, Va. school won its five playoff matches last year by an average of 35 points.

Green Run (10-0) could be Maury’s biggest threat with Jayden Anderson and Zeke Chinwike (Virginia Tech) and Emmanuel Taylor (Pittsburgh). 

Mataoca (9-1), with Bryce Yates (Pittsburgh) and Dillon Newton-Short and Montino Williams (Virginia) and Caleb Williams (South Carolina) reached the state semifinals last fall.

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CLASS 4

Defending champion: Phoebus

Region top seeds: Dinwiddie (B) George Washington (D), John Champe (C), Phoebus (A)

Phoebus (10-0) is in position to match its four-peat from more than a decade ago in Class 3A/Division 5 (2008-11). The Phantoms have won 45 straight games.

Phoebus’ biggest challenge could come out of Richmond with Top 25 squad Dinwiddie (9-1), Varina (9-1) and  Huguenot (10-0) out of Region B. Huguenot could be at Varina for next weekend’s region semifinals with the winner going to Dinwiddie the following weekend.

John Champe (10-0) has a chance to reach the state quarterfinals after losing in the Region C finals last fall. George Washington (9-1) won its final nine decisions after a 34-point loss to Dinwiddie.

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CLASS 3

Defending champion: Liberty Christian Academy

Region top seeds: Abingdon (D), Lafayette (A), Liberty Christian (C), Thomas Jefferson (B)

Liberty Christian (9-0) hopes to go back-to-back with arguably Virginia’s best player in running back Gideon Davidson, a Clemson commit. Lafayette followed a state-runner effort last year with a perfect regular season (10-0).

Lafayette may have to get past Norcom (6-4), featuring Penn State commit Matthew Outten, in the region final. Thomas Jefferson (10-0) went undefeated during the regular season and will be motivated after being blown out at home in the B region semifinals last year. 

Abingdon (9-1) may have to get past Magna Vista (8-2) to advance out of the D region. Magna Vista advanced out the region last year before losing to William Byrd in the state quarterfinals.

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CLASS 2

Defending champion: Radford

Region top seeds: Clarke County (B), Glenvar (C), Graham (D), Popquson (A)

Radford (7-3) will try to repeat as the No. 2 seed in the C region where it could meet Glenvar in the final. Glenvar (9-1) defeated Radford, 37-12, during the regular season.

Popquson (9-1) suffered its only loss to last year’s 3A runner-up Lafayette (14-6 final) last weekend. Popquson lost to Riverheads in last year’s state final.

Clarke County and Graham each posted 10-0 regular seasons. Graham won the Class 2 crown in 2022. 

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CLASS 1

2023 champion: Galax 

Region top seeds: Altavista (B), Bath County (C), Rappahannock (A), Rye Cove (D)

There will be a new champion as Galax (0-9) failed to qualify for postseason play. 

Altavista (10-0), which reached the state semifinals last year, outscored opponents, 485-93, during the regular season. Rye Cove (11-0) could meet Honaker, a state semifinalist last year, in next weekend’s D region semifinals. Rye Cove beat Honaker (7-3), 52-32, during the regular season.

Essex (9-1), a 2023 state semifinalist, could meet Rapphannock (10-0) in the A region final. Rappahannock won the regular season meeting, 13-8.

Bath County also posted a perfect regular season (9-0), and could meet George Wythe (7-3), the No. 2 seed, in the C final. Wythe lost to Galax in last year’s state quarterfinals.