Best first week games

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>For most schools in Virginia, the high school season heats up next week. I want to highlight some of my favorite games next week and what to look for.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>West Potomac vs. Langley</strong><br>On the 28th, Langley hosts West Potomac. West Potomac finished last year really strong, and they returned a lot of talent from last season. They've already looked excellent in their first few games, and I'm excited to see how they look against a fantastic Langley team. [player_tooltip player_id='1251838' first='Dawn' last='Houston'], [player_tooltip player_id='644092' first='Abby' last='Beddis'], and [player_tooltip player_id='755782' first='Olivia' last='Jones'] are names to watch for this WP team, along with a plethora of talented players they have. What Langley will do will run through Junior guard [player_tooltip player_id='598926' first='Anya' last='Rahman']. West Potomac is a pretty good defensive team, so how they deal with Anya's shot-making and playmaking will be something to watch. Langley big Bri Borcherding was second-team all-district and should play a big part in this team's success. These teams will be factors in postseason play, and this game should be fun to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Massaponax vs. Gainesville</strong><br>Another game on the 28th to watch is Massaponax vs. Gainesville. Massaponax lost a massive chunk of their production as most of their starting lineup were seniors. However, they retain their best player in Takeria Ramey, who's arguably the best guard in the state in 2024. Takeria is a tremendous passer and a true PG. She can do everything you ask of her on the offensive end and is a plus defender. Conversely, Gainesville retains much of its production outside [player_tooltip player_id='579891' first='Demi' last='Gilliam'], one of the state's best sophomores. Gainesville is excellent defensively. [player_tooltip player_id='597331' first='Madison' last='McKenzie'] had a great year last year and will be one of the best guards in NOVA. She is a great defender and will give this Gainesville team some big scoring nights. You may see her draw the Ramey matchup. Gainesville also has Sophomore forward [player_tooltip player_id='579893' first='Peyton' last='White'], who's in for a big season. This should be a close, competitive game with two outstanding teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Catholic vs. Potomac School</strong><br>On the 29th, Catholic heads up to play Potomac School. Both teams have a lot of talent, but the premier matchup in this game is the battle of these teams' point guards. For Catholic, you have [player_tooltip player_id='376323' first='Zaniyah' last='Williams'], who is extremely smart and terrific all around. Zaniyah is a 3-level scorer, and watching her last year, I couldn't believe she was only a freshman. I'm excited to see what she does this season in her sophomore year. On the other side is [player_tooltip player_id='633711' first='Sabrina' last='Anderson'], one of the best freshmen in the state. I've watched Sabrina a lot this summer, and two things stand out whenever I see her: her competitiveness and offensive skills. She is one of the best shooters in the state and has elite ball handling. She makes plays for others and competes defensively. Sabrina relishes big moments, and you will see that in what should be a competitive game. Another thing to watch in this game is how Catholic deals with the size of Potomac School. 6'1 F/G [player_tooltip player_id='383500' first='Catherine' last='LeTendre'] may be this team's best player, and their starting frontcourt, [player_tooltip player_id='808420' first='Skylar' last='Giuliani'] and [player_tooltip player_id='361330' first='Zoe' last='Myslewicz'], are both over 6'1 and active on the glass. For Catholic, [player_tooltip player_id='731281' first='Kylah' last='Moore'] and [player_tooltip player_id='302566' first='Jemma' last='Eleby'] will be players to watch</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>James River Midlothian vs. Manchester</strong><br>On the 30th, James River Midlothian welcomes Manchester. James River Midlothian vs. Manchester is about as important a game as you can have in November. These teams play in the same district and are the two best teams in their district. Both teams will not lose many games, and the margin of error in winning their district is minimal. That's why both of these games are so important. They both also have two of the five best players in the state. For James River, you have UNC commit [player_tooltip player_id='239496' first='Lanie' last='Grant']. Lanie will average well over 30 a game again and is arguably the best offensive player in the state. They also added [player_tooltip player_id='304790' first='Seimone' last='Newton'], a top-10 Junior in the state. Manchester returned virtually everyone from a state runner-up team last year. Georgia Commit [player_tooltip player_id='254975' first='Mia' last='Woolfolk'] is arguably the best player in the state this season. Guard [player_tooltip player_id='304787' first='Rayne' last='Wright'] is a fantastic player for Manchester. She has great size and can play either guard position at a high level. Senior guard [player_tooltip player_id='421802' first='Leah' last='Hampton'] and freshman sharp shooters [player_tooltip player_id='376327' first='Finley' last='Weaver'] and Kileen Edwards will also be players to watch in this game.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->