All Suffolk schools will be at home for this Friday’s contests.

Lakeland High School (3-1) vs. Deep Creek High School (2-2)

The Cavaliers will be playing their second game this week Friday against Deep Creek High School. Monday, the Cavs won 55-26 against Great Bridge. Because of inclement weather last week, the Cavs were unable to get that game in the previous week. Now, that will have to quickly put that win behind them to be ready for Deep Creek, who comes to visit.

Deep Creek is coming off a 14-41 loss last weekend to Oscar Smith, and they get a Cavaliers football team who is playing its best football in recent years. On offense, everything starts with running back Damontra Milteer. On Monday, Milteer rushed for 204 yards, which was his second 200-yard rushing game of the year. The Cavs’ offense as a whole totaled 553 yards and would like to continue that pressure against Deep Creek.

“Our offensive line will continue to be physical like they were Monday,” Milteer said. “They made it easy for me and Tyquan to make plays.”

Last year, Lakeland played two games in a week span. With a more mature team, they feel they can be successful again this year.

“We are going to come out and play like it’s a normal game,” the Cavs’ Alajuwun Langston said. “We can’t let it affect us if we want to be the team we want to be this year.”

Though the Cavs are 3-1, they still believe they have not played their best complete game of football yet.

“We realize that if we play to the best of our ability in all three phases, we can be unstoppable,” senior Garrett Whitley said. “We still believe something big is going to happen in these next few weeks.”

Defensively LHS wants to get back on track. On Monday, for the first time all season, the Cavs allowed a passing touchdown and allowed their first 300-yard passer. Last year, the Cavs lost 13-30 to Deep Creek.

LHS is 2-0 at home this year and will look to complete a sweep this week. The game starts at 7 p.m.

King’s Fork High School (2-2) vs. Great Bridge High School (0-4)

The Bulldogs return home this week after a road loss last week to Western Branch. King’s Fork can use the game Friday to get back on track, as they are getting a Great Bridge team who has yet to win a game and is also coming off of a short week. Not only is this week five of the season, but it is also the homecoming game for the Bulldogs. Preparation this week has been solid.

“I never worry about our kids being ready to play or not being ready to respond,” coach Scottie Littles said. “We had a rough two weeks not getting the results we wanted, but I’m proud of our kids’ mentality. It’s homecoming; you don’t lose homecoming.”

Football is a game of inches. It’s a cliché that has been around for a long time, but it applies to the Bulldogs, because that has been a common theme for them in their last two losses. Last week, the Bulldogs were tied with Western Branch for much of the game before a big run by the Bruins.

“We are literally maybe two to four plays away from those two games changing in our favor,” Littles said. “Both teams were good football teams. In our two losses, we’ve gotten better. I’m glad these moments are happening now. Because November when everything is on the line, we will know how to make those close plays.”

The Bulldogs do feel that their backs are up against the wall this Friday, and they’re confident they will respond well.

“We just got to go out there and play our game plain and simple,” quarterback Justin German said. “Our mindset has to be to go out and execute every phase, and we will be fine.”

“Our community supports our young men, so we are expecting a big crowd Friday,” Littles said. “They are playing for guys that have built the foundation for them, so it’s important for us to get a win homecoming weekend.”

Nansemond River High School (2-2) vs. Indian River High School (3-1)

The Warriors will host a tough Indian River team that currently sits at the No. 2 spot in the Southeastern District. The good news for the Warriors this week is they will be as close to full strength as possible with the return of playmakers JeVon Waller and Gerard Stringer.

“It is a great feeling to be back and be able to contribute to help my team,” Waller said.

The Braves are a talented team led by nationally recruited Devon Hunter. Lately, they have also been getting good quarterback play out of Keyshawn Brown as well as other players. The Warriors’ seniors will have extra motivation for this game, as they have yet to beat Indian River. Last year they took a 41-13 loss to the Braves.

“We have to contain their main guys,” coach David Coccoli said. “We are getting guys back that haven’t played in a while, so I think the guys are excited to play against this team.”

Waller had not played since the first game of the season, and Stringer hasn’t played since the Deep Creek game. Indian River runs a no-huddle offense, and the Warriors know they have to be ready for it.

“Our offensive line will be a huge key for us offensively,” DyQuan McGhee said. “Defensively we have to stop the no huddle. If we do those things we will be fine.”

“They are a good team,” Waller said. “We should be able to compete and focus on making team plays, and I think we will be happy with the results.”

Nansemond River will be at home Friday at 7 p.m.

Nansemond-Suffolk Academy (1-3) vs. St. Anne’s Belfield School (1-2)

The Saints return home this week and will look to shake off their two-game losing streak against St. Anne’s Belfield School. Both teams lost their last game, with NSA’s being a 53-12 road loss. St. Anne’s Belfield took a 42-6 loss last weekend.

“I think we have been preparing pretty well so far this week,” coach Mike Biehl said. “I believe we have a good plan in place defensively. We just need to go out there and execute it.”

In each of NSA’s games, they have played well offensively but have struggled defensively. Biehl, however, encourages his team to give everything they have on both sides of the field.

“We need to be more disciplined in our assignments,” senior Keshaun Moore said. “We also need to force more turnovers. That will allow us to get off the field and keep or stop momentum.”

The Saints take pride in playing at home and know that it is crucial not only to win at home but also to use home games as momentum builders going forward.

“This is an opportunity for us to get our confidence back,” Sharon Knight said. “We will have to communicate throughout the game and play as a team, and we will be fine.”

Last game, the Saints got a big game from Shaun Faulk, who had 185 all-purpose yards. Biehl knows that each of his skill guys are talented and that once each of them get going all at the same time, it can be dangerous for any team they face going forward.

Offensively, St. Anne’s Belfield School resembles that of what they saw against Christchurch, against whom NSA has its only win so far.

“They are a very Pro-I formation team,” Biehl said. “They are a very run heavy team and they try to come right at you. We just have to be mindful of our game plan and be ready to execute it.”

NSA is at home against St. Anne’s Belfield School at 7 p.m.