2026 VHSL Class 3 Football Playoff Preview

Two No. 4 seeds are worth a closer look. Liberty Christian leads Region 3C in power, and Skyline is second in Region 3B in Elo.

Power ratings, Elo and records come from the Beyond the Standings Week 11 rankings. The ranks below are recalculated among each region’s playoff teams. Pairings follow the published opening-round schedule.

Highest-rated teams outside the bracket

Brookville (7-3) ranked 15th in Class 3 power and 19th in Elo. It was sixth in power and seventh in Elo in Region 3C. Northside (5-5) also missed the cut in Region 3D despite ranking seventh in power and fifth in Elo.

Region 3A

Petersburg leads both measures. Lake Taylor is the biggest Elo riser in the bracket, ranking third from the No. 7 seed and edging its first-round opponent, Hopewell, in that model.

Seed differences of two or more places. No. 7 Lake Taylor (power #6, Elo #3), No. 3 Booker T. Washington (power #3, Elo #6), No. 5 New Kent (power #5, Elo #2), No. 2 Hopewell (power #2, Elo #4), No. 6 Colonial Heights (power #7, Elo #8).

First round

No. 8 I.C. Norcom vs. No. 1 Petersburg

No. 7 Lake Taylor vs. No. 2 Hopewell

No. 6 Colonial Heights vs. No. 3 Booker T. Washington

No. 5 New Kent vs. No. 4 Tabb

Region 3B

Kettle Run tops both ratings from the No. 2 seed. Top-seeded Culpeper County ranks second in power and third in Elo, just behind fourth-seeded Skyline in the latter.

Seed differences of two or more places. No. 8 Brentsville (power #6, Elo #5), No. 1 Culpeper County (power #2, Elo #3), No. 4 Skyline (power #4, Elo #2), No. 5 Meridian (power #7, Elo #6).

First round

No. 8 Brentsville vs. No. 1 Culpeper County

No. 7 James Monroe vs. No. 2 Kettle Run

No. 6 Goochland vs. No. 3 Warren County

No. 5 Meridian vs. No. 4 Skyline

Region 3C

Unbeaten Broadway leads Elo, with Turner Ashby less than two points behind. Liberty Christian leads power from the No. 4 seed, and also ranks third in Elo.

Seed differences of two or more places. No. 4 Liberty Christian (power #1, Elo #3), No. 2 Fluvanna County (power #4, Elo #4), No. 6 Monticello (power #6, Elo #8), No. 8 Wilson Memorial (power #7, Elo #6).

First round

No. 8 Wilson Memorial vs. No. 1 Broadway

No. 7 East Rockingham vs. No. 2 Fluvanna County

No. 6 Monticello vs. No. 3 Turner Ashby

No. 5 Heritage-Lynchburg vs. No. 4 Liberty Christian

Region 3D

Unbeaten Carroll County and William Byrd are separated by just 0.034 in power. Magna Vista is close behind in power and leads both unbeaten teams in Elo.

Seed differences of two or more places. No. 1 William Byrd (power #2, Elo #3), No. 3 Magna Vista (power #3, Elo #1), No. 6 Bassett (power #8, Elo #7), No. 8 Staunton River (power #6, Elo #6).

First round

No. 8 Staunton River vs. No. 1 William Byrd

No. 7 Tunstall vs. No. 2 Carroll County

No. 6 Bassett vs. No. 3 Magna Vista

No. 5 Cave Spring vs. No. 4 Lord Botetourt