Falcons Welcome Region 5A Champion Indian River to McFee Field
- Huguenot Football
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
Updated: 2 days ago
RICHMOND, Va. – Huguenot will get another strong preseason test when Indian River High School makes the trip from Chesapeake to Richard McFee Field on Thursday, August 20. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m.
The matchup gives the Falcons another opportunity to build on their first outside competition of the preseason while facing a program that made a deep postseason run one year ago.
Indian River enters 2026 as the defending Region 5A champion after advancing all the way to the Class 5 state semifinals last season.
The Braves’ season ultimately ended against Highland Springs with a 35-8 loss at Victor Kreiter Stadium, giving Huguenot consecutive preseason opponents whose 2025 seasons were both ended by the Springers.
For Huguenot, however, Thursday’s focus remains internal.
The Falcons came out of the Benefit Game against Hermitage emphasizing discipline, consistency and composure. With the regular season drawing closer, another quality opponent gives the coaching staff an opportunity to see how much progress has been made.
A Proven Opponent Comes to McFee Field
Indian River’s run through Region 5A last season included an impressive championship victory over Green Run.
The Stallions entered the Region 5A championship game undefeated and had reached that championship game in five consecutive seasons. Green Run has also regularly been one of the top programs in the Beach District.
Indian River ended that run, captured the Region 5A championship and earned a spot in the state semifinals.
That postseason result gives some perspective on the level of opponent Huguenot will welcome to McFee Field without making Green Run the focus of Thursday’s matchup.
The Braves are led by head coach Brandon Carr, a Chesapeake native and former Old Dominion offensive lineman who returned home to coach in the area.
Carr is a two-time Region 5A Coach of the Year and has helped establish Indian River as one of the stronger programs in the classification.
Heru Headlines the Braves
Much of the attention surrounding Indian River entering 2026 centers on rising sophomore quarterback Lord Malik Heru (No. 1).
Heru made an immediate impact as a freshman and enters only his second season of high school football already holding offers from programs including Alabama, Nebraska, South Carolina and Auburn.
The 6-foot, 195-pound QB threw for 3,001 yards and 30 touchdowns last season while throwing just four interceptions.
He also carried the ball 30 times for 161 yards and 4 touchdowns giving the Braves another dimension when plays break down or opportunities develop on the ground.
Carr has explained that last season allowed Heru to get his feet wet as a freshman. Entering year two, the expectation is that he is ready to take on a larger role within the Indian River offense.
Heru has also drawn attention for the composure he brings to the position.
In an interview with WTKR Sports Director Marc Davis, Heru compared aspects of his game to Tennessee Titans quarterback Cam Ward, particularly the poise and calmness he tries to maintain while playing quarterback.
That combination of arm talent, mobility and composure will provide another quality test for Huguenot’s defense.
Talent Throughout the Braves’ Defense
Heru may be the most recognizable name on the Indian River roster, but the Braves have plenty of talent on the defensive side of the ball as well.
Senior defensive lineman Jamaree Horton (No. 50) is a three-star prospect who checks in at 6-foot-3, 345 pounds, giving Indian River a massive presence along the defensive front.
Behind him, junior safety Elijah Boggs (No. 0) enters the season with multiple Division I offers, while junior linebacker Kayce Jordan (No. 5) has drawn multiple offers from ACC programs.
That gives Indian River notable talent at all three levels of the defense and presents another useful challenge for a Huguenot offense still working toward greater consistency before the regular season begins.
Defense Looks to Carry Its Effort Forward
Huguenot’s defense spent much of the second half against Hermitage locked in a possession-by-possession battle.
Senior linebacker Jayce Bigelow helped set the tone from the opening drive with a hit that brought much of the crowd to its feet.
“Before the game started, all my coaches were just telling me, ‘Set the tone, set the tone,’” Bigelow said. “So Coach Waddey gave me the play, and I just took advantage of it and made the kill.”
The Falcons continued battling throughout the night, even as Hermitage put together several extended possessions.
“We fought the whole game,” Bigelow said. “We didn’t give up not once. Everybody was at the ball, and we were just giving max effort today.”
Against Indian River, that effort will need to be paired with discipline.
Heru presents a quarterback who can challenge the defense through the air while also creating with his legs. That places added importance on maintaining assignments, communicating throughout the secondary and avoiding the type of mistakes that can extend drives.
Bigelow identified composure as another area the defense can carry forward from the Hermitage experience.
“This defense could take just staying calm at any moment,” Bigelow said. “At any moment, the game could always change.”
Thursday gives defensive coordinator Justin Waddey another opportunity to test an experienced and versatile group against a different style of offense.
Offense Looking for More Consistency
Huguenot showed encouraging flashes offensively against Hermitage, particularly during the first half.
Quarterback Charles Scott Jr. connected with Iveon Lewis and Jhamari Cain for touchdowns as the Falcons took a 14-7 lead into halftime.
Lewis opened the scoring on a fade to the back corner of the end zone after Scott recognized an opportunity in the coverage.
“We were down there on like the 15-yard line,” Lewis said. “He saw something, he just threw it up, I made a play.”
Cain later got behind the Hermitage defense for Huguenot’s second touchdown.
“Me and the quarterback got a great connection,” Cain said. “It’s simple stuff we work on at practice, so it was really nothing, for real.”
Those plays showed the potential of an offense with multiple established weapons.
The next challenge is sustaining that execution for longer stretches, especially against an Indian River defense with size up front and Division I-caliber talent at linebacker and in the secondary.
Discipline Still the Message
The most consistent message from Huguenot players following the Benefit Game was not about the final score.
It was about discipline.
“Really, we got to be more disciplined,” Lewis said. “I know we need to be more disciplined.”
Cain echoed that message.
“Discipline. We gotta be more disciplined,” Cain said. “Stop being lazy. Stop taking plays off. It’s really the small things.”
That is where another preseason scrimmage becomes valuable.
Head coach Charles Scott Sr. has never treated scrimmages as games that must be won at all costs. The purpose is to put the Falcons into situations that are difficult, uncomfortable and sometimes unpredictable so players learn how to respond before those same moments arrive during the regular season.
Hermitage provided plenty of those situations.
Indian River should provide another strong test.
Another Step Toward the Regular Season
Thursday brings together two programs with plenty of talent and postseason expectations, but the final score will once again be secondary to the work being done in preparation for September.
For Huguenot, the priorities remain clear.
Continue developing personnel. Improve discipline. Execute more consistently. Stay composed when momentum shifts. Learn from every situation that presents itself.
Facing a defending Region 5A champion with a highly recruited young quarterback, a massive three-star defensive lineman and additional Division I talent throughout the defense gives the Falcons another valuable measuring stick.
And this time, the test comes at home.
Indian River at Huguenot
Thursday, August 20, 2026
Richard McFee Field
Kickoff: 6 p.m.
Is the scrimmage free/open to the public?