ISLE OF WIGHT—After coming off a tough-fought 10-6 win over Bishop Sullivan last Friday, Isle of Wight Academy gets ready to play another Division I team this week.

The Chargers will host Hargrave Military for the first time in school history at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night.

This game is significant for the Chargers because Hargrave is a larger opponent.

If IWA wins this game, it will get a big jump in the VISFA state rankings with two wins over larger schools.

Hargrave, from Chatham, was 2-7 last year. The only common opponent the team’s had last year was North Cross. Both IWA and Hargrave lost to North Cross.

Dale Chapman, IWA head coach, said Tidewater Academy and Greenbrier Christian both dropped IWA from their schedules, so the Chargers needed another opponent to add to the schedule.

“I wasn’t crazy about playing them. This team here (Bishop Sullivan) gives you all you can handle. Playing them now and turning around and playing another Division I team (is tough),” he said.

“We’re going to have to stay healthy. We will be ready. It’s our home opener and we play good at home. Hopefully everything will work out in our favor.”

There is a lot of unknown about the Tigers, according to Chapman.

“There’s not a whole lot we know about them. They are big like this bunch (Bishop Sullivan). They have a lot of athletes and they are an upper division team. We’re going to have our work cut out for us,” Chapman said. “We’re going to have to watch a lot of film, get healthy, and play ball. They haven’t played a game yet. At least we will have a game of experience.”

Chapman said the Chargers must do a better job of being aggressive than they did against Bishop Sullivan.

“We’re hoping that we can learn from this game and be aggressive from the start,” he said. “We can’t afford to be aggressive just in the second half. We have to be aggressive for four quarters.

Last week was the opener for the private schools. This week, all teams begin their 2009 schedule. Other games include:

Franklin will begin the defense of its Group A Division 1 state championship with a game at Northampton at 7 p.m. on Thursday.

The Broncos beat the Yellow Jackets 50-0 in last season’s opener.

Southampton will travel to Bruton for a 7:30 p.m. kickoff. Southampton, which just joined the Southside District, elected to keep Bruton, a Bay Rivers District team, on the non-district schedule this year. Bruton beat the Indians 14-7 last year.

Windsor hosts Nansemond-Suffolk Academy at 7 p.m. The Dukes beat the Saints 20-7 last year.

Fresh off its first win, Southampton Academy hosts Broadwater Academy at 7 p.m. Broadwater beat the Raiders 49-0 last year.

Tidewater Academy will travel to Brunswick Academy for a 7:30 p.m. tilt. Brunswick beat the Warriors 41-0 last year.