It was a strange weekend for high school football, where two teams that had won every game so far, didn’t, and a team that had lost every game to this point, got a win.

And a team that many thought might challenge for the playoffs had a three-touchdown halftime lead at home but couldn’t hold it. And a program that has struggled in recent seasons is showing the pluck that might carry it to a playoff season.

Isle of Wight Academy, a two-time defending state champion of the Virginia Independent School league and off to a 5-0 start, couldn’t stop Broadwater Academy on the Eastern Shore Saturday, losing 32-25 in game that ended in a rain shower.

Franklin, which had been ranked as high as third among the state’s Group A schools, took a long bus ride to Colonial Beach and dropped a 37-21 decision on a dusty field along the banks of the Potomac River. It was the Broncos’ first loss in five decisions, but the district schedule starts this Friday with a home game against Surry, when the race for the playoffs begins in earnest.

Southampton, which carried high hopes into the 2007 season but saw those hopes dashed with an 0-4 start, juggled its lineup Friday and beat up Warhill, winning 35-13 with first-time ball-carrier Anthony Boone running his 6-foot-2, 255-pound frame 10 times for 48 yards. The Indians had five touchdowns from five different players.

Smithfield, with its Virginia Tech-committed star Dyrell Roberts as part of its considerable arsenal, also had ambitions of postseason play but saw a 24-7 haltime lead dissipate into a 31-28 loss at home against Poquoson. Smithfield is 2-3 in the Bay Rivers District and headed to New Kent Friday.

Windsor is now 4-2 overall after two straight wins, and the Dukes again showed their considerable determination against Arcadia on Friday, winning 38-20. The Dukes stopped Arcadia on four plays inside the 5-yard line to work the ball 94 yards to another touchdown. Last week, Windsor won in overtime when its defense stopped a two-point conversion run against Washington & Lee. Windsor goes to Charles City Friday to start its district schedule.

It’s going to be an interesting last five weeks of the local football season.