It's been some time since the Black Knight Nation had a reason to be optimistic about their football team.

Cellar dwellers in the Jefferson District the last few seasons, including nine losses in 2011, Charlottesville has experienced an uprising, winning three out of their last four ballgames.

That includes a win over Fluvanna two weeks ago, their first JD win since 2009.

The Black Knights followed that up with an impressive 28-7 victory over Monticello last week, all of which has the team excited about the future.

"These couple of wins that we've been having have boosted everybody up. It boosted the family up, the Black Knight Nation up a lot," junior tailback Chris Thurston explained.

Head coach Eric Sherry is in his second year at CHS. He experience a tough debut season but has seen the "lightbulb" go off for his young team.

"Winning cures a lot of ills. We started this process last year and obviously losing isn't a lot of fun. We lost nine times last year but I think the kids have embraced the process and they've gotten better every week, and that includes building from last year."

If they want to take another big step forward in their development, they'll have to get by 6-0 Western Albemarle in our Friday Night Endzone Game of the Week. Charlottesville hasn't beaten Western since 2004.

The Warrors enter the game riding their own wave of momentum with big wins over Monticello and defending JD champs Powhatan.

But the Black Knights are experiencing a different feeling for them this time of year, and hope to carry over that positivity into Friday night.

"It's been a long time coming," sophomore linebacker Larry Anderson said. "I know each and every guy wants to win the District so we're just going to work hard and hopefully come out with a victory on Friday night."