Due a rain cancellation earlier in the season, Riverheads found itself playing three games within a 7 day period. Of course these are teenagers with lots of energy so they would play every night if they could.
The first event was last Thursday when they knocked off the Fort Defiance JVs. You have already seen the report on that. Then Monday night in the make up game, they traveled to Central Woodstock where they lost to the Junior Falcons. I did not attend that one but I was told the score was tight in the first half before Central pulled away to win by something like 34-6.
Then tonight (Thursday the 19th), the Big Red wrapped up the action with a 30-6 win over the new kids on the block...The Rocktown Raptors. This one was almost a story of two halves as the Big Red dominated the first half and took a 30-0 lead, before Rocktown came back with a third quarter TD and had a second score called back on a penalty.
Cason Croft got RHS (I have to be careful how I use those initials in this one!) started as he scored the first TD of the game on an eight yard sweep right, and then added the two point PAT. The second quarter was then the Rylan Payne show as the freshman running back broke loose for three scores, all in the 20+ yard range and two of them looked exactly alike as he started to his left, but then cut back against the grain and scored untouched. Teammates Carter Hartsook and Will Shelton each added a two-pointer to round out the scoring.
Although the game was never in doubt in the second half, the Gladiators were a little disorganized at times as they committed some penalties, lost a fumble, and allowed RHS (the other one!) to establish better rhythm and gain some confidence.
The Raptors got a long pass play down to about the three yard line midway through the third quarter, but the Gladiator defense rose to the occasion and forced them back out beyond the 10. But just when it looked like Riverheads was going to preserve the shutout, quarterback Jarren Engle found Kevin Ortiz-Martinez in the back of the end zone on fourth down to give them their touchdown.
In the fourth quarter, the visitors marched into Riverheads territory again and did in fact connect on another touchdown pass, but it was called back on a flag. (There were LOTS of those tonight!) The Raptors kept attacking, as Raptors are supposed to do, and still came close to scoring that second TD but Riverheads kept them out of the end zone and then ran out the clock.
With the win, the Junior Gladiators are now 3-1 on the season with their next game at Wilson next Thursday, when district play resumes. Of course we are not through Raptoring as the two varsity teams will meet in Harrisonburg tomorrow night on Rocktown's new field. I am told they have artificial turf.
I am also told that this is likely to be the only year these teams meet. Rocktown understandably had trouble filling out its schedule this year, so Riverheads was just of many teams helping them get their program off the ground. Next year they will be full members of the Valley District.
One thing is for sure......they will appreciate their gate tomorrow night because Riverheads travels quite well and the Gladiator fans will fill the bleachers, line the fence, and keep the concession stand hopping, thereby guaranteeing R'town a good night financially. As for the outcome of the game........well stay tuned!!!!
