Running back Aiden Miller celebrated his return to action with a pair of first-quarter TDs tonight to jump start the Big Red to an easier-than-expected 40-0 romp over visiting Luray. The win keeps the Gladiators unbeaten and wraps up their home schedule.
Actually Luray got off to the better start as they took the opening kickoff and strung together a few first downs to move into Riverheads territory. But as we will likely see on a regular basis for the next several years, Big John Wood used his deceptive speed to burst through the line and drop a Luray ball carrier on 4th and short and the Gladiators took over around their own 40.
About five plays later, Miller swept left end from about 30 yards out and Bennett Dunlap passed to Landon Lightner for the two-point PAT for an early 8-0 lead. The Gladiators would go on to score four more TDs and added the conversion after each one, a feat they matched at Wilson last week.
Miller's most impressive score came late in the first when he fielded a punt on his own 40, bobbled it ever so slightly, eluded the first would-be tackler and took off around right end behind a well-executed wall of blockers to put RHS ahead 16-0 after the PAT.
For most of the second quarter, it looked as if Luray would escape further damage. In fact, at one point they pinned RHS deep with a punt and a holding penalty backed the Big Red up to its own 7 yard line. But a 25 yard Miller run got them out of the hole and they eventually scored to make it 24-0. The Dogs then fumbled to give RHS another opportunity before halftime but this time the home team failed to punch it in.
The third quarter consisted of a textbook Riverheads drive, all on the ground, that consumed all but 22 seconds of the clock. One more score early in the fourth wrapped things up for the evening as the rain was kind enough to hold off for the most part.
The Big Boys will take center stage Friday night on Bulldog Field as one team will leave the stadium with its second loss of the season. If the forecast is accurate, the rain will have ended Friday morning, but it sounds like it will finally be time to bundle up for some typical breezy football weather.
Next week's action will then have the Gladiator JVs traveling to the school formerly known as R E Lee on Wednesday while the varsity teams will clash in Greenville next Friday night.
As for Luray, next week they play some team that starts with a P. The name escapes me at the moment but I think it is a team they hardly care about and probably very few people will even show up for the game.
Actually Luray got off to the better start as they took the opening kickoff and strung together a few first downs to move into Riverheads territory. But as we will likely see on a regular basis for the next several years, Big John Wood used his deceptive speed to burst through the line and drop a Luray ball carrier on 4th and short and the Gladiators took over around their own 40.
About five plays later, Miller swept left end from about 30 yards out and Bennett Dunlap passed to Landon Lightner for the two-point PAT for an early 8-0 lead. The Gladiators would go on to score four more TDs and added the conversion after each one, a feat they matched at Wilson last week.
Miller's most impressive score came late in the first when he fielded a punt on his own 40, bobbled it ever so slightly, eluded the first would-be tackler and took off around right end behind a well-executed wall of blockers to put RHS ahead 16-0 after the PAT.
For most of the second quarter, it looked as if Luray would escape further damage. In fact, at one point they pinned RHS deep with a punt and a holding penalty backed the Big Red up to its own 7 yard line. But a 25 yard Miller run got them out of the hole and they eventually scored to make it 24-0. The Dogs then fumbled to give RHS another opportunity before halftime but this time the home team failed to punch it in.
The third quarter consisted of a textbook Riverheads drive, all on the ground, that consumed all but 22 seconds of the clock. One more score early in the fourth wrapped things up for the evening as the rain was kind enough to hold off for the most part.
The Big Boys will take center stage Friday night on Bulldog Field as one team will leave the stadium with its second loss of the season. If the forecast is accurate, the rain will have ended Friday morning, but it sounds like it will finally be time to bundle up for some typical breezy football weather.
Next week's action will then have the Gladiator JVs traveling to the school formerly known as R E Lee on Wednesday while the varsity teams will clash in Greenville next Friday night.
As for Luray, next week they play some team that starts with a P. The name escapes me at the moment but I think it is a team they hardly care about and probably very few people will even show up for the game.
