For one reason or another, Riverheads had not played a game for three weeks before taking the field tonight to host the Staunton Storm JVs. The Big Red was understandably a bit rusty from that unwanted break, but got their running game in gear enough to put four scores on the board and turn back the visitors.
The Gladiators took the first five and a half minutes off the clock and drove 70 yards to score, with Rylan Payne scoring from the one. He added the two point conversion to stake RHS to an early 8-0 lead. He then added a second TD early in the second quarter to make the score 14-0 after a penalty foiled the PAT.
At that point, it might have looked like RHS would be scoring at will, but Staunton had other ideas as they connected on a nice 55 yard completion from Jaymin Jones to Gabryel Johnson. They tacked on the PAT to close out the first half at 14-7.
For the rest of the game, both teams were somewhat sloppy at times, but unfortunately for Staunton, they got the worst end of that deal. They had frequent personnel issues, which either led to a penalty or a need to call an unwanted time-out. They were flagged for delay at least twice, although there were play clocks plainly in view as there have been at Riverheads for several years now. They also had two disastrous punt snaps that gave Riverheads favorable field position. There was no doubt that Staunton has athletic talent, but this was not their night in the efficiency department.
Riverheads was not perfect either, due to the long layoff, but they did get a couple of surprise rushing performances in the second half. After utilizing Payne as the primary weapon in the first half, they turned in the second half to a pair of newcomers, Joel Maybush and Sean Miller, who have just been moved down from varsity to JV. That decision may have been made because of an injury to the Big Red's second-leading rusher Cason Croft, who is likely to be out a while.
Maybush and Miller each took to their new team like a duck to water, as each scored a TD in the second half to round out the Riverheads scoring. Staunton managed to sandwich a second TD in between those two scores, so it was 20-13 and therefore still very much in doubt until Miller's late TD put the game away.
With the win, I believe the JVs are 3-1 now. There is no word yet on when or if the rained-out game with Wilson will be re-scheduled. Up next for the Gladiators will be a trip to Buffalo Gap next Thursday.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on the field at Gypsy Hill Friday night when the varsity Gladiators will make the trip into Staunton to help the Storm celebrate Homecoming. That game will have huge implications on the district title race as well as the playoff picture down the road. Staunton would like nothing better than to remain unbeaten in district play, whereas Riverheads needs the win to stay within striking distance after an early-season loss to Fort Defiance. Speaking of which, the Indians will have their own big game going on tomorrow night when they host Stuarts Draft. If the two home teams win those two games, it will pretty much knock both Riverheads and Stuarts Draft out of contention, and leave the Fort and the Storm on a collision course for their November 1 meeting.
The Gladiators took the first five and a half minutes off the clock and drove 70 yards to score, with Rylan Payne scoring from the one. He added the two point conversion to stake RHS to an early 8-0 lead. He then added a second TD early in the second quarter to make the score 14-0 after a penalty foiled the PAT.
At that point, it might have looked like RHS would be scoring at will, but Staunton had other ideas as they connected on a nice 55 yard completion from Jaymin Jones to Gabryel Johnson. They tacked on the PAT to close out the first half at 14-7.
For the rest of the game, both teams were somewhat sloppy at times, but unfortunately for Staunton, they got the worst end of that deal. They had frequent personnel issues, which either led to a penalty or a need to call an unwanted time-out. They were flagged for delay at least twice, although there were play clocks plainly in view as there have been at Riverheads for several years now. They also had two disastrous punt snaps that gave Riverheads favorable field position. There was no doubt that Staunton has athletic talent, but this was not their night in the efficiency department.
Riverheads was not perfect either, due to the long layoff, but they did get a couple of surprise rushing performances in the second half. After utilizing Payne as the primary weapon in the first half, they turned in the second half to a pair of newcomers, Joel Maybush and Sean Miller, who have just been moved down from varsity to JV. That decision may have been made because of an injury to the Big Red's second-leading rusher Cason Croft, who is likely to be out a while.
Maybush and Miller each took to their new team like a duck to water, as each scored a TD in the second half to round out the Riverheads scoring. Staunton managed to sandwich a second TD in between those two scores, so it was 20-13 and therefore still very much in doubt until Miller's late TD put the game away.
With the win, I believe the JVs are 3-1 now. There is no word yet on when or if the rained-out game with Wilson will be re-scheduled. Up next for the Gladiators will be a trip to Buffalo Gap next Thursday.
In the meantime, all eyes will be on the field at Gypsy Hill Friday night when the varsity Gladiators will make the trip into Staunton to help the Storm celebrate Homecoming. That game will have huge implications on the district title race as well as the playoff picture down the road. Staunton would like nothing better than to remain unbeaten in district play, whereas Riverheads needs the win to stay within striking distance after an early-season loss to Fort Defiance. Speaking of which, the Indians will have their own big game going on tomorrow night when they host Stuarts Draft. If the two home teams win those two games, it will pretty much knock both Riverheads and Stuarts Draft out of contention, and leave the Fort and the Storm on a collision course for their November 1 meeting.
