Riverheads wrapped up a terrific 8-1 season tonight with a 29-0 victory over Buffalo Gap in the Shenandoah District championship game. This was a game that was not originally on the schedule but was conceived along the way and pitted the top-seeded Big Red against their county rivals. Riverheads had won the regular season meeting between the two 47-16.
In all fairness to the Bison, tonight's game was closer than a 29-point game normally would be. The visitors drove deep inside RHS territory in the second quarter when they were only trailing 8-0 but came away empty, and they had a third quarter touchdown called back on a holding penalty. But before that near-miss, the Bison came unglued for about a three-minute stretch earlier in the third and The Red Pride took advantage and scored two quick TDs to assume full control of the game.
The major difference in the game was that Riverheads scored all four of its TDs in explosive fashion, including one on defense, whereas the Bison tried to ground and pound all night long and were never able to break anything for more than 15-20 yards. As they had been all season long, the Gladiators were led by the running back trio of Spencer Simpson, Jackson Fitzgerald, and Skyler Shiflett, as they combined for all 29 points.
RHS received the opening kickoff and Fitzgerald immediately reeled off two long runs to appear to put the Gladiators on the board. But a holding call nullified that score and the Big Red fumbled soon after to give the Bison their first opportunity. They had a little bit of success but fumbled the ball right back to Riverheads before they could reach midfield. On that second Riverheads possession, the line parted like the Red Sea as Shiflett dashed untouched right up the middle to score from 45 yards out. Fitzgerald added the two-point conversion, which would turn out to be the only score of the first half, although there was plenty more action.
In the second quarter the Bison appeared to be driving for a potential tying score, when Simpson dropped the quarterback for a big loss around the 20. The Gladiators were then able to hold and take over, but they only had 46 seconds to work with.
Shiflett again reeled off a huge first-down run to put the Big Red in Bison territory at the 40. They had all three time outs left and worked the clock nicely but came up just barely short when the refs ruled that Kendall Edwards' pass to Shiflett did not reach the pylon. There was some grumbling among the fans at the time, but I heard others at halftime agreeing that it was a good call.
That left the Bison still trailing by just one score and due to receive the second half kickoff. But instead of capitalizing on that opportunity, the wheels fell off the bus for the visitors and in no time the Gladiators had a 22-0 lead and the game was pretty much over.
First the Bison were stopped on a three and out, but were totally discombobulated trying to organize the punt and it did not go more than 15 yards. Simpson then broke a tackle on the first play from scrimmage and was off to the races for about a 50 yard score. The PAT made it 16-0.
On BG's next possession, a hard hit jarred the ball loose and Fitzgerald alertly scooped it up and ran it in from about 50 yards to put RHS ahead 22-0 and effectively settle the issue. The Gap did eventually move deep into RHS territory later in the quarter and their running back named Jaden (can't recall the last name) made the best play of the night for the Gap when he swept right but was met by the defense, so he reversed field and had a clear path to the end zone for about a 20 yard score. There was never a clear indication that he had crossed the goal line but what was clear was the fact that it was coming back due to a hold.
The Gladiator defense then held and took over on downs. Early in the fourth, Simpson scored his second and longest TD of the night as he swept right end and just had one man to outrun to the goal line. It looked like a close race for a while, but he was able to make it all the way for a 67 yard TD. This time Fitzgerald booted the PAT for the final margin.
Everybody then got to head home earlier than expected and those who were lucky got to see UVa's season-opening basketball win online but the main event of the evening was JMU's absolutely stunning overtime upset over # 4 Michigan State on its own floor, which a national TV audience got to witness on the Big Ten network. Apparently the basketball Dukes have decided they wanted some of that publicity that the undefeated Dukes football team has been getting.
Back to the subject at hand, JV football is over for this year, with Waynesboro and Wilson also having good seasons in addition to tonight's two teams. So now the attention turns toward Friday night's regional action for the four local Varsity teams that have made the cut. So best of luck to the Gladiators, Indians, Cougars and Bison. Riverheads gets to host Madison County but the other three have to hit the road where they will likely be underdogs, although a lot of folks are liking that seven-game Fort Defiance winning streak and are giving the Indians the nod to knock off Strasburg Friday. That might lead to a second-round game between the Fort and unbeaten Central Woodstock, but that is cart before horse.
In all fairness to the Bison, tonight's game was closer than a 29-point game normally would be. The visitors drove deep inside RHS territory in the second quarter when they were only trailing 8-0 but came away empty, and they had a third quarter touchdown called back on a holding penalty. But before that near-miss, the Bison came unglued for about a three-minute stretch earlier in the third and The Red Pride took advantage and scored two quick TDs to assume full control of the game.
The major difference in the game was that Riverheads scored all four of its TDs in explosive fashion, including one on defense, whereas the Bison tried to ground and pound all night long and were never able to break anything for more than 15-20 yards. As they had been all season long, the Gladiators were led by the running back trio of Spencer Simpson, Jackson Fitzgerald, and Skyler Shiflett, as they combined for all 29 points.
RHS received the opening kickoff and Fitzgerald immediately reeled off two long runs to appear to put the Gladiators on the board. But a holding call nullified that score and the Big Red fumbled soon after to give the Bison their first opportunity. They had a little bit of success but fumbled the ball right back to Riverheads before they could reach midfield. On that second Riverheads possession, the line parted like the Red Sea as Shiflett dashed untouched right up the middle to score from 45 yards out. Fitzgerald added the two-point conversion, which would turn out to be the only score of the first half, although there was plenty more action.
In the second quarter the Bison appeared to be driving for a potential tying score, when Simpson dropped the quarterback for a big loss around the 20. The Gladiators were then able to hold and take over, but they only had 46 seconds to work with.
Shiflett again reeled off a huge first-down run to put the Big Red in Bison territory at the 40. They had all three time outs left and worked the clock nicely but came up just barely short when the refs ruled that Kendall Edwards' pass to Shiflett did not reach the pylon. There was some grumbling among the fans at the time, but I heard others at halftime agreeing that it was a good call.
That left the Bison still trailing by just one score and due to receive the second half kickoff. But instead of capitalizing on that opportunity, the wheels fell off the bus for the visitors and in no time the Gladiators had a 22-0 lead and the game was pretty much over.
First the Bison were stopped on a three and out, but were totally discombobulated trying to organize the punt and it did not go more than 15 yards. Simpson then broke a tackle on the first play from scrimmage and was off to the races for about a 50 yard score. The PAT made it 16-0.
On BG's next possession, a hard hit jarred the ball loose and Fitzgerald alertly scooped it up and ran it in from about 50 yards to put RHS ahead 22-0 and effectively settle the issue. The Gap did eventually move deep into RHS territory later in the quarter and their running back named Jaden (can't recall the last name) made the best play of the night for the Gap when he swept right but was met by the defense, so he reversed field and had a clear path to the end zone for about a 20 yard score. There was never a clear indication that he had crossed the goal line but what was clear was the fact that it was coming back due to a hold.
The Gladiator defense then held and took over on downs. Early in the fourth, Simpson scored his second and longest TD of the night as he swept right end and just had one man to outrun to the goal line. It looked like a close race for a while, but he was able to make it all the way for a 67 yard TD. This time Fitzgerald booted the PAT for the final margin.
Everybody then got to head home earlier than expected and those who were lucky got to see UVa's season-opening basketball win online but the main event of the evening was JMU's absolutely stunning overtime upset over # 4 Michigan State on its own floor, which a national TV audience got to witness on the Big Ten network. Apparently the basketball Dukes have decided they wanted some of that publicity that the undefeated Dukes football team has been getting.
Back to the subject at hand, JV football is over for this year, with Waynesboro and Wilson also having good seasons in addition to tonight's two teams. So now the attention turns toward Friday night's regional action for the four local Varsity teams that have made the cut. So best of luck to the Gladiators, Indians, Cougars and Bison. Riverheads gets to host Madison County but the other three have to hit the road where they will likely be underdogs, although a lot of folks are liking that seven-game Fort Defiance winning streak and are giving the Indians the nod to knock off Strasburg Friday. That might lead to a second-round game between the Fort and unbeaten Central Woodstock, but that is cart before horse.
