First game jitters and mistakes happen every season, but tonight's game seemed to have just a little bit too much weirdness, especially during the nearly hour and a half it took to complete the first half. But fortunately the Gladiators scored early in the third to go up 35-0 and start the running clock but it was still about 9:30 before the game mercifully ended.
As expected the Big Red rushing game was too much for Waynesboro to contain as the three-prong attack of Cayden Cook-Cash, Cole Burton, and Aidan Miller chewed up big chunks of yardage all night long. Triple C scored the first RHS touchdown from about six yards out as the Big Red took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards for the TD. However, to Waynesboro's credit, they gave up that yardage grudgingly and the Pride needed over six minutes to cover those 80 yards. Cooper Robson added the placement as he went 7 for 8 on the night.
On Waynesboro's first possession, disaster struck as they committed one of several turnovers on the evening. Forced to punt, the snap went wayyyyyyyy over the punter's head and as he tried desperately to field it, Isaac Hartless blocked him from getting to the ball, which allowed Burton to scoop it up around the two and take it in for the second Big Red TD of the evening.
There is only one word.....bizarre....that describes the second quarter. It took about 50 minutes to play and both fan sections took turns expressing their displeasure with those nice boys in the striped shirts. For the first half of the quarter, it was the Giant fans who howled repeatedly over missed calls, penalties, or positive plays that still didn't work out for one reason or another.
But that worm certainly turned in the second half of the quarter as the Gladiators were the ones that the officials decided needed to be disciplined. In one of the strangest sequences you will ever see, RHS was backed up to its own 2 yard line after a very good Waynesboro punt. In the stands, we wondered aloud "can we really drive 98 yards in 6 minutes to score?"
Well, momentarily at least, Triple C answered that question by zigging and zagging and weaving and dodging and hurdling and just about any other "ing" you can think of, as he covered the entire 98 yards on the first play from scrimmage. But you guessed it....it came back on a penalty.
But that was FAR from being the end of that particular chapter. The Gladiators were then flagged three more times in rapid succession, two for holding and one for something that was never made clear to anyone. A referee took a tumble in the middle of all of that, and finally Landon Lightner bailed the Big Red out of the jam as he hauled in a circus catch out around the 40. By the time he completed the catch, he was flat on his back and essentially tipped it to himself. A big Burton run followed that reception, and eventually Miller scored to complete the 98 yard march. Miller scored a second TD at some point in the quarter as RHS took a 28-0 lead into the break.
After the halftime ceremony that honored some most deserving Hall of Fame nominees, Waynesboro went three and out and punted. RHS fair caught the punt at the Giants 44 and that set the stage for Waynesboro's most fundamental mistake of the evening. The Gladiators lined up and Lightner was split wide left in front of the home bench.
Inexplicably Waynesboro had its entire defense focused on the other side of the field and there was no defender within 20 yards of him. Gladiator QB Bennett Dunlap of course hit him with the pass before the Giants could adjust and he took it down the sideline for the fifth RHS TD. Things went from bad to worse for the Giants as a fumble or two gave RHS two more scoring opportunities in the third.
Lightner caught a second TD pass and once again WHS fumbled deep in its own territory and once again a Gladiator, Luke Bryant in this case, was Johnny on the Spot for about a 10 yard scoop and score. The Gladiators then added an eighth touchdown in the fourth quarter, and I hope I am reasonably close on the player's name since I had never heard of him and I did not have a roster to refer to. But Dawson Braxman (am I even close?) scored from about 12 yards out, as he broke some tackles and was determined not to be brought down.
Waynesboro did have its moments and avoided the shutout. In fact if they can clean up the type mistakes they made tonight and play a little more crisply, they have a legitimate breakaway threat named Barber (or maybe Barbour?) I believe he scored both their TDs, one long and one short, and that does not include a 59 yard run that he had in the first half when the game was still in doubt.
So win number 37 in the Gladiators' current streak is in the books, even if it was not the prettiest thing to watch. Next week they will go for number 38 when old rival Parry McCluer comes calling for the first match between the two in a number of years. The Blues may have raised some eyebrows tonight in taking Valley District foe Rockbridge down to the wire in a 14-6 loss.
Waynesboro meanwhile will host Wilson next week and if they can tighten some things up and take advantage of the fact that it will be Wilson's season-opener, they have the raw material to make that one interesting.
As expected the Big Red rushing game was too much for Waynesboro to contain as the three-prong attack of Cayden Cook-Cash, Cole Burton, and Aidan Miller chewed up big chunks of yardage all night long. Triple C scored the first RHS touchdown from about six yards out as the Big Red took the opening kickoff and marched 80 yards for the TD. However, to Waynesboro's credit, they gave up that yardage grudgingly and the Pride needed over six minutes to cover those 80 yards. Cooper Robson added the placement as he went 7 for 8 on the night.
On Waynesboro's first possession, disaster struck as they committed one of several turnovers on the evening. Forced to punt, the snap went wayyyyyyyy over the punter's head and as he tried desperately to field it, Isaac Hartless blocked him from getting to the ball, which allowed Burton to scoop it up around the two and take it in for the second Big Red TD of the evening.
There is only one word.....bizarre....that describes the second quarter. It took about 50 minutes to play and both fan sections took turns expressing their displeasure with those nice boys in the striped shirts. For the first half of the quarter, it was the Giant fans who howled repeatedly over missed calls, penalties, or positive plays that still didn't work out for one reason or another.
But that worm certainly turned in the second half of the quarter as the Gladiators were the ones that the officials decided needed to be disciplined. In one of the strangest sequences you will ever see, RHS was backed up to its own 2 yard line after a very good Waynesboro punt. In the stands, we wondered aloud "can we really drive 98 yards in 6 minutes to score?"
Well, momentarily at least, Triple C answered that question by zigging and zagging and weaving and dodging and hurdling and just about any other "ing" you can think of, as he covered the entire 98 yards on the first play from scrimmage. But you guessed it....it came back on a penalty.
But that was FAR from being the end of that particular chapter. The Gladiators were then flagged three more times in rapid succession, two for holding and one for something that was never made clear to anyone. A referee took a tumble in the middle of all of that, and finally Landon Lightner bailed the Big Red out of the jam as he hauled in a circus catch out around the 40. By the time he completed the catch, he was flat on his back and essentially tipped it to himself. A big Burton run followed that reception, and eventually Miller scored to complete the 98 yard march. Miller scored a second TD at some point in the quarter as RHS took a 28-0 lead into the break.
After the halftime ceremony that honored some most deserving Hall of Fame nominees, Waynesboro went three and out and punted. RHS fair caught the punt at the Giants 44 and that set the stage for Waynesboro's most fundamental mistake of the evening. The Gladiators lined up and Lightner was split wide left in front of the home bench.
Inexplicably Waynesboro had its entire defense focused on the other side of the field and there was no defender within 20 yards of him. Gladiator QB Bennett Dunlap of course hit him with the pass before the Giants could adjust and he took it down the sideline for the fifth RHS TD. Things went from bad to worse for the Giants as a fumble or two gave RHS two more scoring opportunities in the third.
Lightner caught a second TD pass and once again WHS fumbled deep in its own territory and once again a Gladiator, Luke Bryant in this case, was Johnny on the Spot for about a 10 yard scoop and score. The Gladiators then added an eighth touchdown in the fourth quarter, and I hope I am reasonably close on the player's name since I had never heard of him and I did not have a roster to refer to. But Dawson Braxman (am I even close?) scored from about 12 yards out, as he broke some tackles and was determined not to be brought down.
Waynesboro did have its moments and avoided the shutout. In fact if they can clean up the type mistakes they made tonight and play a little more crisply, they have a legitimate breakaway threat named Barber (or maybe Barbour?) I believe he scored both their TDs, one long and one short, and that does not include a 59 yard run that he had in the first half when the game was still in doubt.
So win number 37 in the Gladiators' current streak is in the books, even if it was not the prettiest thing to watch. Next week they will go for number 38 when old rival Parry McCluer comes calling for the first match between the two in a number of years. The Blues may have raised some eyebrows tonight in taking Valley District foe Rockbridge down to the wire in a 14-6 loss.
Waynesboro meanwhile will host Wilson next week and if they can tighten some things up and take advantage of the fact that it will be Wilson's season-opener, they have the raw material to make that one interesting.
