Things did not start out the best for Riverheads tonight as they fumbled the ball away on their second play from scrimmage. However, the visiting Chargers could not take advantage and if anything the turnover fired up the Gladiators who produced one of their best all-around games of the season with a resounding 56-7 victory. The Big Red will now travel to face West Point next Saturday in the state semi-finals.
Statistically this was one of RHS' most explosive games of the season, as the offense rolled up over 550 yards including at least half a dozen plays that covered 40 yards or more. Ironically the longest play from scrimmage did not produce a touchdown but the same back scored on the next play.
Zac Smiley, the new record-holder for career rushing yards and total touchdowns, added yet another milestone tonight as he topped the 1,000 yard mark for the year, and remember this was only the eighth game of the season. He started the scoring off on the Big Red's second possession, scoring on a nifty 28 yard run in which he first swept right, slowed up to allow the defenders to over-commit, and then cut back against the grain. Cooper Robson added the first of his seven PAT's and the Gladiators were off and running.
On their next possession, the home team needed only one play to score as speedster Cy Cox swept left end and once he hit the corner, he raced untouched for a 67-yard score to make it 14-0. Still later in the action-packed first period, junior fullback Cole Burton (my apologies for calling him a senior earlier this week) bolted straight up the middle and appeared ready to go the distance. However a Charger defender who refused to give up on the play brought him down at the 10 after a 74 yard gallop. To show appreciation for such a great run, the coaches gave Burton the next carry as well and he took it in for a 21-0 lead after one period.
Early in the second quarter, the Big Red went to the air as sophomore quarterback Bennett Dunlap found his favorite receiver, Landon Lightner, down the left side for a 43 yard gain. It momentarily looked as if he might shake his defender and score but he was brought down around the 20. Another pass, this one to Burton, put the Big Red at the 10 and Dunlap eventually sneaked it in from the one to make the score 28-0. A short run from Smiley and another sneak from Dunlap capped off the first half scoring as the Gladiators took a 42-0 lead into the locker room.
After a Lunenburg three-and-out to start the second half, Smiley went 38 yards for his third score of the night and the subs took over. Sophomore running back Luke Bryant scored the final TD for Riverheads and although Robson had been perfect on the evening, the Big Red brought in senior Isaiah Dunlap for the final kick and he became the third Gladiator this season (Cox being the other) to successfully boot a PAT.
Prior to that final Riverheads score, Lunenburg got on the board with a score that was every bit as pretty as anything Riverheads produced. Tyler McGrath dropped back from about the Riverheads 35 and lofted a perfect pass to Nyjae Carter that slipped in beautifully between three Gladiator defenders. The Chargers then came close to scoring one more time in the fourth as a long run took them down inside the Riverheads 10 before a fumble squelched that drive.
The PA announcer was keeping us informed of other games of interest, so congratulations to our neighbors down the road, Stuarts Draft, for capturing the Group 2, Region B title with a 20-3 win over Strasburg. They will now travel to Poquoson next Saturday. In other Group 1 games, congrats go out to West Point and Galax for their victories tonight. While Riverheads heads down east Saturday, Galax will be tussling with Holston in the other semi-final. If the Gladiators win down at the Point, they will get the honor of hosting their first-ever state final instead of returning to their old stomping grounds in Salem. West Point will of course be motivated as well next Saturday, knowing that a win over the Big Red would allow them to host the state championship game.
Finally, if you happen to be a UVa Cavalier fan, and I guess roughly half the state fits into that category, maybe you tuned in to their game on the radio as you headed home from whatever game you may have attended tonight. If so, you heard them squeeze out an exciting 8-7 win over top ten Louisville in the bottom of the 10th after once trailing 7-1.
So it will be on the state semis next Saturday for the remaining teams. That nasty weather man is so far mentioning the "R" word for that day, but there is still time for that to change.
Statistically this was one of RHS' most explosive games of the season, as the offense rolled up over 550 yards including at least half a dozen plays that covered 40 yards or more. Ironically the longest play from scrimmage did not produce a touchdown but the same back scored on the next play.
Zac Smiley, the new record-holder for career rushing yards and total touchdowns, added yet another milestone tonight as he topped the 1,000 yard mark for the year, and remember this was only the eighth game of the season. He started the scoring off on the Big Red's second possession, scoring on a nifty 28 yard run in which he first swept right, slowed up to allow the defenders to over-commit, and then cut back against the grain. Cooper Robson added the first of his seven PAT's and the Gladiators were off and running.
On their next possession, the home team needed only one play to score as speedster Cy Cox swept left end and once he hit the corner, he raced untouched for a 67-yard score to make it 14-0. Still later in the action-packed first period, junior fullback Cole Burton (my apologies for calling him a senior earlier this week) bolted straight up the middle and appeared ready to go the distance. However a Charger defender who refused to give up on the play brought him down at the 10 after a 74 yard gallop. To show appreciation for such a great run, the coaches gave Burton the next carry as well and he took it in for a 21-0 lead after one period.
Early in the second quarter, the Big Red went to the air as sophomore quarterback Bennett Dunlap found his favorite receiver, Landon Lightner, down the left side for a 43 yard gain. It momentarily looked as if he might shake his defender and score but he was brought down around the 20. Another pass, this one to Burton, put the Big Red at the 10 and Dunlap eventually sneaked it in from the one to make the score 28-0. A short run from Smiley and another sneak from Dunlap capped off the first half scoring as the Gladiators took a 42-0 lead into the locker room.
After a Lunenburg three-and-out to start the second half, Smiley went 38 yards for his third score of the night and the subs took over. Sophomore running back Luke Bryant scored the final TD for Riverheads and although Robson had been perfect on the evening, the Big Red brought in senior Isaiah Dunlap for the final kick and he became the third Gladiator this season (Cox being the other) to successfully boot a PAT.
Prior to that final Riverheads score, Lunenburg got on the board with a score that was every bit as pretty as anything Riverheads produced. Tyler McGrath dropped back from about the Riverheads 35 and lofted a perfect pass to Nyjae Carter that slipped in beautifully between three Gladiator defenders. The Chargers then came close to scoring one more time in the fourth as a long run took them down inside the Riverheads 10 before a fumble squelched that drive.
The PA announcer was keeping us informed of other games of interest, so congratulations to our neighbors down the road, Stuarts Draft, for capturing the Group 2, Region B title with a 20-3 win over Strasburg. They will now travel to Poquoson next Saturday. In other Group 1 games, congrats go out to West Point and Galax for their victories tonight. While Riverheads heads down east Saturday, Galax will be tussling with Holston in the other semi-final. If the Gladiators win down at the Point, they will get the honor of hosting their first-ever state final instead of returning to their old stomping grounds in Salem. West Point will of course be motivated as well next Saturday, knowing that a win over the Big Red would allow them to host the state championship game.
Finally, if you happen to be a UVa Cavalier fan, and I guess roughly half the state fits into that category, maybe you tuned in to their game on the radio as you headed home from whatever game you may have attended tonight. If so, you heard them squeeze out an exciting 8-7 win over top ten Louisville in the bottom of the 10th after once trailing 7-1.
So it will be on the state semis next Saturday for the remaining teams. That nasty weather man is so far mentioning the "R" word for that day, but there is still time for that to change.
Last edited:
