The Junior Gladiators scored off the opening possession and never looked back tonight as they defeated the visiting Indians to raise their record to 2-0 on the young season. Once again the main weapon was freshman Rylan Payne who scored three TDs on offense but also picked off a Fort pass and returned it for a pick six. He also scored at least one of the Big Red's three successful two-point conversions.
The Gladiators also got a nice offensive effort from Cason Croft, Will Shelton and quarterback Carter Hartsook. On defense, Gage Hutton, Lukus devore, and Eli Acord made sure the PA announcer called their names a few times.
In all fairness to the Indians they played a better game than the score might indicate. They made every attempt to get the passing game going and on more than one occasion quarterback Carter Berry had touchdown passes within reach but he and the receivers could not connect. But the real disappointment for the Indians came late in the game, when sophomore Roman Carderelli fielded a Gladiator punt in his own territory and executed a nice broken-field return, and dodged his last would-be tackler to take it to the end zone for what would have been the Fort's second TD. But an illegal block was called on the Indians and that score was brought back.
The Gladiators have little time to celebrate this win as they actually have TWO games on the schedule for next week. On Monday night they will travel to Central Woodstock to try and get a game in that has already been rained out once. You can bet both schools will be watching the weather forecasts over the weekend. Then on Thursday of next week, The Gladiators will return home to entertain the Rocktown JVs as a tune-up for the varsity team traveling to Harrisonburg the following night for the first-ever match-up with the first-year Raptors.
Now mind you, that is NEXT Friday, because THIS Friday, as in about 20 hours from now, the Big Red varsity will travel to Fort Defiance for the much-anticipated Shenandoah District opener, a game that some folks think could be the deciding game in this year's district race, despite being so early in the season. Of course there are teams at Stuarts Draft and a couple of other places that may have something to say about all of that.
It was also made official today that Austin Roberts, a Riverheads running back and defensive enforcer, is indeed out for the season with a serious leg injury. Fort Defiance has had some well-publicized injuries as well, so all eyes will scan the field tomorrow night to see who is available and who is not when the Indians make their play to take down the Big Red.
The Gladiators also got a nice offensive effort from Cason Croft, Will Shelton and quarterback Carter Hartsook. On defense, Gage Hutton, Lukus devore, and Eli Acord made sure the PA announcer called their names a few times.
In all fairness to the Indians they played a better game than the score might indicate. They made every attempt to get the passing game going and on more than one occasion quarterback Carter Berry had touchdown passes within reach but he and the receivers could not connect. But the real disappointment for the Indians came late in the game, when sophomore Roman Carderelli fielded a Gladiator punt in his own territory and executed a nice broken-field return, and dodged his last would-be tackler to take it to the end zone for what would have been the Fort's second TD. But an illegal block was called on the Indians and that score was brought back.
The Gladiators have little time to celebrate this win as they actually have TWO games on the schedule for next week. On Monday night they will travel to Central Woodstock to try and get a game in that has already been rained out once. You can bet both schools will be watching the weather forecasts over the weekend. Then on Thursday of next week, The Gladiators will return home to entertain the Rocktown JVs as a tune-up for the varsity team traveling to Harrisonburg the following night for the first-ever match-up with the first-year Raptors.
Now mind you, that is NEXT Friday, because THIS Friday, as in about 20 hours from now, the Big Red varsity will travel to Fort Defiance for the much-anticipated Shenandoah District opener, a game that some folks think could be the deciding game in this year's district race, despite being so early in the season. Of course there are teams at Stuarts Draft and a couple of other places that may have something to say about all of that.
It was also made official today that Austin Roberts, a Riverheads running back and defensive enforcer, is indeed out for the season with a serious leg injury. Fort Defiance has had some well-publicized injuries as well, so all eyes will scan the field tomorrow night to see who is available and who is not when the Indians make their play to take down the Big Red.
