There was a break in the action tonight at the 4:16 mark of the first quarter. Up to that point, the Gladiators had run exactly FOUR plays from scrimmage, and had probably possessed the ball for a total of "maybe" 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, yet the score was already 37-0. They did not even face a second down situation until the opening minutes of the second quarter and they did not get (or need) a first down until about midway through the second quarter. To say this one was a mismatch would be an understatement, as the Gladiators reached the end zone eight times, each one covering at least 30 yards of real estate.
Junior speedster Aiden Miller started the onslaught by giving RHS fans their first kickoff return TD of the season. He started up the middle, cut to his left to follow the wall, and once he crossed over into enemy territory and looked like he was about to be corralled, he cut back against the grain and completed the 95 yard score. It was a very satisfying TD for the youngster who has played sparingly this year due to injuries but should be a big part of the Gladiator offense next season.
On Altavista's first possession, they went three and out but mishandled the snap on the punt and had to fall on it in the end zone, making the score 9-0. The Colonels then tried to catch RHS napping with a short kickoff but the Big Red fell on it. That began a hectic series of events in which RHS scored four more touchdowns in less than five minutes of clock time, each one coming on a one-play drive. Zac Smiley got the honors on the first two, skirting left end on the first and barreling straight up the middle for his second score.
He was virtually untouched in each case and along the way received a standing ovation for setting Riverheads' all-time career yardage record, after setting the career touchdown record earlier this season. Word in the stands was that he was nursing a tender shoulder so after his two scores, he was essentially through for the evening.
The fourth Gladiator TD came through the air, courtesy of a Bennett Dunlap to Landon Lightner combination that covered about 35 yards. Finally with 4:16 still left in a longggg opening quarter, freshman running back Cayden Cook Cash rambled for about 35 yards of his own to make the score 37-0, By the way, placekicker Cooper Robson was doing his thing, going a perfect 8 for 8 on PATs. He did miss a later field goal attempt that from some vantage points appeared to be good. The Gladiators will be blessed to have him back next year also.
The Big Red scored only once in the second quarter but it came on their longest run from scrimmage in the game, courtesy of fullback Noah Smiley, and you guessed it, he will be back next year also. (Can you by any chance tell that the Gladiators will be a force to reckon with again this fall?) On the home team's first second-down play of the evening, Noah broke free right up the middle and had what appeared to be a pretty fast defender on his heels, but he made it all the way, completing a 64 yard TD gallop. That gave the Big Red 44 points on only 6 plays from scrimmage plus the kickoff return.
Shortly after Noah's TD came the missed field goal, which directly led to Altavista's first score. After the miss, they took over on their own 20 and the QB rolled left, hit the corner, and took it to the house for an explosive 80 yard score. The Colonel roster was sketchy but his name may have been Jones. I cannot give him proper credit because he did not appear on the roster under any name or number.
With a 44-6 halftime score, things went from bad to worse for the visitors because the second half kickoff clanged off a Colonel upman and was alertly covered by RHS. Again it took the Big Red just one play to take advantage of the opportunity, and this time Cole Burton got the honors, racing untouched right up the gut for a 45 yard score.
As the game wore on, thankfully with the running clock in place, the Gladiators used a whopping total of 14 running backs according to one media source, some of whom had not had a carry all season. One of those was freshman David Austin, one of several guys promoted to varsity for the playoffs. He is one of several guys on the Gladiators' unbeaten JV squad that might set a few records of their own before all is said and done.
His 45-50 yard fourth-quarter dash closed out the RHS scoring, before Altavista scored once more on about a 15 yard run around left end, set up by a most impressive 50 yard pass play. Speaking of impressive, the Colonels deserve some praise on several fronts. First of all there are some real athletes on that team, so hopefully many of them will also be back next year, giving this team some hope for the future. In fact it has already been announced that these two teams will meet in the regular season next fall, and who knows, maybe again in the playoffs as well.
Secondly, and both teams deserve credit here, but unless I missed something, this was one of the absolute cleanest and most sportsmanlike games I have seen in a long time. As a spectator, I tend to notice things like helping each other off the turf. There was plenty of that, but to the best of my recollection, there was not a single personal foul called, or unsportsmanlike conduct, or any of the chippy things that sometimes happen when a game gets out of hand. Congrats to both teams and their coaching staffs for instilling that kind of work ethic.
Riverheads will now host the winner of the William Campbell/Lunenburg game next Friday night for the Region B title. The last we heard, that one was in a weather delay. Speaking of that little vixen Mother Nature, only in Greenville would you see snow flakes as we did last week, and distant lightning as we did tonight.
Junior speedster Aiden Miller started the onslaught by giving RHS fans their first kickoff return TD of the season. He started up the middle, cut to his left to follow the wall, and once he crossed over into enemy territory and looked like he was about to be corralled, he cut back against the grain and completed the 95 yard score. It was a very satisfying TD for the youngster who has played sparingly this year due to injuries but should be a big part of the Gladiator offense next season.
On Altavista's first possession, they went three and out but mishandled the snap on the punt and had to fall on it in the end zone, making the score 9-0. The Colonels then tried to catch RHS napping with a short kickoff but the Big Red fell on it. That began a hectic series of events in which RHS scored four more touchdowns in less than five minutes of clock time, each one coming on a one-play drive. Zac Smiley got the honors on the first two, skirting left end on the first and barreling straight up the middle for his second score.
He was virtually untouched in each case and along the way received a standing ovation for setting Riverheads' all-time career yardage record, after setting the career touchdown record earlier this season. Word in the stands was that he was nursing a tender shoulder so after his two scores, he was essentially through for the evening.
The fourth Gladiator TD came through the air, courtesy of a Bennett Dunlap to Landon Lightner combination that covered about 35 yards. Finally with 4:16 still left in a longggg opening quarter, freshman running back Cayden Cook Cash rambled for about 35 yards of his own to make the score 37-0, By the way, placekicker Cooper Robson was doing his thing, going a perfect 8 for 8 on PATs. He did miss a later field goal attempt that from some vantage points appeared to be good. The Gladiators will be blessed to have him back next year also.
The Big Red scored only once in the second quarter but it came on their longest run from scrimmage in the game, courtesy of fullback Noah Smiley, and you guessed it, he will be back next year also. (Can you by any chance tell that the Gladiators will be a force to reckon with again this fall?) On the home team's first second-down play of the evening, Noah broke free right up the middle and had what appeared to be a pretty fast defender on his heels, but he made it all the way, completing a 64 yard TD gallop. That gave the Big Red 44 points on only 6 plays from scrimmage plus the kickoff return.
Shortly after Noah's TD came the missed field goal, which directly led to Altavista's first score. After the miss, they took over on their own 20 and the QB rolled left, hit the corner, and took it to the house for an explosive 80 yard score. The Colonel roster was sketchy but his name may have been Jones. I cannot give him proper credit because he did not appear on the roster under any name or number.
With a 44-6 halftime score, things went from bad to worse for the visitors because the second half kickoff clanged off a Colonel upman and was alertly covered by RHS. Again it took the Big Red just one play to take advantage of the opportunity, and this time Cole Burton got the honors, racing untouched right up the gut for a 45 yard score.
As the game wore on, thankfully with the running clock in place, the Gladiators used a whopping total of 14 running backs according to one media source, some of whom had not had a carry all season. One of those was freshman David Austin, one of several guys promoted to varsity for the playoffs. He is one of several guys on the Gladiators' unbeaten JV squad that might set a few records of their own before all is said and done.
His 45-50 yard fourth-quarter dash closed out the RHS scoring, before Altavista scored once more on about a 15 yard run around left end, set up by a most impressive 50 yard pass play. Speaking of impressive, the Colonels deserve some praise on several fronts. First of all there are some real athletes on that team, so hopefully many of them will also be back next year, giving this team some hope for the future. In fact it has already been announced that these two teams will meet in the regular season next fall, and who knows, maybe again in the playoffs as well.
Secondly, and both teams deserve credit here, but unless I missed something, this was one of the absolute cleanest and most sportsmanlike games I have seen in a long time. As a spectator, I tend to notice things like helping each other off the turf. There was plenty of that, but to the best of my recollection, there was not a single personal foul called, or unsportsmanlike conduct, or any of the chippy things that sometimes happen when a game gets out of hand. Congrats to both teams and their coaching staffs for instilling that kind of work ethic.
Riverheads will now host the winner of the William Campbell/Lunenburg game next Friday night for the Region B title. The last we heard, that one was in a weather delay. Speaking of that little vixen Mother Nature, only in Greenville would you see snow flakes as we did last week, and distant lightning as we did tonight.
