It was Homecoming tonight at RHS and EVERYBODY got in this game as the Gladiators had it under control by the end of the first quarter and subbed freely the rest of the way. But Page to their credit kept fighting and arguably had the best scoring play of the night.
Each team scored on its first possession, making the score 7-6 Riverheads at the midway point of the first before the Gladiators blew it wide open by scoring 6 more touchdowns in about a 10-minute span to take a 49-6 lead with 7 minutes still to go in the first half. By that time, Coach Casto was ready to put the cheerleaders in, which meant that the Panthers were up against the second string (and sometimes even third) Gladiator defense. That turned the game into an offensive free-for-all with a ridiculous 63-22 halftime score. Fortunately the running clock in the second half kept it from dragging on time-wise.
Since it would take me all night to recap all the scoring, I will just hit the highlights. Four different Gladiators scored twice each....starters Landon Diehl and Harrison Schaefer, and subs Jeffrey Maddox and Jackson Shover. Shover's runs were especially impressive as he had hardly touched the ball this season but when he got his chance, he showed more speed than just about any back Riverheads has ever put on the field, which should bode well for the future.
Ridge Stokes hauled in his second touchdown pass of the season (and we know how rarely RHS throws the ball) and fullback Colt Miller rounded out the Gladiator touchdown parade. The busiest guy on the field was place-kicker Tristan Robson who hit all ten PATs and also added an unusual first-down field goal early in the third quarter, in a coaching move designed to keep the score from going any higher. At least half the Gladiator scoring plays were of the wide-open variety, which probably means a 500 or more yard effort in total offense.
If you are into statistics, school records, etc. the 73 points is indeed a new single-game record for RHS, topping the 70 they scored at Nelson a couple of years ago. Also I think I can safely say that the 63-point first half is a school record. However, the 103 total points tonight is not only NOT a school record, but it is not even a record for these two teams! They actually only tied themselves, as their 2009 match-up, also played at Riverheads, was a closer 61-42 shootout back in the day when Dakota Wolf was Mr. Everything for Page.
Riverheads' all-time highest-scoring game then came the next year, when the Gladiators won the 2010 state title in that wild 63-49 marathon win over Eastern Montgomery. To my knowledge, that still stands as a state record for highest-scoring state championship game in any division.
As for Page's offensive effort tonight, we heard the name Ethan Hizer quite a bit over the PA system, so he was their main man. However, their play of the night, and I am sorry I don't remember the name or number, came in the second quarter when they scored about a 38 yard touchdown pass in which the receiver stretched his body out about as far as it could go deep in the end zone and still stretched the fingers even further to catch the pass. It was one of those plays they would have shown you a dozen times on TV replays.
Despite all the offense by both teams, I could not blame the coaches if they were less-than-pleased with their teams' focus and poise tonight. It is obvious that both teams could have tackled a lot better, but there were also a ton of loose footballs, far too many encroachments and false starts, and Page was hit three times with chop block penalties.
Gladiator fans will also be checking the social media sites all day tomorrow for an update on the status of senior defensive back Brandon Heizer, who left the game on a stretcher in the third quarter with what appeared to be a leg injury. And speaking of injuries, congratulations to senior running back Ben Agnor, who has been out since the very first game of the season and will not be back. If you can't play in the games, being crowned Homecoming King has to be the next best thing!
The Gladiators now have very little time to savor this one as they must get ready for the trip to Wilson next week, a task that just got a bit more challenging due to the Hornets' surprising 16-14 win at Stuarts Draft tonight. Fishersville will definitely be THE PLACE TO BE next Friday night!
Each team scored on its first possession, making the score 7-6 Riverheads at the midway point of the first before the Gladiators blew it wide open by scoring 6 more touchdowns in about a 10-minute span to take a 49-6 lead with 7 minutes still to go in the first half. By that time, Coach Casto was ready to put the cheerleaders in, which meant that the Panthers were up against the second string (and sometimes even third) Gladiator defense. That turned the game into an offensive free-for-all with a ridiculous 63-22 halftime score. Fortunately the running clock in the second half kept it from dragging on time-wise.
Since it would take me all night to recap all the scoring, I will just hit the highlights. Four different Gladiators scored twice each....starters Landon Diehl and Harrison Schaefer, and subs Jeffrey Maddox and Jackson Shover. Shover's runs were especially impressive as he had hardly touched the ball this season but when he got his chance, he showed more speed than just about any back Riverheads has ever put on the field, which should bode well for the future.
Ridge Stokes hauled in his second touchdown pass of the season (and we know how rarely RHS throws the ball) and fullback Colt Miller rounded out the Gladiator touchdown parade. The busiest guy on the field was place-kicker Tristan Robson who hit all ten PATs and also added an unusual first-down field goal early in the third quarter, in a coaching move designed to keep the score from going any higher. At least half the Gladiator scoring plays were of the wide-open variety, which probably means a 500 or more yard effort in total offense.
If you are into statistics, school records, etc. the 73 points is indeed a new single-game record for RHS, topping the 70 they scored at Nelson a couple of years ago. Also I think I can safely say that the 63-point first half is a school record. However, the 103 total points tonight is not only NOT a school record, but it is not even a record for these two teams! They actually only tied themselves, as their 2009 match-up, also played at Riverheads, was a closer 61-42 shootout back in the day when Dakota Wolf was Mr. Everything for Page.
Riverheads' all-time highest-scoring game then came the next year, when the Gladiators won the 2010 state title in that wild 63-49 marathon win over Eastern Montgomery. To my knowledge, that still stands as a state record for highest-scoring state championship game in any division.
As for Page's offensive effort tonight, we heard the name Ethan Hizer quite a bit over the PA system, so he was their main man. However, their play of the night, and I am sorry I don't remember the name or number, came in the second quarter when they scored about a 38 yard touchdown pass in which the receiver stretched his body out about as far as it could go deep in the end zone and still stretched the fingers even further to catch the pass. It was one of those plays they would have shown you a dozen times on TV replays.
Despite all the offense by both teams, I could not blame the coaches if they were less-than-pleased with their teams' focus and poise tonight. It is obvious that both teams could have tackled a lot better, but there were also a ton of loose footballs, far too many encroachments and false starts, and Page was hit three times with chop block penalties.
Gladiator fans will also be checking the social media sites all day tomorrow for an update on the status of senior defensive back Brandon Heizer, who left the game on a stretcher in the third quarter with what appeared to be a leg injury. And speaking of injuries, congratulations to senior running back Ben Agnor, who has been out since the very first game of the season and will not be back. If you can't play in the games, being crowned Homecoming King has to be the next best thing!
The Gladiators now have very little time to savor this one as they must get ready for the trip to Wilson next week, a task that just got a bit more challenging due to the Hornets' surprising 16-14 win at Stuarts Draft tonight. Fishersville will definitely be THE PLACE TO BE next Friday night!
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