The Gladiators posted their first shutout of the season tonight as they dominated the Green Hornets in all facets of the game. This was probably the Big Red's most complete game of the season as I can only think of about two or three mistakes they made the entire game.........back to back penalties that did not result in any harm and a fumble lost along the sidelines that they almost saved out of bounds. Other than that, they were cooking on all cylinders.
I give the coaching staff credit for the Big Red's two first-quarter TDs with some clever play-calling. Wilson had no doubt prepared for the 1-2 rushing punch of Zac Smiley and Braeson Fulton. So sure enough the Gladiators ran one or the other for the first few plays. But just when the Hornets had keyed in on that duo, RHS broke fullback Cole Burton right up the gut from 35 yards out to make it 7-0 barely three minutes into the game.
Following a Wilson three and out, the hard-charging sophomore scored again as the Gladiators drove 72 yards for their second TD. All told Riverheads would have four first-half TD drives, covering in rough figures 65, 72, 83 and 77 yards. But it was that final drive that was really a thing of beauty.
The score was 21-0 after a Smiley TD midway through the second, and a Hornet punt had put the Gladiators in a hole at their own 23 with just over a minute to go in the half. Instead of being content with that lead, they made the most of the time they had left. A nice Smiley run put them in business out near midfield with less than 30 seconds left when the Gladiators dialed up the play of the game, and one of their nicest of the season.
They put Fulton in motion, coming horizontally across the field. I believe the term is a "drag pattern," but don't quote me on that. Anyway, the timing had to be perfect in terms of his turning up field at exactly the right moment, the throw from Elijah Dunlap out into the right flat in front of the Wilson bench caught him perfectly in stride, and the speedy senior, already with a head of steam, took it to the house straight down the far sidelines and crossed the goal line with just 5.8 seconds left on the clock.
Unfortunately for the home team, things went from bad to worse on the second half kickoff. The Gladiators squib-kicked the ball down the near sideline. A Wilson return man was close enough that he should have been able to cover it, but RHS' Aiden Miller, one of the fastest guys on the team, streaked in underneath him and covered the ball before the Hornet guy could even attempt to make a play.
Less than 30 seconds later the Gladiators were in the end zone with TD number five and the rout was on. Fulton and Smiley each scored their second TD of the game in the third quarter, each on about a 10-15 yard run but I honestly cannot remember who scored in what order. The quarter ended with RHS on top 41-0, which started the running clock.
Freshman phenom Bennett Dunlap, who had quite admirably guided the Gladiators in the early stages of the season while Big Brother rehabbed from a baseball injury, came in to QB the fourth quarter for RHS and scored on a one-yard sneak to round out the Gladiator points, as they hit right on their season average.
Wilson's only significant scoring threat of the night came late in the game when a sideline pass was bobbled but hauled in around the Riverheads 28. But the second-string Gladiator defense not only held, but they pushed the Green and White back, resulting in an eventual 4th and 20, thereby preserving the shutout.
Gladiator fans and the PA announcer as well were keeping close tabs on the other game across the county, won eventually by Stuarts Draft as the Cougars avoided an upset by Buffalo Gap before winning that one 34-21. That keeps alive everyone's dream of a final-night match-up of two unbeatens, but the closeness of that game also means that the Bison now have to be taken quite a bit more seriously as a force to be reckoned with.
You could even say the same thing about Fort Defiance, which pummeled Staunton tonight a lot more easily than some of us (OK than I) expected them to. So even though this (RHS) game went pretty much according to plan, those other two might have raised an eyebrow or two here and there. Next week I believe the slate has Fort traveling to Riverheads, Staunton at Buffalo Gap, and Stuarts Draft tangling with Wilson, which I believe will also be in Fishersville.
As always sorry for any errors but it is late you know.....had to first watch my DVR of the UVa game, pitiful display that it turned out to be.......
I give the coaching staff credit for the Big Red's two first-quarter TDs with some clever play-calling. Wilson had no doubt prepared for the 1-2 rushing punch of Zac Smiley and Braeson Fulton. So sure enough the Gladiators ran one or the other for the first few plays. But just when the Hornets had keyed in on that duo, RHS broke fullback Cole Burton right up the gut from 35 yards out to make it 7-0 barely three minutes into the game.
Following a Wilson three and out, the hard-charging sophomore scored again as the Gladiators drove 72 yards for their second TD. All told Riverheads would have four first-half TD drives, covering in rough figures 65, 72, 83 and 77 yards. But it was that final drive that was really a thing of beauty.
The score was 21-0 after a Smiley TD midway through the second, and a Hornet punt had put the Gladiators in a hole at their own 23 with just over a minute to go in the half. Instead of being content with that lead, they made the most of the time they had left. A nice Smiley run put them in business out near midfield with less than 30 seconds left when the Gladiators dialed up the play of the game, and one of their nicest of the season.
They put Fulton in motion, coming horizontally across the field. I believe the term is a "drag pattern," but don't quote me on that. Anyway, the timing had to be perfect in terms of his turning up field at exactly the right moment, the throw from Elijah Dunlap out into the right flat in front of the Wilson bench caught him perfectly in stride, and the speedy senior, already with a head of steam, took it to the house straight down the far sidelines and crossed the goal line with just 5.8 seconds left on the clock.
Unfortunately for the home team, things went from bad to worse on the second half kickoff. The Gladiators squib-kicked the ball down the near sideline. A Wilson return man was close enough that he should have been able to cover it, but RHS' Aiden Miller, one of the fastest guys on the team, streaked in underneath him and covered the ball before the Hornet guy could even attempt to make a play.
Less than 30 seconds later the Gladiators were in the end zone with TD number five and the rout was on. Fulton and Smiley each scored their second TD of the game in the third quarter, each on about a 10-15 yard run but I honestly cannot remember who scored in what order. The quarter ended with RHS on top 41-0, which started the running clock.
Freshman phenom Bennett Dunlap, who had quite admirably guided the Gladiators in the early stages of the season while Big Brother rehabbed from a baseball injury, came in to QB the fourth quarter for RHS and scored on a one-yard sneak to round out the Gladiator points, as they hit right on their season average.
Wilson's only significant scoring threat of the night came late in the game when a sideline pass was bobbled but hauled in around the Riverheads 28. But the second-string Gladiator defense not only held, but they pushed the Green and White back, resulting in an eventual 4th and 20, thereby preserving the shutout.
Gladiator fans and the PA announcer as well were keeping close tabs on the other game across the county, won eventually by Stuarts Draft as the Cougars avoided an upset by Buffalo Gap before winning that one 34-21. That keeps alive everyone's dream of a final-night match-up of two unbeatens, but the closeness of that game also means that the Bison now have to be taken quite a bit more seriously as a force to be reckoned with.
You could even say the same thing about Fort Defiance, which pummeled Staunton tonight a lot more easily than some of us (OK than I) expected them to. So even though this (RHS) game went pretty much according to plan, those other two might have raised an eyebrow or two here and there. Next week I believe the slate has Fort traveling to Riverheads, Staunton at Buffalo Gap, and Stuarts Draft tangling with Wilson, which I believe will also be in Fishersville.
As always sorry for any errors but it is late you know.....had to first watch my DVR of the UVa game, pitiful display that it turned out to be.......
