Here I am again with free time on my hands, so I will recap the Big Red's regular season and first two playoff games. Maybe someone can do something similar for Galax.
RHS-35, R E Lee-0 This was only the second meeting ever between the two and last year RHS had won in Staunton 45-9. Even though Lee has speed and athleticism, they are breaking in a new coach and just could not adjust to us. But both last year and again this year, they righted the ship afterwards and made it to the 2-A playoffs.
RHS-42, Covington- 26 If Riverheads had an out-of-character game this year, this was it. The Gladiators scored early, but then the Cougars scored on a long run. Then in about a minute and a half period straddling the first two quarters, the Big Red coughed up the ball on a pair of strange-looking fumbles, each of which Covington returned for a TD and suddenly it was 18-7 Cougars. But the Gladiators kept their poise and pretty much dominated the rest of the way.
RHS-48, Waynesboro-7 After a bye week, the Big Red hit the road for the first time and pulled off an impressive win over the Little Giants, who would ultimately advance to the 3-A playoffs for the third straight year. It took RHS less than a minute to score in this one and it was 35-0 by halftime. The Giants scored very late in the game to avoid the shutout.
RHS- 37, Luray-0 At the time this was a battle of the unbeatens but the Bulldogs had not played much competition. It was close early, like maybe only 14-0 at halftime, but the Gladiators pulled away to win easily. However, Luray, like every other team mentioned so far, went on to the playoffs and won their 1-A opener on the road.
RHS- 49, Buffalo Gap-7 In my opinion, this was the game of the year for Riverheads in terms of complete dominance of a quality opponent. The Bison were also 4-0, including a shutout win over Parry McCluer, they were playing at home, and many people thought they would give RHS a game. But Riverheads whipped them in every sense of the word, led 35-0 at halftime, and it was never in doubt.
RHS-49, East Rockingham-28 This was the third game in a row in which RHS was expected to be challenged. At that time, people were already starting to talk about SD and RHS each making it to 9-0 and meeting in the season finale, which of course did occur. In this one, East Rock came out throwing and took it right down the field for the first TD. RHS matched them and then ER scored again to take a 14-7 lead. But Riverheads adjusted, and rolled to as much as a 28-point-lead before a late TD trimmed the margin. East Rock ultimately made it to Round Three of the 2-A playoffs where they gave SD a battle.
RHS-63, Page County-15 The Gladiators then hit the softer part of their schedule with three straight games against the lower three teams of the Shenandoah. In this one, even though Page was a vastly-improved team, RHS scored 42 points in the first quarter, and had 56 by halftime as the subs played more than half the game. RHS even took deliberate delays and penalties late in the game just so they wouldn't score even more.
RHS-53, Wilson-6 Wilson had managed to have Riverheads' number for a couple or three years, including their playoff run to the 2-A final, where they lost that heartbreaker to Glenvar. But all of that talent was gone and even though they improved as this year wore on, including giving East Rock a heck of a game, on this night it was all Riverheads on Senior Night.
RHS-48, Stonewall Jackson-7 The Generals were on their way to an 0-10 season, and this one was a name-the-score kind of game. So Riverheads did the sportsmanlike thing and let the subs see most of the action. In fact, with Stuarts Draft looming on the horizon the next week, the Gladiators actually rested some key starters entirely.
Stuarts Draft-16, Riverheads-13 (overtime) This was understandably one of the most anticipated and talked about games in this area in quite some time. We were blessed with decent weather and the two teams did not disappoint. The kicking game gave SD an early break as they buried the kickoff deep, stopped RHS inside the 20 and then took advantage of a poor Riverheads punt to score first. Riverheads then managed 10 points in the final six minutes of the second quarter on a field goal and very late TD to take a 10-7 halftime lead. Defense then totally dominated the second half, each team had some turnovers, and the only scoring was a Draft field goal to force overtime. SD won the toss and of course elected to go second. Riverheads only managed a field goal and the Cougars won it on a 5-yard third down TD pass out in the flat.
RHS-38, Essex-0 After a bye week due to 1-A East only being a 12-team format, the Gladiators hosted perennial power Essex in another much-anticipated battle between two of the premier 1-A teams. No one knew what to expect because there were no common opponents to study, but RHS took command early with a 17-point second quarter and Essex never penetrated the red zone.
RHS- 55, Colonial Beach-20 Again very little to go on, but CB brought a small but feisty roster all the way to Greenville. The Gladiator ground game was too much for the visitors though and when RHS returned a punt for a TD and then threw a scarce-as-hen's-teeth touchdown pass, both in the second quarter, it was all over. CB did have what appeared to me to be a decent passing attack, or at least a strong arm or two, and with some breaks this could have been a closer game. They scored all three of their TDs late in the game against the reserves. Coach Casto picked up his 200th career win with that victory.
So there you have it.........7 of our 10 regular season opponents made it to the playoffs, and all but one of those were at either the 2-A or 3-A level. But none of that changes what we already know Galax is capable of, so Saturday's game should be a slobberknocker, to quote one of Coach Casto's favorite terms.
RHS-35, R E Lee-0 This was only the second meeting ever between the two and last year RHS had won in Staunton 45-9. Even though Lee has speed and athleticism, they are breaking in a new coach and just could not adjust to us. But both last year and again this year, they righted the ship afterwards and made it to the 2-A playoffs.
RHS-42, Covington- 26 If Riverheads had an out-of-character game this year, this was it. The Gladiators scored early, but then the Cougars scored on a long run. Then in about a minute and a half period straddling the first two quarters, the Big Red coughed up the ball on a pair of strange-looking fumbles, each of which Covington returned for a TD and suddenly it was 18-7 Cougars. But the Gladiators kept their poise and pretty much dominated the rest of the way.
RHS-48, Waynesboro-7 After a bye week, the Big Red hit the road for the first time and pulled off an impressive win over the Little Giants, who would ultimately advance to the 3-A playoffs for the third straight year. It took RHS less than a minute to score in this one and it was 35-0 by halftime. The Giants scored very late in the game to avoid the shutout.
RHS- 37, Luray-0 At the time this was a battle of the unbeatens but the Bulldogs had not played much competition. It was close early, like maybe only 14-0 at halftime, but the Gladiators pulled away to win easily. However, Luray, like every other team mentioned so far, went on to the playoffs and won their 1-A opener on the road.
RHS- 49, Buffalo Gap-7 In my opinion, this was the game of the year for Riverheads in terms of complete dominance of a quality opponent. The Bison were also 4-0, including a shutout win over Parry McCluer, they were playing at home, and many people thought they would give RHS a game. But Riverheads whipped them in every sense of the word, led 35-0 at halftime, and it was never in doubt.
RHS-49, East Rockingham-28 This was the third game in a row in which RHS was expected to be challenged. At that time, people were already starting to talk about SD and RHS each making it to 9-0 and meeting in the season finale, which of course did occur. In this one, East Rock came out throwing and took it right down the field for the first TD. RHS matched them and then ER scored again to take a 14-7 lead. But Riverheads adjusted, and rolled to as much as a 28-point-lead before a late TD trimmed the margin. East Rock ultimately made it to Round Three of the 2-A playoffs where they gave SD a battle.
RHS-63, Page County-15 The Gladiators then hit the softer part of their schedule with three straight games against the lower three teams of the Shenandoah. In this one, even though Page was a vastly-improved team, RHS scored 42 points in the first quarter, and had 56 by halftime as the subs played more than half the game. RHS even took deliberate delays and penalties late in the game just so they wouldn't score even more.
RHS-53, Wilson-6 Wilson had managed to have Riverheads' number for a couple or three years, including their playoff run to the 2-A final, where they lost that heartbreaker to Glenvar. But all of that talent was gone and even though they improved as this year wore on, including giving East Rock a heck of a game, on this night it was all Riverheads on Senior Night.
RHS-48, Stonewall Jackson-7 The Generals were on their way to an 0-10 season, and this one was a name-the-score kind of game. So Riverheads did the sportsmanlike thing and let the subs see most of the action. In fact, with Stuarts Draft looming on the horizon the next week, the Gladiators actually rested some key starters entirely.
Stuarts Draft-16, Riverheads-13 (overtime) This was understandably one of the most anticipated and talked about games in this area in quite some time. We were blessed with decent weather and the two teams did not disappoint. The kicking game gave SD an early break as they buried the kickoff deep, stopped RHS inside the 20 and then took advantage of a poor Riverheads punt to score first. Riverheads then managed 10 points in the final six minutes of the second quarter on a field goal and very late TD to take a 10-7 halftime lead. Defense then totally dominated the second half, each team had some turnovers, and the only scoring was a Draft field goal to force overtime. SD won the toss and of course elected to go second. Riverheads only managed a field goal and the Cougars won it on a 5-yard third down TD pass out in the flat.
RHS-38, Essex-0 After a bye week due to 1-A East only being a 12-team format, the Gladiators hosted perennial power Essex in another much-anticipated battle between two of the premier 1-A teams. No one knew what to expect because there were no common opponents to study, but RHS took command early with a 17-point second quarter and Essex never penetrated the red zone.
RHS- 55, Colonial Beach-20 Again very little to go on, but CB brought a small but feisty roster all the way to Greenville. The Gladiator ground game was too much for the visitors though and when RHS returned a punt for a TD and then threw a scarce-as-hen's-teeth touchdown pass, both in the second quarter, it was all over. CB did have what appeared to me to be a decent passing attack, or at least a strong arm or two, and with some breaks this could have been a closer game. They scored all three of their TDs late in the game against the reserves. Coach Casto picked up his 200th career win with that victory.
So there you have it.........7 of our 10 regular season opponents made it to the playoffs, and all but one of those were at either the 2-A or 3-A level. But none of that changes what we already know Galax is capable of, so Saturday's game should be a slobberknocker, to quote one of Coach Casto's favorite terms.
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