Week number seven of the high school football season is in the books. Two of our area programs fell from the ranks of the unbeaten, and we are down to just five perfect teams. From nail bitters, to blowouts, to offensive shootouts, week seven had something for everyone. Let's take a closer look at the week that was in the Roanoke/Lynchburg area.
Game of the Week Recap:
Last year's two meetings between Glenvar and Giles County were decided by a combined 68 points, but the 2015 rendition of the rivalry was much more appropriate. With a little more than a minute remaining in regulation, Glenvar's Jacob Mullins connected on a 26-yard field goal to lift the Highlanders to a 16-14 triumph over the previously undefeated Spartans.
The victory snaps Giles County's 33-game regular-season winning streak.
With two of the top defenses in all of 2A squaring off, Saturday's game had all the makings of a defensive struggle. In addition, the soggy conditions forced the two teams to keep it more conservative on offense than they would have liked. Trailing 14-7 in the final frame, Glenvar put together a drive that ate nearly half of the time off of the fourth quarter clock. The Highlanders cashed in following Daryl Manns' second touchdown of the day, but Glenvar would remain down by one point after Giles' Brian Mann intercepted a pass on the potential go-ahead two-point conversion.
It was a classic game between two of the best football programs in all of 2A, and Glenvar and Giles could very well see each other again next month.
Undefeated No More:
Giles County was not the only unbeaten team in the area to suffer its first loss of the season this past week. Brookville had destroyed everything in its path in the first six games of the fall, but the Bees ran into a buzz saw in the form of the Amherst Lancers. The Bees had given up just 47 points in the first six weeks, but could only watch as Amherst piled up six touchdowns and 22 unanswered points in a 42-35 Lancer victory.
Similar to last week’s meeting between Brookville and Rutsburg, the game appeared to be in question in question in the first three quarters, before the Bees seemingly put it to bed late. Behind 310 passing yards by Dylan Onuffer, Broovkille built 35-20 lead with 9:54 remaining, and appeared to be on the way to its seventh victory of the season.
As good an Onuffer was however, the senior tossed two costly interceptions. Kirshawn Anderson picked off the first one, to set up the game-tying touchdown just two plays later. The Bees would quickly march down the field on their ensuing series, but Amherst’s Clarence Henley put an end to the drive with a game-changing inception. Henley returned the ball to midfield, and Lancer quarterback Keshon Turner took advantage of the free possession, hooking up with Trae Shuford for a 52-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
The Amherst victory has thrown the 3A West and 4A South races up in the air for the time being. The Bees were the unquestioned top seed in 3A West, but will now be forced to look over their shoulder for Magna Vista and Western Albemarle. On the other side, it is time to start talking about the Lancers as a potential key player in 4A North. Amherst will travel to Jefferson Forest this week for another HUGE Seminole District game.
Unexpected Thriller:
With Pulaski County riding a 5-0 record and Christiansburg sitting at 1-4 and having played on Monday night, this contest appeared to be an easy win for the Cougars on paper. However, there was nothing easy about this game for either team. The torrential downpour resulted in a muddy field, and both schools combined for just 12 points through 59 minutes and 14 seconds of play.
With the teams appeared to be headed for overtime, Pulaski County running back Hunter Thomas had decided that he had seen enough. With less than one minute remaining in regulation, Thomas dashed 89 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The Blue Demons tossed an interception on their final drive of the game, and the Cougars were able to escape Christiansburg with a sloppy 14-6 triumph.
The contest was a valiant effort by an exhausted Blue Demon squad, and a wakeup call for undefeated Pulaski.
First Taste of Victory:
It has been a nightmare of a season thus far for Hidden Valley, but the Titans finally had something to cheer about. After not being able to stop anybody for the first half of the season, Hidden Valley stonewalled Carroll County for a 43-13 triumph, marking the first victory of the season for the Titans. While the defense must show more consistency, the Hidden Valley offense has been pretty good, managing at least 37 points in three of its last four games. The Titans will take this next week off, before traveling to Christiansburg on October 23rd.
Getting Defensive:
It is time that we give this Lord Botetourt defense some love. The Cavaliers are giving up an average of just six points per game, and aside from two late touchdowns by James River in week one, Botetourt has not allowed more than one touchdown in a single game this season. For their latest trick, the Cavaliers blanked Alleghany 49-0, for their second consecutive shutout. Sophomore defensive tackle Noah Overstreet has been a man amongst boys this year. Overstreet has managed 30 tackles for a loss, and nine sacks through seven games.
Grounding the Eagles:
Speaking of great defenses, fellow Blue Ridge District powerhouse Northside became the first team all season to slow down high-flying Staunton River. The Vikings held the Golden Eagles to a season-low 12 points in a 33-12 victory on the road. Northside limited Staunton River star running back Grayson Overstreet to just 83 yards off of 24 carries. As a team, the Golden Eagles managed just 149 yards, and one offensive touchdown on the night.
Team to Beat in the Valley?
You never know what to expect in the Valley District. Many high school football fans were quick to jump on the Valley last season, but the league managed two out of the final eight teams in the 3A West bracket. Waynesboro and Broadway carried the flag for the district last season, but it appears for now that the Valley has two new front-running teams.
After opening district play with back-to-back one-point wins, red-hot Turner Ashby blasted Fort Defiance 69-19 this past week. The Knights have won four consecutive games, and will travel to Waynesboro for a huge showdown this Friday night.
Turner Ashby is looking awfully good, but the Harrisonburg Blue Streaks are quietly 2-0 in the Valley District, including a win over Waynesboro. This past week, Harrisonburg shutdown Spotswood 16-6, handing the Trailblazers yet another excruciating close loss. The Blue Streaks opened the season with two straight wins, but many forgot about Harrisonburg after the team suffered back-to-back blowout losses to Charlottesville and Brookville respectively. After getting it done away from home, the Blue Streaks will play three out of their last four games in Harrisonburg, including a huge showdown with Turner Ashby on November 6.
Other notable scores:
Salem 56, Blacksburg 10
Patrick Henry 41, Cave Spring 10
William Byrd 26, William Fleming 6
Jefferson Forest 36, Rustburg 26
Liberty 42, E.C. Glass 40
Riverheads 35, East Rockingham 14
Buffalo Gap 22, Stuarts Draft 14
Radford 55, Floyd County 8
Game of the Week Recap:
Last year's two meetings between Glenvar and Giles County were decided by a combined 68 points, but the 2015 rendition of the rivalry was much more appropriate. With a little more than a minute remaining in regulation, Glenvar's Jacob Mullins connected on a 26-yard field goal to lift the Highlanders to a 16-14 triumph over the previously undefeated Spartans.
The victory snaps Giles County's 33-game regular-season winning streak.
With two of the top defenses in all of 2A squaring off, Saturday's game had all the makings of a defensive struggle. In addition, the soggy conditions forced the two teams to keep it more conservative on offense than they would have liked. Trailing 14-7 in the final frame, Glenvar put together a drive that ate nearly half of the time off of the fourth quarter clock. The Highlanders cashed in following Daryl Manns' second touchdown of the day, but Glenvar would remain down by one point after Giles' Brian Mann intercepted a pass on the potential go-ahead two-point conversion.
It was a classic game between two of the best football programs in all of 2A, and Glenvar and Giles could very well see each other again next month.
Undefeated No More:
Giles County was not the only unbeaten team in the area to suffer its first loss of the season this past week. Brookville had destroyed everything in its path in the first six games of the fall, but the Bees ran into a buzz saw in the form of the Amherst Lancers. The Bees had given up just 47 points in the first six weeks, but could only watch as Amherst piled up six touchdowns and 22 unanswered points in a 42-35 Lancer victory.
Similar to last week’s meeting between Brookville and Rutsburg, the game appeared to be in question in question in the first three quarters, before the Bees seemingly put it to bed late. Behind 310 passing yards by Dylan Onuffer, Broovkille built 35-20 lead with 9:54 remaining, and appeared to be on the way to its seventh victory of the season.
As good an Onuffer was however, the senior tossed two costly interceptions. Kirshawn Anderson picked off the first one, to set up the game-tying touchdown just two plays later. The Bees would quickly march down the field on their ensuing series, but Amherst’s Clarence Henley put an end to the drive with a game-changing inception. Henley returned the ball to midfield, and Lancer quarterback Keshon Turner took advantage of the free possession, hooking up with Trae Shuford for a 52-yard catch and run for a touchdown.
The Amherst victory has thrown the 3A West and 4A South races up in the air for the time being. The Bees were the unquestioned top seed in 3A West, but will now be forced to look over their shoulder for Magna Vista and Western Albemarle. On the other side, it is time to start talking about the Lancers as a potential key player in 4A North. Amherst will travel to Jefferson Forest this week for another HUGE Seminole District game.
Unexpected Thriller:
With Pulaski County riding a 5-0 record and Christiansburg sitting at 1-4 and having played on Monday night, this contest appeared to be an easy win for the Cougars on paper. However, there was nothing easy about this game for either team. The torrential downpour resulted in a muddy field, and both schools combined for just 12 points through 59 minutes and 14 seconds of play.
With the teams appeared to be headed for overtime, Pulaski County running back Hunter Thomas had decided that he had seen enough. With less than one minute remaining in regulation, Thomas dashed 89 yards for the go-ahead touchdown. The Blue Demons tossed an interception on their final drive of the game, and the Cougars were able to escape Christiansburg with a sloppy 14-6 triumph.
The contest was a valiant effort by an exhausted Blue Demon squad, and a wakeup call for undefeated Pulaski.
First Taste of Victory:
It has been a nightmare of a season thus far for Hidden Valley, but the Titans finally had something to cheer about. After not being able to stop anybody for the first half of the season, Hidden Valley stonewalled Carroll County for a 43-13 triumph, marking the first victory of the season for the Titans. While the defense must show more consistency, the Hidden Valley offense has been pretty good, managing at least 37 points in three of its last four games. The Titans will take this next week off, before traveling to Christiansburg on October 23rd.
Getting Defensive:
It is time that we give this Lord Botetourt defense some love. The Cavaliers are giving up an average of just six points per game, and aside from two late touchdowns by James River in week one, Botetourt has not allowed more than one touchdown in a single game this season. For their latest trick, the Cavaliers blanked Alleghany 49-0, for their second consecutive shutout. Sophomore defensive tackle Noah Overstreet has been a man amongst boys this year. Overstreet has managed 30 tackles for a loss, and nine sacks through seven games.
Grounding the Eagles:
Speaking of great defenses, fellow Blue Ridge District powerhouse Northside became the first team all season to slow down high-flying Staunton River. The Vikings held the Golden Eagles to a season-low 12 points in a 33-12 victory on the road. Northside limited Staunton River star running back Grayson Overstreet to just 83 yards off of 24 carries. As a team, the Golden Eagles managed just 149 yards, and one offensive touchdown on the night.
Team to Beat in the Valley?
You never know what to expect in the Valley District. Many high school football fans were quick to jump on the Valley last season, but the league managed two out of the final eight teams in the 3A West bracket. Waynesboro and Broadway carried the flag for the district last season, but it appears for now that the Valley has two new front-running teams.
After opening district play with back-to-back one-point wins, red-hot Turner Ashby blasted Fort Defiance 69-19 this past week. The Knights have won four consecutive games, and will travel to Waynesboro for a huge showdown this Friday night.
Turner Ashby is looking awfully good, but the Harrisonburg Blue Streaks are quietly 2-0 in the Valley District, including a win over Waynesboro. This past week, Harrisonburg shutdown Spotswood 16-6, handing the Trailblazers yet another excruciating close loss. The Blue Streaks opened the season with two straight wins, but many forgot about Harrisonburg after the team suffered back-to-back blowout losses to Charlottesville and Brookville respectively. After getting it done away from home, the Blue Streaks will play three out of their last four games in Harrisonburg, including a huge showdown with Turner Ashby on November 6.
Other notable scores:
Salem 56, Blacksburg 10
Patrick Henry 41, Cave Spring 10
William Byrd 26, William Fleming 6
Jefferson Forest 36, Rustburg 26
Liberty 42, E.C. Glass 40
Riverheads 35, East Rockingham 14
Buffalo Gap 22, Stuarts Draft 14
Radford 55, Floyd County 8
