Hayes' punt return sparks Warriors past Blue Streaks
HARRISONBURG — When Sherando needed a little spark senior Jabril Hayes provided it.
Hayes returned a punt for a touchdown and brought the Warriors to life and they didn’t look back in a 52-7 non-district football victory over Harrisonburg.
“That was definitely a big boost for us,” Hayes said of his punt return. “It gave us a lot of energy to come back on defense and stop them on that [next] drive and then come back on offense and score again. So that was definitely a big play for us.”
The Warriors (3-2), coming off two straight losses, started off slow. After having to punt on their first offensive possession, Sherando’s defense gave up a big play. Harrisonburg running back Dunstan Williams ran for 65 yards to the Sherando 7-yard line.
“We just didn’t get there right on that trap,” Sherando head coach Bill Hall said of the big run. “They ran the same play the rest of the time. It’s hard to simulate in practice in terms of the way it’s going to hit with the speed and execution. We just didn’t fit right on it and we made an adjustment. I thought our guys played well all night.”
The Warriors forced a fourth-and-goal from the 7. Harrisonburg quarterback Keenan Glago completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Pinedo for a 7-0 lead with 6:51 left in the first quarter.
On Harrisonburg’s next possession, the Warriors forced the Blue Streaks to punt. Hayes took the ball at the Sherando 28, moved to his left and cut back. He raced up the right sideline, juked past a defender and cut back to his left again to the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
“It made a bounce so I went and grabbed it out of the air,” Hayes said. “I saw that they were coming down the right side so immediately I took off to the left and I looked back to the right and saw a gap open up. So I took the gap and I was just using my speed to the outside. I had one more defender to beat so I cut back to the left and I was just in the end zone with my teammates celebrating.”
Hall said it’s always nice when you can score on a special teams play.
“It’s one of those things you work on that all the time and you’re always one block away,” Hall said. “And tonight we got those things. And if we can get the ball in [Hayes’] hands usually good things will happen. Part of that’s on him being sure he’s fielding the ball and part of that we got to make sure we’re helping him out.”
From that point on the players said they felt like they began playing “Sherando football.” Until the final play of the game, Sherando’s defense held Harrisonburg to just 11 yards rushing after giving up the 65-yard run in the first quarter.
Sherando senior running back Darius Lane said he started the game trying to go too fast, but junior offensive lineman Keith Gouveia gave him some advice which he said really helped.
“I wasn’t being too patient I was kind of rushing it,” Lane said. “I had adrenaline flowing, but I had Keith [Gouveia] tell me to slow it down and I did — I just executed.”
Lane scored on a 55-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left in the first quarter to take a 14-7 lead. Lane finished with 248 yards rushing on 25 carries and three touchdowns. It was Lane’s second straight game with over 200 yards rushing.
Sherando coach Bill Hall said it’s a real credit to Lane and an offensive line that was a real question mark to start the season.
“I think maybe one of the bigger question marks coming into the year was probably the offensive line just because we replaced four out of five,” Hall said. “And to be honest with you I think they’ve been a strength the last two weeks. We talked about our efficiency last week and I’m sure it will be good. And that sets up everything in the pass game.
"Our play-action — we hit a couple of those tonight for big plays. And that was just off of the success in the run game. I’m really proud of those guys up front. [Sherando assistant] coach [John] Minteer does a great job and [Sherando assistant] coach [Josh] Vigna with those guys.”
On Sherando’s next offensive possession, sophomore quarterback Dylan Rodeffer showed off some of his progress. Rodeffer threw a perfect ball to a wide-open Hayes in stride for a 50-yard touchdown pass and a 21-7 lead with 7:08 left in the first half.
“It was just a perfect ball by Dylan,” Hayes said. “He’s doing everything that we expected him to do. He put it right there in front of my hands away from the defenders and I just took it into the end zone.”
The Warriors only needed three plays to score on their next drive. Lane had a 38-yard run to help set-up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rodeffer to Hayes. Rodeffer has been filling in for junior quarterback Chacai Campbell, who has missed the last three games due to injury.
“Dylan’s doing a wonderful job,” Hayes said. “He’s doing everything we expected him to do and more. It’s really hard stepping up as a sophomore at the varsity level. So the way he’s treating this moment and reacting to this moment is major for us — it’s real big.”
A Harrisonburg fumble late in the first half set-up a 27-yard field goal by Jack Hendren for a 31-7 halftime lead.
After two straight losses, Lane said it felt good to be back to winning games.
“I think tonight we definitely played Sherando football and that was the biggest goal,” Lane said. “Our biggest goal wasn’t just to win but it was getting back to playing Sherando football.”
Rodeffer finished 13 of 22 for 176 yards and two touchdowns and Hayes caught eight passes for 122 yards and two scores.
Hall was pleased with his team’s overall performance.
“This team has got potential, it’s just young and sometimes that shows up in different ways,” Hall said. “It’s about believing in the process and sticking to it. And when you play with the right mindset and mentality and play the way you’re capable good things happen.”
- By Tommy Keeler Jr. For The Winchester Star
- Oct 5, 2019
HARRISONBURG — When Sherando needed a little spark senior Jabril Hayes provided it.
Hayes returned a punt for a touchdown and brought the Warriors to life and they didn’t look back in a 52-7 non-district football victory over Harrisonburg.
“That was definitely a big boost for us,” Hayes said of his punt return. “It gave us a lot of energy to come back on defense and stop them on that [next] drive and then come back on offense and score again. So that was definitely a big play for us.”
The Warriors (3-2), coming off two straight losses, started off slow. After having to punt on their first offensive possession, Sherando’s defense gave up a big play. Harrisonburg running back Dunstan Williams ran for 65 yards to the Sherando 7-yard line.
“We just didn’t get there right on that trap,” Sherando head coach Bill Hall said of the big run. “They ran the same play the rest of the time. It’s hard to simulate in practice in terms of the way it’s going to hit with the speed and execution. We just didn’t fit right on it and we made an adjustment. I thought our guys played well all night.”
The Warriors forced a fourth-and-goal from the 7. Harrisonburg quarterback Keenan Glago completed a 7-yard touchdown pass to Elijah Pinedo for a 7-0 lead with 6:51 left in the first quarter.
On Harrisonburg’s next possession, the Warriors forced the Blue Streaks to punt. Hayes took the ball at the Sherando 28, moved to his left and cut back. He raced up the right sideline, juked past a defender and cut back to his left again to the end zone to tie the game at 7-7.
“It made a bounce so I went and grabbed it out of the air,” Hayes said. “I saw that they were coming down the right side so immediately I took off to the left and I looked back to the right and saw a gap open up. So I took the gap and I was just using my speed to the outside. I had one more defender to beat so I cut back to the left and I was just in the end zone with my teammates celebrating.”
Hall said it’s always nice when you can score on a special teams play.
“It’s one of those things you work on that all the time and you’re always one block away,” Hall said. “And tonight we got those things. And if we can get the ball in [Hayes’] hands usually good things will happen. Part of that’s on him being sure he’s fielding the ball and part of that we got to make sure we’re helping him out.”
From that point on the players said they felt like they began playing “Sherando football.” Until the final play of the game, Sherando’s defense held Harrisonburg to just 11 yards rushing after giving up the 65-yard run in the first quarter.
Sherando senior running back Darius Lane said he started the game trying to go too fast, but junior offensive lineman Keith Gouveia gave him some advice which he said really helped.
“I wasn’t being too patient I was kind of rushing it,” Lane said. “I had adrenaline flowing, but I had Keith [Gouveia] tell me to slow it down and I did — I just executed.”
Lane scored on a 55-yard touchdown run with 13 seconds left in the first quarter to take a 14-7 lead. Lane finished with 248 yards rushing on 25 carries and three touchdowns. It was Lane’s second straight game with over 200 yards rushing.
Sherando coach Bill Hall said it’s a real credit to Lane and an offensive line that was a real question mark to start the season.
“I think maybe one of the bigger question marks coming into the year was probably the offensive line just because we replaced four out of five,” Hall said. “And to be honest with you I think they’ve been a strength the last two weeks. We talked about our efficiency last week and I’m sure it will be good. And that sets up everything in the pass game.
"Our play-action — we hit a couple of those tonight for big plays. And that was just off of the success in the run game. I’m really proud of those guys up front. [Sherando assistant] coach [John] Minteer does a great job and [Sherando assistant] coach [Josh] Vigna with those guys.”
On Sherando’s next offensive possession, sophomore quarterback Dylan Rodeffer showed off some of his progress. Rodeffer threw a perfect ball to a wide-open Hayes in stride for a 50-yard touchdown pass and a 21-7 lead with 7:08 left in the first half.
“It was just a perfect ball by Dylan,” Hayes said. “He’s doing everything that we expected him to do. He put it right there in front of my hands away from the defenders and I just took it into the end zone.”
The Warriors only needed three plays to score on their next drive. Lane had a 38-yard run to help set-up an 11-yard touchdown pass from Rodeffer to Hayes. Rodeffer has been filling in for junior quarterback Chacai Campbell, who has missed the last three games due to injury.
“Dylan’s doing a wonderful job,” Hayes said. “He’s doing everything we expected him to do and more. It’s really hard stepping up as a sophomore at the varsity level. So the way he’s treating this moment and reacting to this moment is major for us — it’s real big.”
A Harrisonburg fumble late in the first half set-up a 27-yard field goal by Jack Hendren for a 31-7 halftime lead.
After two straight losses, Lane said it felt good to be back to winning games.
“I think tonight we definitely played Sherando football and that was the biggest goal,” Lane said. “Our biggest goal wasn’t just to win but it was getting back to playing Sherando football.”
Rodeffer finished 13 of 22 for 176 yards and two touchdowns and Hayes caught eight passes for 122 yards and two scores.
Hall was pleased with his team’s overall performance.
“This team has got potential, it’s just young and sometimes that shows up in different ways,” Hall said. “It’s about believing in the process and sticking to it. And when you play with the right mindset and mentality and play the way you’re capable good things happen.”
