Salem beats Pulaski Co 27-14, remains undefeated

Willis White Field, Spartan Stadium, Salem, VA – Crunch’s Roanoke game of the week featured the Salem Spartans hosting the Pulaski Cougars in a game of two 4A powers. Salem’s Zavione Wood started the game on fire as he propelled the Spartans to an early 13-0 lead, running for 116 yards and 2 TDs on his first 3 carries of the game. Pulaski had more total offense than Salem (350 yards to the Spartans’ 272 yards) but on this night Salem had the big play capability that the Cougars were not able to match. This was displayed late in the 2nd quarter when Pulaski scored with 3:56 left in the half to close the gap to 13-7. Salem responded on the very next play from scrimmage with a 56-yard TD pass from QB 10 DaRon Wilson to WR 2 Shawn Collins and just like that Salem took a 20-7 lead into the half. Both teams would add another score to make the final a 27-14 win for the Spartans. After the game, Salem’s Coach Don Holter commented on his team’s undefeated season and the upcoming playoffs, “I’m proud of my young men, but there’s so much more work to do…Four games left, win or go home.”
1st Qtr: After an opening 3-and-out drive by the Cougars, the Spartans took over on their own 39 yard line. Two plays later, RB 42 Zavione Wood (17-149, 2 TD) scampered 35 yards for the TD and K 20 Wes Cross’ PAT was good for a 7-0 Salem lead.

Pulaski picked up 1 first down but their next drive stalled at midfield and they punted. Salem’s RB 42 Wood got the hand off on the first play of the next possession and broke multiple tackles for a 78 yard gain down to the Pulaski five.

Two plays later he finished the deal when he found the end zone from 3 yards out. The exchange was bad on the extra point and Salem held a 13-0 lead with 6 minutes left in the 1st quarter.
2nd Qtr: The Cougars drove 67 yards to the Spartan 20 on their next possession highlighted by a 50 yard, 3rd down conversion pass from QB 5 Drew Dalton (17/31-205) to RB 23 Quemar Porter (1-42 rush, TD, 5-116 yds rec), but had to settle for a 37 yard FG attempt that just missed.

After a Salem punt, Pulaski took over on their 45 and quickly got on the board when RB 3 Ethan Gallimore (20-97, TD) ran 15 yards for the score. K 19 Broc Simpson added the PAT and it was 13-7 Spartans with 3:56 left in the half.

As is vintage Salem football though, it only took the Spartans 16 seconds to respond when QB 10 DaRon Wilson (6-14 yds rush, 3/6-73 yds pass, TD, INT) hit WR 2 Shawn Collins for a 56 yard TD strike. K 20 Cross added the PAT and Salem pushed their lead back to 13.

Pulaski then took the kickoff and drove into field goal range, but with 17 seconds left in the half, K 19 Simpson had his 37 yard FG attempt blocked and the score remained 20-7 Salem.

2nd Half: Both teams traded possession in a scoreless 3rd quarter but Salem’s RB/DL 28 Cam Leftwich capped a 56 yard drive on the first play of the 4th quarter with a 1-yard TD plunge. K 20 Cross made the extra point and Salem was up 27-7.

Pulaski turned the ball over on downs on their next two possessions while Salem threw an interception and had to punt on theirs, the last of which pinned Pulaski down at their 1 yard line. The Cougars drove 99 yards for the TD when RB 23 Porter took his only rushing carry on the night 42 yards to the house.

K 19 Simpson added the PAT and the score was 27-14 late in the 4th quarter and that’s the way it ended as Salem finished their season undefeated and starts their chase for another state championship as playoffs begin next week.
                                                                                              – The Machine

Offense:

Rushing– Pulaski Co – Ethan Gallimore 20-97, TD, Drew Dalton 8-(-10), Keyonte Kennedy 3-12, Quemar Porter 1-42, TD, Broc Simpson 1-5  Salem – Zavione Wood 17-149, 2TD, Cam Leftwich 14-36, DaRon Wilson 6-14

Passing– Pulaski Co– Dalton 17/31-205   Salem – Wilson 3/6-73, TD, INT  

Receiving– Pulaski Co– Jacob Johnson 6-36, Quemar Porter 5-116, Ethan Gallimore 3-11, John Lyman 3-42  Salem – Shawn Collins 2-62, Chauncey Logan Jr. 1-11.  

Punting– Pulaski Co– Broc Simpson 3-17.6 Salem – Chauncey Logan Jr. 5-34.4

Scoring:
• Salem: Wood 35-yard TD run; Cross PAT good
• Salem: Wood 3-yard TD run; Logan Jr. tackled on PAT
• Pulaski Co: Gallimore 15-yd TD run; Simpson PAT good
• Salem: Collins 56-yd TD pass from Wilson; Cross PAT good
• Salem: Leftwich 1-yd TD run; Cross PAT good
• Pulaski Co: Porter 42-yd TD run; Simpson PAT good

Minutemen power their way to 34-22 win over Rustburg

Liberty High School, Bedford, VA – The Liberty
Minutemen battled the Rustburg Red Devils on Friday, both looking for their first win of the year.
With only a six game regular season this spring, wins can be hard to come by depending on your schedule. On this Friday night, Coach Chris Watts Minutemen brought their hard charging brand of football to a young Rustburg team and came away with a 34-22 victory. Liberty put together a strong running game to get the win. QB 10 Tanner Stanley led the way with 95 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns. Both FB 7 Cortarius Gilmore and RB 9 Garrett Whorley chipped in with 71 yards apiece. Sophomore FB 6 Kentrell Evans got the scoring started for the Minutemen with a 48-yard TD run up the middle at the 2:34 mark of the first quarter. Rustburg had jumped out to an 8-0 lead three minutes earlier on the feet of Red Devil QB 1 Avery Dixon from three yards out. The Junior followed that up with a two point conversion. Liberty would go on to build up a 27-8 lead at the break that they would never relinquish. The Minutemen defense played well all night despite giving up a couple long QB 1 Dixon to WR 5 Jaidan Johnson TD passes late. At night’s end, it was Liberty on top 34-22.

First Quarter – The Minutemen and Red Devils both entered this final regular season looking for their first win. Early on it was unclear who was going to step up and claim this “W.” Both teams fumbled the ball on their first offensive possessions. Rustburg took the opening kickoff. Six plays in QB 1 Avery Dixon fumbled the ball and Liberty’s DB/QB 10 Tanner Stanley recovered it at the Minutemen forty five. Two plays later Liberty returned the favor when RB 12 Jordan Steele coughed up the ball, near midfield. Rustburg would make the Minutemen pay. It took Coach Jack Baker’s troops eight plays, all on the ground, to take an early 8-0 lead.

QB 1 Dixon took it in from the three and then followed it up with a tough 2 point conversion run with 5:47 left in the first quarter. The Minutemen answered back on their next drive. Starting from their own twenty six, Coach Chris Watt’s team kept it on the ground. A back and forth barrage of runs from FB/LB 7 Cortarius Gilmore and QB 10 Stanley moved the ball out to midfield. From there Sophomore FB 6 Kentrell Evans broke through the middle of the line and rumbled 46-yards to pay dirt.

The Sophomore displayed some good open field speed to get into the end zone. Rustburg’s lead was cut to 8-6 with Liberty’s missed 2-point conversion.
Liberty’s defense would play a key role on the night’s victory forcing three turnovers, two of them interceptions. The first came on Rustburg’s next drive as DB/RB Garrett Whorley jumped the route and picked off a Dixon toss.

Second Quarter – The Minutemen would turn that into points and take the lead with two and 13-8 on a 7-yard touchdown run by QB 10 Stanley.

In Coach Watt’s offense the quarterback is a key ball carrier. Liberty would go on to chalk up two more TD’s before the half. RB/DB 9 Whorley scored from six yards out and then the Minutemen followed that up with QB 10 Stanley taking it in from the sixteen.

K 88 Anthony Mineo made both extra points. RB/DB 9 Whorley added another interception to his ledger as the half neared its close. Liberty took at 27-8 lead into the half.

Third Quarter – Liberty took the second half kickoff and looked as though they would add to their lead. The home team drove the ball from their own seven down to the Rustburg three before fourth down forced them into a K 88 Mineo field goal. The Liberty kicker made the boot but the Red Devils were whistled for being offsides. Coach Watts took the ‘three’ off the board and took his chances on fourth down at the one and a half yard line. This proved unproductive though, as Rustburg stopped QB 10 Stanley for a loss and took over on downs at the three. Liberty failed to score but the Minutemen did eat up most of the third quarter.

Fourth Quarter – In the final stanza, Rustburg QB 1 Dixon got the visitors excited again, with a 70-yard touchdown pass and run to WR 7 Jaidan Johnson.

Once the speedy Junior had the ball in his hands with room to run he was off to the races. Rustburg’s two point conversion try was no good and Liberty’s lead was now 27-14.
Liberty answered that score with one of their own. Utilizing twelve plays, all on the ground, RB/DB 9 Whorley finished off the sixty yard drive with a one yard TD run. Whorley and QB/DB 10 Stanley carried the ball for most of the drive, with FB/LB 7 Gilmore sprinkled in on a few ‘A gap’ carries to keep the Red Devils honest.

The score with K 99 Mineo’s point after boot made it 33-14. Rustburg would add one more TD on the QB 1 Dixon to WR 5 Johnson combination again. This time the duo connected for a 50-yard TD pass, catch, and run with :56 left in the game.

RB 22 Chris Cardwell capped it off with a 2 point conversion run. Rustburg never quit in this contest, but Liberty wisely used the clock up in the second half and maintained their lead.                                 – Cap’n Crunch

Offense: 
Rushing – Liberty – Stanley 19-95, 2TDs, Gilmore 16-71, Whorley 13-71, 2TDs, Evans 1-48, TD, Steele 1-0 Rustburg – Dixon 14-51, TD, 2ptr Cardwell 9-22, 2ptr, Johnson 1-5, Rosser 2/2
Passing – Liberty– Stanley 4-6, 17  Rustburg– Dixon 7-15, 170, 2TDs, 2 INTs
Receiving – Liberty– Whorley 3-16, Steele 1-1 Rustburg– Johnson 4-128, 2TDs, Epperson 2-38, Rosser 1-4  
Punting – Liberty – Arrington 1/32  Rustburg– Terrell 2/38

Scoring:
• Rustburg: Dixon 3-yd TD run; Dixon 2pt conversion
• Liberty: Evans 48-yd TD run; PAT no good
• Liberty: Stanley 7-yd TD run; Mineo PAT
• Liberty: Whorley 6-yd TD run; Mineo PAT
• Liberty: Stanley 16-yd TD run; Mineo PAT
• Rustburg: Dixon 70-yd TD pass to Johnson; 2ptr no good
• Liberty: Whorley 1-yd TD run; Mineo PAT
• Rustburg: Dixon 50-yd TD pass to Johnson; Cardwell 2pt conversion

Floyd County pitches a shutout in 20-0 win over Patrick County

Patrick County High School, Stuart, Va. – On Patrick County’s first drive of the game, the dye was cast. The Cougars faced a fourth and one at their own twenty-six. Patrick County put the ball in the hands of their big, 6’1, 240 pound running back 24 Dae shawn Penn. The Buffalo’s stuffed the run for no gain and took over on downs. That didn’t lead to points but it definitely led to a message sent by Coach Winfred Beale’s Floyd County team. We are not going to be pushed around. If anyone did the pushing, it was the Buffaloes. Senior QB 10 Avery Chaffin found WR 4 Jaden Brewer in the left front corner of the end zone on a 4-yard toss to give Floyd County a lead that they would never give up. Floyd went on to score on the first two drives of the second half to give themselves all the cushion they would need. The Buffalo’s defense made sure of that, forcing six Cougar punts on ten Patrick County possessions the night. Three other times the Buffalo defense held the Cougars short on fourth down plays.

First Quarter – The first quarter had Floyd County’s defense on display. Patrick County got the ball first and worked their way into fourth and short situations deep in their own territory.

Both times the Buffaloes stuffed the run and turned the Cougars over on downs. Neither fourth down stop led to points but they did dictate field position. Eventually the Buffs got the ball with a short field and made it count.

Second Quarter – On their third series, starting at their own forty-seven, it took Coach Winfred Beale’s team only eight plays to dent the scoreboard. QB 10 Avery Chaffin did the honors with a 4-yard pass to WR/DB/P 4 Jaden Brewer in the front left corner of the endzone.

The scorebook says a four yard TD pass but Chaffin threw it probably 20-yards for the score. Brewer made the grab with DB 15 Michael Hamm in good defensive position, but Brewer used his 6’3” frame to make the play. Floyd County led 7-0 with K/RB/LB 44 Mason Keith’s point after.

The Floyd County defense was really the star of the first half and possibly the game. The Buffalo defense held the ‘run minded’ Cougars to only 38-yards in the first half, and 114 total yards on the night.

Symbolic of that effort was a big hit by DL 64 Shane Monk on RB 33 Carson Merriman on a third and eight on Patrick County’s fourth series. Monk beat his block quickly, and nearly stepped into the hand off as he delivered a big blow. DE 40 Kaiden Swortzel ended the last two first half Cougar drives with sacks. DE/TE 40 Swortzel, only a Sophomore, spent some time in Patrick County’s backfield harassing the Cougar quarterback.

Third Quarter – The third quarter was all about Floyd County’s offense. Coach Beales’ Buffaloes came out and put two scores on the Cougars to put too much distance between the two on this night. The back to back touchdowns were both 1-yard runs by the two Floyd County quarterbacks, QB/DB 10 Avery Chaffin and QB/DB 3 Jared Nichols.

The big play sitting up the first score was QB 10 Chaffin toss to WR/DB 42 Seth Dunbar for twenty seven yards down to the Cougar four. The second TD was marked by a 36-yard run by QB/DB 3 Nichols from midfield down to the fourteen. Two plays later QB/DB 10 Chaffin hit WR/DB 42 Dunbar for eleven yards down to the two.

Fourth Quarter – The fourth quarter was only three drives, two by Patrick County. None of them produced any points. Floyd County DB/Wr 1 Luke Phillips intercepted Cougar QB 46 Demontez Hill only to be stripped of the ball which Patrick Co’s RB/LB 34 Ben Hylton briefly recovered, only to lose it back to Floyd County.                               – Cap’n Crunch

Offense: 
Rushing – Floyd Co – Nichols 17-93, TD, Chaffin 5/13, TD, Saltus 4/16, Brewer 1/7, Fenton 2/7, Dunbar 2-(-5), Keith 6 -(-8)  Patrick Co – Hylton 11-57, Merriman 11-52, Tarpley 6/24, Penn 9/10, White 1-(-1), Hill 9 – (-28)
Passing – Floyd Co – Chaffin 6/13, 105, TD, Nichols 3/4, 48, Fenton 0/1, 0 Patrick Co – Hill 0/2, 0, INT
Receiving – Floyd Co – Brewer 4/84, TD, Dunbar 3/65, Swortzel 1/9, Nichols 1- (-5)  Patrick Co – none
Punting – Floyd Co – Brewer 3/35 yd avg  Patrick Co – Wright 6/28 yd avg

Scoring:
• Floyd Co: Chaffin 4-yd pass to Brewer; Keith PAT
• Floyd Co: Chaffin 1-yd TD run; Keith PAT
• Floyd Co: Nichols 1-yd TD run; PAT no good