EC Glass gets hard fought win in tough 13-6 battle with Liberty

Liberty High School, Bedford, VA –
The Minutemen of Liberty Bedford are always a formidable foe for visiting football teams. This game Friday night with EC Glass proved no different. In a contest that was highlighted by hard hitting and defense as much as anything, both teams kept the opposing club’s offense off balance. At halftime it was scoreless, as the Hilltoppers best chance to score, a field goal, was blocked. While Liberty’s best chance was also a field goal just before half. It came up short. EC Glass edged Liberty 13-6 at night’s end, but the game really wasn’t decided until the final snaps.

First Half –
This game was a physical battle make not mistake about it. Liberty runs the ‘Maryland I’ on offense which means they are going to be running down hill, at you all night. Glass was up to the challenge, and the Hilltoppers enthusiasm mirrored Coach Jeff Woody’s coaching style.

The first half was a scoreless tie. Most of the first half was played in the middle of the field. The punters for both teams got a workout. EC Glass benefitted from a short punt by the Minutemen on their second series.

Starting at Liberty’s twenty three yardline, The Hilltoppers looked to make hay. The home team Minutemen would bend, but not break. MLB 52 Deven Blackston was a man who wouldn’t be blocked all night long. After giving up one first down to the eight yardline, Liberty dug in. DB/RB 9 Garrett Whorley deflected EC Glass QB 16 George White’s pass and Glass was forced to attempt a 25-yard field goal. Liberty promptly answered with a blocked field goal. DB 9 Whorley, playing tight man to man, deflected a number of Glass passes on the night.
The Minutemen’s best shot at points was also a field goal try. It came on the last play of the half. Liberty moved the ball down to the 19-yard line for a 36-yard attempt. It came up short and the half ended scoreless.

Third Quarter –
Both teams opening drives of the second half didn’t produce a lot of yards and ended in punts. EC Glass finally changed that story on their next second half drive. It took seven plays for the Hilltoppers to open up the night’s scoring. The drive covered 65-yards and was finished off on fourth and goal from the one yard line.

RB 21 Markevus Graves followed up a tough, hardnosed nine yard run to get them there, with a one yard blast for six points. RB 7 Brandon Pearson had a big 30-yard dash to keep the drive moving in the right direction and led to the points. K 99 Tyler Garrett’s point after made it 7-0 at the 3:27 mark. The third ended with Glass up 7-0.

Fourth Quarter –
Liberty fought back in the fourth. Working that “Maryland I” offense, Coach Chris Watt’s club went to work. RB 9 Garrett Whorley took a handoff off up the middle and was gone. Seventy-six yards later, the Minutemen were within a point of tying it.

Liberty came on for the point after kick, but Glass jumped offsides. That moved the ball to the one and a half yard line and Liberty Coach Chris Watts thought about it and then made the call to go for two. Glass’ defense was up to the challenge and denied Liberty from taking the lead. Coach Jeff Woody’s defense had held and led 7-6.

The Hilltoppers added some insurance on their very next play from scrimmage. After the ensuing onside kick was unsuccessful for Liberty, RB 21 Graves took the first down handoff and refused to go down.

Graves broke a number of tackles, and thirty-eight yards later, found the endzone. The extra point was no good, leaving Glass with a touchdown and extra point lead, 13-6. Liberty had three more chances with the ball but just couldn’t solve the Hilltopper defense. Glass moves to 1-1 with the 13-6 win and Liberty is now 0-3.

EC Glass heads home next week to take on Amherst County at City Stadium. Liberty Bedford will go on the road to take on the other area Liberty – Liberty Christian.
– Cap’n Crunch

Offense: 
Rushing– EC Glass – Graves 8/61, 2TDs, Pearson 9-45, Barbour 6-14, White 3-(-13), Team 2-(-10)
Liberty – Whorley 19-131, TD, Gilmore 13-50, Ingram 1-23, McIlhany 1-7, Evans 1-6, Stanley 6-0, Steele 1-(-1)
Passing– EC Glass – White 8-22, 48
Liberty – Stanley 3/19, 23
Receiving– EC Glass – Kittrell 3-29, Wood 2-21, Gilbert 2-5, Barbour 1-(-7)
Liberty– McIlhany 2-15, Whorley 1-8
Punting– EC Glass – Garrett 6-34 yd avg  Liberty– Whorley 4-15 yd avg

Scoring:

• ECG: Graves 1-yd TD run; Garrett PAT
• LIB: Whorley 76-yd TD run; 2-pt try failed
• ECG: Graves 38-yd TD run; Garrett PAT no good

 

 

Salem remains undefeated with a 63-7 win over the Knights

Bogle Field, Roanoke, Va.- The Salem Spartans remained undefeated with a big 63-7 win over River Ridge foe Cave Spring on Friday night. Salem wasted little time in getting into the scoring column and once the Spartans got started there was little that could be done to stop Coach Holter’s troops. Salem scored four times in the first quarter with four TDs, two in the air and two on the ground. RB 42 Zavione Wood scored four times on the night and picked up 199 yards on seven carries in a half of duty. Sophomore QB 10 DaRon Wilson was 4/7 for 40 yards and two TDs. The Knights were led by QB 35 Skylor Griffiths, although the Junior found the sledding tough. Cave Spring would get on the scoreboard in the fourth quarter on a 25-yard TD pass from Griffiths to WR 12 Bryce Cooper.

First Quarter –
Ask anyone who will tell you the truth, Salem is a tough opponent all the way around. If you’re going to have a chance to beat the Spartans, then you have to play flawless, create some turnovers, and limit their touches with the ball on offense. That is easier said then done. I believe the much improved Cave Spring Knights took on the Spartans with that game plan in mind. It just wasn’t to be this night.

Salem kicked to Cave to start the game. The Spartan defense dug in and forced a quick three and out. Salem’s first drive of the night was a methodical. Led by Sophomore QB 10 DaRon Wilson, the Spartans used the run with RB 42 Zavione Wood and FB 28 Cam Leftwich as well as a mix of passing to cap off their first drive. When the Spartans use a balanced attack, it’s tough to not be exposed somewhere.

Wilson finished off the Spartans first drive with a 10-yard TD pass to WR/DB 6 Jayden McDonald at the 8:38 mark. Salem K 20 Cross nailed the PAT and it was 7-0 Salem. Cave was held on their next drive and a short 14-yard punt put Salem back in the catbird’s seat again at the Knight’s thirty one yardline.
From there RB 42 Wood followed a big block by FB 28 Cam Leftwich in route to a big 30-yard gain.

FB 28 Cam Leftwich finished the drive off with a one-yard plunge into the endzone. Thirty seconds later Salem led 14-0 with K 20 Cross’ extra point.
Once RB 42 Wood gets started, he’s a tough runner to get back in line. On Salem’s next series, the Senior broke off another big run. This time it covered fifty one yards and moved the Spartan lead to 21-0 with the PAT.

QB 10 Wilson found Junior WR/DB 8 Chase Greer on a 20-yard TD toss and run to make it a four touchdown lead for Coach Don Holters squard after one quarter of play. Salem’s defense is a big part of how the Spartans get their leads and just keep adding to it. If you can’t keep the ball and subsequently Salem’s offense off the field, you are going to give up points.

Second Quarter –
In the second quarter it was more of the same. This time WR/DB 4 Jonathan Vernon’s lead block sprung RB/LB 42 Wood on a 57-yard TD run only a minute into the quarter. Salem’s lead was now at 35-0. Salem’s sixth score was set up by a punt return by WR/DB 8 Greer. The Junior picked his way through tacklers and set the visitors up for more first half points. FB 28 Leftwich opened up a hole with another big lead block that sprung RB/LB 42 Wood for a 19-yard TD run pushing the lead to 42-0. Salem’s final score of the first half came on just an athletic play by Spartan DB/WR 9, and Virginia Tech signee, Jorden McDonald. Cave QB 35 Skylor Griffiths, under duress and looking to throw the ball away, was picked off by McDonald as the Senior made an unbelievable snatch near the sidelines. RB/LB Wood would go on to score from 29-yards out for his fourth and what would prove to be his final TD of the game. Wood ended his night with seven carries for 199 yards and four scores. Salem went to the break up 49-0.

Third Quarter –
To add insult to injury for the Knights, WR/DB 2 Shawn Collins took the opening second half kickoff 85 yards for the score and :26 into the second half.

Salem’s final TD had QB 10 Wilson hitting WR/DB 11 Chauncey Logan down the right sidelines. Logan, also a Salem QB, caught it in stride and it was another ‘Salem Six.’ The left footed Cross put a bow on it with the point after. Salem’s lead was now 63-0.

Fourth Quarter –
Halfway through the final quarter, Cave QB 35 Skylor Griffiths got the Knights on the board with a 25-yard TD pass to WR 12 Bryce Cooper. Knight K 19 Tyler Mitchem came out and nailed the point after making the final 63-7.

Salem (4-0) will return next week to Bogle Field in Roanoke to take on Hidden Valley (1-3). Cave Spring (1-3) hits the road to take on Christiansburg (1-3).
                                                                                 – Cap’n Crunch

Scoring:

• S: Wilson 10-yd TD pass to Jayden McDonald; Cross PAT
• S: Leftwich 1-yd TD run; Cross PAT
• S: Wood 51-yd TD run; Cross PAT
• S: Wilson 20-yd TD pass to Greer; Cross PAT
• S: Wood 57-yd TD run; Cross PAT
• S: Wood 19-yd TD run; Cross PAT
• S: Wood 29-yd TD run; Cross PAT
• S: Collins 85-yd kickoff return for a TD; Cross PAT
• S: Wilson 39-yd TD pass to Logan; Cross PAT
• CS: Griffiths 25-yd TD pass to Cooper; Mitchem PAT

Hidden Valley breaks open a close 2-0 halftime lead

Blacksburg High School, Blacksburg Va.– The Blacksburg Bruins hosted the Hidden Valley Titans at David Crist Field on Friday night with both teams looking for their first win on the season. The Bruins and the Titans have struggled early in this pandemic spring football season, but Hidden Valley Coach Scott Weaver put some perspective on it saying that tonight’s game “should have been game 2. We had no scrimmages, so your first two are like scrimmages, last week was like your first game. You know by the time a lot of these teams start hitting a normal type grove of a season, the season is going to be over”. Turnovers, a couple of missed field goals and a safety lead to a low scoring 2-0 Hidden Valley halftime lead, but the Titan defense only allowed Blacksburg 71 yards of total offense while their own offense put together a pair of 70+ yard drives in the second half to give Hidden Valley a 22-0 win and a victorious bus ride back up I-81 North. Weaver commented after the game that “It’s a different, crazy year, we did a lot of things good tonight, we did a lot of things that weren’t good tonight, but I am just happy for these kids that they’re playing, and then that we got a win and we are going to enjoy the heck out of it.”

1st Quarter – Blacksburg’s WR/LB 6 Traye Roberts took the opening kickoff 16 yards, and the Bruins quickly moved into Hidden Valley territory when QB 8 David Oliver hit WR/DB 5 Addison Bass on a 13 yard pass play. However, 2 plays later Titan DB/WR 4 Jacob Pardon stopped Blacksburg’s momentum with an interception and HV took over on their own 35 yard line. The Titans drove to the Bruins’ 20 yard line but K 8 Brody Layman’s FG attempt was no good. The Bruins picked up 3 first downs on their next possession, but the drive stalled out on a 4th and 2 when HV WR/DB 7 Joey Strong’s tackle in the back field forced the turnover on downs.

2nd Quarter –  The Titans took the ball and moved to the BB 14 yard line on the running of RB/DB 22 DJ Banks (13-47, TD) and the throwing of QB 16 Sam Dragovich (15/25 – 161, 2 INT). However Bruin RB/DB 4 Stephen Ritenour’s interception prevented HV from scoring in the red zone and Blacksburg had a 1st and 10 on their 9 yard line. After a 3 and out series, the Bruin punt snap sailed high out of the end zone and Hidden Valley had 2 points on the board as a result of the safety. Blacksburg got their second interception on the next HV drive when RB/LB 42 Bryce Ferguson picked off the Titan pass on the Bruin 38 yard line, but they punted 4 plays later. The Titans drove to the Bruin’s 4 yard line and tried a FG with 2 seconds left in the half. The kick was blocked and Blacksburg’s WR/DB 7 Reed Kirk caught the ball in the air and streaked down the Blacksburg sideline.  For a moment it looked like he might score, but was tackled at the HV 33 yard line ending the first half.

3rd Quarter  – After the two teams traded punts, the Titan defense came up with another takeaway when WR/DB 6 Landon Blackshear picked off a Bruin pass at the HV 25 yard line. Hidden Valley then put together a 75 yard touchdown drive on their next series. The possession had an interesting twist on a 4th and 4 play at the Bruin 13 yard line.

QB 16 Dragovich caught his own batted pass and scampered 12 yards to the one yard line. Two plays later HV RB/LB 10 Jadon LaTempa (18-80, TD) scored from the 1 and K 8 Layman’s PAT made it 9-0 Titians.

4th Quarter – Blacksburg’s next possession proved costly as they had to punt from their end zone and HV WR/DE 3 James Fitzgerald recovered a fumbled Blacksburg snap for the TD and the Titans went up 15-0.

Hidden Valley later finished the scoring when RB 22 Banks capped a 6-minute, 70 yard drive on a 1 yard plunge and the PAT was good for a 22-0 Hidden Valley victory.

                                                                       – The Machine

Offense: Rushing– Hidden Valley – Banks 13-47, TD, LaTempa 18-80, TD, Dragovich 9-40
Blacksburg – Ferguson 10-12, Oliver 8-10, Ritenour 4-13, Ackerman 4-5, Campbell 3-12, J.Thompson 1-(-)1  
Passing– Hidden Valley– Dragovich 15/25, 161, 2 INT  Blacksburg– Oliver 1/4, 13, INT, Campbell 0/4, 2 INT  
Receiving– Hidden Valley– Banks 2-12, McDaniel 3-42, J.Pardon 2-11, Carroll 4-48, Robertson 1-12, J.Strong 1-11, Harding 1-13, Dragovich 1-12. Blacksburg– Bass 1-13  
Punting– Hidden Valley– Dragovich 1-33, Layman 1-34 Blacksburg  Bass 1-36, Roberts 2-37

Scoring:

• HV: Safety – punt snapped out of the end zone
• HV: LaTempa 1-yd TD run; Layman PAT
• HV: Fitzgerald recovered fumble in the end zone; PAT no good
• HV: Banks 1-yard TD run; Layman PAT