Botetourt shuts out Blue Demons in first round of playoffs

Lord Botetourt High School, Daleville, Va. – One thing was clear on Saturday afternoon in the Region 3D Semi Finals. The Lord Botetourt Cavaliers are on a mission. The Cavs beat a good Christiansburg team soundly, 55-0. Coach Alex Wilken’s Blue Demons came into Daleville with hopes of containing the Cavs, but the home team was having none of that. Lord Botetourt’s offense scored on their first five possessions before the visitors stopped them on a first down sack as time on the clock ran out on the first half. The Cavalier offense was impressive, highlighted by two TD tosses from QB 1 Sammy Peery to TE 44 Zach Horton for the game’s first two scores. It’s hard to account for a big TE who can catch it and run like Horton. Two more scores were provided by Senior RB 22 Dylan Wade on the ground. LB Coach Jamie Harless was glad to advance but also complimentary of the Blue Demons, “Christiansburg is a good football team. They’ve played some tough opponents, Salem, Pulaski, Patrick Henry…” Botetourt will now move on to face Abingdon at home who was a 42-0 winner over Carroll County.

First Quarter – Lord Botetourt kicked the ball to Christiansburg to start the game. A brisk wind was behind the Cavs to start, and that would play into the game early on. Junior K 6 Bryson Harvey booted the ball into the end zone, so Christiansburg took over at their own twenty. The Cavalier defense established themselves right from the jump.

On first down Blue Demon QB 8 Casey Graham lost four yards. On second down, MLB/RB 10 Hunter Rice tackled TE/LB 9 Drew Lloyd for no gain after a short pass. Then on third the pressure came and DL 52 Troy Everett tackled RB 42 Kenyon Johnson-Buchannon for a six yard loss. Botetourt’s defense is an aggressive, all out unit. They pin their ears back and come after you. This would prove true all day long. After a 29-yard punt by WR/DB/P 7 M.J. Hunter, and a Cavalier 10-yard penalty, Botetourt took over at the Christiansburg forty nine. It took Coach Jamie Harless’ squad just six plays to start the scoring. Starting in the wildcat, two big carries by RB 10 Hunter Rice for eight yards apiece moved the ball to the Blue Demon thirty-three. After a LB holding penalty on a run by RB 22 Dylan Wade, Cav QB 1 Sammy Peery found one of his favorite targets, WR 4 Kyle Arnholt for thirty one yards down to the Christiansburg fourteen. The Blue Demons held RB 22 Wade on two carries for short gains, pushing the Cavs to third down.

But then stepped in “ole reliable” – TE 44 Zach Horton. Horton caught the Peery toss out into the flat and took it the balance for six points. K 6 Bryson Harvey banged through the point after and at the Cavs led 7-0 at the 7:13 mark. Christiansburg second offensive series went much like the first. A Cavalier sack of QB 8 Graham for a five yard loss by LB/FB/TE 24 Nic Pitzer and DB 8 Cade Lang put the Blue Demons behind the sticks looking at second down. Two plays later, the Demons would punt it back to LB to their own forty-five, giving them another short field. The wind didn’t help Christiansburg, as P 7 Hunter did a good job keeping his punts low. The combination of no first downs by the Blue Demons and then having to punt into that wind worked in the Cavalier’s favor.

It took the home team only five plays to make it a two touchdown lead. Again, the combination of QB 1 Peery to TE 44 Horton turned the trick for Botetourt. This time the toss, catch and run covered sixteen yards.
Second Quarter – Botetourt added to their lead on their third drive which ended in the second quarter.

At 10:22, RB 22 Dylan Wade took in on the ground from a yard out. As the Cavs rested RB 10 Rice on offense, Wade took over the reigns at running back. He toted the ball four out of the last five carries behind the big Offensive line of the Cavs. Lord Botetourt would add two more scores before the break – another one-yard TD run by RB 22 Wade

and a perfectly thrown and caught, 65-yard pass from QB 1 Peery to WR 4 Arnholt racing down the middle of the field. The Senior caught it in stride and was gone.”

Arnholt would leave the game before half with an injury. Botetourt’s defense was equally impressive holding a very good Christiansburg team to zero first downs in the first half. Lord Botetourt’s led 35-0 at the break.

Third Quarter – The Cavs added to the margin at the beginning of the second half. It took four plays for their next score, but two of them were called back due to penalties. Their worst enemy on the day may have been themselves as they were flagged seven times for seventy yards on the day. All that was erased on the drive when QB 1 Peery found Sophomore WR 28 Cameron Orange for forty seven yards. On the next play, RB 22 Wade took it in on the ground from twenty yards out.

Adding insult to injury, on Chrisiansburg’s next possession the Demons looked like they would get something established after a QB 8 Casey Graham to TE 20 Tyrique Taylor for twenty one yards out to the thirty five. But it just wasn’t the Blue Demons day. After a yard loss, and a DE 44 Horton sack of Graham back to the twenty eight, the LB defense got into the scoring act for red and gray. Botetourt’s Peery, also a defensive back, picked up a Blue Demon fumble at the C-burg twenty two and motored that same distance for a defensive score.

K 6 Harvey had a rare miss on the point after and it was 48-0 Botetourt.
Fourth Quarter – Botetourt backup QB/DB 7 K.J. Bratton added the finishing touches on the day’s scoring with a four yard TD run half way through the fourth quarter to make it 55-0.

Christiansburg had a tough day, but that shouldn’t take anything away from Coach Alex Wilken’s Blue Demons and their season. C-burg faced maybe the toughest schedule in the area during this crazy, Covid-marked spring football season starting with Salem, Pulaski County, Patrick Henry, and now Lord Botetourt. Out of their seven games, four were playoff teams.
Lord Botetourt will now go on the face their Coach’s alma mater, Abingdon, next Friday night. The Falcons got the 42-0 win over Carroll County on the other side of the bracket.                                  – Cap’n Crunch

Offense: 
Rushing – 
Lord Botetourt – Wade 16-100, 2TDs, Bratton 7-62, TD, Overbay 7-53, Rice 2-16, Peery 3-15, Nicely 2-6, Carter 2-3
Christiansburg – Graham 8 -(-21), Johnson-Buchannon 6-0, Lloyd 4-17, Cunningham 3-6, Evans 3-7
Passing – 
Lord Botetourt– Peery 13/15-227, 3TDs  Christiansburg – Graham 5/12-38, Evans 1/2-32, Hunter 0/1-0
Receiving– 
Lord Botetourt – Arnholt 5-128, TD, Horton 7-73, 2TDs, Orange 1-27 Christiansburg – Altizer 3-19, Lloyd 2-30, Taylor 1-21  
Punting– 
Lord Botetourt – No punts
Christiansburg – Hunter 7-32 yd avg

Scoring:
• Lord Botetourt: Peery 9-yd TD pass to Horton; Harvey PAT good
• Lord Botetourt: Peery 16-yd TD pass to Horton; Harvey PAT good
• Lord Botetourt: Wade 1-yd TD run; Harvey PAT good
• Lord Botetourt: Wade 1-yd TD run; Harvey PAT good
• Lord Botetourt: Peery 65-yd TD pass to Arnholt; Harvey PAT good
• Lord Botetourt: Wade 20-yd TD run; Harvey PAT good
• Lord Botetourt: Peery 22-yd fumble return for a TD; PAT no good
• Lord Botetourt: Bratton 4-yd TD run; Harvey PAT good

Liberty Christian wins rematch with Brookville; advances to Regional Finals

Brookville High School, Stinger Stadium, Lynchburg, Va –  One of the VHSL Class 3 Region C Semifinal games took place Friday night at Brookville’s Stinger Stadium as the 6-0 Bees played host to the 4-1 LCA Bulldogs.  This was the rematch of a cross-town, week-2 contest where the Bees won 25-14.  The Bulldogs came into the game on an upward trajectory since their opening game loss, appearing to be peaking when it matters most.  Their momentum continued on the night as LCA scored the game’s first 35 points on their way to a 42-14 playoff victory over Brookville, and abruptly ended the Bee’s championship aspirations.  Liberty Christian Academy’s coach Frank Rocco commented when asked about his team’s loss to Brookville earlier in the season that “we just weren’t very cohesive then, and playing a great, talented team like that (Brookville) you are going to shoot yourself in the foot, which we did.  But over the course of the last 5 and 6 weeks, I mean, we’ve slowly gotten better and better”.  The Bulldog victory sets the table for what should be an epic battle next week for the Region C Final when Liberty Christian takes on fellow Seminole District rival, Heritage High School, who knocked out Rockbridge County in the other Region C semifinal Friday, 48-10.  When asked about the matchup, Coach Rocco said “…they’re great.  Brad (Bradley) does a great job, the kids are tough, they are very complete, they have so many athletes.  So we’re just thankful to be in it.  We are going to host a game, host the region championship, and you know, Praise God.”
1st Qtr – LCA took the opening kickoff and moved 68-yards for the score on RB 1 Jaylin Belford’s (9-115, 2 TD rush, 2-29 rec) 9-yard TD run.  The drive was kept alive on a 3rd and long when QB 7 Davis Lane (11/14-185, 2 TD, INT) hit WR 9 Will Wycoff on a 33 yard pass reception and again on a 4th and 7 when QB 7 Lane found RB 1 Belford for 8 yards. 

The PAT was missed and LCA led 6-0.  After a 3-and-out by Brookville, LCA’s QB 7 Lane found a wide open WR 15 Sullivan Holmes for 49 yards and RB 26 Cade Wycoff (17-134, 2 TD, rush, 2-20 rec) added to their lead with a 6-yard TD plunge.  

The PAT was good by RB 10 Caleb Davidson and the Bulldogs led 13-0.  On the ensuing kickoff, Brookville WR/LB 22 Jaylyn Marshall gave the Bees great field position with a 46 yard return, but the drive stalled when LCA’s WR/CB 1 Belford intercepted the Bee’s pass and the Bulldog’s took over on their 15.
2nd Qtr –  Three plays into the quarter, Brookville’s WR/DB 4 Caleb Christian returned the favor with an interception of his own. 

Christian made an athletic play by tipping the ball in the air to prevent the reception, then he caught the carom giving his offense the ball back.  Brookville picked up one first down but had to punt.  LCA’s next drive featured 4 straight running plays to RB 10 Caleb Davidson (15-71) that picked up 34 yards.  QB 7 Lane then connected with WR/CB 3 Delvonte McLean for a 13-yard TD pass. 

K 28 Chase Dupin added the PAT and it was 20-0 Bulldogs.  The Bee’s offensive woes coupled with the tough LCA defense that only allowed 33 yards rushing forced another punt and the Bulldogs got the ball back with 3:44 left in the 2nd. 

They moved 70 yards and scored a touchdown on a quick hitting 2-yard pass from QB 7 Lane to TE/LB 22 Conner Hill with 7 seconds left on the clock.  K 28 Dupin’s PAT put LCA up 27-0 at halftime.  
3rd Qtr –  Brookville took the second half kickoff and moved to LCA’s 35 yard line but failed to convert on a 4th and 8. 

Three plays later, LCA WR/CB 1 Belford broke loose for a 51 yard TD scamper and when QB 7 Lane hit FB/LB 20 Thomas Murphy for the 2pt conversion it was 35-0 Bulldogs.  

The Bees finally got on the board on their next drive highlighted by a 61 yard pass from QB 7 Drake McDaniel (3-14 yds rush, 7/24-202 yds pass, INT) to WR/DB 5 Ethan Robey (2-71).  RB 28 Tayshaun Butler scored from the 1 and K/P 23 Ethan Brown’s PAT was good to make the score 35-7 LCA. 

The Bulldogs responded by driving 52 yards for their final score when RB 26 C. Wycoff scored his second TD on an 8 yard jaunt.  The PAT was good by K 28 Dupin and the lead was 42-7.
4th Qtr –  Brookville scored early in the 4th after LCA kickoff had pinned them back on their 3 yard line. 

QB 7 McDaniel threw a short pass to WR 1 Jahee Blake (3-115, TD) and Blake did the rest, sprinting for the 97 yard touchdown.  K/P 23 Brown connected on the PAT and the final score was 42-14.                    – The Machine
 
Offense: 

Rushing– LCA – Jaylin Belford 9-115, 2 TD,  Davis Lane 7-7,  Cade Wycoff 17-134,  2 TD, Will Wycoff 1-(-2),  Caleb Davidson 15-71, Thomas Murphy 1-2, Jordan Cowart 3-(-2)   Brookville – Tayshaun Butler 8-9, TD,  Silas Rucker 3-12, Drake McDaniel 3-14, Jaylyn Marshall 1-(-2), JT Brown 1-0  

Passing– LCA– Davis Lane 11/14-185, 2 TD, INT   Brookville– Drake McDaniel  7/24-202, TD, INT  

Receiving– LCA– Thomas Murphy 2-23, Will Wycoff 1-33, Cade Wycoff 2-20, Jaylin Belford 2-29, Dillon Stowers 1-16, Sullivan Holmes 1-49, Delvonte McLean 1-13, TD, Conner Hill 1-2, TD  Brookville–  Caleb Christian 1-3, Tayshaun Butler 1-13, Jahee Blake 3-115, TD, Ethan Robey 2-71   

Punting– LCA– 0-0  Brookville – Steven Pauley 3-36.6

Scoring:
LCA: Belford 9-yard TD run;  PAT missed
LCA: C.Wycoff 6-yard TD run;  Davidson PAT
LCA: McLean 13-yd TD pass from Lane; Dupin PAT
LCA: Hill 2-yd TD pass from Lane; Dupin PAT
LCA: Belford 51-yard TD run;  Lane pass to T.Murphy for 2 Pt
BHS: Butler 1-yd TD run; Brown PAT
LCA: C.Wycoff 6-yard TD run;  Dupin PAT
BHS: Blake 97-yd TD pass from McDaniel; Brown PAT