Heritage gets back on track to make playoffs with 56-7 win over Jefferson Forest

Liberty High School, Bedford, VA –
Jefferson Forest High School, Forest, VA –
The Crunch team made its way to Sabre Field Friday night for the Lynchburg high school football game of the week.  Jefferson Forest hosted Heritage on the Cavaliers’ senior night. With more cars in the parking lot and the starting game temperature around 75 degrees, it almost seemed like a normal September kickoff.  In a post-game interview, Heritage Coach Brad Bradley commented that after suffering a loss last week to Brookville, his team “could have felt sorry for themselves or come out full speed.” From the opening kickoff, the Pioneers’ response was definitely full speed as they roughed up JF for a 56-7 bounce-back game win.  Heritage exploded for 42 points in the 2nd quarter highlighted by two punt return TDs, and a touchdown reception all of which were 55 yards or more.  The Cavaliers were not able to keep pace with the Pioneers due, in part, to the Heritage defense allowing only 2 first downs and 35 yards total offense in the 1st half.  Even with all the points the offense put up, Coach Bradley beamed when discussing his team’s defensive effort.  “I felt like defense is where we won the football game tonight.  Points are great, but defense – their intensity was different tonight, I felt really good about that.  It’s a good team win”.
 1st Quarter – Heritage RB/WR 23 Darius Brown took the opening kickoff 35 yards and the Pioneers had great field position starting on their own 45 yard line.

The Pioneers’ combo of RB/LB 21 Rajan Booker-Felder (6-48 yds, 2 TDs) and RB 2 Elijah Steele (18-148 yds, 2 TDs) shared the load on the first scoring drive and R. Booker-Felder’s 9 yard TD run coupled with Karson Adcock’s PAT put Heritage up 7-0 at the 8:23 mark of the 1st quarter.

Jefferson Forest picked up 2 first downs on hard running by RB/LB 8 Keaton Ellis (14-42 yds) and RB 4 Kyle Woody (14-92 yds) but punted when the drive stalled on their 44 yard line.

2nd Quarter –  Heritage blew the game wide open in the second quarter scoring a touchdown every time they got the ball.  Meanwhile, the Pioneer defense kept feeding their offense by forcing five, three-and-out series and forced a fumble on the other Cavalier possession. The scoring barrage started with a 1-yd TD run by QB 11 Tevin Braxton (4-22 rush, TD, 5/9-86 yds pass, TD), followed by  a 55 yard punt return TD by WR/DB 13 Kenneth Crawford.  After a JF fumble, two plays later RB/LB 21 R. Booker-Felder got his second touchdown, finding the end zone from 11 yards out.  Heritage WR/LB 6 Keshaun Hubbard (5-86 yds receiving, TD, Punt Ret for TD) missed the Brookville game but made his presence known on the next two scores. 

He weaved through defenders en route to a 65 yard punt return touchdown and on the following possession, he made a beautiful over-the-shoulder catch and run for a 59 yard TD score.

RB 2 Steele closed out the scoring in the quarter with a 15 yard run as the Pioneers executed their two minute drill to perfection and Heritage led 49-0 at the half after K/P 32 Karson Adcock’s (7/7 PAT) extra point was good.
2nd Half – Coming out of the half Heritage added to their lead when RB 2 Steele was at it again with a 10 yard run for the touchdown.  K/P 28 Josh Cleaver’s PAT was good and it was 56-0.
 
Pioneer RB 2 Isaiah Steele scores his 2nd TD on the night
Jefferson Forest quickly responded with a 2 play, 69 yard touchdown drive highlighted by RB 4 Woody’s 60 yard run where he took a reverse down to the Heritage 9 yard line.

RB 4 Kyle Woody’s 60 yard run set up a first and goal at the Heritage nine. On the very next play RB 21 Devin Paige took it to the house from 9 yards out to put the Cavaliers on the board.  K 24 Zach Hinton added the PAT and the final score was 56-7 Heritage. –  The Machine

Offense: Rushing– Heritage – R.Booker  6-48, 2TD,  Steele 18-148, 2TD,  Braxton 4-22, TD, Johnson-McDougal 3-(-6)    Jefferson Forest – Ellis 14-42, Fum,  Woody 14-92, Paige 3-18, TD, Lambert 1-1, VanRemortel 4-(-5)   Passing– Heritage– Braxton 5/9-86, TD   Jefferson Forest– VanRemortel  3/9-26  Receiving– Heritage– Hubbard 5-86, TD  Jefferson Forest– Woody 1-2, Johnson 2-24.   Punting– Heritage– Johnson 1-18  Jefferson Forest– Hinton 4-33.5.

Scoring –
    •    HHS: R.Booker-Felder 9-yard TD run; Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: Braxton 1-yd TD run; Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: Crawford 55-yd punt return TD; Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: R.Booker-Felder 11-yd TD run;  Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: Hubbard 65-yd punt return TD; Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: Hubbard 59-yd TD pass from Braxton; Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: Steele 15-yd TD run;  Adcock PAT
    •    HHS: Steele 10-yd TD run; Cleaver PAT
    •    JFHS: Paige 9-yd TD run; Hinton PAT

 

Patrick Henry knocks off unbeaten Pulaski County 24-23

Pulaski County High School, Dublin, Va.- In possibly the best game of the year to date, Patrick Henry won a see-saw affair that saw both teams erase deficits to take the lead, with Patrick Henry on top 24-23 once the clocked ticked down to all zero’s. It looked like Pulaski County had the game well in hand when the Cougars scored on a 13-yard pass from QB 5 Drew Dalton to RB/LB 20 Trevor Burton with only :24 left before half to offset a Patrick Henry score only 27 seconds earlier. QB 3 Roy Gunn’s 7-yard slant pass TD to WR 4 Taeshawn Webb on fourth and goal had put PH back on top 12-10, after a failed two point conversion. That flurry of offense gave Pulaski County a 17-12 halftime lead. Pulaski County had the momentum going into the break. That looked to carry over into the second half, as the Cougars drove the ball forty-seven yards to the Patriot two. Coach Mark Dixon’s Cougars were denied though, when Patriot Freshman DB 9 Bodie Kahoun intercepted QB 5 Dalton’s toss over the middle in the Cougar endzone. The play shifted the momentum yet again.

Patrick Henry’s passing game was the difference for the visitors, but it was the Patriot defense that made it hold up. Coach Fiddler, “That interception (by DB 9 Kahoun) in the end zone to stop that initial (Pulaski County second half) drive was huge. Kids were gritty all night, played tough all night.”

First Quarter – After both teams tested the other’s defense that resulted in two punts, PH got the scoring started with an 80-yard drive that witnessed the Patriots moving the chains on four ‘third down’ conversions.

Pulaski’s defense could get the Pats to third down, but couldn’t get off the field. Credit PH quarterback 3 Roy Gunn. All four ‘pick ups’ were Gunn completions to three different receivers. PH used the “WR- tunnel screen pass” to WR 14 Carmello Taylor again and again, when they needed to move the chains.

The drive was capped off with a 4-yard touchdown run by Freshman RB 22 Chuck Webb. The extra point was bobbled and PH lead 6-0 with only 2:47 left in the quarter.

2nd Quarter – The beginning of the second quarter, Pulaski County’s offense showed it’s prowess.

The Cougars, starting at the end on the first quarter, drove the ball sixty yards to take the a 7-6 lead with K 19 Broc Simpson’s extra point. RB 26 Keyonte Kennedy took the ball up the middle from four yards out, across the goal line at the 9:37 mark.

Kennedy and RB 3 Austin Gallimore did the bulk of the work on the drive. Kennedy carried the ball the last four carries for 24 yards, while Gallimore the ball six times for 4o yards. Regardless, Pulaski did what they wanted. They drove the ball on the ground. It looked as though PH would retake the lead on their next drive, but OLB 8 Will Bishop would stop that drive at the Cougar thirty-eight. Looking the pick up yet another third down, Gunn rolled left tried to sidestep Bishop. The linebacker, having none of that, stripped the football and then made the recovery himself.

Pulaski made that turnover pay off ten plays later with a 42-yard field goal by K 19 Broc Simpson.

Coach Dixons’ Cougars would have rather had six points, but give PH’s defense credit. The Cougars extended their lead to 10-7 with 2:54 left in the half. That’s when the scoring flurry started. PH drove 60-yards with WR 14 Taeshawn Webb’s TD catch from QB 3 Gunn.

An exciting 54-yard kick return by WR/DB/KR 4 John Lyman put the Cougars back in scoring position at the Patriots thirty-six. A QB 5 Dalton pass to WR 4 Lyman for 23-yards followed up by the 13-yard TD toss and run to RB/LB 20 Burton. The half ended with Pulaski leading 17-12.

3rd Quarter – Pulaski received the second half kickoff and a nice return by RB/DB/KR 23 Quemar Porter 34-yards to the fifty had the Cougars in business. Pulaski quickly negotiated their way the forty seven yards down the Patriot’s three. The Cougars intent was to run the ball in and improve on their lead, but a dead ball illegal motion penalty moved them back five to the eight. An untold story was Pulaski’s problem with dead ball fouls on the night. RB 26 Kennedy was then stuffed for no gain on second down. On third down, DB 9 Kahoun made the play of the game when the d-back slid back underneath the receiver across the middle of the end zone and picked off QB 5 Dalton’s toss. Patrick Henry used that change of events to fuel their next scoring drive. PH moved the eighty yards culminating in a five yard TD pass to WR 4 Webb with :24 seconds left in the quarter.

The big play on the drive was WR 4 Webb’s fourth down and five catch and run off of a QB 3 Gunn pass down to the Cougar fifteen. The TD made it 18-17 Patrick Henry. The two point try, again was no good.

4th Quarter – Pulaski answered right back with nine play drive of their own.

QB 5 Dalton capped it off on a 1-yard TD run. Two big passes from Dalton to WR 4 Lyman put the Cougars in position to retake the lead.

After the score to put the home team up 23-18, Coach Dixon opted to go for two to make it a seven point game, but QB Dalton’s run came up just short. Fiddler was proud of his line play all night, “You know it’s going to be physical when you come here to play Pulaski. These guys keep showing up. Someone has to come out and the next guy goes in and makes the play. ” On the Patrick Henry’s next series, the Cougar defense did their job and forced a Patriot punt, but Pulaski’s offense couldn’t make it pay off and had to punt it back four plays later. Starting at their own eleven, PH drove the ball the 89-yards for the game winner. Twice Senior WR 11 Devin Tellez caught passes, 39 and 33 yards respectively, from QB 3 Gunn moving the ball to the Cougar nineteen. After a five yard penalty set the Patriots back, Gunn found WR 7 Jahzae Kimbrough in the middle of the endzone on the 24-yard toss.

Gunn’s ability to scramble and keep the plays alive puts a lot of pressure on opposing defenses. After Kimbrough’s TD catch, the 2-point try again was thwarted. PH led 24-23 with 4:10 left in the contest. Pulaski had two more opportunities with football to retake the lead. The first one was stopped on downs as QB 5 Dalton came up a yard short on a fourth down and six at the Patriots forty-two. The Cougars got one last opportunity to retake the Patriots, forcing a ‘three and out’ series with :43 seconds left. PH Punter/TE 18 Sean Medley came out and delivered a pressure punt to pin the Cougars deep. The Senior angled his punt 47-yards to the corner of the goal line and out at the Cougar four yard line. Four plays later Patriot DB 23 Marquis Adams picked off QB 5 Dalton.

Coach Fiddler was complimentary of his group, “Couldn’t be more proud of them. To come on the road and get a big win against a really tough team.”

Patrick Henry moves to 5-1 on the year, while Pulaski suffered their first loss and moves to 4-1. Pulaski  County will now travel to Salem this Friday to take on the undefeated Spartans (5-0) at home.        – Cap’n Crunch

Offense: Rushing– Patrick Henry – C Webb 16/49, TD, Gunn 8/11, Davis 2/1 Pulaski Co – Gallimore 15/110, Kennedy 14/47, TD, Porter 5/23, Dalton 8/(-10), TD
Passing– Patrick Henry – Gunn 12/25, 174, 3TDs Pulaski Co– Dalton 7/18, 167, TD, 2 INTs
Receiving– Patrick Henry – T Webb 6/76, 2TDs, Taylor 5/85, Kimbrough 4/42, TD, Pedigo 2/23, Tellez 2/72 Pulaski Co– Lyman 4/117, Gallimore 2/50, Burton 1/13, TD
Punting– Patrick Henry – Medley 3/32 Pulaski Co  Simpson 2/30

Scoring:

• PH: C Webb 4-yd TD run; PAT no good
• PC: Kennedy 4-yd TD run; PAT Simpson
• PC: Simpson 42-yd field goal
• PH: Gunn 4-yd TD pass to T Webb; 2 ptr no good
• PC: Dalton 13-yd TD pass to Burton; PAT Simpson
• PH: Gunn 5-yd TD pass to T Webb; 2 ptr no good
• PC: Dalton 1-yd TD run; 2 ptr no good
• PH: Gunn 24-yd TD pass to Kimbrough; 2 ptr no good

Two weather delays and James River can’t stop Narrows 54-0 win

Narrows Va.– Nothing was going to stop the Narrows Green Wave from getting a victory Saturday afternoon. Not
the James River Knights and certainly not the weather, although both gave it their best shot. At the end of the day, Narrows stayed undefeated with an impressive 54-0 win.

The Wave got it done in all three phases of the game. On offense, the home team put up 312 yards rushing and five touchdowns utilizing seven different backs. Leading the way for Narrows was Senior QB/LB 11 Reid Bowman. His day was marked by 13 carries for 116 yards on the ground. Through the air, Bowman was 5/9 for 88 yards and 2 touchdowns, plus an interception. And don’t forget the special teams.

RB/LB/KR 30 Jacob Robertson returned a punt forty one yards to ‘the house’ to round out the scoring.

Defensively the Green Wave was just as dominant, blanking the visiting Knights.

First Quarter – Narrows held James River to a ‘three and out’ on their first series, then went to work. On the Green Wave’s first offensive play from Scrimmage RB 23 Ty Robertson broke through the line and rumbled 42-yards for the score.

K/RB/DB 30 Jacob Robertson split the uprights on the point after and Narrows led 7-0 with just over a minute and a half gone. James River showed some life in the second defensive series. LB 39 Addison McCaleb got loose on a blitz and hit Green Wave QB/LB 11 Reid Bowman just as he was about to throw it.

The ‘wounded duck’ pass was picked off  by Knight DB 5 Tanner Dillow at the James River forty eight.

The Narrows defense quickly dispatched any momentum shift after that with three straight tackles for a loss back to the Knights twenty nine. That’s when the first blast of lightning hit and the game was delayed. When the two teams resumed play, the ‘Wave’ was at it again. A quick, two play drive was finished off by K/RB/DB 30 Jacob Robertson with a 20-yard run around the left end.

The Senior put a bow on it with the extra point kick and Narrows led 14-0.  Following RB 30 Robertson’s run, Narrows created a storm of their own opting for an onside kick.  K 30 Robertson kicked and recovered after the ball went the required ten yards.

Four plays later QB/LB 11 Reid Bowman found WR 18 Derek Johnston in the flat and the Junior followed his blocks to paydirt. The 18-yard catch and run made it 21-0 Narrows with 3:41 still left in the first quarter.

Second Quarter – The Green Wave added two more scores to their side of the ledger in the second. QB/LB 11 Bowman scored up the middle on a 7-yard run to make it 28-0 with the point after.

The Narrows defense forced a turnover to set up the Green Waves next score. DB 14 Logan Green got the ‘pick’ and after a few penalties on both sides, the ball rested at the James River forty-six. It took six plays for Green to get the score on the receiving end of a QB/LB 11 Bowman 15-yard pass. The home team had a comfortable 35-0 lead at the break.

Third Quarter – Narrows added two more scores in the third quarter, one on a traditional run, and one from the special teams unit. The first score came at the halfway point of the quarter.

RB 7 Dawson Snidow finished off a 63-yard drive with a five yard run for the TD. The point after was good and Narrows pushed their lead to  42-0. The special teams score came courtesy of 30 Jacob Robertson as he took a short James River punt and took it the distance. The forty-one yard return pushed the Narrows lead to 48-0. The extra point was wide.

Fourth Quarter – Junior RB 10 Christopher Via made his presence felt with a nifty 24-yard TD run for the Green Wave’s final score, early in the final stanza.

The point after was no good and Narrows was passed the half a hundred mark at 54-0. James River had no answer for the dominant Green Wave. The Narrows defense held the visitors to minus eight yards rushing on the day and only thirty nine yards through the air. Meanwhile Narrows racked up nearly 400 yards total.

Narrows will try to keep their record unblemished next Friday and heading into the playoffs as they entertain cross county rival Giles.                            – Cap’n Crunch

Offense: Rushing– Narrows – Bowman 13-116, TD,  J Robertson 3-85, TD, T Robertson 5/62, TD, Via 3-29, TD, Albert 1-9, Snidow 3-8, TD, McGlothlin 3-3
James River – Bell 4-5, Hammons 13-(-16), Taylor 2-8, Cook 3-4, Forbes 3-5, White 1-(-9), Cuddy 4-(-5)
Passing– Narrows– Bowman 5-9, 88, 2TDs, INT  James River – Hammons 2-8, 39, 3 INTs; Benson 1-3, 9, INT
Receiving– Narrows– Green 2-42, TD, Johnston 1-18, TD, Perdue 1-19, Needham 1-19 James River – Cook 1-6, White 1-24, Voight 1-9
Punting– Narrows– N/A  James River –  Cook 5-27.5

Scoring:

• N: Ty Robertson 23-yd TD run; J Robertson PAT
• N: J Robertson 20-yd TD run; J Robertson PAT
• N: Bowman 18-yd TD pass to Johnston; J Robertson PAT
• N: Bowman 7-yd TD run; J Robertson PAT
• N: Bowman 15-yd TD pass to Green; J Robertson PAT
• N: Snidow 5-yd TD run; J Robertson PAT
• N: J Robertson 41-yd punt return for TD; PAT no good
• N: Via 24-yd TD run; PAT no good