Galax makes the big plays in a big game to get 7-6 win over Carroll County
Galax High School, Galax, VA – There are only fifteen miles separating Galax and Carroll County high schools. Friday nights final score had the two teams a lot closer than that. Cavalier QB 6 Benji Gosnell scored from 59-yards out to give Carroll a 6-0 lead in the second quarter. Wearing a club cast on his right hand, Gosnell and Carroll County nearly made that six points hold up. But in the end, Galax did what good teams do. They made the plays they needed to in order to win the game. That’s what good teams do. Big plays were not lost on Galax Coach Shane Allen, “A Senior (QB/DB 9 Ian Ashworth) made a heckuva play on that last pass (Carroll County’s last pass). He saved us. That is a Senior making a big play at an important time against a rival.”
Galax DB 9 Ian Ashworth makes a game saving tackle on the games last play
The play was a pass and lateral with only :01 second left on the clock. Carroll County Head Coach Monte Chipman dialed up a ‘Hook and Ladder’ play that nearly worked. The catch by WR 5 Elijah Cox on the hash was pitched back to WR 4 Josh Dalton. The Junior looked to have a clean run to the end zone, but Ashworth caught him from behind to save the win for Galax as time ran out. “ to make those kinds of plays in that moment takes a real football sense. You have to almost see it before it happens to be in position to prevent it. 
Ashworth demonstrated that skill. Galax had made another big play a few minutes earlier in the fourth quarter. Facing the 6-0 deficit, the Maroon Wave forced a fumble a few minutes into the fourth. The Wave tied it up 8:17 left in the game, six plays later, on a one-yard run by QB/DB 9 Ian Ashworth. K 2 Alberto Vera made the go ahead PAT and Galax led 7-6. QB/DB 9 Ian Ashworth had also made the big play in the second half that gave Galax the ultimate path to victory. After Carroll County scored their touchdown, the Senior blocked the point after. The Senior followed that up on the last play of the game with the game saving tackle. Coach Allen summed it up best, “these rival games, you never know what is going to happen.”
First Quarter –
Penalties were a big problem all night for the Maroon Wave, especially holding penalties. Credit Carroll County’s aggressive D-line and linebackers. Twice in the opening quarter, Galax had touchdown passes nullified due to holding. Coach Allen took the blame for the miscues by the O-line, “Way to many mistakes offensively in the first half, too many penalities. I need to do a better job with those guys on the offensive line. They weren’t moving their feet and then reaching.”
Galax QB/DB 9 pulled down by the Carroll County defense
Carroll County received the opening kickoff. After a tackle for a loss by LB 57 Riley Jo Vaught of QB 6 Gosnell back to the twenty-two, the Carroll O-line jumped and that pushed the visitors back another five.
Cavalier QB/MLB 6 Benji Gosnell attracts a lot of attention
QB 6 Gosnell was then picked off by DB 9 Ashworth and the Senior returned the swipe to the Cavalier forty-six.
Craig County QB 6 Gosnell is picked off by Galax on the games first series
Pressure by the Galax defense forces an early fumble recovered by DL 66 Brender Rojas
Two plays later QB 9 Ashworth hit WR 3 Mason Cox for an apparent 44-yard TD pass, but a holding call nullified it. From there the Carroll defense bent but didn’t break. 
Facing a fourth and thirteen at the twenty seven, Galax WR 33 Kolton Barnes was dropped by MLB 6 Gosnell and DB 1 Brogan Phillips before he could pick up the necessary yards for a first down. The quarter ended 0-0.
Maroon Wave WR 3 Mason Cox has a touchdown catch waved off from a holding penalty
Second Quarter –
Uncharacteristic mistakes cost Galax another early score in the second stanza. Starting at their own ten, Galax leaned on their rugged RB 1 Tedrhun Tucker to move the rock.
Galax RB 1 Tedrhun Tucker gets the tough yards
Tucker carried the ball on seven times for sixty yards. It looked like Galax would open up the night’s scoring as QB 9 Ashworth hit WR 4 Ayden White on an long developing 26-yard TD pass over the middle. But again, a holding penalty brought the play back, and led to an eventual punt by the Wave. Galax Punter 3 Mason Cox pinned the Cavs back on their one yardline with a nice punt. From there Carroll would get going. On third and eight from their own three, QB 6 Gosnell rolled left into the Carroll endzone and fired a perfect strike to WR 5 Elijah Cox for 38-yards out to the Carroll forty-one.
Carroll’s Gosnell rolls away from pressure in the end zone and completes a long pass to WR 5 Elijah Cox
On the next play, Gosnell kept the rock over the left side, broke into the clear. Ten or so yards down field, the Senior spun out of a tackle and bounced to the sidelines. From there no one was catching him. The 59-yard run gave Carroll a 6-0 lead.
Carroll’s Gosnell gets loose for a 59-yard TD
Big plays can happen at any point in a football game. On the ensuing point after, QB/DB 9 Ashworth made the play of the first half. The Senior darted in from the left side and blocked the extra point.
Galax DB 9 Ian Ashworth blocks the extra point after Carroll County’s touchdown
That would prove big. Carroll County led 6-0 with 7:18 left until half. That’s how if would stay, as the Cavalier defense forced two Galax punts. MLB 6 Gosnell was a force in the middle, even with only one arm, but another player who stood out was Freshman LB 52 Mason Crockett. The young linebacker had a tackle for a loss and a sack of QB 9 Ashworth on the two drives to force kicks. “Crockett is only a Freshman (14 years old). He just came up from JV. He made some big plays tonight,” said Carroll Coach Chipman.
The half ended 6-0 Carroll County.
Third Quarter –
Galax couldn’t get out of the mud on offense, but their defense kept them in the game. The Maroon Wave punted twice more in the third quarter. MLB 6 Gosnell, LB 52 Crockett, and LB Gavin Webb smothered the Galax run game.
Cavalier Freshman LB 52 Mason Crockett was in the backfield all night
The Galax defense also did their part, forcing Carroll into punts on both of their possessions. LB’s 57 Vaught and 33 Barnes kept the Cavalier offense at bay.
Galax QB 9 Ashworth finds WR 4 Ayden White for big yards
Fourth Quarter –
The final quarter, provided the fireworks for the Maroon Wave’s comeback. The Galax “D” got the turnover they needed at midfield with the recovered fumble early in the fourth. Six plays later, QB 9 Ashworth crossed the goal line and K 2 Vera provided the lead with the extra point kick.
Wave QB 9 Ashworth celebrates the tying score
But the game wasn’t decided quite yet. Carroll County fumbled again on their next drive. QB 6 Gosnell put in on the ground at the twenty, but the Cavalier defense held on, and forced a 38-yard field goal. K2 Vera’s boot sailed wide right. Galax forced another turnover on Carroll’s next drive.
The Galax defense stood tall when they needed it most
DB 21 Ronny Horton picked off QB 6 Gosnell in the middle of the field at the Cavalier thirty-nine. Again the Carroll County defense kept them in the game, forcing an eventual punt. The final series of the game was a nailbiter. Carroll drove the ball into Maroon Wave territory which led to QB/DB 9 Ashworth’s heroics as time expired. Carroll County’s Chipman had nothing but praise for the Maroon Wave, “They are well coached and it is hard to beat a team with their kind of tradition at their place. We had a game plan. We wanted to keep it low scoring, keep it ugly. Galax can do so much stuff. They are a great team.” Coach Allen was equally positive about the Cavaliers. “I watched them on film against Grayson. I knew they were a good football team. Coach Chipman does a great job. Their offense gives you so many formations (to look at), so much stuff, and now you throw that kid (Gosnell) back there at quarterback and oh man. They can spread you out and run him. You just have to win blocks, but our kids did a good job with that. He may be 0-2, but that is the best 0-2 team around, and when they get healthy they are going to be a load to handle.”
Galax (2-1) entertains Rural Retreat at home next week. Carroll County (0-2) ventures up to Wytheville to take on George Wythe. – Cap’n Crunch
Offense:
Rushing– Galax – Tucker 24/117, Ian Ashworth 9/30, TD, Horton 2/12, Reeves 6/8 Carroll Co – Gosnell 20/143, TD, Dalton 5/3 Passing– Galax – Ian Ashworth 6/15, 133, Carroll County – Gosnell 8/17, 137, 2 INTs Receiving– Galax – White 4/45, Barnes 2/18, Carroll County– Cox 4/63, Dalton 2/50, Smoot 2/24, Punting– Galax – Cox 7/30 yd avg Carroll County – Tickle 3/41 yd avg
Defense:
Galax– Barnes 5.5 Tkls, 1 solo/9 assists, Vaught 5 Tkls, 1 solo/8 assists, Ian Ashworth 4 Tkls, 2 solo/4 assists, INT, Tucker 3 Tkls/6 assists, Rojas 2.5 Tkls/5 assists, Alderman 2.5 Tkls, 2 solos/1 assist, Horton 2.5 Tkls, 5 assists, INT, Cox 2 Tkls, 1 solo/2 assists, Austin Ashworth 1.5 Tkls, 1 solo/1 assist, 50 Bartlett 1.5, 3 assists, Adams 1 Tkl, 2 assists, Poole 0.5 Tkls, 1 assist, Haynes 0.5 Tkls, 1 assist
Carroll County (leaders): Gosnell 14 solo tackles, 6 assists, 3 TFLs, Crockett 14 solo tackles, 4 assists, 6 TFLs, and a sack
Scoring:
1st Qtr
• Carroll County: Gosnell 59-yard TD run, PAT blocked
4th Qtr
• Galax: Ashworth 1-yard TD run, PAT by Vera