Hilltoppers start fast, turn Rustburg over in route to the 40-12 District win
Rustburg H.S., Rustburg, VA – The EC Glass Hilltoppers got a 255 yard passing night from QB 16 George White and the defense intercepted Rustburg four times to get a 40-12 win on the road against the Red Devils. After a quarter, the game was a tight 6-0 affair, but Coach Jeff Woody’s club scored on all four of their second quarter possessions in route to a 27-0 outburst, to put the game away early. The Hilltopper
defense did their part in the first half as well, picking off two passes. 
One theft came at the hands of DB 14 Eli Wood who took it back 56-yards for a ‘pick six.’ Coach Woody liked what he saw out there tonight, “Our defense was aggressive. Everybody has to do their responsibilities out there and fly to the football, and the cavalry has to come.” And boy did they come. The Red Devils played inspired as well for Coach Burt Torrence in his first year at Rustburg. Torrence was disappointed with the outcome but the Red Devils are improving each week. “The effort’s there. We are fighting tooth and nail and we are creating a culture change of playing the game a certain way. It’s going to come with time. At the end of the day you have to tip your hat to a good football team. They simply outplayed us.” Rustburg was led by RB 5 Jaidian Johnson’s 54 yards and a TD rushing. Red Devil LB 32 Quay Rosser led all tacklers with eight. For Glass it was by committee. WR/DB 14 Wood, RB/DB 21 Markevus Graves-Franklin, and RB/LB 2 Mike Thomas all stood out.
Rustburg and Glass captains shake hands pregame
First Quarter– Rustburg started the game with good field position to start the game but the EC Glass defense forced a kick after a three and out series. The Hilltoppers went on the attack right away with 31-yard strike from QB 16 George White to WR/DB 14 Eli Wood down to the Red Devil thirteen. Three plays later White took it in himself from a yard out and EC Glass led 6-0
EG Glass QB 16 George White sneaks in for the games first TD
After a penalty, Glass attempted a 2 point try but Rustburg snuffed it out. It took only four minutes for the Hilltoppers to light up the scoreboard but then both defenses settled in and that’s how the quarter ended.
Second Quarter -The second quarter was all Glass starting with an 8-yard TD pass from QB 16 White to Lyvarius Gilbert. K 4 Aidan Palys hit the point after and the lead was now 13-0 only five seconds into the quarter.
EC Glass QB 16 George White finds WR 3 Lyvarius Gilbert for six
The Hilltopper defense would get into the scoring column a little less than two minutes later when WR/DB 14 Wood jumped a Red Devil route and returned the interception 56-yards back to paydirt. That quick Glass was up 20-0 with Palys PAT.
Glass DB 14 Eli Wood picks off Rustburg QB 10 Mike Knight and takes it back for a score in the 2nd quarter
Glass would go on to score two more times to round out the first half with the second TD occurring with no time left on the clock. Both TD’s were courtesy of RB/LB 2 Mike Thomas runs. The first came with 2:20 left until half as the Sophomore took it 10-yards up the middle to finish off a 15 play drive for the visitors. 
The final first half score was set up by DB 7 Michael Osei’s interception near midfield. Eight snaps later, RB 2 Thomas scored from two yards out as time expired in the half. EC Glass led 33-0 at the break. Coach Torrence talked about how competitive the district is, “The Seminole (District) is the Seminole. You have got to bring your hard hat every day. They were just more physical then we were. We just have to continue to grow as a program.”
RB 2 Mike Thomas scores for EC Glass at the end of the first half as time runs out
Rustburg DB 3 Tae Booker brings down Glass RB 21 Markevus Graves-Franklin
Third Quarter – Glass has the ball twice and Rustburg only once in the third quarter. Twenty seven plays were reeled off between the two clubs but the defense’s had their say in the third, not allowing any points. Coach Woody credited his coaches and team for stepping up. “Coach Johnson, the defensive coordinator, is doing a great job of coming up with a game plan. We are aggressive. We have got these guys making plays all over the place. (DB 14) Eli (Wood) is all over the place. (DB 21) Markevus (Graves-Franklin) is all over the place, and we did a good job up front with run responsibility. Show up mad, be fundamentally sound, make the tackle, fly to the football.”
George White fires off a pass for EC Glass
Fourth Quarter – In the final stanza, Glass added their final score when 220-lb RB/LB 33 MaQuwan Farmer strolled into the end zone behind good blocking from five yards out to make it forty to zip, EC Glass.
RB 33 Ma’quwan Farmer scores in the fourth quarter
Red Devil RB 5 Jaidian Johnson scores from 13-yards out to get Rustburg on the board
Rustburg never wavered in their intent and effort to put points on the board. The last two scores belonged to the Red Devils. With 7:58 left in the contest RB/DB 5 Jaidain Johnson scored from the thirteen. That was followed up seven and a half minutes later with :28 left in the game with a 2-yard TD pass from QB 10 Mike Knight to TE/LB 8 Ben Baker. The first PAT was missed by K Justin Youngblood and the second was blocked. That got us to our 40-12 final in EC Glass’ favor.
Rustburg D-backs converge on EC Glass WR 14 Eli Wood
Coach Torrence was complimentary of this opponent. “(They are) Coached very well…very physical up front, especially on the defensive line. They were very good at matching our (receiver) routes, and being able to jump them. And we didn’t execute them very well. Hats off to them. They are a very good football team and will be a tough out for anybody (in the playoffs)”
Glass Coach Woody also noted a lot of good work happening at Rustburg, “It’s coming. You have to give it time. You have to cook it, let the ingredients marinate. You see the same thing at Jefferson Forest (Coach Crews). The coach has a scheme. He has an idea. He’s got his philosophy to create that tight knit group. It’s not a microwave and just pop it in there and it’s done. You gotta give it time.”
Both defenses at up some time in this one, holding the other teams offenses to less than 75 yards rushing the football. EC Glass finished with 64 yards on 25 carries and Rustburg netted 73 yards on 29 trips carrying the football. The real difference was EC Glass QB 16 George White and his receivers ability to pick up yards in the air and after the catch. White was 19/32 for 255 yards and a TD. Glass (7-1) will now entertain Brookville (6-2) at City Stadium next Friday. Rustburg will travel to Forest to take on the Jefferson Forest Cavaliers.
Hilltopper RB/LB 2 Mike Thomas finds room to run
Scoring:
First Quarter:
• EC Glass – C. White 1-yard TD run; 2ptr failed (8:00)
Second Quarter:
• EC Glass – L. Gilbert 8-yard pass from C. White; A. Palys PAT (11:55)
• EC Glass – E. Wood 56-yard Interception Return; A. Palys PAT (9:16)
• EC Glass – M. Thomas 10-yard TD run; A. Palys PAT(2:20)
• EC Glass – M. Thomas 2-yard TD run; A. Palys PAT( :00)
Fourth Quarter:
• EC Glass – M. Farmer 5-yard TD run; A. Palys PAT (9:33)
• Rustburg – J. Johnson 13-yard TD run; PAT missed (7:58)
• Rustburg – B. Baker 2-yard TD pass from M. Knight; J. Youngblood PAT blocked ( :28)
Offense–
Rushing:
EC Glass– M. Thomas 9-32, 2TDs, T. Mosby 3-10, M. Graves-Franklin 2-8, Q. Foster 4-6, C. White 3-1, TD, L. Gilbert 2-1
Rustburg– J. Johnson 20-54, TD, M. Knight 6-7, Trea Booker 1-7, C. Jones 2-5
Passing:
EC Glass– C. White 19/32, 255
Rustburg–– M. Knight 11/23, 132, TD, 3 INTs
Receiving:
EC Glass– M. Graves-Franklin 5-127, E. Wood 4-56, L. Gilbert 5-38, Q. Foster 2-29, T. Mosby 3-5
Rustburg–– A. Epperson 4-70, J. Johnson 3-44, C. Jones 1-14, A. Dixon 2-2, B. Baker 1-2, TD
Punting:
EC Glass– A. Palys 2-36 yard avg
Rustburg–– C. Terrell 2-39 yard avg
Returns:
EC Glass– E. Wood 56 yd INT TD, Q. Foster 1-13, L. Gilbert 1-10, T. Mosby 1-10
Rustburg–– J. Johnson 1-31, T. Scott 1-22, A. Dixon 1-18, J. Fleming 1-10, C. Crickenberger 1-8
Defense–
EC Glass– M. Thomas 6 Tkls, M. Graves-Franklin 5Tkls, INT, K. Smith 5 Tkls, E. Wood 3Tkls, 56-yd INT for TD, T. Jenkins 3 Tkls, N. Corsini 3 Tkls, Defl, N. Watson 3 Tkls, S Treacy 2 Tkls, C. Walker-Wells 2 Tkls, Sack, M. OSei III Tkl, INT
Rustburg– Q. Rosser 8 Tkls, A. Dixon 4 Tkls, C. Jones 3 Tkls, Tae Booker 3 Tkls, T. Scott 3 Tkls, C. Terrell 2 Tkls, Sack, Defl