Radford uses big 21-point 2nd quarter to get the big win over Floyd County
Norman G. Lineburg Field, Radford, Va – On a beautiful night to play football, the Radford Bobcats used a some near perfect pinpoint passing from Sophomore QB 7 Landen Clark to outpace the Floyd County Buffalos 47-27 in the first round of the Class 2, Region C playoffs. Clark, after missing the first several games, recovering from a spring foot injury, sprung into action in the second quarter with three touchdown passes on top of a first quarter TD toss tying the game up 7-7. Radford Head Coach is glad to have Clark back in the lineup. “He just started playing QB last week, just came back from surgery. He can make a ton of plays. 
And Marcel (Baylor) is a huge threat outside and it opens up other guys too.” That 21-point second quarter was really the difference in the game, as Coach Winfred Beale’s Floyd County team would not go away. The Three River District rivals know each other well and have a lot of respect for each other’s programs. “Floyd will run right at you so they will test your toughness, but I think our kids responded. We are finding our way without Tyrel (LB/RB 22 Dobbins).” It’s always an adjustment when you lose a kid like that. Dobbins hurt his knee in the Glenvar game and is out for the season. Crist said that, “we knew we were going to get their (Floyd County’s) best shot and they were going to play incredibly hard. That they did.
First Quarter – The two teams took turns trading punts to start the game before Floyd got the first big break recovering a Bobcat fumble on their fifteen yardline. It took the Buffalos only three plays from there to get the games first score. FB 34 Emery Chaffin’s 5yard run down to the four yard put the visitors in golden position for the score. On the next play QB 9 Kaleb Fenton took it in on run up the middle at the 4:05 mark. K 84 Phillip Radford’s PAT capped it off and Floyd County led 7-0.
Buffalo QB 9 Kaleb Fenton scores the games first points
Radford didn’t blink. QB 7 Landen Clark had a one play answer, 0:19 later. The Sophomore rolled right, then threw across his body down the left hash marks to a wide open WR 45 Parker Prioleau for the 62-yard score. K 27 Vance Steele tied it up a seven apiece.
WR 45 Parker Prioleau catches an early TD pass
Second Quarter – Radford added to their lead in the second quarter with three scores while keeping the Buffalo’s at bay. Scoring wise, the second quarter was really the difference in the game. QB 7 Clark hit WR/DB 8 Marcel Baylor on a 60-yard missile at the 11:18 mark to take the lead. Baylor had gotten behind the Buffalo’s and with Clark’s scrambling ability, it’s tough to keep up with an athlete like Baylor. After recovering from a foot injury, Clark’s return to the team and the QB position a few weeks ago has put Radford’s offense in warp speed. Baylor moved from QB to WR and is now a different kind of weapon downfield. “He (Landen Clark) can make a ton of plays and Marcel (WR/QB/DB 8 Baylor) is a huge threat outside, which opens up other guys that we think are threats too,” remarked Crist after the game. The move also has stretched defenses vertically with the other receivers on the team. And everyone knows if the linebackers and defense backs first step is back to defend, then that can open up the running game.
Bobcat QB 7 Landen Clark finds WR 5 Darius Wesley-Brubeck for a score before half with no time left on the clock
The Bobcat offense added two more scores in the last 1:07 of the half to put some distance between them and Floyd County at the break. The ‘Clark to Baylor’ connection, this time from 21 yards out made it a two score spread. And then with :00 left on the clock, literally the last play of the half, QB 7 Clark found WR 5 Darius Wesley- Brubeck from 8 yards out. Clark had set up the score with an interception and return back inside the Buffalo’s ten yard line with :29 left.
While the Bobcat offense was running wild, the defense had settled in to thwarting Floyd County’s offense, at least for a quarter. To go with Clark’s interception, Baylor also had a ‘pick’ earlier in the quarter to get the ball back for the home team.
Coach Michael Crist liked his position going into half time.
Third Quarter – The third quarter was pretty much a draw. Radford picked up where 
they left off with a 10 play, 65 yard drive that took three and a half minutes. QB 7 Clark hit WR 8 Baylor on a six yard pass. The point after missed and Radford’s lead had ballooned to 34-7.
But there is no quit in a Coach Winfred Beale Floyd County team. The Buffs answered with a 9-play drive of their own. The big plays were two big passes from QB 9 Fenton’s pass to TE/DE 40 Kaiden Swortzel. One for 26 yards and the other for 23. Fenton capped off the drive on a 5-yard run. The point after made it 34-14, Radford.
Floyd County TE 40 Kaiden Swortzel
Fourth Quarter – Radford tacked on another touchdown with 7:48 left in the game, following a Floyd County fumble recovered by RB/DB 21 David Woodward. The two teams combined for three more scores in the last five minutes of the game. New QB 7 Rylan Swortzel hit WR 42 Seth Dunbar for a six yard strike. RB 24 Nate Wesley answered with a 4-yard TD run at the 1:32 mark, but the 2 point try was no good. Floyd County, swinging ’til the end, saw QB 9 Fenton’s return, and the Senior finding WR 17 Elijah St. Clair on a 14-yard TD toss to round out the night’s scoring. The final TD got us to the 47-27 final score.
Floyd County ends a successful season at (6-5), and going out swinging. All five of the Buffalo’s losses were to playoff teams. Radford, for the win, is rewarded with a shot in Appomattox against the state champion defending Raiders (9-1). Appomattox’s only loss came at the hands of Class 3 power Heritage out of Lynchburg. Appomattox has won __ out of the last __ state championships in Class 2. The task will be no easy undertaking and it is a tough place to play. – Mike ‘T Mac’ Dermott & Cap’n Crunch
Bobcat RB 24 Nate Wesley scores
Offense:
Rushing– Radford – David Woodward 8-55, Marcell Baylor 2-7, Darius Wesley-Brubeck 3-7, Nate Wesley 16-102, 2 TD, Landen Clark 5-16 Floyd County – Emery Chaffin 13-35, Tanner Evans 5-41, TD, Drew Lloyd 2-17, Casey Graham 6-30, 2 TD, Stephan Myrthil 9-45, TD, Nathan Saltus 12-46, Fum, Kaleb Fenton 12-38, 2 TD
Passing– Radford– Landen Clark 13/23-253, 5 TD Floyd County– Kaleb Fenton 13/20-179, 2 TD, INT, Seth Dunbar 0/1, INT
Receiving– Radford– Marcell Baylor 5-101, 3 TD, Parker Prioleau 3-80, TD, Darius Wesley-Brubeck 2-24, TD, Max Kanipe 1-9, Elliot Grayson 2-39 Floyd County – Kaiden Swortzel 7-91, Seth Dunbar 4-70, TD, Matt Slusher 1-4, Elijah St. Clair 1-14, TD
Punting– Radford– Vance Steele 4-35.3 avg. Floyd County– Phillip Radford 4-35.8
Scoring:
1st Qtr
• Floyd County: K.Fenton 4-yd run; P.Radford PAT (4:05)
• Radford: P.Prioleau 62-yd pass from L.Clark; V.Steele PAT (3:46)
2nd Qtr
• Radford: M.Baylor 60-yd pass from L.Clark; V.Steele PAT (11:18)
• Radford: M.Baylor 21-yd pass from L.Clark; V.Steele PAT (1:07)
• Radford: D.Wesley-Brubeck 5-yd pass from L.Clark; V.Steele PAT (0:00
3rd Qtr
• Radford: M.Baylor 6-yd pass from L.Clark; Kick failed (8:32)
• Floyd County: K.Fenton 4-yd run; P.Radford PAT (5:17)
4th Qtr
• Radford: N.Wesley 12-yd run; V.Steele PAT (7:48)
• Floyd County: S.Dunbar 6-yd pass from K.Fenton; P.Radford PAT (4:41)
• Radford: N.Wesley 4-yd run; 2pt attempt failed (1:36)
• Floyd County: E.St.Clair 14-yd pass from K.Fenton; P.Radford PAT (0:46)