Spartan’s big plays dispatches Louisa County 55-7 in Regional Semifinals
Spartan Stadium, Willis White Field, Salem, Va – The Salem Spartan’s were efficient and consistent in their 55-7 rout of Louisa County in Friday nights Regional Semifinal win in Salem. The Spartans scored on five of their six first half possessions to put the game away early. Three of Salem’s first four possessions were ‘one-play’ drives. Twice FB 28 Cam ‘the mailman’ Leftwich went ‘yard’ with runs up the middle, 87 and 37 yards respectively. Sandwiched around #28’s deliveries was QB 10 DaRon Wilson’s 37-yard TD pass to WR/DB 11 Chauncey Logan. 
The Louisa County Lions, moving to Region D this year, executed a perfect fourth down fake punt-run by big DL 97 Qwenton Spellman to keep their first drive alive, but Salem’s defense declawed the Lions after that. LB’s 7 Noah Collins and 33 Jaelyn Allen made life uncomfortable for the visitors. On the D-line 73 Stacy Williams, 51 Cam Martindale, and DE 38 Nate McClure held court. Couple that with interceptions by DB 8 Chase Greer and DB 11 Logan and it was Salem’s night. Salem throttled Louisa’s vaunted run game all night holding QB 7 Landon Wilson to 70 yards and RB 12 Jordan Smith to 17 yards rushing on the night. Spartan Coach Don Holter liked what he saw, “We played well tonight but we haven’t played our best game.”
Salem’s defense on the attack against Louisa County QB 7 Landon Wilson
First Quarter – Louisa County took the opening kickoff and moved out to near midfield before the Salem defense halted their advances. The big play of the drive was a fourth down, fake punt that big DL 97 Qwenton Spellman ran for 9 yards and a first down. Spellman took the short snap and rumbled to the Lion’s forty-six before being cut down. That was Louisa County’s longest play of the first quarter. QB 7 Landon Wilson fired off a 40-yard punt with no return down to the Salem thirteen. But that only proved to give Salem FB 28 Cam ‘the Mailman’ Leftwich more room to run. The first down handoff to the fullback produced an 87-yard TD run. WR 11 Chauncey Logan ran interference for the speedy fullback. That quick, Salem led 7-0 after K 57 Caleb Wright’s PAT
Salem FB 28 Cam Leftwich bursts through a hole by ‘the Mules’ on Salem’s first offensive play
The Spartan defense stuffed Louisa on three downs on their next series led by two stops by LB 7 Noah Collins with help from DB 9 Chris Cole, DE 38 Nate McClure and Sophomore LB 33 Jaelyn Allen.
LB 7 Noah Collins and DE 38 Nate McClure sack Louisa’s QB
QB/P 7 Wilson got off another 40-yard punt but this time KR/DB/WR 8 Chase Greer brought it back to the 11-yards to the Louisa County forty two before a penalty on both teams settled the football at the thirty seven of the Lions. Salem showed off their versatility on their next first down play, faking to Leftwich up the middle, QB 10 DaRon Wilson stepped back and hit WR/DB 11 Chauncey Logan in the end zone for the 37-yard TD pass. Logan stretched out to haul it in and Salem stretched their lead to 14-0.
The Lions next series would prove no more fruitful as DB 8 Greer picked off QB 7 Wilson’s attempt to get the ball to RB/DB 12 Jordan Smith down the right hashes. Greer centerfielder the play, snared it out of the blue and brought it back 23-yards to the Louisa County thirty five.
FB 28 Leftwich scores on the end of a 6-yard TD pass
Second Quarter – Again it was the versatile FB 28 Leftwich producing the points. This time the Senior caught a pass on the 6-yard line and strolled in with only
:04 gone in the second quarter. The drive took six plays with four runs by RB 21 Jayveon Jones for 24-yards combined. Salem had posted a 21-0 lead. The Spartans weren’t done yet. Their next drive was also a one play series. Again it was FB 28 Leftwich taking it 37 yards this time to pay dirt. Leftwich finished the day with only 12 carries for 184 yards and 5 TDs, four rushing and one receiving. Salem’s lead was now four touchdowns, 28-0.
Louisa’s Junior QB 7 Landon Wilson scores
Louisa never quit, to their credit. Their next drive produced a score but it was time consuming. Not the type of score they would need to catch up. Their 12 play drive was capped off with a 12-yard scoring run by QB 7 Wilson with 3:26 left in the half.
The Lions finally stopped Salem on their next series, but gave it right back on downs on their own twenty five with under a minute left. Salem worked the ball down to the fifteen with :16 seconds left and put the ball in their capable QB 10 DaRon Wilson’s hands. He dropped back and found WR 11 Chauncey Logan at the goal line for the Spartans fifth score of the first half. Spartan QB 10 Wilson was 3-6 for 58 yards on the night, but all three completions were for touchdowns. Salem led 35-7 at the break.
Spartan WR/DB 11 Chauncey Logan catches a Salem TD pass from 15 yards with :16 left in the half
Second Half – Third Quarter – Salem picked up right where they left off at the start of the second half. This time the Spartans would need six plays before FB 28 Leftwich would burst up the middle, again, this time from 37-yards to make it 42-7.
A fumble by the Lion QB 7 Wilson would give it back to the Spartans at Louisa County’s thirty two. The Spartans would slow it down but the result would be the same – six points. Leftwich cemented his fifth score of the night from a yard out. The PAT was no good but Salem’s lead was 48-7.
Fourth Quarter – One more turnover by the LIons would lead to the game’s final points. This time it was WR/DB 11 Logan snatching a QB 7 Wilson pass out of the air and returning it back out to the Louisa forty-eight. The drive had looked promising up until Logan’s theft. Louisa had moved the ball down the Salem twenty-two.
From the forty eight, Salem ran clock and the ball. Splitting time between carries for RB 21 Jones and RB 32 Isaiah Barlett, Salem continued to dominate the line of scrimmage against the much bigger Louisa County front. RB 32 Batlett finished off the drive with a one-yard blast with 4:09 left. The score and subsequent extra point made the final 55-7. – Cap’n Crunch
Salem RB 32 Isaiah Bartlett scores late in the game to put a cap on it
The Spartans were sharp from the get-go, and their defense handled the run happy Lions from start to finish. Salem (11-1) will now face a red hot GW Danville (9-1) who beat Western Albemarle 40-8 on the other side of the region. The Spartans and Eagles met last year with Salem coming out on top 35-21 in route to going on to win their 10th state title last spring.
Offense:
Rushing–
• Salem – Cam Leftwich 12-184, 4 TDs, Isaiah Bartlett 11-102, TD, Jayveon Jones 10-31, Wilson Rakes 2-15, DaRon Wilson 1-12, Team 1-(-2)
• Louisa County – Landon Wilson 25-70, TD, Troy Fischer 3-18, Jordan Smith 12-17, Adam Mills 3-10, Qwenton Spellman 1-9, Austin Talley 3-7, Chase Miller 1-6
Passing–
• Salem – DaRon Wilson 3-6, 58, 3 TDs
• Louisa County – Landon Wilson 3-9, 28, 2 INTs
Receiving–
• Salem– Chauncey Logan 2-53, 2TDs, Cam Leftwich 1-6, TD
• Louisa County – Jordan Smith 2-19, Stephen Dean 1-9
Punting –
• Salem – Chauncey Logan 1-37 avg
• Louisa County – Landon Wilson 4-32 avg
Returns –
• Salem – Chase Greer 4-50, Chauncey Logan 1-32
• Louisa County – Isaiah Haywood 2-20, Caden London 1-13, Andrew Steele 1-11, Nathan Gramling 1-9,
Scoring:
1st Qtr
• Salem: C. Leftwich 87-yd run; C. Wright PAT (8:00)
• Salem: C. Logan 37-yd TD pass from D. Wilson; C. Wright PAT (5:57)
2nd Qtr
• Salem: C. Leftwich 6-yd TD pass from D. Wilson; C. Wright PAT (11:56)
• Salem: C. Leftwich 37-yd run; C. Wright PAT (9:28)
• Louisa County: J. Wilson 12-yd run; C. Wright PAT (3:26)
• Salem: C. Logan 15-yd TD pass from D. Wilson; C. Wright PAT ( :16)
3rd Qtr
• Salem: C. Leftwich 37-yd run; C. Wright PAT (8:55)
• Salem: C. Leftwich 1-yd run; C. Wright PAT ( :05)
4th Qtr
• Salem: I. Barton 1-yd run; PAT no good (4:09)