Physical game, big plays fuel Byrd to a 41-14 win over Botetourt
Robert A. Patterson Stadium, Jefferson W. Highfill Field, Vinton, VA – Byrd controlled this one from the start. When
the dust settled it was the Terrier offense that had too much speed and too many explosive plays for the Cavs. Terrier
RB 7 Brayden Andrews was physical between the tackles and that takes a toll. The Byrd defense got the party started with an early stop forcing a Botetourt punt.
Three plays later, QB 4 Israel ‘Izzy’ Hairston arched a perfect touch pass to WR/DB 11 Cooper Minix who outran defenders on his way to end zone. Byrd led 7-0. The Cavs first offensive push came on the legs of RB 10 Tristan Overbay who broke off an 85-yard jaunt down to the Byrd five. It took four downs, but eventually the visitors tied the game up at 7-7 with Overbay going in from the one. Byrd answered with a nine play drive to take the lead 14-7. The Terriers followed that up with a six play drive culminating in Hairston’s 2nd passing touchdown of the night to make it 21-7 at the break. In the second half, both teams kept each other in check until half way through the third quarter. That’s when RB/WR/DB 22 Jerrett Shepherd broke away on a 55-yard TD run to extend the lead 27-7, Byrd.
There is no quit in a Botetourt team though. In the fourth quarter the Cavs fought back with a 12-yard TD pass from QB/DB 4 Sam Grooten to FB 8 Ben Gilbert cutting the Terriers lead to 27-14. But Hairston put the game away a few minutes later, with a 60-yard TD run making it 34-14. After a Hairston interception a few plays later, Terrier RB 7 Andrews punched it in for the final touches for the home team. Botetourt finished the year without their leader, QB/DB 7 Jakari Nicely, who suffered a knee injury a few weeks prior. Byrd moves on with the Regional Semifinal win headed to a showdown on the road next week against a good Magna Vista team. – Chase Dorman