Well actually KW is underestimating the tense ending of this very tight contest. That is because Central had not one, but FOUR, passes into the end zone from the 14 in an attempt to pull out the win but it was not until the final one fell incomplete that the Gladiator fans could heave a big sigh of relief.
For an opening game of the season, both teams played extremely well. There were no turnovers that I recall for either team and it was a very sportsmanlike game as near as I could tell. It basically came down to the Gladiators doing what they do best......running the ball...as they did not even attempt a pass all night.
By contrast, Central let us know early in the proceedings that their main focus was going to be the passing game as former quarterback Nicholas Barahona will spend this season on the receiving end of repeated missiles from transfer quarterback Noah Moss. The duo worked well together, and of course the Falcons also had a nice rushing game and other receivers beside Barahona.
But in the final analysis, Riverheads won this with a bend but not break defense and by executing two of their patented grind-it-out drives. Arguably the second of those drives was the most important even if it only resulted in a field goal. But it was crucial because it ate up the final 8-9 minutes of the third quarter and when Zac Brooks connected from 36 yards to open the fourth quarter, you could tell that we were headed for a photo finish.
Fans of course remembered back to Central's dramatic 8-7 win in last year's season-opener, so everyone in the stadium knew that the Falcons were capable of scoring eight points in very short order, so the idea that they might leave Greenville with an awkward-sounding 11-10 win was on everyone's mind until that final incompletion.
Ironically the game started as if we might be in for an offensive shootout. RHS took the opening kickoff and marched confidently down the field to score on an eight yard Jonathan Talbott touchdown run. Who knew at the time that would be the only TD scored in the game? Central helped things along on that drive with two five-yard face mask calls and an encroachment penalty.
Brooks' PAT made it 7-0 midway through the quarter and Central immediately took to the air to show off their own offense. Although they were never able to hit the big one, the short passing game worked well for them at times.
Midway through the second quarter, Riverheads drove down the field and seemed to be headed for a two-touchdown lead. But the Central defense dropped Talbott behind the line on a fourth-down play, one that seemed to fire them up and led to their only score of the evening.
They marched down the field and deep into Riverheads territory. This time the flags were flying in their favor as the Big Red was hit with two PI calls on that drive, including one that occurred in the end zone. But just when it looked like the visitors might be able to score the equalizer, a motion penalty backed them up to the 10 and they elected to go for the field goal just before the halftime horn.
The Falcons received the second half kickoff and everyone knew that first possession would be crucial in determining the outcome. But the Big Red continued to get quality defensive stops from Jayden Dotson, Carson Brooks, and Hunter Hulvey among others. In fact to keep a team the caliber of Central out of the end zone for four quarters obviously means that the ENTIRE Big Red defense got the job done.
As already mentioned, the Gladiators kept the ball away from the Falcons for the rest of the third quarter until Brooks' field goal put the final points on the board for the home team. With 11 minutes and change to pull out the win, the Falcons had two more possessions, but came up just short.
In addition to the six-pointer from Talbott and Brooks' four points, the Gladiators got some quality runs from sophomore Jackson Fitzgerald (remember that name folks!), along with Brooks, Brady Boehm, and Brody Phillips. Gladiator QB Levi Dunlap may not have thrown a pass but he also had three or four quality sneaks and a bootleg.
So win number one is in the books for the Big Red. Next week Tazewell visits for the final game in a five-game run. The Big Red has won all four in that series, but rumor has it that the Bulldog quarterback may be one of the best we see this year. Following that one, the Gladiators will travel to Fort Defiance for the Shenandoah District opener, a game folks are already talking about.