Gladiator fans were a busy bunch tonight as they celebrated Homecoming, initiated their two brand new sets of home bleachers, and picked up their 44th consecutive win with an impressive 56-7 thumping of visiting Fort Defiance. I am told that win streak has the Big Red tied for the third-longest in the nation.
However, the first few minutes of this game looked a little interesting as the Indians came out throwing the ball and on the very first play from scrimmage, freshman quarterback Shannon Knicely lofted one high into the air for his sophomore receiver Landon Barb. When the ball finally came down, Barb was able to wrestle it away from a Riverheads defender and the Indians were in business at the Red Pride 32.
The Gladiators were able to stifle the drive when David Austin intercepted near the goal line and returned it out beyond midfield to flip the field position. They went on to score on that first possession but on the second Fort drive, the visitors again drove into Riverheads territory before the Gladiators turned them away empty-handed and began to take charge of the game. But the thing to notice about that opening sequence is that Knicely and Barb each will be around a couple more years, so the Indians' best football is definitely ahead of them.
Riverheads would eventually crank up its vaunted running game as Cayden Cook-Cash, Cole Burton, and Aidan Miller each scored twice on the evening. Miller added to his successful outing by being named Homecoming King and I believe I heard the Queen's name to be Dylan Obaugh.
If there was a surprise element to this game, it was a decision by Riverheads to open up its own passing attack to combat that of the Indians. Granted, the Big Red had already been passing more than usual this season, as junior quarterback Bennett Dunlap entered the game with 8 TD tosses on the year, most of them going to his senior receiver Landon Lightner. But at least in the first half, it almost looked as if the Gladiators decided to actually focus on the passing game as Dunlap threaded the needle beautifully on several great tosses, one going for a 58 yard Lightner touchdown, and he also connected with Cook-Cash on a long one. I heard unofficially that he was 9 for 10 in the first half for over 200 yards. Lightner also had a beautiful over the shoulder interception in the first half to thwart yet another Indian drive.
The Big Red used the passing game to set up the run instead of vice versa, so their five TD runs in the first half were relatively short by Riverheads standards, as Lightner's TD catch was the longest play to that point. With Riverheads leading 42-0 and the halftime festivities concluded, Burton wasted no time with the longest run of the evening as he toted the pigskin for 68 yards on the first play from scrimmage in the second half.
Later in the third quarter, Brenden Fortune became the latest Gladiator to score his first career touchdown as the sophomore running back rumbled up the middle from about 25 yards out for the final RHS score of the evening. Following his score, Knicely got the Indians on the scoreboard with a keeper around right end that probably was not designed to go 70 yards but did anyway, as the visitors averted the shutout. With the running clock in effect, the game ended with neither team threatening any further.
Next week Riverheads hosts Staunton and the Fort returns home to entertain Stuarts Draft. Although Riverheads would like nothing better than for the Indians to upend the Cougars, that probably won't happen, which will lead to the BIG SHOWDOWN in Greenville the following Friday when SD travels to RHS for the district championship game.
However, the first few minutes of this game looked a little interesting as the Indians came out throwing the ball and on the very first play from scrimmage, freshman quarterback Shannon Knicely lofted one high into the air for his sophomore receiver Landon Barb. When the ball finally came down, Barb was able to wrestle it away from a Riverheads defender and the Indians were in business at the Red Pride 32.
The Gladiators were able to stifle the drive when David Austin intercepted near the goal line and returned it out beyond midfield to flip the field position. They went on to score on that first possession but on the second Fort drive, the visitors again drove into Riverheads territory before the Gladiators turned them away empty-handed and began to take charge of the game. But the thing to notice about that opening sequence is that Knicely and Barb each will be around a couple more years, so the Indians' best football is definitely ahead of them.
Riverheads would eventually crank up its vaunted running game as Cayden Cook-Cash, Cole Burton, and Aidan Miller each scored twice on the evening. Miller added to his successful outing by being named Homecoming King and I believe I heard the Queen's name to be Dylan Obaugh.
If there was a surprise element to this game, it was a decision by Riverheads to open up its own passing attack to combat that of the Indians. Granted, the Big Red had already been passing more than usual this season, as junior quarterback Bennett Dunlap entered the game with 8 TD tosses on the year, most of them going to his senior receiver Landon Lightner. But at least in the first half, it almost looked as if the Gladiators decided to actually focus on the passing game as Dunlap threaded the needle beautifully on several great tosses, one going for a 58 yard Lightner touchdown, and he also connected with Cook-Cash on a long one. I heard unofficially that he was 9 for 10 in the first half for over 200 yards. Lightner also had a beautiful over the shoulder interception in the first half to thwart yet another Indian drive.
The Big Red used the passing game to set up the run instead of vice versa, so their five TD runs in the first half were relatively short by Riverheads standards, as Lightner's TD catch was the longest play to that point. With Riverheads leading 42-0 and the halftime festivities concluded, Burton wasted no time with the longest run of the evening as he toted the pigskin for 68 yards on the first play from scrimmage in the second half.
Later in the third quarter, Brenden Fortune became the latest Gladiator to score his first career touchdown as the sophomore running back rumbled up the middle from about 25 yards out for the final RHS score of the evening. Following his score, Knicely got the Indians on the scoreboard with a keeper around right end that probably was not designed to go 70 yards but did anyway, as the visitors averted the shutout. With the running clock in effect, the game ended with neither team threatening any further.
Next week Riverheads hosts Staunton and the Fort returns home to entertain Stuarts Draft. Although Riverheads would like nothing better than for the Indians to upend the Cougars, that probably won't happen, which will lead to the BIG SHOWDOWN in Greenville the following Friday when SD travels to RHS for the district championship game.
