These two neighboring rivals renewed their 50+ year association tonight on the Cougar field and the home team took advantage of a strong second half to turn back the Gladiators. It was not as overpowering a win as last year's game and this time there will be no chance for RHS to even things up in the playoffs since they will be in different divisions this year.
The visiting Big Red certainly made a game of it in the first half as they took an early 7-0 lead, and were still very much in the game at halftime, trailing only 14-13. They even had a chance to take a halftime lead on a Hail Mary that made it close to the end zone but the intended receiver could not haul it in.
But in the second half, the Cougars took firm control behind the shiftiness of quarterback Derrick Moore and the power running of Baylor Graber. Riverheads had only one scoring threat in the second half but came up inches short on a fourth down play inside the Cougar 30.
Each team had their troubles with timing issues as the flag of the day was almost always for either offsides or a false start. I don't recall a single holding call in the entire game and you know how referees love to call those!
Speaking of the refs, we would all love to know what was going on late in the second quarter.......Riverheads had the ball after a Jackson Fitzgerald interception put them in business in Cougar territory. They were trailing 14-7 at the time. They ran one play for a few yards and then there was an unexplained stoppage of play. If there was a flag it was not visible.
First the refs talked among themselves for a few minutes. Then they went over to the Cougar sideline to speak with their staff. Then they visited the Riverheads side for a confab. Finally after what seemed like a 15 minute delay, play resumed and neither team was ever penalized. We may never know what that was all about.
As mentioned, Moore and Graber were the main Cougar weapons, as they likely will be all season. For Riverheads Fitzgerald had some nice runs and even caught a couple of passes to keep drives alive. But the main Gladiator workhorse tonight was fullback Preston McCauley. He scored the first Big Red touchdown just four minutes into the game on a tough tackle-shedding run right up the gut.
After the Cougars scored twice to go up 14-7, RHS got its second TD shortly after that officiating delay when quarterback Kendal Edwards punched it across from the 1. The Gladiators missed the PAT that would have tied the score. The Cougars had 16 seconds on the clock to work with but instead fumbled around midfield and gave Riverheads the chance for the final play. Edwards got the distance he needed but failed to connect and the teams trotted to the locker rooms with SD on top 14-13.
The Cougars then scored on their first possession of the second half to go up 22-13 and added an insurance TD in the fourth. With the win, they are now 1-0 in district play and 2-1 overall after two home victories.
For Riverheads it was a rare second straight loss and they are now 1-2 on the season. They will try to take out their frustrations next Friday when Buffalo Gap comes calling. Sounds like the Bison had a similar game tonight against Wilson as they drew first blood but lost 35-18.
I also see that Staunton survived Rockbridge in a game that should not have been expected to be close, I have not seen a Fort/Waynesboro score but would assume the Indians won. In the only non-district game, Alleghany crossed the state line and knocked off Greenbrier East 36-26.
The visiting Big Red certainly made a game of it in the first half as they took an early 7-0 lead, and were still very much in the game at halftime, trailing only 14-13. They even had a chance to take a halftime lead on a Hail Mary that made it close to the end zone but the intended receiver could not haul it in.
But in the second half, the Cougars took firm control behind the shiftiness of quarterback Derrick Moore and the power running of Baylor Graber. Riverheads had only one scoring threat in the second half but came up inches short on a fourth down play inside the Cougar 30.
Each team had their troubles with timing issues as the flag of the day was almost always for either offsides or a false start. I don't recall a single holding call in the entire game and you know how referees love to call those!
Speaking of the refs, we would all love to know what was going on late in the second quarter.......Riverheads had the ball after a Jackson Fitzgerald interception put them in business in Cougar territory. They were trailing 14-7 at the time. They ran one play for a few yards and then there was an unexplained stoppage of play. If there was a flag it was not visible.
First the refs talked among themselves for a few minutes. Then they went over to the Cougar sideline to speak with their staff. Then they visited the Riverheads side for a confab. Finally after what seemed like a 15 minute delay, play resumed and neither team was ever penalized. We may never know what that was all about.
As mentioned, Moore and Graber were the main Cougar weapons, as they likely will be all season. For Riverheads Fitzgerald had some nice runs and even caught a couple of passes to keep drives alive. But the main Gladiator workhorse tonight was fullback Preston McCauley. He scored the first Big Red touchdown just four minutes into the game on a tough tackle-shedding run right up the gut.
After the Cougars scored twice to go up 14-7, RHS got its second TD shortly after that officiating delay when quarterback Kendal Edwards punched it across from the 1. The Gladiators missed the PAT that would have tied the score. The Cougars had 16 seconds on the clock to work with but instead fumbled around midfield and gave Riverheads the chance for the final play. Edwards got the distance he needed but failed to connect and the teams trotted to the locker rooms with SD on top 14-13.
The Cougars then scored on their first possession of the second half to go up 22-13 and added an insurance TD in the fourth. With the win, they are now 1-0 in district play and 2-1 overall after two home victories.
For Riverheads it was a rare second straight loss and they are now 1-2 on the season. They will try to take out their frustrations next Friday when Buffalo Gap comes calling. Sounds like the Bison had a similar game tonight against Wilson as they drew first blood but lost 35-18.
I also see that Staunton survived Rockbridge in a game that should not have been expected to be close, I have not seen a Fort/Waynesboro score but would assume the Indians won. In the only non-district game, Alleghany crossed the state line and knocked off Greenbrier East 36-26.
