In a make-up game postponed from last Wednesday, the Big Red knocked off once-beaten Buffalo Gap 30-14 tonight in Greenville. In some ways, the game resembled the varsity game between the two teams played Friday night.
For example, each one enjoyed some early offensive success, scoring on its first possession, before the Gladiators assumed control and kept the Bison from scoring a second time until the final two seconds of the game.
But the biggest similarity between the two games was that the Gap gambled twice (identically) near midfield, just like their varsity had done, and in each case Riverheads withstood the challenge, earned itself a shorter field to operate, and turned the situation into eight points.
The first of those Bison gambles came on the opening kickoff. They decided to try and catch the Gladiators napping with an onside kick. Riverheads covered it but even if they hadn't the Bison would have been helpless because the kick did not go the required ten yards. So having to go less than half the field, Riverheads marched in for the opening score of the game and converted the two-point PAT to go up 8-0.
However, the Bison came right back and scored themselves, although they needed a 19-yard pass from Dylan Alphin to Micah Canterbury on fourth and goal to get the job done. RHS stopped them on the conversion attempt to hold an 8-6 lead early in the second quarter.
That set the stage for Gap Gamble Number Two...... yet another onside kick that once again did not go the required yardage before being covered by an alert Gladiator lineman. RHS then took that one in for another eight-point trip to take a 16-6 halftime lead.
By the way, once again we played tonight with eight minute quarters instead of the ten we have been used to all these years. Some folks in the stands were saying that has something to do with whether or not you have eighth-graders on your team. Who knows????
The third quarter, or at least all but 45 seconds of it, was consumed by a Bison drive, which if successful would have brought them back to within 16-12 or 16-14. Instead the Gladiator D held them inside the Red Zone and took over.
Riverheads then scored twice in the final quarter to put the game away but one of the TDs was definitely highlight-reel material. We have all seen those plays on TV where a running back gets stood up in the middle of the line and appears to be stopped for maybe a 3-5 yard gain, but he keeps churning and his teammates instinctively pile on behind him and try to scrum their way for extra yards.
Well Luke Bryant had one of those tonight that started around the 20. The Bison first made contact at about the 15 and sure enough appeared to have him stopped for a short gain. But along came 10 of his best friends and as they pushed harder and got him closer to the goal line, the Gladiator crowd roared its approval until the whole pile hit paydirt. The Big Red's third two-pointer of the night made it 24-6 and effectively settled the issue.
Cayden Cook-Cash, the other half of the Gladiators' potent 1-2 rushing attack, later raced untouched from 57 yards out to complete the Riverheads scoring. The Bison then made it more respectable with a determined drive in which they strategically used their timeouts and the sideline, eventually scoring at the two second mark to make the final tally 30-14. To their credit this was RHS' closest game of the season in terms of victory margin.
The Big Red will have almost no time to savor this victory as they swing back in to action Thursday night, hosting Stuarts Draft, as they attempt to give first-year boss Ryan Armstrong a perfect record in his coaching debut.
For example, each one enjoyed some early offensive success, scoring on its first possession, before the Gladiators assumed control and kept the Bison from scoring a second time until the final two seconds of the game.
But the biggest similarity between the two games was that the Gap gambled twice (identically) near midfield, just like their varsity had done, and in each case Riverheads withstood the challenge, earned itself a shorter field to operate, and turned the situation into eight points.
The first of those Bison gambles came on the opening kickoff. They decided to try and catch the Gladiators napping with an onside kick. Riverheads covered it but even if they hadn't the Bison would have been helpless because the kick did not go the required ten yards. So having to go less than half the field, Riverheads marched in for the opening score of the game and converted the two-point PAT to go up 8-0.
However, the Bison came right back and scored themselves, although they needed a 19-yard pass from Dylan Alphin to Micah Canterbury on fourth and goal to get the job done. RHS stopped them on the conversion attempt to hold an 8-6 lead early in the second quarter.
That set the stage for Gap Gamble Number Two...... yet another onside kick that once again did not go the required yardage before being covered by an alert Gladiator lineman. RHS then took that one in for another eight-point trip to take a 16-6 halftime lead.
By the way, once again we played tonight with eight minute quarters instead of the ten we have been used to all these years. Some folks in the stands were saying that has something to do with whether or not you have eighth-graders on your team. Who knows????
The third quarter, or at least all but 45 seconds of it, was consumed by a Bison drive, which if successful would have brought them back to within 16-12 or 16-14. Instead the Gladiator D held them inside the Red Zone and took over.
Riverheads then scored twice in the final quarter to put the game away but one of the TDs was definitely highlight-reel material. We have all seen those plays on TV where a running back gets stood up in the middle of the line and appears to be stopped for maybe a 3-5 yard gain, but he keeps churning and his teammates instinctively pile on behind him and try to scrum their way for extra yards.
Well Luke Bryant had one of those tonight that started around the 20. The Bison first made contact at about the 15 and sure enough appeared to have him stopped for a short gain. But along came 10 of his best friends and as they pushed harder and got him closer to the goal line, the Gladiator crowd roared its approval until the whole pile hit paydirt. The Big Red's third two-pointer of the night made it 24-6 and effectively settled the issue.
Cayden Cook-Cash, the other half of the Gladiators' potent 1-2 rushing attack, later raced untouched from 57 yards out to complete the Riverheads scoring. The Bison then made it more respectable with a determined drive in which they strategically used their timeouts and the sideline, eventually scoring at the two second mark to make the final tally 30-14. To their credit this was RHS' closest game of the season in terms of victory margin.
The Big Red will have almost no time to savor this victory as they swing back in to action Thursday night, hosting Stuarts Draft, as they attempt to give first-year boss Ryan Armstrong a perfect record in his coaching debut.
