By: Gary Dove
WN Sports Writer
BRADSHAW- River View overcame a catastrophic miscue in the first twominutes of Friday evening’s game against the Sherman Tide at Mitch EstepField, scored after a defensive stand deep in the visitors’ territory and actuallytook a 12-7 lead early in the third chapter before the favored Tide took no prisoners with a 21-6 outburst after the Raiders had taken that 12-7 advantage.
The fans had hardly settled into their collective seats when senior Colby Buzzard penetrated the River View protection on only the fourth play from scrimmage, blocked a Raider punt and scooped up the pigskin at the 10 and raced into the end zone for a quick 6-0 Sherman lead. Buzzard added the extra point kick to extend the lead to 7-0.
River View attempted to answer on its ensuing possession and drove to the Tide 9 before turning the pigskin over on downs.
The View suffered a devastating loss on the seventh play of that march when junior fullback/linebacker/punter Michael Picklesimer left the contest before being taken to the hospital with a knee injury.
That march did benefit the Raiders when a four play defensive stop gave themthe ball at the Tide 3.
On the first snap after the possession change, senior Wyatt Blankenshipscored the first of his two touchdowns on a 3 yard run behind left guard to cut the deficit to 7-6 with 2:23 left in the inaugural stanza.
Both teams kept one another out of the end zone for the remainder of the opening half for that 7-6 score at the break.
Sherman’s initial second half series was stopped on downs at the Raider 40.
Blankenship started up the middle on the first RV snap of the second before he cut right toward the Raider sideline and finished with a 60 yard score to propel the hosts to a 12-7 lead with 8:56 showing in the third.
That burst and lead change seemed to give Sherman a renewed purpose, as the visitors scored their next three possessions, with a Josh Proffitt six for the Raiders between the second and third Tide scores.
First senior Christopher Winnell scored on a 9 yard burst after taking an option pitch to push the Tide back on top 14-12 after Buzzard’s conversion kick.
After a River View punt, junior quarterback Timothy Hager raced 29 yards on a keeper for a 22-12 lead following a Winnell two point PAT.
Proffitt, a junior speedster for the View, caught a swing pass from senior Connor Christian, eluded a couple defenders at the line of scrimmage and finally sprang himself with a stiff-arm to complete a 68 yard scoring play, again on the first play of the series,
The Raiders closed to 22-18 with that score, before Sherman slammed the door with a 15 yard Hager-to-Andrew Simpson TD strike in the third and a Buzzard 8 yard touchdown in the fourth to move the Tide to 3-0 on the campaign.
The Raiders drop to 0-2 and will visit Hurley, VA Friday evening.
Assessed fourth year Raider head coach George Kennedy, “I’m not dissatisfied with our effort. After Mikey (Picklesimer) went down, we could have quit, but we didn’t and actually took the lead in the third.”
“I’m pleased with that and the fact that we never did quit,” Coach Kennedy continued.
Hager finished the game with 16 carries for 161 yards and one score, as the Tide amassed 239 rushing yards and 75 more through the air by Hager.
The Raiders were led in rushing by Blankenship’s 88 yards on 16 totes. Senior Connor Christian completed 6-of-10 passes for 154 yards and one TD.
SCORE BY QUARTERS
SHERMAN 7 0 21 7 35
RIVER VIEW 6 0 12 7 18
SCORING
First Quarter
SH: Colby Buzzard 10 yd blocked punt return (Buzzard PAT kick) 10:10
RV: Wyatt Blankenship 3 yd run (PAT run failed) 2:23
Third Quarter
RV: Blankenship 60 yd run (PAT pass failed) 8:56
SH: Christopher Winnell 9 yd run (Buzzard PAT kick) 7:05
SH: Timothy Hager 29 yd run (Winnell PAT run) 5:02
RV: Josh Proffitt 68 yd pass from Connor Christian (PAT run failed) 4:38
SH: Andrew Simpson 15 yd pass from Hager (PAT kick failed) 0:24
Fourth Quarter
SH: Buzzard 8 yd run (Buzzard PAT kick) 7:06
TEAM STATISTICS
FIRST DOWNS SH 13 RV 9
RUSHING SH 37-249 yds RV 37-86 yds
PASSING YARDAGE SH 75 RV 154
TOTAL YARDAGE SH 324 RV 240
PASSING SH 4-13, 1 Int RV 7-11, 0 Int
FUMBLES – LOST SH 4-1 RV 1-0
PENALTIES SH 7-65 RV 2-15
PUNTS –YARDS-AVG SH 2-74-37.0 RV 5-72-14.8
INDIVIDUAL STATS
RUSHING SH Timothy Hager 16-161 yds, Christopher Winnell 17-58 yds,
RV Wyatt Blankenship 16-88 yds
PASSING SH Hager 4-13, 75 yds, 1 Int RV Connor Christian 6-10, 129 yds
PASS RECEIVING SH Winnell 2-23 yds, Ronald Estep 1-37 yds RV Maleek
Woodson 3-30 yds, Josh Proffitt 2-97 yds, Blankenship 2-27 yds