BY: DAVE COX, September 26, 2006, Richlands News Press BLUEFIELD, Va.- Graham was supposed to be the first real test this season for the Richlands football team. It was…for two quarters, at least. Graham (2-3, 0-1 Southwest District) scored a touchdown on a 17-yard Tyler Barreras run with just over three minutes to play in the first half of the SWD showdown last Friday night at Mitchell Stadium and Phil Mahood kicked the extra point to give Graham a 7-6 lead, the first lead against the Blues in any game this year. RHS posted the initial score of the night in the first quarter on a 20-yard pass from quarterback Justin McCracken to Austin Fuller, but the extra point attempt was wide. After the Graham score, The Tornado started to dominate, just as it has in every game this season. Richlands outscored Graham 21-2 the rest of the night for its fifth straight victory of the 2006 season, a 33-9 verdict. It marked 24 regular season wins in a row for the explosive Tornado. The strong Graham defense held the visitors in check on their first two offensive possessions of the night, forcing a punt both times. The Blues' defense was also up to the task, forcing a pair of Graham punts on their first two offensive series of the game. The third time Richlands (5-0, 2-0 SWD) got its hands on the ball, McCracken directed a 6-play 59-yard drive to the end zone. He ran for 28 yards in the series and found Fuller between two defenders as the receiver made a nifty move to avoid a tackle and waltzed into the end zone with 1:19 left in the first quarter. The extra point kick was no good, but the Blues led 6-0. D. J. Simmons thwarted a Graham drive with an intercepted pass on the fifth play of the second chapter. However, the Tornado defense softened on the next Graham drive as the G-Men ate up 53 yards of real estate on a 10-play march that featured all running plays. Bruising Graham fullback Barreras bullied his way 17 yards for a touchdown with 3:24 remaining in the first half. Mahood tacked on the extra point kick and Graham was ahead at 7-6. McCracken put the Blues ahead to stay with a 4-yard TD run with 26 seconds left in the second period. The scoring drive was set up on a 39-yard kickoff return by Fuller. McCracken reeled off a nine yard pass to Caleb Jennings and another toss to C. J. Arms, good for 13 yards. Jennings ran for 21 yards on a pair of carries before McCracken faked a pass and went the final four yards to the end zone. The Blues attempted to run in the two-point conversion, but were stopped short. The touchdown gave the visitors a 12-7 lead and the Blues never trailed again. "I thought the second half was the key to the ballgame," said Richlands head coach Greg Mance. "We got ahead early, but then we got behind for the first time this year, but our kids didn't panic. We looked a little sluggish in the first half, but I thought the offensive line and the defense just played great in the second half." McCracken tossed his second touchdown pass of the evening in the third frame, another scoring strike to Fuller, who finished with 56 yards receiving on three catches. The scoring pass covered 32 yards to give the Blues an 18-7 margin with 5:50 to play in the third stanza. The Tornado attempted another two-point conversion pass, but it was incomplete. On the first play of the fourth quarter, Shane Wicks tackled Steven Brown in his own end zone for a safety to put the visitors ahead 20-7 with 11:55 to play in the game. Jennings added another Blues' tally on a 6-yard burst up the middle moments later. The extra point kick failed and the Blues led 26-7. Jennings wrapped up the Blues' scoring with 6:34 left in the game on a nifty 50-yard run down the left sideline after escaping several would-be tacklers that would have given him a loss on the play. This time Connor McCall connected on the extra point kick to stretch the Tornado margin to 33-7. Graham registered a late safety when Barreras tackled Ben Addison in the end zone with 3:15 left in the contest. Richlands finished with 231 yards rushing, 165 by Jennings on 17 carries. Many of his yards came on second efforts after he was hit on a play. Jennings caught fire in the second half of the game after being held to just 37 yards rushing in the first two periods. "Number seven is a special football player," Mance said about Jennings. "He has the best balance I've ever seen for a running back. People in Richlands had better enjoy him because that kind of kid doesn't come along very often." McCracken ran for 64 yards on 14 carries and threw for 91 on 16 attempts and seven completions. He was not intercepted. Graham quarterback Will Cole managed 55 yards passing on 15 attempts and six completions. He was intercepted twice, both by Simmons, who now has five picks on the season. Brown led the G-Men on the ground with 77 yards on 14 carries.”
