BLUES BLOW AWAY TIGERS
BY: DAVE COX, September 4, 2006, Richlands News Press
RICHLANDS, Va.--Richlands claimed the annual EMATS Clinch River Classic trophy last Friday night with an easy 53-0 non-district football victory over visiting Honaker at Ernie Hicks Stadium.
The Blues crossed the goal line eight times for scores that counted and had three touchdowns called back on penalties. Richlands (2-0, 0-0 Southwest District)) broke the contest wide open in the third quarter with four touchdowns. Receiver C.J. Arms was voted the game's most valuable player. He caught five passes for 102 yards.
Austin Fuller grabbed a pair of touchdown passes from quarterback Justin McCracken and ran 64 yards for a score. Fuller finished the evening with another fine performance, catching four passes for 112 yards.
McCracken's touchdown pass total for the season ballooned to seven as he followed his four at Gate City with three more Friday against the Tigers.
Caleb Jennings had another outstanding night for the Blues with three rushing touchdowns and had two called back on penalties. Matt Davis had a touchdown pass and Ben Addison ran a punt return back for a 44 yard score for RHS. Connor McCall booted five extra points.
The Richlands offense had 526 total yards of offense in the game and the RHS defense held Honaker (0-2, 0-0 Black Diamond District)) to just 76 yards of total offense.
Even with the figures that the Tornado posted, Richlands head coach Greg Mance still sees plenty of room for improvement, especially in the penalty department. Richlands was flagged 11 times for 95 yards in infractions.
"Anytime you get a win you're very happy, but we've got to get better. We're still making too many mistakes and that's something will get you beat in a close game," Mance said. "The first half was sloppy, but we played extremely well the second half."
After an exchange of punts to start the contest, The Tigers failed to move the ball on its second possession and had to punt. Jennings gathered in the football at the Honaker 41 yard line and raced to the end zone, only to have the play nullified by an illegal block.
Richlands shrugged off the penalty and moved the ball to the Honaker six where the drive stalled.
The Blues attempted a 23 yard field goal, but a bad snap gave RHS its only lost fumble.
On the Blues' next possession, McCracken completed a nice 23 yard toss to Fuller and then hit Jennings on an 11 yard throw to the HHS three.
Jennings bulled his way into the end zone from there with 1:02 left in the first quarter. McCall added the extra point kick to put his team ahead to stay at 7-0.
A 57 yard kickoff return by Logan Ball set up shop at the RHS 39 for Honaker. However, the Blues' defense stiffened and stopped the Tigers at the 24.
It took just two plays from there for Jennings to light up the scoreboard again! He gained 13 yards and then found an opening down the right sideline for a 66 yard touchdown run with 10:38 left until halftime. McCall booted his second PAT to give the Tornado a 14-0 edge.
McCracken drilled his fifth touchdown pass of the season moments later when he found Davis open for an eight yard TD. The extra point was no good, but the Blues were up 20-0 with 7:53 remaining in the second period.
The defenses took over for the remainder of the half with Honaker interceptions stalling a pair of RHS drives deep in Tiger territory. Matt Shortridge picked off the first one at the Honaker five and David Keene the other at the HHS 20.
The Blues were unstoppable after the break. McCracken started things off with a 15 yard scoring pass to Fuller with 10:34 left in the third frame. That followed a 27 yard scoring run by Jennings that was called back on a holding penalty. The PAT failed and that set the score at 26-0.
Just over two minutes later, the Blues' special teams added a touchdown. Addison scooped up a Honaker punt and weaved his way 44 yards to pay dirt. McCall's kick was true for a 33-0 Blues' lead with 8:36 left in the third quarter.
McCracken threw a pretty 64 yard pass to Fuller for the next Richlands score. McCall hit the extra point to make it 40-0 with 7:03 remaining in the third stanza.
The Blues wrapped up a four-touchdown quarter on a five yard run by Jennings. A four yard scoring run by McCracken just prior to that was nullified by another holding penalty against the Blues.
The extra point kick was blocked, but RHS was way ahead at 46-0 with 2:31 left in the chapter.
Richlands pulled many of its starters and Fuller took over for McCracken at QB. Jeremy Blankenship set up a 54 scoring run by Fuller when he recovered a Honaker fumble at the RHS 23 yard line. McCall kicked the extra point to set the final score at 53-0 with 8:31 left to play.
The final Honaker try for a score was stopped by an Ethain Keene interception with just seconds left in the game.
Richlands ran for 276 yards, led by Jennings with 155 on 16 carries. McCracken passed for 250 yards on 22 attempts and 13 completions.
RHS amassed 24 first downs in the game.
"The offensive and defensive lines played really well tonight," said Mance. "Once we get our mistakes eliminated and play solid football, we're going to have a hard team to beat."
The Tornado takes its show on the road to Grundy this Friday in its first Southwest District test of the season.
Email: berry1974@adelphia.net
