Riverheads stops Luray

LURAY — The Riverheads Gladiators cleared another hurdle in their quest for the Region B playoffs Friday night, winning a 35-28 shootout over Luray in Shenandoah District football action.

The important win over the Bulldogs pushed the Red Pride’s record to 8-1, with only next week’s county rivalry game with Buffalo Gap standing in the way of an outright district championship.

With both teams’ offenses in high gear, the Gladiators made a crucial fourth-down defensive stop to thwart a potential tying touchdown by the Bulldogs and then made a key first down to chew up the rest of the clock to preserve the win.

“It doesn’t really matter how we won, but we won,” said veteran Riverheads coach Robert Casto. “Luray played really well.”

The Gladiators gained the upper hand early, scoring on a 2-yard run by Demetrius Younger at the 6:49 mark of the first period.

Riverheads took a 14-0 lead with 10:08 left in the half on a 3-yard TD run by Cory Sandridge.

Luray used a successful fake punt attempt to help score its first touchdown. Punter Joe Caviness launched a perfect pass to Dylan Mayes for a 17-yard gain on fourth down. On the next play, Bulldogs’ quarterback Willie Logan tossed a 30-yard touchdown pass to tailback Garrett Cook with 6:45 left before halftime. The extra point, cut the Gladiators’ lead in half.

The Gladiators’ punishing running attack answered right back, with Younger blasting over from the 6-yard line with 1:49 remaining in the half.

Moving quickly, Luray used a 39-yard pass from Logan to wide receiver Logan McCaughan to set up a 3-yard TD run by Cook with 19 seconds remaining before intermission.

McCaughan returned the second-half kickoff back to the Riverheads 40 and five plays later, Cook again plowed in from the three. The extra point tied the game at the 9:54 mark of the third quarter.

It only took the Gladiators five plays after the ensuing kickoff to regain the lead.

Sandridge took it in from the Luray five and the extra point gave Riverheads a 28-21 lead.

The pesky Bulldogs tied the game again with Cook scoring again on a 15-yard sweep.

An offside call on Luray provided the Gladiators with a key first down as the game moved into the fouth quarter.

Riverheads moved down to the Luray 13, but faced a fouth down. A delay of game penalty on the Gladiators put the ball back to the 18, with 12 yards to go for a first down.

The Gladiators only pass play of the night was a success, as quarterback Lance Diehl connected for a touchdown with Logan Moore in the corner of the end zone with 6:44 left in the game.

Luray moved the ball into Riverheads’ territory again, converting a fourth down pass from Logan to Caviness. From there, the Bulldogs moved to the Gladiator 28, but the Red Pride held on another fourth down and took over on downs.

The Gladiators made one first down and then ran out the clock.

“We made a stop and then got a first down and that was it,” Casto said. “Now, we move on.”