Stuarts Draft knocked out

ROANOKE — Stuarts Draft held off an early Northside score but the Vikings were too much to overcome, defeating the Cougars 24-8 Friday night in the Region III, Division 3 quarterfinals.

The Vikings started off the game with the ball, moving down the field with ease.

Wardel Penn-Timity took the opening play 12 yards for the first down.The next two plays also resulted in first downs due to Isaiah Martin and Dustin Phelps rushes.

Quarterback Ryan Keith found Penn-Timity in the end zone for the early Viking lead.

The Cougar offense could not find its groove early, going 3-and-out on the first two drives of the game.

“We had a little bit of difficulty getting off the bus,” Draft coach Rod Bowers said. “After we got off the bus and got the deer in the headlights out of our eyes, I think we played much better.”

It took another Northside score before the Cougars’ offense got jumpstarted.

From 45 yards out, Keith found Martin on a screen play.

Martin took off up the field, cut back on the 25-yard line, and outran the secondary the rest of the way for Keith’s second touchdown pass of the game.

The ball literally bounced the Cougars way on their next possession.

After what looked to be another stalled offensive set, Darius Woodson punted the ball to the 11-yard line where it was muffed by Martin. The Cougars dove on the ball in the Viking red zone.

Stuarts Draft made the Vikings pay for their mistake as Ryan Moore hit Tyler Bridge in the end zone for the Cougars’ only touchdown of the game.

With a one possession ball game and the momentum swung in the Cougars favor thanks to the Martin muff, Draft’s defense held down the Vikings until the fourth quarter.

“Our kids have done a great job keeping their composure this year,” Bowers added. “We stress to play with class, control the things you can control and don’t worry about the things you can’t”

With less than nine minutes to play in the season for either the Vikings or the Cougars, Keith found Penn-Timity again for the touchdown, Keith’s third through the air and the dagger in the Cougars’ semifinal hopes.

“What I am going to miss most about these seniors is that they were sophomores my first year here,” Bowers stated. “We have been through this together and they have paved a way for Cougar football.”

Northside will travel to Brookville next week for the Region III, Division 3 semifinals.