Riverheads holds off Stonewall

GREENVILLE- After a no-call on pass interference against Stonewall Jackson in the fourth quarter, Riverheads' quarterback Jacob Hutchinson decided on the deep strike on 3rd and 18.

With a few steps back, Hutchinson took his time as he went deep to Nathan Proffitt for the 78-yard pass. Proffitt landed just short of the 7-yard line, setting up running backCorey Sandridge's 7-yard touchdown as Riverheads escaped Stonewall Jackson 14-12 on Friday giving the Red Pride its second consecutive Shenandoah District victory.

"I didn't go long, my quarterback went long. He had three options and he took the right one," said Riverheads coach Robert Casto. "He just did a good job of reading the right route."

However, Stonewall Jackson wouldn't go down without a fight as the Generals neared their own 39-yard line.

With seven minutes left to go in the game, running back Hunter Stout found the open hole as sprinted down field for the 62-yard touchdown cutting the lead to 14-12.

Stonewall Jackson, which had already missed its previous two-point conversion tries, decided to give it a go once more. With a pitch to the right from quarterback Dylan Dawson, Stout landed just short of the goal line.

"Stonewall is Stonewall and Riverheads is Riverheads. We do what we do well and they do what they do well," Casto said. "It's a tough, tough ball game. Stonewall is a well-coached football team."

Riverheads got the ball back but had a tough time getting the first down. On 3rd and 4 on the 34-yard line, Sandridge couldn't hold on to Hutchinson's pass as he was heavily covered by a General defender.

With 5:51 left to go, the Gladiators were forced to punt the ball giving the Generals one more shot to take the lead. Stonewall Jackson managed to get the first down as Colton Koontz charged through for the 5-yard pick up on 4th and one.

That would be the last first down the Generals would get. With 4th and 3 from the 44, the Red Pride defense swarmed Stout as he tried to run toward the 40-yard line. Stout was called short as Riverheads took its final possession.

"We got the yards when we needed them," Casto said.

But unlike the second half where it was all running touchdowns, the first half was full of passing touchdowns. Riverheads was the first to score in the second quarter when Hutchinson connected with Proffitt in the right corner for the 12-yard reception.

Stonewall answered that score a minute later when Dawson found tight end Nicholas Trent wide open for the eight-yard on 4th and 5.