Sherando Bounces Back Led By Smith
STEPHENS CITY, VA - The Sherando Warriors entered action Friday night needing a win over the Brentsville Tigers to keep their playoff hopes alive. Sherando would be without senior quarterback Ross Metheny, who would miss the first start ever of his career. He had started 45 consecutive games for the Warriors since his freshman season in 2005. The Warriors would pick up the slack and win one for their signal-caller as they defeated the Tigers 46-7 Friday night.
Sherando started about as quickly as could be expected, when Dalton Boyd took the opening kickoff of the game 70 yards for the first score which put the Warriors on top 7-0 just 12 seconds into action. It was foreshadowing for what would happen as the game progressed. On their second "official" possession of the game Sherando marched the length of the field behind the strong running of Roger Smith, Jr. who carried 9 times for 71 yards and his first touchdown on the drive. Smith, Jr. ended the night with 33 carries for 197 yards and 5 touchdowns.
Smith, Jr. second touchdown of the game capped another long drive for the Warriors and put the score 21-0 with 5:36 to go in the opening half of football. Brentsville could not get anything going in the first half, being limited to just 21 plays in the entire half for a total of 57 yards. Sherando would add another score before the teams went to the locker room for the halftime break. Junior backup quarterback Corey Rice went 3-3 on the final drive of the half for 44 yards, and then allowed Smith, Jr. to get yet another score, this time from 3 yards away. Sherando had a commanding 29-0 lead at the half, and the 2nd half would be a formality.
On the first two possessions for the Warriors in the second half it was again Roger Smith, Jr. getting into the end zone two more times, for his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the game. Brentsville would get their lone score of the game between the two Sherando scores. Brentsville went to their bag of tricks to get on the board. PJ Borko handed off to running back David Hammond who started to run right and then pulled back and let the ball fly down the sideline. The ball came down into double coverage, but the Tigers' Scotty Crane was able to pull it away from the defenders for the score. Lukas Stump would add a field goal with just 1:35 to play in the game giving the Warriors the 46-7 win and keeping their playoff hopes alive.
The Warriors will travel to Millbrook to take on the Pioneers next Friday night in yet another must win game. Game time is set for 7:00PM with live Gameday Radio Network coverage starting at 6:30PM.
VELOCITY SPORTS PERFORMANCE PLAYERS OF THE GAME
Sherando: Roger Smith, Jr., Running Back
Smith, Jr. carried the load as the Warriors were without Ross Metheny for the first time in his career. After 33 carries and 197 yards in the game Smith, Jr. was able to tally 5 scores for the second time this season. Roger Smith, Jr. also upped his season total for touchdowns to 20 for the 2008 season.
Brentsville: Scotty Crane, Wide Receiver / Linebacker
A true two-way player for the Tigers, Crane was never off the field in this game. He caught the only score of the game for Brentsville from 32 yards out. Crane is one of the best athletes on the Tigers' roster and his knack for finding the football is key to his success in leading the Tigers.
