Tuesday, September 21, 2004
Lemmer, Knights roll over Cavaliers
Alex Lemmer rushes for 132 yards and a TD as unbeaten Cave Spring routs Lord Botetourt.
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Lord Botetourt almost beat Cave Spring last year, but the Knights preserved a 19-17 win when they stopped quarterback Matt Witt's sneak short of the goal line as time ran out.
There was no such late-game drama Monday. The Knights pummeled Lord Botetourt 42-7 in an Ivan-delayed contest in Daleville.
Cave Spring (3-0) led 35-0 at halftime and more than doubled Botetourt's first-half offensive output with 220 yards to the Cavaliers' 96. All but seven of the Knights' 295 total yards on the night came from their ground attack.
"It's a big letdown after a big win" in the previous game against Hidden Valley, said Cavaliers coach Keith Robinson, whose team fell to 1-2. "We played horrible in the first half and they stuck it to us."
Will Osborne had two rushing touchdowns and backfield mate Alex Lemmer one as they spearheaded the first-half assault for Cave Spring. Quarterback Beau Austin also found a corner of the end zone on a 10-yard scamper with six seconds left in the opening quarter for a 21-0 Knights lead.
"We've got a really good line in front. We do a lot of things when the other team isn't ready for it," said Lemmer, who rushed for 132 yards on 16 carries. "I think we have three running backs that can really run the ball."
Cave Spring coach Ben Foutz singled out Lemmer's performance.
"Alex has grown up a lot. He does a great job," he said.
Two lost fumbles and three interceptions of Witt passes put Lord Botetourt on defense for much of the game, especially in the first half.
"Our players got tired," Robinson said. The Knights are "running the ball well. That's what they do. We weren't tackling real well."
Cave Spring's defense chipped in with a touchdown before the first half ended when defensive lineman Danny Aiken scooped up a missed Cavaliers pitch in the backfield and rumbled 63 yards for a 35-0 lead.
"The kids did good in the first half," Foutz said. "We just have to do that for four quarters."
Lord Botetourt scored its only TD late in the third on a 34-yard pass from Witt to Chaz Edmonds, which cut the deficit to 35-7.
Sam Cole's second pick of the game for the Knights helped seal the deal, and Thompson's 16-yard touchdown run with 2:50 left supplied the final 42-7 margin.
"We feel like we spread the ball around," Foutz said.
Cave Spring21 14 0 7 - 42
Botetourt 0 0 7 0 - 7
CS-Osborne 2 run (kick good)
CS-Osborne 3 run (kick good)
CS-Austin 10 run (kick good)
CS-Lemmer 6 run (kick good)
CS-Aiken 63 fumble return (kick good)
B-Edmonds 35 pass from Witt (kick good)
CS-Thompson 16 run (kick good)
CS LB
First downs 17 15
Yards rushing 288 54
Passes C-A-I 1-4-0 11-22-3
Yards passing 7 118
Penalties-yards 6-55 6-37
Fumbles-lost 1-0 2-2
Punts-average 2-33 1-30
Individual statistics
RUSHING- CS: Osborne 13-67, Austin 8-51, Lemmer 16-132, Thompson 5-38; LB: Wood 3-minus-1, Witt 11-51, Welch 3-4.
PASSING- CS: Austin 1-4-0 7; LB: Witt 11-22-3 118.
RECEIVING- CS: Cole 1-7; LB: Welch 2-9, Graham 1-7, Riggs 2-22, Barton 2-26, Bowyer 1-4, Edmonds 3-50.
